This is a unique prayer from the Old Testament. Solomon used the phrasing of that passage to emphasize that the ark of the covenant and the symbol of Gods presence would wander no more and had finally come to its final resting place. Ray Fowler. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. b. (v. 5) God has chose Jerusalem and David. Surely, he does not mean it as an excuse. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. Im so glad that our church has such a strong commitment to missions and to the spread of the gospel to all the nations. (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. Though the temple was a house for Jehovah, Solomon realized that "the heavens, yes, the heaven of the heavens, themselves" could not contain Him. and more. Solomon's dedicatory prayer makes repeated mention of praying "toward this place," a clear intimation that the temple was to become the center of a world religionthat is, the true religion God gave was to become worldwide. Where Was Solomon's Temple in the Bible - 7 Interesting Facts 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. Solomon mentions the fact that God has been faithful to the promise which He made to his father David. I ask them: Why do you want Gods blessing on your marriage, but you dont want Gods blessing on your present relationship? Its not consistent. Famine came upon the land of Canaan several times during the course of sacred history despite the fact that this land was to be the land "flowing with milk and honey." You can also change some of your preferences. The heathen may think that their deities will be able to help them in certain situations, but their hopes are futile. No greater indication of the need for a place of atonement and forgiveness could be given. (Selman). You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Let God now hear Solomon. 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. 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. Also when the whole people of Israel come to this place to offer their prayers, Lord hear them. 1 Chronicles 29:16). (Selman). When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by. He humbly suggests that the Temple is the . (AO), 44When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray(AP) to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 1 Kings 8 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (concise) - Christianity If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. The overseer of all is Solomon! Prayer for Gods continued presence and direction (57-58). God's House must ever be known as a place of prayer and His people as a people of prayer. The old Puritan commentator John Trapp could not resist mentioning a fulfillment of this principle in his own day: Anne Averies, who, forswearing herself, a. D. 1575, February 11, at a shop of Wood Street in London, praying God she might sink where she stood if she had not paid for the wares she took, fell down presently speechless, and with horrible stink died., Or if Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.. Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. This was made of either brass or copper and Solomon took his position on this platform. 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. 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. Previously there was not an indication of a complete captivity of His people, but that is considered in this petition. 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. 31-32). Jesus taught: Matthew 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." Solomon's God was no dud. Click here for more messages from the book of 1 Kings. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. i. The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud: The cloud of Gods glory has a long association with His presence. PDF The Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8:10-61 When the king mentions pestilence he is referring to a very contagious disease of that day (such as the black plague of the middle ages?) First we ask for Gods presence to be among us. On that platform King Solomon stood and then knelt, as the description of this very impressive occasion tells us in the preamble to Solomon's prayer, in 2 Chronicles 6:12-17: Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands. Paul's Reference This glorious Temple built under the direction of King Solomon had as one of it's purposes to be a witness to the world in that day. Dedication of the Temple of God in the city of Nauvoo. Whenever you accomplish something, you are still to give God the glory for what he has done. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. CONCLUSION: Solomons fourfold prayer is a wonderful model to us as we dedicate anything to the Lord whether a child, a marriage, a business, a church or a home. Their attitude was: Nothing will happen to us because we have the temple! But God said, No! Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord or the dedication means nothing.. a. B. Solomon's prayer posture. And, at this point in the history of Israel, he prays that all the promises made to David may go into effect. With Him hearing is forgiving and forgiving is hearing. Religion Past & Present XII (2012) 141. Otherwise they could not be defeated in this "theocracy"! This sentence has been explained in various ways. The Temple stood as a testimony of the fulfilment of God's promise to his father David. But the LORD said to my father David, Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart. When we gather to worship, this is what we seek first and foremost. Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinners religion. Sermon for Building Dedication: A Place with Purpose - Preaching Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. (1 Kings 8:62-63). b. The temple was a beautiful place that God instructed Solomon to build to represent the holiness of his presence. Solomon prosperously effected all he designed, for adorning both God's house and his own. He was the first king to follow his father as a hereditary monarch. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. And God did help them! That is part of the outward focus that we are to maintain as the church of Jesus Christ. Now is introduced the refrain which we will hear throughout this prayer: hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive. (AQ), 46When they sin against youfor there is no one who does not sin(AR)and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive(AS) to their own lands, far away or near; 47and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead(AT) with you in the land of their captors and say, We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly;(AU) 48and if they turn back(AV) to you with all their heart(AW) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray(AX) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple(AY) I have built for your Name;(AZ) 49then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. So what does it mean to dedicate something to the Lord? Solomon extols the faithfulness of God and exhorts the people to continue in the path of covenant obedience. The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. "Solomon's Prayer of Dedication" . 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. Rather than information alone, Solomon . In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. He knows exactly who he is praying to. He kneels as he prays and spreads out his hands to the heavens. Enduring Word Bible Commentary 2 Chronicles Chapter 6 Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. 20:9; Eccl. Acknowledges that God is bigger than the temple. Sunday School Lesson (January 19, 2020) Solomon's Dedication Prayer Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there; and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel. Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 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. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. One is struck, moreover, with the fact that the language is far from new, and is full of quotations from the Pentateuch, some of which are almost word for word, while the sense of the whole may be found in those memorable passages in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. (Spurgeon). Jesus promised his disciples: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20) And so when we gather to worship God in Jesus name, we can be assured that Christ is with us, that he is present with us and brings us into Gods glorious presence as we lift up the name of Jesus and worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Click on the different category headings to find out more. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. Old Testament Survey Unit 6 Quiz 2 Flashcards | Quizlet God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray. All these prayers were offered at a time of challenge for the person praying, where the only one who could provide . He adds, "for there is no man that sinneth not.". So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. Solomon pleads with the Lord that the temple would be a place of prayer and that all prayers directed toward it would be heard of the Lord and answered. 28Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29that Your eyes may be open toward this [a]temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, (K)My name shall be (L)there, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes (M)toward this place. 25-30). So shall sin be done away and the righteous will not suffer for the unrighteous. There are so many people who would love to come to church with you if you would just ask them. And so the fourth and final part of Solomons prayer is a prayer that Gods people would remain fully committed to him. A DEDICATED PRAYER - Articles If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy: Many times in their history, Israel suffered defeat and could only cry out to God. 55 He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: 56 Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Recalls God's dynastic promises to David through the prophet Nathan. That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. II. I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." a. This referred to interpersonal disputes. a. But, who is Solomon and what is it which he has built that he should think that Jehovah, the God of Israel, will dwell with men? In their fasting and prayer, the people of Judah claimed the promises God had made in his covenant with Solomon at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8. It confirms that Davids disqualification was not due to sin, but because the concept of Gods rest must be regarded as the unique and final stage in building the temple. (Selman), So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. Solomon Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY - JW.ORG 27But will God really dwell(G) on earth? 2 Chronicles 7 - Bible Study Tools 2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. It was important to recognize that though God had a special presence in the temple, He was far too great to be restricted to the temple. b. 53For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, (AM)as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.. 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. "If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our . Solomon's Preparation, Construction, and Dedication of the Temple Solomon's Temple is an example of how God used ancient Israel to point to greater realities. 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. As long as this did not slip into a superstitious misunderstanding, it was good to recognize a special place to come and meet with God. This is a God who enters into communion with His people. For this reason, many observant Jews still pray facing the direction of the site of the temple in Jerusalem. However, He has promised that His name would dwell there. Gods good response to our repentance comes from His grace, not from justice. Prayer for Gods people to remain fully committed to him (61-63). This type of praying produced some marvelous results. All rights reserved. Solomon's prayer acknowledged the greatness of the LORD, and that there was none other God like Him. Israel had prospered and had been victorious under the reign of David. But, perhaps his wisdom is nowhere shown more clearly than in the building and dedication of the temple of God. Standing there at the altar, he cried out for God to have mercy on His people . 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We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. We ask that he would be with us as he was with our fathers, and we pray that he may never leave nor forsake us. Solomon begins his prayer with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. And so finally after all the years of preparation and giving and building, the temple was complete. If there are, why are they so few? 1:10; [Rom. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. PDF GREAT BIBLE PRAYERS SOLOMON'S PRAYER OF DEDICATION I Kings 8:22-61 And that is where we are today. Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 19:24-25; Zechariah 8:20-22), and even Jesus closest disciples found its fulfillment hard to take (Acts 10:1-11:18). (Selman), When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. As king himself, Solomon remembered and spoke those truths at the dedication of the temple in his prayer and benediction. Can one who is condemned by the state to the death penalty still be a "worthy partaker of the table of His Son"? The Dedication of the Temple | Religious Studies Center 30:9]; Ezra 7:6; Ps. Temple of Jerusalem | Description, History, & Significance This was not a blanket request for blessing on every military adventure. How does Solomon overcome the difficulty of doing priestly work and not sinning by doing so? But then as we talk further, and I learn that they are living together before marriage, I get confused. God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 2. and glory in the temple, the people worship him 4. Let us then stand in awe, and sin not. Who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David: Solomon recognized that the temple was the fulfillment of Gods plan, not Davids or Solomons.