9:2629; Neh. So this was a long-term project. b. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. 55 He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: 56 Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Nehemiah Chapter 12. He is famous for building the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah, (Hebrew: "Dedication") also spelled anukka, Chanukah, or Chanukkah, also called Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, or Feast of the Maccabees, Jewish festival that begins on Kislev 25 (usually in December, according to the Gregorian calendar) and is celebrated for eight days. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.. b. Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication When the building is now finished there is a great celebration of dedication and Solomon utters a prayer which has become a classic. Solomon having kept the feasts of tabernacles and dedication, dismisses the people 12. 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. 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. 2 Chronicles 2:1. Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. Well, yes, of course Solomon and the people all played their parts in making the temple come together, but Solomon in his wisdom recognizes that it was only possible because of the Lord. From the study of Solomon's prayer after the completion of the temple, the students will discover that God keeps all His promises. Solomon prayed his prayer of dedication, and then the king and all the Israelites officially dedicated the temple to the Lord. 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. 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 . O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; King David himself gathered the raw materials to build the temple and, evidently, God provided the building plans for that holy structure. 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. How were the kingly and priestly offices kept separate? It collapses economies and replaces peace with terror. (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. A. Solomon's prayer place. 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. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. 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? b. Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. And so finally after all the years of preparation and giving and building, the temple was complete. Read 1 Kings 8:22-53, 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. PASTOR: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; our Father which art in heaven: PASTOR: Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, head of the body which is the church; head over all things to the church; Prophet, Priest and King; whose glorious appearing shall be to all people: PASTOR: Holy Spirit, our Comforter, Counselor, guide and friend: PASTOR: For comfort to those who mourn; for strength to those who are tempted; for the instruction and training of children and youth; for the sending forth of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. And so we must always keep our outward focus as a church. I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Thats the first part of Solomons prayer: thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. 2.F orgiveness of trespasses (vv. He knew that when God mercifully answered the prayers of foreigners, it drew those from other nations to the God of all nations. He does not say what manner of sin it is because that is immaterial to what he has in mind. Recalls God's dynastic promises to David through the prophet Nathan. This recognized that the God of the temple could answer prayers made away from the temple. 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. He referred to God's name Yahweh 14 times, showing his concern for the reputation of Israel's God. Im so glad that we are committed to missions right here at home in Broward County and beyond. 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. When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.. Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. When we gather for worship, the Lord meets with us, and we (1-2) Acknowledgement of God's presence in the cloud. But I think we all need to do a better job in personal evangelism as well. 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. Also when the whole people of Israel come to this place to offer their prayers, Lord hear them. How ecumenical! Solomon here prays for the faithfulness of all of his own posterity. Israel's God does make covenant. Traffic and Tears on the Road to Jerusalem. Click on the different category headings to find out more. After placing the ark in its new home, a praise service broke out with instruments sounding out beautifully and voices raised . First we ask for Gods presence to be among us. 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. i. He is too great to be limited to any created place. When David died the people of Israel could look for a big change in the government of the land. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. 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. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. A few short years after Solomon's prayer, God destroyed Israel as a nation. (True or False) Graciously, Solomon first allowed Adonijah to go free. Solomon declares that he's built a house for God. Here are 3 key lessons from Solomon's prayer for wisdom that can give us spiritual wisdom, as well: 1. 2 Chronicles 6:12-40 records the great prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. The we come to Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple. Solomon's solemn sacrifice 8. 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52, [1 Sam. Solomon faces the Temple raises his hands toward heaven and begins to pray his prayer of dedication. Click here for more messages from the book of 1 Kings. 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 . Mildew was another disease of the grains. I. Solomon's Prayer of _____ of God (1 Kings 8:22-29) When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by. How many people have you told about Jesus lately? In the second petition the king pleads with his God concerning his people when they are defeated by enemies. The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud: The cloud of Gods glory has a long association with His presence. Lord, render to every man according to all his ways. Solomon pleads with the Lord that the temple would be a place of prayer and that all prayers directed toward it would be heard of the Lord and answered. Behold, heaven and the (J)heaven of heavens cannot contain You. The mention of Gods hands (lit. 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. Solomon intercedes. He was the first king to follow his father as a hereditary monarch. Thanks for visiting! 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.. Their attitude was: Nothing will happen to us because we have the temple! But God said, No! 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.. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. God appearing to Solomon, gives him promises upon condition Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers How then shall this house which Solomon has built house Him? Create a "special and holy" place in your classroom where children can pray and talk about how holy and special God is. Solomon does not attribute the lack of rain to mere natural phenomena, but to the sins of the people. 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. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgave and restored His defeated people when they came in humble repentance. 11:28, 29], NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word, NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word. i. 33-34). You have kept what You promised: Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises. A couple will come to me and want me to dedicate their child to the Lord, and yet they are not living for the Lord themselves. Otherwise the child dedication has no meaning. b. 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. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . This is a unique prayer from the Old Testament. How dreadful to pray a prayer of dedication for a new business if you are not going to run that business according to godly principles. 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. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain: Drought was a constant threat for the agriculturally based economy of Israel. i. The ruler of the people is going to lead the whole nation in prayer! In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10], Lev. I cant think of two more important requests of God for us as a church as we seek to fulfill Gods purposes in this community. There will be seven distinct petitions in this prayer of Solomon. 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. We can only truly dedicate things to God when we have first dedicated ourselves. As Solomon comes before the Lord with a . The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. The apex of joy is realized in the dedication sacrifices and celebratory feast associated with this climactic moment in Jewish history. Remember the kindness of David, Thy servant (2 Chron.6:42). By Gods grace it has now been paid off in full as God has worked through his people to finish the work we started so long ago. The temple was one of the most beautiful structures of ancient times. This wisdom is soon revealed when a mother comes to him with another woman, each claiming the same child as her own. Living together outside of marriage is direct disobedience to Gods commands, and God cannot bless disobedience. 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. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. 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. Previously there was not an indication of a complete captivity of His people, but that is considered in this petition. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. If they are taken out of their land because of their sin! (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.. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. 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. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. In the land of Palestine the people were totally dependent on the "former" and the "latter" rains in order that there might be crops. It is again clearly shown when the queen of Sheba comes and asks him all manner of difficult questions and he has ready answers. (READ VERSES 23-24) SOLOMON IS PRAISING BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL King Solomon ( "Shlomo Hamelech" in Hebrew) was the third king of Israel. 4. Love C.S. But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years. 2 Chron 6:12. 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. The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. Amen. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. Solomon felt his own inadequacy. 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. 106:6; Dan. 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. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 - "Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. (1 Kings 7:13) Only the best materials were used. a. Just because God promises does not mean that we possess. i. 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). It is an immense undertaking for that day to build such a building as the temple. Yes! Oh, let God now hear the prayer of His servant! The ruler is on his knees before One who is the great Ruler of the universe (2 Chronicles 6:13)! All rights reserved worldwide. How much less this temple I have built! Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. 54-61), and dismisses it (vv. "Solomon's Prayer of Dedication" . When Solomon's construction was completed, the temple was dedicated. 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. 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. And we should pray for Gods people to remain fully committed to him. There are four parts to this prayer, and all four are easily applicable to the dedication of our sanctuary to God and his glory today. Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? We are glad that Solomon said this. V.22a ""Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel." This was a public prayer. His concern for foreigners (vv. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. David prepared for the temple in every way he could short of actually building it, and he was happy for the credit and honor for building it to go to his son Solomon. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. 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! (v. 6) And there I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with the children of Israel.. Was that a major accomplishment? 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. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits . Solomon's prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. You can also change some of your preferences. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a house of prayer. And so now we are finally in a position officially to dedicate this sanctuary to God and his glory. 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. This sentence has been explained in various ways. We also notice why Solomon is praising God. 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. 10. on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month --This was the last day of the feast of tabernacles. God is able to send rain and He is able to withhold it. Whenever you accomplish something, you are still to give God the glory for what he has done. God's presence and protection (vv. When the Lord gave him a choice of various gifts he might have, he chose wisdom. He prays best in public who prays most in private. Gods good response to our repentance comes from His grace, not from justice. They were defeated because they had sinned against God! And so this fourth part of Solomons prayer is so important when it comes to dedicating anything to God and his glory. With Him hearing is forgiving and forgiving is hearing. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Construction of the Temple was begun in the _____ year following the Exodus., In return for cedar and fir from Lebanon, Solomon gave Hiram, king of Tyre:, The Temple required _____ years for construction. 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. b. God knows what is in their hearts. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, 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.. 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). This is a more general prayer of dedication and well-suited to the dedication of any home, building or business to the Lord. If there was no rain, there was no food. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place of worship. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place where Gods word is honored and proclaimed. However, before one petition is uttered he extols the greatness of the God to Whom he is praying. Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, It was the Lord who fulfilled all the good promises he had given through his servant Moses. >> When you pray with others in corporate prayer, make sure your heart, mind, and soul are echoing the words that are spoken. 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. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. If this king will continue in this way, he may be sure that the Lord his God will remember His covenant and all the loving kindness which He had promised David. b. Return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven: Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of a defeated, yet humble and penitent Israel. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. The holy place and Most Holy Place were only for chosen descendants of the High Priest. 130:3; Prov. (v. 1-2) Solomon blesses all of Israel. Israel had prospered and had been victorious under the reign of David. He must there confess his sin so that the sin does not rest on the whole people! New International Version (NIV). We should pray for Gods continued presence and direction. So shall sin be done away and the righteous will not suffer for the unrighteous. GOD APPEARS TO HIM. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. When they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, then hear in heaven: Solomon doesnt take it for granted that God would forgive and hear His repentant people. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. 35-36). A church that loses its outward focus has lost its way. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! But, perhaps his wisdom is nowhere shown more clearly than in the building and dedication of the temple of God. This is Solomon's prayer. 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. The temple was designed for the keeping up of the correspondence between God and his people; and . which revealed itself in boils. When a couple comes and asks me to marry them in the church, I always ask them why they want to get married by a pastor in the church rather than, say, a judge at the courthouse. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name..
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