Finally the Temple of God is completed and Solomon brings in the Ark of the Covenant into the sanctuary.
• It’s the symbol of God’s presence with His people. It is to be placed in the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, and under the wings of the cherubim (4:6).
• 1 Kings 8 - Solomon summoned all the leaders - the elders, heads of tribes, the chiefs of families – and together they escorted the Ark into the Temple.
• The priests carried the Ark and the Levites the Tent of Meeting and all the other scared furnishings.
8:10-11 “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.”
• The same phenomenon happened when Moses completed the Tabernacle. Exo 40:34 “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
• The cloud is visible. It is a sign of God’s presence. His glory fills the Temple. No man can see God, but man can see the visible sign of His presence.
Solomon praised God. Read 1 Kings 8:14-21.
• He then stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and offered this prayer of dedication. Read 1 Kings 8:22-26.
2 THINGS STAND OUT – the emphasis on God’s Faithfulness and the plead for God’s Forgiveness.
When Solomon first praised God, his words were (8:15):
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with His own hand has fulfilled what He promised with His own mouth to my father David.” God kept His promise (8:20).
And then in the prayer (8:23-24):
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below - you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it - as it is today.”
Again God kept His promise – His covenant of love to Israel, and His word to David.
• Again the words - with His mouth He promised; with His hand he fulfilled.
• God said it and He did it! He promised and He performed! And we see it today!
• Solomon praises God for His faithfulness!
Imagine this sight. Solomon standing before the Altar of the Lord and that’s in front of the Temple.
• And we have these TWO BRONZE PILLARS right there, Jakin and Boaz – testifying that it is God who establishes and in Him in strength. God did it!
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
At such a special moment, when dedicating this magnificent Temple of God, Solomon could have recounted all the years of hard work put in.
• We read through the accounts in the last two Sundays. The amount of resources, the efforts put in, and the many skilled labourers engaged, from David’s time until now, in building this Temple.
• Solomon has reasons to be proud of his efforts. Seven years of hard work and now this great achievement.
And yet the only thing he is seeing is the faithfulness of God.
He sees the faithfulness of God in all of this and he is grateful.
• He did not assumed that this was the result of his capability or wise planning, not his talents or great leadership. (Which can be true, looking at this great building.)
• But he said, God said it and He did it.
So who actually achieve all this? Who made this possible? Did Solomon build this Temple or did God build the Temple?
Solomon sees the hand of God in all that he has achieved. He acknowledges God’s faithfulness in this achievement.
• May we see the same today and acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God in our own lives. Without Him, we will not be where we are today.
• It’s not about how great we are, but how good God has been. Our achievements are truly His achievements.
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Solomon went on to pray for the FORGIVENESS of God:
1 Kings 8:27-30 27"But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, `My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
Although this Temple is “a place for God to dwell in” (8:13), that’s just figuratively speaking because Solomon knows God cannot be confined to a building made with hands.
• Solomon confesses the uncontainability of God, the unboxability of God.
• That’s the greatness and the majesty of God. He dwells in heaven.
And yet this great God in heaven HEARS the prayers of men in this place.
• You see this paradox? When man seeks God in this PLACE, God hears from HEAVEN.
• Solomon started off with himself - when “your servant prays”, and then the prayers of His people, Israel, and finally even the foreigners who comes from the distant lands (8:41) – when they come to this Temple and pray, “Lord, You HEAR from heaven.”
• This “hear” is mentioned many times throughout this prayer. God hears from heaven the cries of the people when they come seeking God in this place.
God is TRANSCENDENT and yet AVAILABLE. He is UNCONTAINABLE and yet ACCESSIBLE.
• His transcendence does not limit the INTIMACY. He is close enough to hear you. We can reach Him, in this place! He is just a prayer away!
It’s beautiful how Solomon puts it. He says God SEES and HEARS you!
• 8:29 “May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, `My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.”
• In a sense, His eyes are open and His ears are open. Constantly, night and day.
We can never fully COMPREHEND God in all of His fullness, but we can APPREHEND Him in the place of prayer.
• We can SPEAK with God! When we seek Him, He is right there, SEEING and HEARING us.
• That’s prayer. That’s the privilege of PRAYER. We seek Him and we will find Him.
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And what did Solomon pray about? That God forgives the people when they turn to Him. That’s the main thrust of his prayer.
• “Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.” (8:30)
• He did not ask for things, he prayed for mercy. Solomon asked for that which is spiritual, that which is most important.
SEEK GOD’S FORGIVENESS
Solomon asks God to help the people in the different occasions of needs, and four out of the six scenarios has to do with Israel’s sin.
• 8:33-34 “when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, THEN hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers.”
• 8:35-36 “when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, THEN hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel.”
• 8:38-39 “when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel - each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple - THEN hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act.”
• 8:47-50 “if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, `We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 48and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; THEN from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy.”
“Lord, when the people turn back and repent, hear their prayer and forgive them.”
• These are not occasions of despair but hope. Solomon prays for mercy knowing that God will forgive.
• God hears the prayer of a penitent soul, a repentant heart. Restoration is possible and forgiveness is available.
• Turn back and repent, and receive God’s forgiveness.
Solomon prays for that which is most important. People can come to the Temple seeking God for all kinds of things.
• But what is truly most important has to do with our RELATIONSHIP with God.
• Our sin needs to be dwelt with. Solomon understands this as paramount. He asks for nothing that is physical or material.
• It’s all about living a life in obedience to God and His will.
Take good care of our relationship with God. Make time for the Lord every day.
• Pray that we will all grow closer in our walk with Jesus. That alone matters in life.
• Remember God’s faithfulness and seek His forgiveness always.
