Lesson 2 - 1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43 - THE ARK BROUGHT INTO THE TEMPLE
INTRODUCTION: Last week, in 1 Kings 2:10-12 and 3:3-14, we covered David's final instructions to his son Solomon and Solomon's initial rise to power as the king of a united Israel. When it appeared that David's fourth son, Adonijah, was maneuvering to be the next king, we saw David, at Bathsheba's urging, take action to ensure that Solomon would succeed him as king, and he also gave Solomon counsel on the steps he would need to take to avoid future conflict. As events turned out, Solomon's succession to David's throne was uncontested and "firmly established" (2:12), which pointed to the fact that Solomon's rise to the throne was planned by God. The text revealed that, early on, Solomon "loved the LORD" but also had demonstrated conflicting loves by marrying the "Pharaoh's daughter" and "making sacrifices in high places," even though there was no temple as a place of worship at that time (3:1-2). To inaugurate his rule, Solomon went to Gibeon, where the Tabernacle and Bronze Altar were located, and offered God a sacrifice of 1,000 animals. While at Gibeon, the "LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream" and said "Ask what you wish me to give you" (3:5), and Solomon asked the LORD to give him "an understanding heart...to discern between good and evil" (3:9). The text told us that God was so pleased with Solomon's request that He gave him more than he asked for: a wise and "discerning heart" and "riches and honor" among his fellow kings, on the condition that he would "walk in My ways, keeping my statutes and commandments" (3:11-14). We learned two broad points of person application from this lesson: (1) God is always ready to give us His wisdom when we ask Him for it. Solomon modeled this for us when he humbled himself before God and admitted that he was incapable of ruling well without God's help. (2) God is pleased when we ask Him to help us do things His way. And when we submit to God and faithfully do things His way, He often gives us more than we asked for.
This week, in 1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43, we will study the building, completion, and dedication of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. We should remember that when David proposed to build a Temple in Jerusalem, the LORD used the prophet Nathan to deny him permission to do so and tell him: "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Sam. 7:12-13). This was the Davidic Covenant. The construction of the Temple by Solomon took place over seven years and the details of it are reported in 1 Kings, Chapters 5-7.
Read 1 Kings 8:1 - SOLOMON ASSEMBLED THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL
1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion.
v. 1a: "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' households of the sons of Israel," - Solomon begins the dedication ceremony by gathering the people with links to Israel's past-the "elders...heads of tribes...and leaders of households." These men were in charge of local government and justice throughout the kingdom and would serve as advisors to the king.
v. 1b: "to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion." - The Ark of the Covenant was a portable chest constructed for use in the Tabernacle during Israel's 40 years in the wilderness. It contains the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron's rod. Now that Solomon has built the Temple, the Ark can be moved from its tent into the Temple and placed in the Holy of Holies, thus marking the transition from a God who moves from place to place to a God who dwells in a Temple.
Read 1 Kings 8:6 - PRIESTS BROUGHT THE ARK TO ITS PLACE
6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim."
v. 6: The Ark, lifted by poles extending through rings on either side, was carried into the Temple through the front door into the Holy Place and then on through the Veil into the Holy of Holies (see, Floorplan). The top of the Ark was known as the Bema, the judgment seat, and the "cherubim" were two winged beings who faced each other on top of the Ark (see, drawing). Everything inside the Holy of Holies was either made of or plated in pure gold in order to make it presentable to the LORD God.
Read 1 Kings 8:10-11 - THE CLOUD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
10 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
v. 10: "It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD", - Clouds are frequently associated with the presence of the LORD in both testaments, like the pillar of cloud that led the Israelites by day in the wilderness (Ex. 13:21-22) and the cloud that descended over Jesus on the Mount of the Transfiguration (Mark. 9:7). This is reminiscent of the cloud that filled the Tabernacle at its completion (Ex. 40:34-38).
v. 11: "so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD." - The "glory of the LORD" is the visible manifestation of God's presence. The glory emanating from the cloud in the Holy Place was so intense and overwhelming that the priests in there could not stand but fell on their faces. We should also note that no one but the High Priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Synopsis of vv. 12-21: In these verses, Solomon briefly recounts the history of his father, David, who wanted to build a Temple but was told his son would built it after his death. So here Solomon declares: "Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel " (v. 21).
Read 1 Kings 8:22-26 - THERE IS NO GOD LIKE YOU IN HEAVEN OR ON EARTH
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 He said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24 who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You have promised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day. 25 Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.' 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let Your word, I pray, be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.
Examination of Solomon's Prayer: As we learned earlier, God promised David to establish the throne of David's son(Solomon) forever(2 Sam. 7:12-16); and David, on his deathbed, recounted this promise to Solomon(2:4) and here, Solomon alluded to this promise in his word to the assembled leaders before he began his prayer (8:25). Now, he praises The LORD's greatness and then prays that He will keep His promise. However two things are noteworthy here: The first is that God's promise to David was conditional, when God declared, "If your children keep my covenant...their children will also sit on your throne forevermore" (Ps. 132:10-12). The second in 1 Kings 3:14 where God informed Solomon himself in a dream, "If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days." And we'll see as we continue this study, David's earthly kingdom will cease to exist when the kingdom is divided following Solomon's death. But the spiritual kingdom of David's line was and still is far from over. The promise to David was ultimately fulfilled when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the LORD God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end". (Luke 1:31-33). And as of this time in history, the Messianic Kingdom is still forthcoming (Zech 13:9; Mal. 3:3-4; Matt 25:32; Rev. 19:15-16).
Read 1 Kings 8:27-30 - THE HIGHEST HEAVEN CANNOT CONTAIN YOU
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, 'My name shall be there,' to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. 30 Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive".
v. 27: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!" - With this statement, Solomon puts the LORD God and the Temple in their proper perspectives. While the Temple represents God's presence, it cannot properly be called God's dwelling place, for God, who is omnipresent, is everywhere at the same time in the entire created universe. Another way of saying this that God cannot be limited in any way by space or time. And God, whether in a Temple or in the hearts of those who believe in Him, can dwell wherever He chooses to dwell.
v. 28a: "Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God," -Having properly recognized the LORD's exalted status and position, Solomon asks for God's blessings on the Temple and that He will hear his "supplication"-i.e., hear his confession and forgive him when he seeks forgiveness.
v. 28b: "to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today;" - God hears every prayer prayed in His name, regardless of who is praying or where they are located. And God answers all prayer according to His divine will and timing. One commentator asked why does God bother to hear one man's prayer? And he answered that the very existence of man is an answer to prayer, for if God stopped listening to the prayers of people, they would cease to exist. This entire universe and world that sustains us only exists moment to moment by God's good pleasure.
v. 29: "that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, 'My name shall be there,' to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place." - In this verse, Solomon doesn't ask that the LORD will only listen to prayers prayed in the Temple, but will answer prayers that are prayers directed "toward this place". Now that the LORD has revealed His presence in the Temple, Solomon will look to the Temple when he prays. Although we know that God hears prayers from anyone anywhere, we might experience a special presence of God when we pray at a place like the alter of a church. This would be especially significant to Jews who lived outside of Jerusalem-a source of comfort.
v. 30: "Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive". - In this context, "supplication" can mean begging for God's favor based upon His grace. The statement admits Solomon's understanding that the temple cannot be considered as the LORD God's permanent dwelling place and states that "heaven" is His dwelling place, a place which is eternal and has no boundaries, as opposed to a specified location, and even the heavens cannot be said to contain the omnipresent God of the universe. We accept this truth even if we cannot comprehend the sheer magnitude of it. Solomon's plea is that to the LORD is will hear his prayers and the prayers of His people Israel when they cry out to Him wherever they may be.
Summary of Solomon's Seven Petitions (vv. 31-53) as he continues his prayer:
1. Solomon prays that God will condemn the guilty and vindicate the righteous in circumstances where it is difficult for human judges to determine the truth.
2. He prays that when Israel is defeated in battle but then repents, that God will forgive their sins and bring them again to the land which He gave to their fathers.
3. He prays that when God stops the rain because of the sins of Israel, and it then repents, that God will forgive them and give them rain.
4. He prays regarding a whole host of disasters (e.g., famines, plagues, blight, etc.) brought by Israel's sin, and prays that when Israel repents, God will forgive them.
5. Solomon prays that concerning the foreigner..."who comes out of the far country for Your names' sake" that God will answer the foreigner's prayer (vv. 41-43). These three verses will be examined in more detail below.
6. He prays that when Israel goes into battle that God will help them as He has graciously done in the past.
7. He prays that if Israel sins and is carried into captivity because of it sin, and then repents, that God will forgive them and grant them His compassion. This is the longest and most complex of the seven petitions. Scholars say this reflects the fact that 1 & 2 Kings was written during the Babylonian Exile when Jerusalem and the Temple lay in ruins.
Read 1 Kings 8:41-43 - THAT ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW YOUR NAME
41 "Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name's sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name".
v. 41: "Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name's sake" - This is the fifth petition summarized above. As defined here, a "foreigner" would be someone from a foreign country not belonging to any of the tribes of Israel like an Egyptian, an Assyrian, a Hittite, or a Babylonian, as opposed to a resident alien allowed into the country for some reason, and the fact that such persons "come...for Your name's sake," implies that they come to worship YHWH as the One True God. It makes one think of Uriah the Hittite, who was one of David's mighty men (2 Sam. 11:3), and whom David had murdered to cover-up his adultery with Bathsheba.
v. 42: (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house," -This isn't just any foreigner casually passing through Israel but a person who comes specifically in an attitude of religious devotion out of respect for YHWH's great name in order to pray to Him in the Temple.
v. 43: "hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name." - This is a stunning statement and a prophecy. Solomon's obvious purpose when he asks God to "hear in heaven" and "do ...which the foreigner calls to You" (i.e., answer the foreigner's prayer), is "that all the peoples of the earth may know Your Name, to fear You". This brings to mind the Gentile "proselytes" and "God-fearers" reported in Acts who believed in YHWH, as the One True God, and became the first Gentile Christian converts, for example, the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 and Cornelius the Roman centurion and his family in Acts 10. Thus, Solomon's petition acknowledges and confirms that God intended the Israelites to be a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6). It also captures the spirit that the LORD first introduced in the call of Abram'-that "all the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:3). This prayer is all the more remarkable here in the sense that the Israelite people seldom felt a sense of mission to those outside the Jewish community.
APPLICATION-Obeying and Repenting and Obeying and Repenting.
In his dedication of the Temple and his prayer, Solomon fully realized that the only hope for the survival of Israel lay in its obedience to the LORD God and alternatively, in its repentance when the people sinned. When we examine the petitions, we can see that Solomon, the wisest man in the world, then and now, was very farsighted about the various perils and difficulties that the kingdom would face in the future. The irony is that Solomon would ultimately fail to heed his own advice. There will be much unrest in the kingdom because of conflict between the tribes, resulting in the division of the kingdom following Solomon's death (see, 1 Kings 11 and 12). The same principle applies to modern Christians when they stumble in his or her Christian walk. When we sin, as we will inevitably do, we need to repent. And repentance is much more than simply saying "I'm sorry"; it is an honest change of mind and heart in which we humble ourselves and confess our sins before God, admitting that He is 'right" and we are 'wrong,' and agreeing to change the behavior that led us to sin in the first place. Nothing we do can be hidden from God.
