Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Solomon here prays for Gods daily provision and sustenance, but he does so for a very specific purpose. And so the fourth and final part of Solomons prayer is a prayer that Gods people would remain fully committed to him. 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! IV. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! Prayer for Gods name to be known among the nations (59-60). (1 Kings 7:13) Only the best materials were used. The old Puritan commentator John Trapp could not resist mentioning a fulfillment of this principle in his own day: Anne Averies, who, forswearing herself, a. D. 1575, February 11, at a shop of Wood Street in London, praying God she might sink where she stood if she had not paid for the wares she took, fell down presently speechless, and with horrible stink died., Or if Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. As we just read in verse 61: Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands.. 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). They always respond because they want Gods blessing on their marriage. Give them victory! And this applies to all dedications. The Characterization of Solomon in Solomon's Prayer (1 Kings 8) The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 1 Kings 8 - The Dedication of the Temple A. I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." a. i. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! 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. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. i. 1 Kings 8:22-53 NKJV - Solomon's Prayer of Dedication - BibleGateway Teach(W) them the right way(X) to live, and send rain(Y) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. Alas, Solomon didn't stay on this height of commitment to God. Solomon intercedes. The overseer of all is Solomon! Create a "special and holy" place in your classroom where children can pray and talk about how holy and special God is. (v. 1-2) Solomon blesses all of Israel. c. When You hear, forgive: Solomon knew that the most important thing Israel needed was forgiveness. Solomon used the phrasing of that passage to emphasize that the ark of the covenant and the symbol of Gods presence would wander no more and had finally come to its final resting place. Dedicated to God and His Glory | Ray Fowler .org When the building is now finished there is a great celebration of dedication and Solomon utters a prayer which has become a classic. At the dedication ceremony, Solomon acknowledged the feebleness of his efforts compared to an infinite God: "Will God really dwell on earth with humans? He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out . Used by permission. It's actually three prayers and what I find most interesting about them is the balance of what is said. He now assumes a posture in prayer of which we have not read earlier in the Biblical account. b. 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. 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. And he said: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel. ), 2Ch 2:6; Ps 139:7-16; Isa 66:1; Jer 23:24, ver 52; 2Ki 19:16; 2Ch 7:15; Ne 1:6; Ps 5:1; 31:2; 102:17; 130:2; Isa 37:17, ver 47; Lev 26:40; Ne 1:6; Jer 29:12; Da 9:4, Ps 5:8; 27:11; 107:7; Pr 11:5; Isa 45:13; Jer 6:16; 7:23; 31:21, ver 35; 1Ki 17:1; 18:1, 45; Jer 5:24; 10:3; 14:22; Zec 10:1, S Jos 22:22; S Ps 44:21; Jn 2:24; S Rev 2:23, Lev 26:33-39; S Dt 4:27; S 21:10; S 28:64; 2Ki 25:21, S ver 30; S Lev 5:5; Ezr 9:15; Ne 1:6; Jer 14:20, 1Ki 9:4; 11:4; 15:3, 14; 22:43; 2Ki 20:3; 1Ch 28:9; 29:19; 2Ch 16:9; 17:6; 25:2; Ps 119:80; Isa 38:3, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Galatians, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story. 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 Prayer of Solomon (1 Kings 8:22-53) - FBC Spur Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. 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 . Rather than information alone, Solomon . a. b. 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. Want the Verse of the Day sent to your inbox? 2 Chronicles 7 - Bible Study Tools And that is all part of this third portion of Solomons prayer here in 1 Kings 8: a prayer for Gods name to be known among the nations. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Solomon has no basis upon which to request anything except God's beloved mercy. The temple was a beautiful place that God instructed Solomon to build to represent the holiness of his presence. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they Crafts: Draw or paint self-portraits and write out 1 Corinthians 3:16 on the picture. c. There is no God in heaven or on earth like You: Solomon recognized that God was completely unique. 31-32). Forgiveness of sins that had brought on drought (vv. (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. November 2020 Series on Thanksgiving - for more information and an outline see here.. This was to be a beautiful temple built for Gods glory. that they may fear Thee all the days that they live in the land which Thou gayest unto our fathers. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. King Solomon mentions several of them. Solomon's prayer reminded his people that all of them had sinned against God (vv. 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 . But then Solomon goes on to pray this second prayer of dedication in verses 54-63. 32-33) shows that he realized that Israel was to reach out and share the knowledge and blessings of God with Gentiles. 8:1-66 The account of the Temple's dedication ceremony is organized concentrically: Solomon gathers the assembly (), blesses it (vv. 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. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. Now, 11 months later, Solomon stands before the people, spread But oh my friend, do try and use Gods promises; nothing pleases God better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, LORD, do as thou hast said. And let me tell you that it glorifies God to use his promises. (Spurgeon). 17:10]; Acts 1:24, 2 Chr. Recalls God's dynastic promises to David through the prophet Nathan. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication - Ligonier Ministries This was the early part of the reign of Solomon - his wise period . He is here following an example clearly taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the perfect prayer. 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. And we do also give ourselves individually and unreservedly to you. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a light in this community proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. Enduring Word Bible Commentary 2 Chronicles Chapter 6 Whenever you accomplish something, you are still to give God the glory for what he has done. Prayer's Frontiers | 2 Chron 6:12-40 | RayStedman.org First we ask for Gods presence to be among us. In this prayer, there is plenty of evidence that Solomon understood God's purpose for Israel. Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. 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. The ruler of the people is going to lead the whole nation in prayer! But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years. (1-2) All of Israel assembles at Jerusalem.