Out of the land of Egypt: Solomon presses the remembrance of the Exodus. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. V.22a ""Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel." This was a public 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. Paul's Reference If there was no rain, there was no food. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. The temple was one of the most beautiful structures of ancient times. Solomon felt his own inadequacy. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. The Bible contains the record of many wonderful prayers. Solomon mentions locust and caterpillar, grasshoppers and other creatures which denude the fields of all vegetation. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! You have kept what You promised: Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises. 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. 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. If there are, why are they so few? Solomon's prayer. How were the kingly and priestly offices kept separate? 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. i. Our church began back in 1948 when a small group of people had a vision for a church in the newly developing community of Plantation, Florida. The people had taken confidence in the temple. (READ VERSES 23-24) SOLOMON IS PRAISING BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. In this article: What kind of a son will now succeed him to rule over this great people? You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. (v. 5) God has chose Jerusalem and David. Now, 11 months later, Solomon stands before the people, spread It is an immense undertaking for that day to build such a building as the temple. Those who begin with the service of God, are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. 35, 46-49). Teach(W) them the right way(X) to live, and send rain(Y) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. We may request cookies to be set on your device. b. From the study of Solomon's prayer after the completion of the temple, the students will discover that God keeps all His promises. Solomon's prayer of dedication of the Temple. Solomon urges God to enter into an agreement with Israel that when the people pray to God, whether to relieve a famine, or to give them victory in combat against an approaching enemy, or to grant them forgiveness from their sins against God and against one another, that God would grant their request. And so we must always keep our outward focus as a church. EVERYONE: We dedicate this sanctuary now to the glory of God the Father, to the honor of Jesus Christ his Son, and to the praise of the Holy Spirit. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. The apex of joy is realized in the dedication sacrifices and celebratory feast associated with this climactic moment in Jewish history. No other God ever makes a covenant with the people whom he rules. Solomon took time to contemplate the God he was praying to. Moreover, concerning a foreigner: The temple was in Israel but it was always intended to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. 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. By Gods grace it has now been paid off in full as God has worked through his people to finish the work we started so long ago. God sent the promise on purpose to be used. 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.. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. Finally, Solomon prayed and anticipated the final judgment' war and national collapse.' War within is the ultimate destroyer of life, property and freedom. 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. The many difficulties which arise out of this state of affairs are, of course, well known. 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. We also notice why Solomon is praising God. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! If you are new here, be sure to subscribe by email or feed reader so that you don't miss any future posts. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. The importance of wisdom goes beyond just knowledge. 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. How dreadful to pray a prayer of dedication over a house if you are not going to live a godly life for Jesus in that house. 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. 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. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. He does not say what manner of sin it is because that is immaterial to what he has in mind. Im so glad that we are committed to missions right here at home in Broward County and beyond. (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. Thats the first part of Solomons prayer: thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Nevertheless, it also reminds us of the principle in prayer of praying in the name of Jesus, the ultimate Anointed One. He must there confess his sin so that the sin does not rest on the whole people! Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. 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. 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. Whenever a people is defeated, great suffering comes upon them. King Solomon's Prayer Of Dedication Outlines The Importance Of The Temple The Jewish people do not believe in the spiritual Temple which is Jesus Christ. 106:6; Dan. Read 1 Kings 8:22-53, 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. Solomon's solemn sacrifice 8. Verse Concepts. 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. Dedication of the Temple - Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? 3. (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. For this occasion Solomon has had a platform built which was five cubits wide and five cubits long and three cubits high. This wisdom is soon revealed when a mother comes to him with another woman, each claiming the same child as her own. 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. >> When you pray with others in corporate prayer, make sure your heart, mind, and soul are echoing the words that are spoken. Nehemiah Chapter 12. All rights reserved worldwide. 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. (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. 10. on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month --This was the last day of the feast of tabernacles. and more. 1:10; [Rom. For this reason, many observant Jews still pray facing the direction of the site of the temple in Jerusalem. I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). However, He has promised that His name would dwell there. He prays best in public who prays most in private. 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. When the building is now finished there is a great celebration of dedication and Solomon utters a prayer which has become a classic. c. There is no God in heaven or on earth like You: Solomon recognized that God was completely unique. Solomon begins his prayer with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10], Lev. Many times people want their pastor to come and pray a prayer of dedication for their new home or their place of business. 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. 62-66).To this account is appended an appearance of the Lord to Solomon that balances the divine word to Solomon in the . Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Let us pray. There will be seven distinct petitions in this prayer of Solomon. New International Version (NIV). There is no other God. 6:36; Ps. 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. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. The good news is that God not only forgives sins but also delights in dwelling with His people (v. 50). He speaks of a situation in which a man has sinned but the sin cannot be proved. 14-21), utters a long dedicatory prayer (vv. And so Solomon begins with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 30Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray(M) toward this place. 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. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. They were defeated because they had sinned against God! 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 king is here not referring to the stranger who makes his home in Israel, but to the foreigner who comes and goes. III. 9:2629; Neh. a. 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 . Love C.S. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. How does Solomon overcome the difficulty of doing priestly work and not sinning by doing so? And they took away all those beautiful items that adorned the temple. They always respond because they want Gods blessing on their marriage. 2 Chronicles 7:12-22 . get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 29May your eyes be open(J) toward(K) this temple night and day, this place of which you said, My Name(L) shall be there, so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 1 Kings 8. He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. The work on this sanctuary is long completed. Solomons final request is that Gods people would remain fully committed to him at all times. We are glad that Solomon said this. With Him hearing is forgiving and forgiving is hearing. Also when the whole people of Israel come to this place to offer their prayers, Lord hear them. To God be the glory forever! So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord. When we gather for worship, the Lord meets with us, and we i. It was the Lord who provided all that they needed to complete the project. b. 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. God is the one who made it possible, and we give him all the glory. 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? It is worthy of remark concerning this prayer that it is as full and comprehensive as if it were meant to be the summary of all future prayers offered in the temple. (Spurgeon), ii. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. a. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! For less than $5/mo. 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. At the dedication ceremony, Solomon acknowledged the feebleness of his efforts compared to an infinite God: "Will God really dwell on earth with humans? And let Your saints rejoice in goodness. 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 a prayer of such detail and texture that it offered a good match for the stunning architecture and ornamentation of the temple itself. Skilled workers were employed. Dedication of the Temple of God in the city of Nauvoo. (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. Forgive(AF) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know(AG) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40so that they will fear(AH) you all the time they live in the land(AI) you gave our ancestors. 2.F orgiveness of trespasses (vv. 20:9; Eccl. And spread out his hands: This was the most common posture of prayer in the Old Testament. 31-32). And I am always happy to do that. 2 Chron 6:12. What a wonderful prayer to pray! Mildew was another disease of the grains. The ruler of the people is going to lead the whole nation in prayer! He is famous for building the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem. 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. Known as an ambitious builder of public works, Solomon's crowning achievement was the building of the Temple. The substance is Christ; whatever we ask in his name, it shall be given us. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. (Read 1 Kings 8:54-63 and pray.). The Temple stood as a testimony of the fulfilment of God's promise to his father David. And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. 27But will God really dwell(G) on earth? Wasnt it the donations of the people that made the building possible? Let God now hear Solomon. Let God now hear Solomon. Prayer for Gods name to be known among the nations (59-60). 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. Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. God's presence and protection (vv. By Ray Fowler. 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.. False (True or False) Solomon carried out David's instructions concerning his enemies, establishing his kingdom in his hand. 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. 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. After all, didnt they do the work? He keeps His promises and shows lovingkindness. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Let the penitent be spared. Or lets talk about marriage for a moment. B. V. 20-21 A Place For Cares - As Solomon prays, he asks the Lord to here the supplications of God's people. All rights reserved. And this applies to all dedications. Original German (Salomo II): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 7 (2004) 803-804. 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. As king himself, Solomon remembered and spoke those truths at the dedication of the temple in his prayer and benediction. 17:10]; Acts 1:24, 2 Chr. i. Read the Scripture: 2 Chronicles 6:12-40. Seeing God always forgives upon His people's repentance, can this forgiveness become rather common place to us? b. But we must always remember why we exist as a church. (1 Kings 8:57-58). 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 comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple: The temple grounds were used as a place to verify and authorize oaths. This prayer helps prevent us from turning inwards and from making all our decisions based on what we think is best for us. which revealed itself in boils. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. It was even worse when the defeat was because they had sinned against the LORD Himself. When was the last time you invited someone to go to church? i. The greatness of Israel's God is seen in the facts that He has made all things and that He keeps covenant! And, at this point in the history of Israel, he prays that all the promises made to David may go into effect. 25-30). 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . 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? This kind of prayer lays hold of Gods promise. (1 Kings 8:54-56). In this way he would be visible to all the people and they would all be able to hear him. a. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. His story is told primarily in 1 Kings (1-11). This "fear of God" is a concept which we find frequently in the Old Testament. The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. 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. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. Solomon has no basis upon which to request anything except God's beloved mercy. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! 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. Solomon II. b. I have surely built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever: Solomon rightly sensed that the presence of the cloud meant that God dwelt in the temple in a special way. Israel's God does make covenant. Its location, Mount Moriah, was where God appeared to David, and also where Abraham . 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. God is able to send rain and He is able to withhold it. The priests could not enter into the house of the . Blasting refers to the singeing of the grain by the dry hot wind blowing from the desert. 24You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled itas it is today. The Prayer of Solomon is a prayer by King Solomon described in 1 Kings 8:22-53 and 2 Chronicles 6:12-42.This prayer is said to have occurred at the dedication of the temple of Solomon, which also became known as the First Temple.The wording and thinking of the prayer have much in common with the language of Deuteronomy.. A shorter prayer of Solomon is also found in some Latin Bibles at the end . a. I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised: Solomon recognized that his succession of David on the throne of Israel was a significant thing. 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." 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. 9:5, [2 Chr. Solomon mentions the fact that God has been faithful to the promise which He made to his father David. 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. Sign up for daily inspiration today!>. a. But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? They built a larger sanctuary than they needed at the time because they trusted God would help them grow. 106:46; Acts 7:10, Ex. 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. No greater indication of the need for a place of atonement and forgiveness could be given. (Selman). 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. Click here to return to the Sermons page. 1 Kings 8 - The Dedication of the Temple A. After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). 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. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgave and restored His defeated people when they came in humble repentance. The heavens, even the highest heaven,(H) cannot contain(I) you. Besides war and drought, there are various other calamities which may come upon a land. In an age when this is frequently misunderstood, it provides a valuable resource. He adds, "for there is no man that sinneth not.". Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinners religion. i. 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. Alas, Solomon didn't stay on this height of commitment to God. It is our "faith" with its own connotation. Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, 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. He is too great to be limited to any created place. i. i. The we come to Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. 59And 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, 60so that all the peoples(BL) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. We can only truly dedicate things to God when we have first dedicated ourselves. It contains an important discussion of the nature of genuine repentance. God honors a praying people, because a praying people honors God!