The first place of meeting was in a cafe. A place of eating and feasting called "The Decision." (At the time, it was still known as Art Cafe Decision by most)
That cafe is in an area of Tokyo that hosts the seat of government for the nation of Japan. The name of that area is called Chiyoda-ku.
The name of the area within Chiyoda-ku where The Decision is located is called Kanda.
The English literal translation of the chinese characters for Kanda is as follows:
神 = God
田 = Rice FieldIn 1 Chronicles 21, David ended up at a threshing floor. A place where the harvest was brought in and prepared for distribution. In the context of the story, God speaks and instructs David to construct an altar in that place. David purchases the property and does as directed. In the process of making the sacrifice and carrying out the act of worship, fire falls from heaven and burns up the sacrifice in response to David's prayers.
>In 1 Chronicles 22, David makes a decision and determines that this will become the new location for the Temple of the Lord and the place of the altar for Israel's burnt offerings.
Moving forward to 2 Chronicles 7, Solomon has already become king. He has completed building the Temple of the Lord as instructed by his father, David and gone through the process of dedicating the newly completed temple. Before the Solomon and the people, fire again falls upon the altar which compels the people to worship Him all the more. Starting with verse 11, Solomon receives a response from the Lord to his prayers of dedication.
Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
It is interesting that the altar which David built was one with a purpose of intercession. It is interesting that the altar was needed due to a decision David had made. It is interesting that the altar was built on a place where grain was separated from the chaff. It is interesting that God is the one who chose the location of the altar which later became the temple.
It is interesting that the story of The Altar IHOP, Tokyo so closely shadows some of the themes found in scripture.
And this is the word I believe Abba is continuing to speak to us about it:
I AM the LORD of the Harvest. The grain is mine. The kingdoms of the earth are mine. The governments of the nations are mine. The "field of japan" is mine and my kingdom will be made manifest in the earth.More insight to come as it is made known. Connecting threads are on The Decision and Ecclesia Cafe as modern day threshing floors and further study on altars.
Grace,
jg
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