Solomon having kept the feasts of tabernacles and dedication, dismisses the people 12. 4. If there was no rain, there was no food. Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. Yes! 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). Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. Wasnt it the donations of the people that made the building possible? 27But (I)will God indeed dwell on the earth? We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place of worship. Jesus taught: Matthew 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." Solomon's God was no dud. If there be famine, often the result of drought, or if there be pestilence, blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar, siege by an enemy or any other plague or sickness if they repent and ask for forgiveness, may the Lord hear them. God is the one who made it possible, and we give him all the glory. Those who begin with the service of God, are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. 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. The apex of joy is realized in the dedication sacrifices and celebratory feast associated with this climactic moment in Jewish history. Let the penitent be spared. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. It's actually three prayers and what I find most interesting about them is the balance of what is said. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! There is no God to be found anywhere who may be compared to the God of Israel. The ruler is on his knees before One who is the great Ruler of the universe (2 Chronicles 6:13)! Solomon is praying to the creator of the universe, who already owns all and knows all. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. How much less this temple which I have built! And spread out his hands: This was the most common posture of prayer in the Old Testament. Remember the kindness of David, Thy servant (2 Chron.6:42). Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication 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.. Yet 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: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. You can check these in your browser security settings. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgave and restored His defeated people when they came in humble repentance. What kind of a son will now succeed him to rule over this great people? 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. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years. Now is introduced the refrain which we will hear throughout this prayer: hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive. It contains an important discussion of the nature of genuine repentance. In this article: 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. You can also change some of your preferences. From the study of Solomon's prayer after the completion of the temple, the students will discover that God keeps all His promises. He humbly suggests that the Temple is the . Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. You and the ark of Your strength. After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). 30:9]; Ezra 7:6; Ps. 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(BE) 53For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance,(BF) just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.. Solomon begins his prayer with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 5. When the building is now finished there is a great celebration of dedication and Solomon utters a prayer which has become a classic. Didnt they make the plans, gather the materials, and oversee the building of the temple? get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 14-21), utters a long dedicatory prayer (vv. 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. When He came to the temple and found the outer courts the only place where the Gentile nations could come and pray more like a swap meet than a house of prayer, He drove out the moneychangers and the merchants (Matthew 21:13). This type of praying produced some marvelous results. which revealed itself in boils. When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by. Solomon made supplication at dedication of the temple - 1 Kin 8:28-29; Jesus made supplication as He was crucified; Stephen also, as he was being stoned - Lk 23:34; Ac 7:59-60; CONCLUSION. The services of the dedication will continue for three days in succession, commencing on each day at 11:00 o'clock a.m. Tickets may be had at the watch house near the . Just because God promises does not mean that we possess. 33-34). Nevertheless, it also reminds us of the principle in prayer of praying in the name of Jesus, the ultimate Anointed One. 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. c. When You hear, forgive: Solomon knew that the most important thing Israel needed was forgiveness. 32-33) shows that he realized that Israel was to reach out and share the knowledge and blessings of God with Gentiles. There will be seven distinct petitions in this prayer of Solomon. I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." a. 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? If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Blasting refers to the singeing of the grain by the dry hot wind blowing from the desert. In the land of Palestine the people were totally dependent on the "former" and the "latter" rains in order that there might be crops. 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. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. 1. There is room for petitions, but first we are to realize to Whom we come and we must also realize our own limitations. The temple was a beautiful place that God instructed Solomon to build to represent the holiness of his presence. Acknowledges that God is bigger than the temple. Nehemiah Chapter 12. That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. The people had taken confidence in the temple. 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52, [1 Sam. Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. Disobedience, Pride, Self-Deception, Rejection, The Sanctity of Human Life in the Womb - Psalm 139, Caring for Each Other in the Body of Christ, Determining the Dates for Easter and Passover, The Magic Dresser (A Poem for Mother's Day), The Fruit of the Spirit and 1 Corinthians 13, Click here for more messages from the book of. But understand that such a prayer of dedication only has meaning if you yourself are personally committed to the Lord. Ray Fowler. And this is really the heart of what all dedications to God are all about. 1 Kings 8:22-61 Wednesday, 17 March 2021 "And now, O God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true." -1 Kings 8:26 Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple at Jerusalem is at the centre of our reading today. If we dont appropriate in faith, Gods promise is left unclaimed. Original German (Salomo II): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 7 (2004) 803-804. Now keep what You promised Your servant David. let Your word come true: Solomon called upon God to keep the promises that He made. b. Remember the mercies of Your servant David.. The first prayer is a longer prayer which is recorded for us in verses 1 Kings 8:22-53. Teach(W) them the right way(X) to live, and send rain(Y) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. 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. This was to be a beautiful temple built for Gods glory. In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. (1 Kings 8:57-58). 10. on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month --This was the last day of the feast of tabernacles. If the rains do not come because the people have sinned the livelihood of the majority of the people will be affected at once. 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. And so Solomon begins with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 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. It is our "faith" with its own connotation. 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 . Solomon's prayer is covers important points for the people and the nation. King Solomon mentions several of them. After all, didnt they do the work? 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. And there I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with the children of Israel.. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. When David died the people of Israel could look for a big change in the government of the land. III. B. V. 20-21 A Place For Cares - As Solomon prays, he asks the Lord to here the supplications of God's people. Finally, Solomon prayed and anticipated the final judgment' war and national collapse.' War within is the ultimate destroyer of life, property and freedom. So this was a long-term project. Stood before the altar of the LORD: Solomon did not dedicate the temple from within the temple. We should pray for Gods continued presence and direction. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Alas, Solomon didn't stay on this height of commitment to God. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. Solomon's prayer. (True or False) Graciously, Solomon first allowed Adonijah to go free. After many particulars, Solomon concludes with the general request, that God would hearken to his praying people. Solomons final request is that Gods people would remain fully committed to him at all times. (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. It was the Lord who fulfilled all the good promises he had given through his servant Moses. 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. (v. 1-2) Solomon blesses all of Israel. 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. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. Solomon's solemn sacrifice 8. 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 . God is the one who gave you the talents, the time, the opportunity and the strength to do whatever it is you have done. Lewis? There are so many people who would love to come to church with you if you would just ask them. i. They were defeated because they had sinned against God! But I think we all need to do a better job in personal evangelism as well. 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. The Ark of the Covenant is brought to the temple. Create a "special and holy" place in your classroom where children can pray and talk about how holy and special God is. Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? a. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Here Solomon acknowledges Gods work for their fathers in the past, and he seeks Gods continued presence and direction for his people in the present. 22-53), blesses the assembly again (vv. What does it mean to dedicate a building, or a child or a home? All rights reserved. The temple was completed the 8 th month of 11 th year of reign. He speaks of a situation in which a man has sinned but the sin cannot be proved. 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. Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:34 9.4MB) King Solomon . 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. We should look beyond ourselves and pray for Gods name to be known among the nations. i. 54-61), and dismisses it (vv. The first prayer is a longer prayer which is recorded for us in verses 1 Kings 8:22-53. SOLOMON BEGINS HIS PRAYER WITH PRAISE. 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. That is his privilege and his duty. 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: Solomon asked God to hear the prayer of the foreigner out of a missionary impulse. That is his privilege and his duty. a. This was made of either brass or copper and Solomon took his position on this platform. 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. 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). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. 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. 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. All rights reserved worldwide. Their attitude was: Nothing will happen to us because we have the temple! But God said, No! Why, or, why not? Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. As Solomon was involved in doing God's work, he could expect God's blessing on his efforts. The heavens, even the . 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. He had kept covenant with His people, and promised mercy to those who would walk in obedience ( 6:14 ). Through believing prayer like this, God promises and we appropriate. 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. King David himself gathered the raw materials to build the temple and, evidently, God provided the building plans for that holy structure. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. (1 Kings 8:54-56). All these prayers were offered at a time of challenge for the person praying, where the only one who could provide . After placing the ark in its new home, a praise service broke out with instruments sounding out beautifully and voices raised . Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. b. This kind of prayer lays hold of Gods promise. This lesson is an adaptation from the Gospel Project lesson on this Scripture passage. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. You have kept what You promised: Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises. 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. 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. Paul's Reference His concern for foreigners (vv. This splendid edifice is now completed, and will be dedicated to the Most High God on Friday, the 1st. I sometimes run into this with baby dedications. If there are, why are they so few? Footnotes. Love C.S. When Solomon's construction was completed, the temple was dedicated. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. 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. 1 Kings 8. That all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name! 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. Lev. Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there; and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel. Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. Solomon's prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray. 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. 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. 8:1-66 The account of the Temple's dedication ceremony is organized concentrically: Solomon gathers the assembly (), blesses it (vv. How can we dedicate something to Gods glory if we are not seeking to glorify him with our lives? We cannot dedicate things to the Lord if we have not dedicated ourselves to the Lord first. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. 3. Are there more ecumenical passages in the Old Testament? 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. 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. Rather than information alone, Solomon . 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. 26:34, 44; Deut. Its location, Mount Moriah, was where God appeared to David, and also where Abraham . God's House must ever be known as a place of prayer and His people as a people of prayer. It collapses economies and replaces peace with terror. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The good news is that God not only forgives sins but also delights in dwelling with His people (v. 50). Hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants: Solomon asked the God who can see what man cant who knows the hidden heart of man to enforce from heaven the oaths made at the temple. They built a larger sanctuary than they needed at the time because they trusted God would help them grow. Im so glad that our church has such a strong commitment to missions and to the spread of the gospel to all the nations. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. It is necessary to add these words because Israel may well be over-confident at the time when it is the strongest notion in that part of the world. 1 Chronicles 29:16). (Selman). 31-32). His prayer contained nine requests: 1. 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. Prayer for Gods continued presence and direction (57-58). So yes, we pray for our needs as a church, and we ask God to meet those daily needs. 2 Chronicles 2:1. 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. Solomon intercedes. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. (1-2) All of Israel assembles at Jerusalem. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. 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.