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. Thats the first part of Solomons prayer: thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 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. a. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. His prayer contained nine requests: 1. After all, didnt they do the work? Look at verses 57-58: May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. The temple was one of the most beautiful structures of ancient times. This sentence has been explained in various ways. Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead? This was the greatest answer to prayer Israel could expect from God. Its location, Mount Moriah, was where God appeared to David, and also where Abraham . This was made of either brass or copper and Solomon took his position on this platform. Solomon's prayer is covers important points for the people and the nation. 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. 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.. i. I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). a. 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. You have kept what You promised: Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises. When such a person prays toward this place, may God hear him too. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. The ruler is on his knees before One who is the great Ruler of the universe (2 Chronicles 6:13)! And that is where we are today. 1 Kings 8. Let us pray. c. When You hear, forgive: Solomon knew that the most important thing Israel needed was forgiveness. Verse Concepts. O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; 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. For this reason, many observant Jews still pray facing the direction of the site of the temple in Jerusalem. 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. But, when a segment of the people then turn to the temple and seek the name of God and ask forgiveness, may He bring each one back to the land he has received in his family inheritance. 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. 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. 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.. 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. Dedication of the Temple of God in the city of Nauvoo. Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. Israel's God does make covenant. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! We also notice why Solomon is praising God. Bible Stories - 1 Kings 8:22-66: Solomon's Prayer of DedicationThen Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spre. They were defeated because they had sinned against God! 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . As Solomon was involved in doing God's work, he could expect God's blessing on his efforts. Religion Past & Present XII (2012) 141. Before we try and answer that question, it is helpful to get a little background on this temple that Solomon was dedicating. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgave and restored His defeated people when they came in humble repentance. 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. Footnotes. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. However, if they pray "toward," not at this place or in this place, but in their homes with their faces toward Jerusalem, may the Lord forgive the sins of the king and of the people and send rain so that they may again be able to live in the land the Lord has given them. After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). (1 Kings 8:54-56). 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. For this occasion Solomon has had a platform built which was five cubits wide and five cubits long and three cubits high. Let God now hear Solomon. 35When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(U) because your people have sinned(V) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Here are 3 key lessons from Solomon's prayer for wisdom that can give us spiritual wisdom, as well: 1. 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.. What does it mean to dedicate a building, or a child or a home? He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. B. Solomon's prayer posture. Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinners religion. 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. The sense that sin is all-pervading dominates, epitomised in one of the clearest biblical statements about sins universality (there is no one who does not sin, 2 Chronicles 6:36). He asks God to provide for each days need why? Finally the king does not distinguish between the various evils which may come but sums them up by speaking of whatsoever plague or sickness there be. 41As for the foreigner(AJ) who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name 42for they will hear(AK) of your great name and your mighty hand(AL) and your outstretched armwhen they come and pray toward this temple, 43then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. 13 Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. Does the temple in Jerusalem have more significance than our church buildings? And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20). Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. 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. 17:10]; Acts 1:24, 2 Chr. 28:9; Jer. After many particulars, Solomon concludes with the general request, that God would hearken to his praying people. (v. 1-2) Solomon blesses all of Israel. i. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Construction of the Temple was begun in the _____ year following the Exodus., In return for cedar and fir from Lebanon, Solomon gave Hiram, king of Tyre:, The Temple required _____ years for construction. (O), 31When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(P) before your altar in this temple, 32then hear from heaven and act. (1 Kings 8:62-63). Solomon faces the Temple raises his hands toward heaven and begins to pray his prayer of dedication. 37When famine(Z) or plague(AA) comes to the land, or blight(AB) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(AC) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israelbeing aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(AD) toward this temple 39then hear(AE) from heaven, your dwelling place. If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy: Many times in their history, Israel suffered defeat and could only cry out to God. IV. day of May, 1846. Solomon here prays for Gods daily provision and sustenance, but he does so for a very specific purpose. This prayer helps prevent us from turning inwards and from making all our decisions based on what we think is best for us. a. V. 22b Verse 54 tells us that he knelt on his knees: "when Solomon had finished praying all Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. But oh my friend, do try and use Gods promises; nothing pleases God better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, LORD, do as thou hast said. And let me tell you that it glorifies God to use his promises. (Spurgeon). We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. And so I ask them: How can you stand up in front of the church and promise to raise your child in the Lord when you arent following God yourself? It is a wonderful thing to want to dedicate your child to the Lord, but God wants you to dedicate yourself to him first. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. 8:1-66 The account of the Temple's dedication ceremony is organized concentrically: Solomon gathers the assembly (), blesses it (vv. Solomon's solemn sacrifice 8. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. God is the one who gave you the talents, the time, the opportunity and the strength to do whatever it is you have done. Oh, let God now hear the prayer of His servant! It is our "faith" with its own connotation. The speaker speaks of each experiencing the plague of his own heart his sin. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. THE ARK BROUGHT TO THE TEMPLE (1 Kings 8:1-11) The Assembling of the Men of Israel (1 Kings 8:1-2) Those assembled by Solomon (1 Kings 8:1) Forgiveness of sins that had caused defeat in battle (vv. There are so many people who would love to come to church with you if you would just ask them. We are glad that Solomon said this. How much less this temple which I have built! Im so glad that we are committed to missions right here at home in Broward County and beyond. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. Solomon's prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.". But understand that such a prayer of dedication only has meaning if you yourself are personally committed to the Lord. The temple was a beautiful place that God instructed Solomon to build to represent the holiness of his presence. And there I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with the children of Israel.. It was the Lord who provided all that they needed to complete the project. Blasting refers to the singeing of the grain by the dry hot wind blowing from the desert. Return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven: Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of a defeated, yet humble and penitent Israel. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 2. and glory in the temple, the people worship him 4. 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. Original German (Salomo II): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 7 (2004) 803-804. Will God dwell on the earth? King David himself gathered the raw materials to build the temple and, evidently, God provided the building plans for that holy structure. New International Version (NIV). 27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Remember the kindness of David, Thy servant (2 Chron.6:42). However, He has promised that His name would dwell there. 24 You have kept 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. III. 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. 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. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form.