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. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. (1 Kings 7:13) Only the best materials were used. (Read 1 Kings 8:54-63 and pray.). which revealed itself in boils. In Solomon's prayer at the temple inauguration he referred to Jehovah as the God above all, a God of loving-kindness and loyalty, the Fulfiller of his promises. 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. The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. Whenever a people is defeated, great suffering comes upon them. 25Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, (G)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 before Me as you have walked before Me. 26(H)And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father. This was the greatest answer to prayer Israel could expect from God. There is room for petitions, but first we are to realize to Whom we come and we must also realize our own limitations. So this was a long-term project. Its the very first part of our purpose statement: The purpose of the Plantation Community Church is to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. We make disciples by winning people to Christ and then helping them to grow in him. c. There is no God in heaven or on earth like You: Solomon recognized that God was completely unique. Let the penitent be spared. This kind of prayer lays hold of Gods promise. 1. First we ask for Gods presence to be among us. 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. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.(Q). We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. He adds, "for there is no man that sinneth not.". Solomon begins his prayer with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. ACT OF DEDICATION (Adapted from the Dedicatory Service at The Moody Church November 8, 1925). Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. King Solomon ( "Shlomo Hamelech" in Hebrew) was the third king of Israel. As king himself, Solomon remembered and spoke those truths at the dedication of the temple in his prayer and benediction. The Bible contains the record of many wonderful prayers. It would have been easy for Solomon and the people to take the credit for the work that had just been accomplished. Keep prayer at he center of all you do! 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. 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). They built a larger sanctuary than they needed at the time because they trusted God would help them grow. 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 faces the Temple raises his hands toward heaven and begins to pray his prayer of dedication. 57May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(BJ) us. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. 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. How ecumenical! Scripture taken from the New King James Version. 28:9; Jer. (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. 50And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;(BA) 51for they are your people and your inheritance,(BB) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace. Oh, let God now hear the prayer of His servant! 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. Solomon's Temple is an example of how God used ancient Israel to point to greater realities. 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. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. And this is really the heart of what all dedications to God are all about. Since God will not live in temples made by hands but only in temples that He constructs Himself, we that are saved have this same purpose, to be a witness of the glory of God to this world we live in! (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. 2 Chronicles Chapter 6. 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. 2 Chronicles 6 - Solomon's Prayer of Dedication A. Solomon blesses God. 37(W)When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their [b]cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone (X)know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40(Y)that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. But, perhaps his wisdom is nowhere shown more clearly than in the building and dedication of the temple of God. i. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. a. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. You can check these in your browser security settings. (True or False) Graciously, Solomon first allowed Adonijah to go free. 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. 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. 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. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Do we take the credit for it? day of May, 1846. When the Lord gave him a choice of various gifts he might have, he chose wisdom. What kind of a son will now succeed him to rule over this great people? Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. In his prayer do not reject your anointed one, the king now meant himself, though in subsequent usage it would express Israels hope in the coming Messiah. (Payne), (c) 2021 TheEnduring WordBible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. 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. The king is here not referring to the stranger who makes his home in Israel, but to the foreigner who comes and goes. He becomes acquainted with the ways of the Israelites and with their history and he also finds out about the greatness of Israel's God. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. b. If God's people only repent! 17:10]; Acts 1:24, 2 Chr. 58May he turn our hearts(BK) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 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. this temple for God, so did His represented presence in the form of the Ark of the Covenant (see 2 Chronicles 5:2-10). 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. In this article: It would be inappropriate for him to do so because he was a king and not a priest. This recognized that the God of the temple could answer prayers made away from the temple. Let us then stand in awe, and sin not. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. Standing there at the altar, he cried out for God to have mercy on His people . Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.. We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. For this occasion Solomon has had a platform built which was five cubits wide and five cubits long and three cubits high. The importance of wisdom goes beyond just knowledge. Next Solomon prays for Gods name to be known among the nations. Its location, Mount Moriah, was where God appeared to David, and also where Abraham . Solomon's prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. It is our "faith" with its own connotation. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. 3. The Temple was incomparable - just like the God who it was built for. Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord or the dedication means nothing.. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. The people had taken confidence in the temple. 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. EVERYONE: 62-66).To this account is appended an appearance of the Lord to Solomon that balances the divine word to Solomon in the . The heavens, even the highest heaven,(H) cannot contain(I) you. In an age when this is frequently misunderstood, it provides a valuable resource. Read the Scripture: 2 Chronicles 6:12-40. The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud: The cloud of Gods glory has a long association with His presence. (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. Let God now hear Solomon. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. His story is told primarily in 1 Kings (1-11). They always respond because they want 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). 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 . This wisdom is soon revealed when a mother comes to him with another woman, each claiming the same child as her own. B. Solomon's prayer posture. Wasnt it the donations of the people that made the building possible? 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. Israel's God does make covenant. But then as we talk further, and I learn that they are living together before marriage, I get confused. The first prayer is a longer prayer which is recorded for us in verses 1 Kings 8:22-53. 106:46; Acts 7:10, Ex. When was the last time you invited someone to go to church? Gods good response to our repentance comes from His grace, not from justice. From the study of Solomon's prayer after the completion of the temple, the students will discover that God keeps all His promises. Solomon does not attribute the lack of rain to mere natural phenomena, but to the sins of the people. 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. (v. 5) God has chose Jerusalem and David. Prayer for Gods people to remain fully committed to him (61-63). (1-2) All of Israel assembles at Jerusalem. (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.. Seeing God always forgives upon His people's repentance, can this forgiveness become rather common place to us? This lesson was prepared for older elementary students and can be adapted for . 1:10; [Rom. Solomon's prayer of dedication of the Temple. But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years. Does the temple in Jerusalem have more significance than our church buildings? If there was no rain, there was no food. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. As Solomon comes before the Lord with a . II. Solomon's prayer. Verse Concepts. God is the one who made it possible, and we give him all the glory. 26:34, 44; Deut. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org God cannot be confined to a particular space, but He does meet with His people in particular spaces. God's House must ever be known as a place of prayer and His people as a people of prayer. 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. And in the midst of a phenomenal celebratory service; the King of Israel prays a dedicatory prayer like none have ever heard before. Remember the mercies of Your servant David.. He now assumes a posture in prayer of which we have not read earlier in the Biblical account. No greater indication of the need for a place of atonement and forgiveness could be given. (Selman). 41Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your names sake 42(for they will hear of Your great name and Your (Z)strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, (AA)that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and (AB)fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. 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. Skilled workers were employed. He is here following an example clearly taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the perfect prayer. When the temple was complete Solomon praised God before His people reminding them of His promises. All rights reserved worldwide. Their attitude was: Nothing will happen to us because we have the temple! But God said, No! We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place of worship. The two records of this prayer are too long to do them justice but the beauty of the prayer and the evidence of the deep spirituality of the one who is praying will become clear. 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 . a. (1 Kings 8:57-58). Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). Look at verse 61: But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time. (1 Kings 8:61). This was the early part of the reign of Solomon - his wise period . b. get to know the Bible better! He humbly suggests that the Temple is the . Didnt they make the plans, gather the materials, and oversee the building of the temple? Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Temple of Jerusalem, either of two temples that were the centre of worship and national identity in ancient Israel. And I am always happy to do that. This sentence has been explained in various ways. God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 2. and glory in the temple, the people worship him 4. No place, now, under the gospel, can add to the prayers made in or towards it. If the rains do not come because the people have sinned the livelihood of the majority of the people will be affected at once. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. Israel had prospered and had been victorious under the reign of David. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. (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. If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy: Many times in their history, Israel suffered defeat and could only cry out to God. 30Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray(M) toward this place. 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. And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. 32:11, 12; Deut. What is especially notable is that foreigners could know and fear God like your people Israel. This hope of equality in worship was rarely expressed in the Old Testament (e.g. And then the fourth and final part of Solomons prayer is a prayer for Gods people to remain fully committed to him. a. The temple was completed the 8 th month of 11 th year of reign. 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. Create a "special and holy" place in your classroom where children can pray and talk about how holy and special God is. Nevertheless, it also reminds us of the principle in prayer of praying in the name of Jesus, the ultimate Anointed One. 4. Nehemiah Chapter 12. 2 Chronicles 2:1. 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. So yes, we want the gospel to go to all the nations, but we also want the gospel to go to our friends and neighbors. 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. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. 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. In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. With the aid of a simple acronym (ACTS), we should never forget "The Purpose Of Prayer". And let Your saints rejoice in goodness. 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. Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning? 12. the Lord appeared to Solomon by The dedication of the temple must have been an occasion of intense national interest to Solomon and his subjects. This is the second part of Solomons prayer: a prayer for Gods continued presence and direction. 9:2629; Neh. It is an immense undertaking for that day to build such a building as the temple. Footnotes. 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. How many people have you told about Jesus lately? God's presence and protection (vv. 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.

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