THE HOUSE OF DAVID. If this king will continue in this way, he may be sure that the Lord his God will remember His covenant and all the loving kindness which He had promised David. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Solomon has no basis upon which to request anything except God's beloved mercy. Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinners religion. III. His concern for foreigners (vv. The hearts determine their actions. a. And this is really the heart of what all dedications to God are all about. 35, 46-49). But, if anyone or if the whole people turn to God in repentance, may He forgive. A couple will come to me and want me to dedicate their child to the Lord, and yet they are not living for the Lord themselves. This splendid edifice is now completed, and will be dedicated to the Most High God on Friday, the 1st. DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE 231 devaluation of the temple.9 The Deuteronomist, writing after the temple's destruction, purportedly recasts the temple's significance, "For him the temple is little more than a place towards which one turns in prayer."10 Similarly, Weinfeld sees Solomon's prayer as evincing the deuteronomic demythologization of . He kneels as he prays and spreads out his hands to the heavens. And we do also give ourselves individually and unreservedly to you. Solomon does not attribute the lack of rain to mere natural phenomena, but to the sins of the people. II. The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with the Lord's musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the Lord and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, "His love endures forever." Yes! Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. The temple will be a delight to the children of Israel for many years and the impressive ceremony at its dedication will linger with them as long as they live. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Behold, heaven and the (J)heaven of heavens cannot contain You. And this applies to all dedications. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! Lord, render to every man according to all his ways. But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years. 27But will God really dwell(G) on earth? Please include the following statement on any distributed copies: b. Otherwise they could not be defeated in this "theocracy"! What a wonderful prayer to pray! O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. It contains an important discussion of the nature of genuine repentance. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. King Solomon built a structure for God's presence to occupy in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), but Solomon's prayer points toward God's people's being the dwelling place of God. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. If anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.. This referred to interpersonal disputes. Hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants: Solomon asked the God who can see what man cant who knows the hidden heart of man to enforce from heaven the oaths made at the temple. Nor was the interest merely temporary or local. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. First we ask for Gods presence to be among us. I. Solomon's Prayer of _____ of God (1 Kings 8:22-29) 2.F orgiveness of trespasses (vv. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. This is a God who enters into communion with His people. The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. Such an individual must then come to the altar of God. 1 Kings 8:54-63 (Dedication of the temple), INTRODUCTION: This morning we are going to look at King Solomons prayer of dedication when the temple was built in Jerusalem and see what principles of this prayer apply to us today as we dedicate our new sanctuary to God and his glory. Only if they are faithful will they rule. After placing the ark in its new home, a praise service broke out with instruments sounding out beautifully and voices raised . Seeing God always forgives upon His people's repentance, can this forgiveness become rather common place to us? When the Lord gave him a choice of various gifts he might have, he chose wisdom. Solomon: Begins by praising the God who keeps his promises. He prays for God to meet the daily needs of the people not for their own sake but so that Gods name may be known among the nations. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. In this article: Just because God promises does not mean that we possess. It was a prayer of such detail and texture that it offered a good match for the stunning architecture and ornamentation of the temple itself. How dreadful to pray a prayer of dedication for a new business if you are not going to run that business according to godly principles. a. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. PASTOR: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; our Father which art in heaven: PASTOR: Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, head of the body which is the church; head over all things to the church; Prophet, Priest and King; whose glorious appearing shall be to all people: PASTOR: Holy Spirit, our Comforter, Counselor, guide and friend: PASTOR: For comfort to those who mourn; for strength to those who are tempted; for the instruction and training of children and youth; for the sending forth of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. And when the priests withdrew from the Holy Place where they put the ark, the glory of the Lord filled the temple and all the people worshiped God. Hello and welcome to RayFowler.org. Read the Scripture: 2 Chronicles 6:12-40. When David died the people of Israel could look for a big change in the government of the land. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. 27But (I)will God indeed dwell on the earth? The heathen may think that their deities will be able to help them in certain situations, but their hopes are futile. And so we must always keep our outward focus as a church. He does not say what manner of sin it is because that is immaterial to what he has in mind. When He came to the temple and found the outer courts the only place where the Gentile nations could come and pray more like a swap meet than a house of prayer, He drove out the moneychangers and the merchants (Matthew 21:13). Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. When a couple comes and asks me to marry them in the church, I always ask them why they want to get married by a pastor in the church rather than, say, a judge at the courthouse. As Solomon comes before the Lord with a . However, He has promised that His name would dwell there. This is the great secret to power in prayer to take Gods promises to heart in faith, and then boldly and reverently call upon Him to fulfill the promises. 12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. From prior statements, such as his statement in 2 Chronicles 6:1-2, we might have thought that Solomon drifted towards a superstitious idea that God actually lived in the temple to the exclusion of other places. The Ark has been brought in. And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. 1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.. 2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.. 3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.. 4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands . Will God dwell on the earth? Solomon intercedes. This recognized that the God of the temple could answer prayers made away from the temple. The Lord had promised David that his would be a dynasty, i.e., his children should sit on the throne of Israel through generations if they would fear Him and keep His commandments. Even though men cannot prove the sin which has been committed by this "someone," God does know. i. PASTOR: Having been prospered by the good hand of our God, and enabled by his grace and power to complete this house of worship to be used for the glory of his name, we will now in his holy presence dedicate this sanctuary to him. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. They dont attend church; they dont spend regular time with God in the Bible and prayer; they dont seek Gods will in all their decisions. 55He stood and blessed(BG) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: 56Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(BH) to his people Israel just as he promised. We may request cookies to be set on your device. There is no God to be found anywhere who may be compared to the God of Israel. God's presence and protection (vv. Israel's God does make covenant. Solomon here prays for Gods daily provision and sustenance, but he does so for a very specific purpose. 26:34, 44; Deut. He knew that when God mercifully answered the prayers of foreigners, it drew those from other nations to the God of all nations. We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. GOD APPEARS TO HIM. 2 Chronicles 6 - Solomon's Prayer of Dedication A. Solomon blesses God. One land would often invade the other, besiege its cities and take the inhabitants captive. Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. 1 Kings 8. i. Alas, Solomon didn't stay on this height of commitment to God. (1 Kings 6:37-38) Of course his father, King David, had spent many years prior to that making preparations and gathering supplies. Online 2013. The holy place and Most Holy Place were only for chosen descendants of the High Priest. 2 Chronicles 6:12-40 records the great prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. It took seven years for King Solomon to actually build the temple. Rather than information alone, Solomon . Because Solomon also prayed here: May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers. (1 Kings 8:58) Notice this is primarily a prayer for God to turn you. In summary: - Solomon describes the reason for the Temple, that it was in David's heart to build it, but God decided that his son should build it instead. So shall sin be done away and the righteous will not suffer for the unrighteous. And they took away all those beautiful items that adorned the temple. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. It is a beautiful prayer which relates more specifically to the temple itself and its unique place in the history of Israel and the world. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me. And now, O LORD God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David.. Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord or the dedication means nothing.. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. This prayer helps prevent us from turning inwards and from making all our decisions based on what we think is best for us. The work on this sanctuary is long completed. We are glad that Solomon said this. Let the penitent be spared. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. But we must always remember why we exist as a church. Solomon is praying to the creator of the universe, who already owns all and knows all. That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. Let us pray. Before we try and answer that question, it is helpful to get a little background on this temple that Solomon was dedicating. And comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple: The temple grounds were used as a place to verify and authorize oaths. We can only truly dedicate things to God when we have first dedicated ourselves. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. The first petition which Solomon utters is rather difficult to understand. The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud: The cloud of Gods glory has a long association with His presence. (BC), 52May your eyes be open(BD) to your servants plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you. At the end of the prayer, we begin chapter 7, and it states, "As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. When was the last time you invited someone to go to church? Look at verses 54-56: When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. This was not a blanket request for blessing on every military adventure. You can also change some of your preferences. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. It's praying until we know we have laid hold of God. God is the one who made it possible, and we give him all the glory. c. When they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive: Solomon also asked God to hear Israels prayer from captivity in a foreign land. (Read 1 Kings 8:54-63 and pray.). i. 22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands(B) toward heaven 23and said: Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like(C) you in heaven above or on earth belowyou who keep your covenant of love(D) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. Solomon II. If you are new here, be sure to subscribe by email or feed reader so that you don't miss any future posts. He now assumes a posture in prayer of which we have not read earlier in the Biblical account. Temple of Jerusalem, either of two temples that were the centre of worship and national identity in ancient Israel. If His people go to battle against their enemies, whether at home or in other countries, when they pray toward this place, may God hear them and maintain their cause. And that is all part of this third portion of Solomons prayer here in 1 Kings 8: a prayer for Gods name to be known among the nations. And then the fourth and final part of Solomons prayer is a prayer for Gods people to remain fully committed to him. 10. on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month --This was the last day of the feast of tabernacles. 2 Chronicles Chapter 6. 5. The Temple was incomparable - just like the God who it was built for. God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray. For this reason, the only way they can receive forgiveness of sins is through the physical Temple. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this message provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. a. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Keep prayer at he center of all you do! Then he prays. Here they are about to dedicate this beautiful temple to the Lord and Solomon says: But may your hearts be fully committed to God. I dont know if youre familiar with the rest of the history of the Israelites and the temple, but when Gods people eventually turned away from the Lord, God took the temple away from them. 14-21), utters a long dedicatory prayer (vv. Disobedience, Pride, Self-Deception, Rejection, The Sanctity of Human Life in the Womb - Psalm 139, Caring for Each Other in the Body of Christ, Determining the Dates for Easter and Passover, The Magic Dresser (A Poem for Mother's Day), The Fruit of the Spirit and 1 Corinthians 13, Click here for more messages from the book of. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 - "Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. At the dedication ceremony, Solomon acknowledged the feebleness of his efforts compared to an infinite God: "Will God really dwell on earth with humans? When the temple was complete Solomon praised God before His people reminding them of His promises. God is the one who gave you the talents, the time, the opportunity and the strength to do whatever it is you have done. He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20). The prayers of Hannah (1 Samuel 1), Hezekiah (Isaiah 37), Daniel (Daniel 9) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1) spring readily to mind. And a place for You to dwell in forever.. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The building and furniture of the temple were very glorious, but the dedication of it exceeds in glory as much as prayer and praise, the work of saints, exceed the casting of metal and the graving of stones, the work of the craftsman. Well, yes, of course Solomon and the people all played their parts in making the temple come together, but Solomon in his wisdom recognizes that it was only possible because of the Lord. fulfilled with his hands) really means that Gods actions have confirmed his words it is as if Gods unseen hands were active in all the human hands who contributed to the construction work (cf. 1st Kings 8:22-53: Solomon's prayer at the dedication of God's people-temple. If the rains do not come because the people have sinned the livelihood of the majority of the people will be affected at once. I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever." Then the king faced . B. V. 20-21 A Place For Cares - As Solomon prays, he asks the Lord to here the supplications of God's people. Look at verses 59-60: And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each days need, 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. 3. get to know the Bible better! Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. He wished the temple always to be to Israel the token that Gods memorial is that he hears prayer. (Spurgeon), Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.. 24 You have kept Forgiveness of sins that had brought on drought (vv. 1. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. The Ark of the Covenant is brought to the temple. For less than $5/mo. Solomon having kept the feasts of tabernacles and dedication, dismisses the people 12. This was to be a beautiful temple built for Gods glory. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. a. Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength: This conclusion of prayer has Numbers 10:35-36 in mind, when Israel moved the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, and the whole camp of Israel from place to place through the wilderness during the exodus. 7:20; [Rom. It was the Lord who gave Israel rest from their enemies so they could focus on the building of the temple at that time. In Solomon's prayer at the temple inauguration he referred to Jehovah as the God above all, a God of loving-kindness and loyalty, the Fulfiller of his promises. The temple was completed the 8 th month of 11 th year of reign. The "man after God's own heart" had left the scene. Eight years ago this sanctuary was completed and we began worshiping here but we never had a dedication service, because we didnt actually own the building yet. How much less this temple which I have built! Now we come to the seven petitions which Solomon speaks. As the opening section of Solomon s prayer (14-20) is summarized in the closing words of the prayer, we will quote these in order to grasp its general outline: Jehovah, God, Thou must not turn back the face of Thine anointed. Solomon's Temple is an example of how God used ancient Israel to point to greater realities. Do we take the credit for it? He was the first king to follow his father as a hereditary monarch. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard.
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