Doing Wonders

“R emember His wonders which He does,” the Levites sing when the ark is brought to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:12a), doubtless referring preeminently to the wonders of the exodus but more distantly to the wonder of doing/making creation. At creation and in the exodus, God's wonders are the wonders of the Word: The Levites memorialize “His marvels and the judgments of His mouth” (16:12b).

Solomon also does/makes a “wonder”: the house he builds (2 Chronicles 2:9). The temple is something of a miracle, a sign of Yahweh’s sovereignty and power. It too is an act of creation, performed not by Yahweh but by His anointed king. Yahweh does wonders, so does Solomon: Like Father, like son.

There are obvious Christological implications. Jesus the greater Solomon does wonders in leading His people in a new exodus. There are also ecclesiological implications, for if the building of Jerusalem's temple was a wonder, so is the building of the living temple of the church. Jesus builds His temple, but by the Spirit the members of the body “edify” one another and the whole church.

Here is a wonder: That in Christ we do/make wonders.