Didnt they make the plans, gather the materials, and oversee the building of the temple? God sent the promise on purpose to be used. 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. (1-2) Acknowledgement of God's presence in the cloud. (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. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. Sign up for daily inspiration today!>. It was the Lord who gave Israel rest from their enemies so they could focus on the building of the temple at that time. If you are going in one direction, and God wants you to go in a different direction, then you need God to turn you around. 106:6; Dan. 1 Chronicles 29:16). (Selman). Five Reasons to Read God's Word This Year, Involving People in Personal and Group Worship, Receiving People into Fellowship and Service, Sharing Gods Love in Broward County and Beyond, Teaching and Equipping People for Ministry, This Man Welcomes Sinners and Eats with Them, Five Candles at Christmas (Advent Wreath Sermons), Abraham (3): Unquestioning Obedience to Gods Commands, Creation: Understanding the Power of Gods Word, Faith: Being Certain of What You Do Not See, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph: Trusting God with the Future, Jericho and Rahab: Trusting in Gods Deliverance (2), Moses and His Parents: Fearing God Rather Than Man, Moses: Identifying with Christ and His People, New Testament Believers: Something Better for Us, Old Testament Believers (1): Triumphant in Victory, Old Testament Believers (2): Triumphant in Suffering, The Red Sea: Trusting in Gods Deliverance (1), Abortion: Caring for mothers and children in crisis pregnancy situations, Assisted suicide: Caring for the elderly and infirm, Divorce and Remarriage: Covenant, commitment, grace and forgiveness, Homosexuality: Caring for those who experience same-sex attraction, Living Together: Dishonoring those you love the most, Racism: A sin against God, humanity and the gospel, Transgender: Caring for those who experience issues with gender identity, The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast, The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl, Turning Your Attitudes Upside Down - Part 1, Turning Your Attitudes Upside Down - Part 2, A Prayer to Be Pleasing to God (Sanctifying), Psalm 121 - Trusting in Gods Providential Care, Psalm 123 - Looking to the Lord for Mercy. 9:5, [2 Chr. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. SOLOMON BEGINS HIS PRAYER WITH PRAISE. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! 35(T)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, 36then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may (U)teach them (V)the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." a. Behold, heaven and the (J)heaven of heavens cannot contain You. 32:11, 12; Deut. God will then judge the one who has committed the sin and the taint of sin which exists as long as the real sinner is not known will be removed from the whole people. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Used by permission. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. We should always begin with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. b. We should pray for Gods continued presence and direction. When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them: Solomon prayed with the idea that God should answer the prayers for victory made in foreign lands towards the temple, but only when they battle as God sent them. 28Yet give attention to your servants prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. But, perhaps his wisdom is nowhere shown more clearly than in the building and dedication of the temple of God. No other God ever makes a covenant with the people whom he rules. 27But (I)will God indeed dwell on the earth? For this occasion Solomon has had a platform built which was five cubits wide and five cubits long and three cubits high. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. 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. 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.. If they in captivity come to a different insight and repent, if they acknowledge their sins before God and turn to Him with all their hearts and soul, if they then pray toward this land, toward this city and toward this house, may the Lord hear them and forgive, maintain their cause, and bring them back from captivity. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord. 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. There will be seven distinct petitions in this prayer of Solomon. However, He has promised that His name would dwell there. Many modern people close their eyes, bow their heads, and fold their hands as they pray, but the Old Testament tradition was to spread out the hands toward heaven in a gesture of surrender, openness, and ready reception. b. 1st Kings 8:22-53: Solomon's prayer at the dedication of God's people-temple. This "fear of God" is a concept which we find frequently in the Old Testament. This is a more general prayer of dedication and well-suited to the dedication of any home, building or business to the Lord. Solomon having kept the feasts of tabernacles and dedication, dismisses the people 12. When such a person prays toward this place, may God hear him too. 44When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [c]cause. Solomon does not attribute the lack of rain to mere natural phenomena, but to the sins of the people. 27But will God really dwell(G) on earth? 1 Kings 8 - The Dedication of the Temple A. Then he prays. Standing there at the altar, he cried out for God to have mercy on His people . Recalls God's dynastic promises to David through the prophet Nathan. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! 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. No! The overseer of all is Solomon! If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 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. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? Many times people want their pastor to come and pray a prayer of dedication for their new home or their place of business. In this way he would be visible to all the people and they would all be able to hear him. When King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem in all its glorious splendor, he stood before the altar of the Lord and prayed a very long prayer. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. i. O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. (BM) 61And may your hearts(BN) be fully committed(BO) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.. When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.. The Ark has been brought in. May You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place: Solomon asked God to incline His ear towards the king and the people when they prayed from the temple. i. Solomon's prayer is covers important points for the people and the nation. This is such an important prayer because it reminds us that we do not exist for ourselves but rather for Gods glory and the spreading of Gods name throughout our community and throughout the nations. His prayer contained nine requests: 1. God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 2. and glory in the temple, the people worship him 4. c. When You hear, forgive: Solomon knew that the most important thing Israel needed was forgiveness. Solomon prayed his prayer of dedication, and then the king and all the Israelites officially dedicated the temple to the Lord. V. 22b Verse 54 tells us that he knelt on his knees: "when Solomon had finished praying all Will God dwell on the earth? 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. When the Lord gave him a choice of various gifts he might have, he chose wisdom. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. The substance is Christ; whatever we ask in his name, it shall be given us. In this article: 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. How were the kingly and priestly offices kept separate? Was that a major accomplishment? Now therefore, 22Then Solomon stood before (B)the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and (C)spread out his hands toward heaven; 23and he said: Lord God of Israel, (D)there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, (E)who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who (F)walk before You with all their hearts. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. I sometimes run into this with baby dedications. Wasnt it the donations of the people that made the building possible? Thanks for visiting! What a sight! There is no other God. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.. Click on the different category headings to find out more. How then shall this house which Solomon has built house Him? And then we not only pray for Gods continued presence but also for his direction. We can only truly dedicate things to God when we have first dedicated ourselves. 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. How much less this temple which I have built! God knows what is in their hearts. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Rather than information alone, Solomon . 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. 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. Now is introduced the refrain which we will hear throughout this prayer: hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive. 8:1-66 The account of the Temple's dedication ceremony is organized concentrically: Solomon gathers the assembly (), blesses it (vv. Solomon faces the Temple raises his hands toward heaven and begins to pray his prayer of dedication. (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. If I see a Bank of England note, it is a promise for a certain amount of money, and I take it and use it. You can also change some of your preferences. Nehemiah Chapter 12. Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:34 9.4MB) King Solomon . There I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD: The chief glory of the temple was that it was the resting place for the ark of the covenant, a representation of Gods covenantal presence with His people. He referred to God's name Yahweh 14 times, showing his concern for the reputation of Israel's God. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! And spread out his hands: This was the most common posture of prayer in the Old Testament. That is part of the outward focus that we are to maintain as the church of Jesus Christ. 17:10]; Acts 1:24, 2 Chr. 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. And they took away all those beautiful items that adorned the temple. The Bible contains the record of many wonderful prayers. Solomon prosperously effected all he designed, for adorning both God's house and his own. The temple was one of the most beautiful structures of ancient times. Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord or the dedication means nothing.. After all, didnt they do the work? This is Solomon's prayer. The we come to Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple. When all the work for the temple was finished, the last step was bringing the Ark of the Covenant and placing it in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, putting it beneath the wings of the cherubim. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. Solomon here prays for Gods daily provision and sustenance, but he does so for a very specific purpose. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they The temple was designed for the keeping up of the correspondence between God and his people; and . Otherwise they could not be defeated in this "theocracy"! The Temple was incomparable - just like the God who it was built for. Because really, what good does it do to commit a temple or a sanctuary or really anything to the Lord if you are not personally committed to the Lord yourself? That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. This Sunday's lectionary reading from the Old Testament contains a portion of King Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:22-53). Though only Jesus is God incarnate, the temple was a clear sign that God in all his being was committed to living among his people. (Selman), Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. And in the midst of a phenomenal celebratory service; the King of Israel prays a dedicatory prayer like none have ever heard before. Also when the whole people of Israel come to this place to offer their prayers, Lord hear them. Solomon's prayer acknowledged the greatness of the LORD, and that there was none other God like Him. We cannot dedicate things to the Lord if we have not dedicated ourselves to the Lord first. A strong church was planted here in Plantation that has been faithful in preaching Gods word and has given millions of dollars to missions around the world. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. Solomons prayer has a global focus. 58 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. He was the son of King David and Bathsheba. 6:36; Ps. The king is here not referring to the stranger who makes his home in Israel, but to the foreigner who comes and goes. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. Solomon mentions the fact that God has been faithful to the promise which He made to his father David. 11:28, 29], NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word, NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word. He asks God to provide for each days need why? The heathen may think that their deities will be able to help them in certain situations, but their hopes are futile. Love C.S. Dedication of the Temple - Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. ), 2Ch 2:6; Ps 139:7-16; Isa 66:1; Jer 23:24, ver 52; 2Ki 19:16; 2Ch 7:15; Ne 1:6; Ps 5:1; 31:2; 102:17; 130:2; Isa 37:17, ver 47; Lev 26:40; Ne 1:6; Jer 29:12; Da 9:4, Ps 5:8; 27:11; 107:7; Pr 11:5; Isa 45:13; Jer 6:16; 7:23; 31:21, ver 35; 1Ki 17:1; 18:1, 45; Jer 5:24; 10:3; 14:22; Zec 10:1, S Jos 22:22; S Ps 44:21; Jn 2:24; S Rev 2:23, Lev 26:33-39; S Dt 4:27; S 21:10; S 28:64; 2Ki 25:21, S ver 30; S Lev 5:5; Ezr 9:15; Ne 1:6; Jer 14:20, 1Ki 9:4; 11:4; 15:3, 14; 22:43; 2Ki 20:3; 1Ch 28:9; 29:19; 2Ch 16:9; 17:6; 25:2; Ps 119:80; Isa 38:3, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Galatians, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story. There are four parts to this prayer, and all four are easily applicable to the dedication of our sanctuary to God and his glory today. (1-2) All of Israel assembles at Jerusalem. b. 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? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. II. In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. (1 Kings 8:57-58). And this applies to all dedications. 1 Chronicles 22:19. King Solomon mentions several of them. 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and he said: "Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. But, if anyone or if the whole people turn to God in repentance, may He forgive. And, at this point in the history of Israel, he prays that all the promises made to David may go into effect. 2.F orgiveness of trespasses (vv. After seven years the Temple is completed and the magnificence of it is stunning. But I think we all need to do a better job in personal evangelism as well. Paul's Reference By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. Jesus told his disciples: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Whenever a people is defeated, great suffering comes upon them. False (True or False) Solomon carried out David's instructions concerning his enemies, establishing his kingdom in his hand. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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 . 5. And we do also give ourselves individually and unreservedly to you. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! It is not therefore to be wondered at that, when Solomon dedicated to the Lord the temple which he had built, his great petition was that God would hear every prayer that should be uttered in that place or toward that place. God's presence and protection (vv. 31-32). I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). a. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin): This is a succinct Old Testament statement of the principle most clearly stated in Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. With Him hearing is forgiving and forgiving is hearing. Yes! 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. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Can a murderer, if he repents, be saved? b. i. a. This is a Bible study on prayer, focusing specifically on the prayer at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53; 2 Chronicles 6:12-42). 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. 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. Acknowledges that God is bigger than the temple. Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. When the temple was complete Solomon praised God before His people reminding them of His promises. He had kept covenant with His people, and promised mercy to those who would walk in obedience ( 6:14 ). As king himself, Solomon remembered and spoke those truths at the dedication of the temple in his prayer and benediction. 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. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. a. If we dont appropriate in faith, Gods promise is left unclaimed. 9:2629; Neh. His story is told primarily in 1 Kings (1-11). B. V. 20-21 A Place For Cares - As Solomon prays, he asks the Lord to here the supplications of God's people. After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). 33(Q)When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and (R)when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, 34then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their (S)fathers. 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. How much less this temple which I have built! This wisdom is soon revealed when a mother comes to him with another woman, each claiming the same child as her own. In the early years of the Israelite kingdom, the Ark of the Covenant was periodically moved about among several sanctuaries, especially those of Shechem and Shiloh. 24You 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. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.

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