He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. 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. Give them victory! PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. 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. 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52, [1 Sam. 57May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(BJ) us. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know(AM) your name and fear(AN) you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. And a place for You to dwell in forever.. 14-21), utters a long dedicatory prayer (vv. 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. (1-2) All of Israel assembles at Jerusalem. 24 You have kept Nehemiah Chapter 12. This was to be a beautiful temple built for Gods glory. In summary: - Solomon describes the reason for the Temple, that it was in David's heart to build it, but God decided that his son should build it instead. 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. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.. i. (v. 6) That all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name! 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. With Him hearing is forgiving and forgiving is hearing. Last year through some generous estate gifts and through the sacrificial giving of Gods people, we were able to pay off the mortgage twelve years early. When the Lord gave him a choice of various gifts he might have, he chose wisdom. Standing there at the altar, he cried out for God to have mercy on His people . Sign up for daily inspiration today!>. Besides war and drought, there are various other calamities which may come upon a land. And so now we are finally in a position officially to dedicate this sanctuary to God and his glory. 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. This is a more general prayer of dedication and well-suited to the dedication of any home, building or business to the Lord. 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. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. "Solomon's Prayer of Dedication" . A church that loses its outward focus has lost its way. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 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. 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. Does the temple in Jerusalem have more significance than our church buildings? 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. This was made of either brass or copper and Solomon took his position on this platform. He wished the temple always to be to Israel the token that Gods memorial is that he hears prayer. (Spurgeon), Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then 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, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.. Dedication of the Temple - Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. i. It's praying until we know we have laid hold of God. How much less this temple which I have built! The first petition which Solomon utters is rather difficult to understand. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. Rather than information alone, Solomon . Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. which revealed itself in boils. When we gather for worship, the Lord meets with us, and we b. Im so glad that we are committed to missions right here at home in Broward County and beyond. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. The speaker speaks of each experiencing the plague of his own heart his sin. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. 12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. Now is introduced the refrain which we will hear throughout this prayer: hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . 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. He prays best in public who prays most in private. Wasnt it the donations of the people that made the building possible? Please include the following statement on any distributed copies: (1 Kings 8:57-58). The overseer of all is Solomon! Solomon's Temple is an example of how God used ancient Israel to point to greater realities. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. They built a larger sanctuary than they needed at the time because they trusted God would help them grow. True (True or False) Because he recognized that Solomon was given the kingdom by the Lord, Adonijah gave up his ambition to be king. When the building is now finished there is a great celebration of dedication and Solomon utters a prayer which has become a classic. This is a God who enters into communion with His people. All rights reserved. You can check these in your browser security settings. November 2020 Series on Thanksgiving - for more information and an outline see here.. 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 are new here, be sure to subscribe by email or feed reader so that you don't miss any future posts. Solomon extols the faithfulness of God and exhorts the people to continue in the path of covenant obedience. Will God dwell on the earth? For this reason, the only way they can receive forgiveness of sins is through the physical Temple. That is his privilege and his duty. SOLOMON BEGINS HIS PRAYER WITH PRAISE. 4. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. Living together outside of marriage is direct disobedience to Gods commands, and God cannot bless disobedience. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Thats the first part of Solomons prayer: thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. At the dedication ceremony, Solomon acknowledged the feebleness of his efforts compared to an infinite God: "Will God really dwell on earth with humans? Lord, render to every man according to all his ways. Forgiveness of sins that had caused defeat in battle (vv. And so your first thought should always be thanksgiving and praise to God for what he has done. No greater indication of the need for a place of atonement and forgiveness could be given. (Selman). Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive. The sense that sin is all-pervading dominates, epitomised in one of the clearest biblical statements about sins universality (there is no one who does not sin, 2 Chronicles 6:36). c. There is no God in heaven or on earth like You: Solomon recognized that God was completely unique. 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. Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead? Do we take the credit for it? GOD APPEARS TO HIM. (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. 35-36). 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. It collapses economies and replaces peace with terror. 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. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. THE HOUSE OF DAVID. Click on the different category headings to find out more. 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. When the king mentions pestilence he is referring to a very contagious disease of that day (such as the black plague of the middle ages?) a. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.. Temple of Jerusalem, either of two temples that were the centre of worship and national identity in ancient Israel. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place where Gods word is honored and proclaimed. All these prayers were offered at a time of challenge for the person praying, where the only one who could provide . Solomon II. i. Now we come to the seven petitions which Solomon speaks. The we come to Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple. Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. One is struck, moreover, with the fact that the language is far from new, and is full of quotations from the Pentateuch, some of which are almost word for word, while the sense of the whole may be found in those memorable passages in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. (Spurgeon). 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. Stood before the altar of the LORD: Solomon did not dedicate the temple from within the temple. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. God honors a praying people, because a praying people honors God! It was the Lord who gave Israel rest from their enemies so they could focus on the building of the temple at that time. Solomon's prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. With the aid of a simple acronym (ACTS), we should never forget "The Purpose Of Prayer". Solomon intercedes. 54-61), and dismisses it (vv. Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? 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? Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits . 1 Chronicles 29:16). (Selman). If there was no rain, there was no food. 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. (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. Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. 2 Chron 6:12. 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. Whenever you accomplish something, you are still to give God the glory for what he has done. Yes! How much less this temple which I have built! False (True or False) Solomon carried out David's instructions concerning his enemies, establishing his kingdom in his hand. 31When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take (O)an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, (P)condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. Its location, Mount Moriah, was where God appeared to David, and also where Abraham . And this applies to all dedications. We should pray for Gods continued presence and direction. The Temple was incomparable - just like the God who it was built for. 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. (1 Kings 8:54-56). 1. This lesson is an adaptation from the Gospel Project lesson on this Scripture passage. (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.. But then Solomon goes on to pray this second prayer of dedication in verses 54-63. When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them: Solomon prayed with the idea that God should answer the prayers for victory made in foreign lands towards the temple, but only when they battle as God sent them. THE ARK BROUGHT TO THE TEMPLE (1 Kings 8:1-11) The Assembling of the Men of Israel (1 Kings 8:1-2) Those assembled by Solomon (1 Kings 8:1) Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.. 2 CHRONICLES 6:12-42 -- SOLOMON'S PRAYER OF DEDICATION Biblical Background: Temple construction began 2 nd month of the 4 th year of reign, 480 years after Israel came out of Egypt. Lev. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. get to know the Bible better! After many particulars, Solomon concludes with the general request, that God would hearken to his praying people. 25Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises(E) you made to him when you said, You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done. 26And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised(F) your servant David my father come true. If there are, why are they so few? Solomon mentions locust and caterpillar, grasshoppers and other creatures which denude the fields of all vegetation. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. 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 . He now assumes a posture in prayer of which we have not read earlier in the Biblical account. 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. This is the second part of Solomons prayer: a prayer for Gods continued presence and direction. i. No place, now, under the gospel, can add to the prayers made in or towards it. When we gather to worship, this is what we seek first and foremost. So what does it mean to dedicate something to the Lord? You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this message provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. b. 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. (1 Kings 8:59-60). This type of praying produced some marvelous results. Recalls God's dynastic promises to David through the prophet Nathan. I have surely built You an exalted house, Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. 37When famine(Z) or plague(AA) comes to the land, or blight(AB) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(AC) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israelbeing aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(AD) toward this temple 39then hear(AE) from heaven, your dwelling place. A. Solomon's prayer place. The heavens, even the . 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. And they took away all those beautiful items that adorned the temple. But I think we all need to do a better job in personal evangelism as well. Used by permission. Because Solomon also prayed here: 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. (1 Kings 8:58) Notice this is primarily a prayer for God to turn you. 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 . Dedication of the Temple of God in the city of Nauvoo. 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. This wisdom is soon revealed when a mother comes to him with another woman, each claiming the same child as her own. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! Here they are about to dedicate this beautiful temple to the Lord and Solomon says: But may your hearts be fully committed to God. I dont know if youre familiar with the rest of the history of the Israelites and the temple, but when Gods people eventually turned away from the Lord, God took the temple away from them. If they in captivity come to a different insight and repent, if they acknowledge their sins before God and turn to Him with all their hearts and soul, if they then pray toward this land, toward this city and toward this house, may the Lord hear them and forgive, maintain their cause, and bring them back from captivity. 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. But, if anyone or if the whole people turn to God in repentance, may He forgive. He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. There is room for petitions, but first we are to realize to Whom we come and we must also realize our own limitations. (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. When Solomon's construction was completed, the temple was dedicated. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house. In this article: A strong church was planted here in Plantation that has been faithful in preaching Gods word and has given millions of dollars to missions around the world. True And so Solomon begins with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. EVERYONE: i. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. He knows exactly who he is praying to. This was the greatest answer to prayer Israel could expect from God. a. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. We cannot dedicate things to the Lord if we have not dedicated ourselves to the Lord first. Let's pray that in whatever we do, that the Lord always gets the glory and ask that it will always shine through. 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. That is a wonderful response, and I would affirm anyone who is seeking Gods blessing on their marriage. Their attitude was: Nothing will happen to us because we have the temple! But God said, No! The people had taken confidence in the temple. Whenever a people is defeated, great suffering comes upon them. CONCLUSION: Solomons fourfold prayer is a wonderful model to us as we dedicate anything to the Lord whether a child, a marriage, a business, a church or a home. Solomon: Begins by praising the God who keeps his promises. Solomon faces the Temple raises his hands toward heaven and begins to pray his prayer of dedication. Solomon is praying to the creator of the universe, who already owns all and knows all. 2 Chronicles Chapter 6. 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. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 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 greatness of Israel's God is seen in the facts that He has made all things and that He keeps covenant! ), 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. a. 46When they sin against You (AC)(for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive (AD)to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47(AE)yet when they [d]come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, (AF)saying, We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness; 48and when they (AG)return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and (AH)pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: 49then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [e]cause, 50and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and (AI)grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51(for (AJ)they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, (AK)out of the iron furnace), 52(AL)that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You.
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