The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive. We cannot dedicate things to the Lord if we have not dedicated ourselves to the Lord first. 57May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(BJ) us. For less than $5/mo. In this prayer, there is plenty of evidence that Solomon understood God's purpose for Israel. The Lord had promised David that his would be a dynasty, i.e., his children should sit on the throne of Israel through generations if they would fear Him and keep His commandments. He becomes acquainted with the ways of the Israelites and with their history and he also finds out about the greatness of Israel's God. Solomon prayed his prayer of dedication, and then the king and all the Israelites officially dedicated the temple to the Lord. Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication Oh, let God now hear the prayer of His servant! After many particulars, Solomon concludes with the general request, that God would hearken to his praying people. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. For this reason, many observant Jews still pray facing the direction of the site of the temple in Jerusalem. How much less this temple which I have built! 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. (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. King Solomon ( "Shlomo Hamelech" in Hebrew) was the third king of Israel. If they are taken out of their land because of their sin! If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 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. But then Solomon goes on to pray this second prayer of dedication in verses 54-63. 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). ACT OF DEDICATION (Adapted from the Dedicatory Service at The Moody Church November 8, 1925). But, perhaps his wisdom is nowhere shown more clearly than in the building and dedication of the temple of God. 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. This splendid edifice is now completed, and will be dedicated to the Most High God on Friday, the 1st. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin): This is a succinct Old Testament statement of the principle most clearly stated in Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Temple was incomparable - just like the God who it was built for. Remember the kindness of David, Thy servant (2 Chron.6:42). Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. a. He sent the Babylonians and they came and ransacked the temple and burned it to the ground. 31-32). Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 19:24-25; Zechariah 8:20-22), and even Jesus closest disciples found its fulfillment hard to take (Acts 10:1-11:18). (Selman), When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. (1 Kings 8:62-63). Let us pray. Want the Verse of the Day sent to your inbox? This is Solomon's prayer. 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. If you are new here, be sure to subscribe by email or feed reader so that you don't miss any future posts. 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. THE HOUSE OF DAVID. How ecumenical! When was the last time you invited someone to go to church? And so we pray for God to turn our hearts that we may walk in all his ways and be obedient to his commands. 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. a. I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised: Solomon recognized that his succession of David on the throne of Israel was a significant thing. For this reason, the only way they can receive forgiveness of sins is through the physical Temple. When all the work for the temple was finished, the last step was bringing the Ark of the Covenant and placing it in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, putting it beneath the wings of the cherubim. This is such an important prayer because it reminds us that we do not exist for ourselves but rather for Gods glory and the spreading of Gods name throughout our community and throughout the nations. ), 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. PASTOR: Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity; three Persons and one God: CONGREGATION: To you we dedicate this house. God will then judge the one who has committed the sin and the taint of sin which exists as long as the real sinner is not known will be removed from the whole people. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. a. That is part of the outward focus that we are to maintain as the church of Jesus Christ. With the aid of a simple acronym (ACTS), we should never forget "The Purpose Of Prayer". This is Solomon's prayer. (v. 5) God has chose Jerusalem and David. Let us then stand in awe, and sin not. 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. 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. By Ray Fowler. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Solomon then prayed two prayers of dedication. Besides war and drought, there are various other calamities which may come upon a land. Religion Past & Present XII (2012) 141. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. (1-2) Acknowledgement of God's presence in the cloud. i. We should look beyond ourselves and pray for Gods name to be known among the nations. What kind of a son will now succeed him to rule over this great people? 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. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgave and restored His defeated people when they came in humble repentance. i. Nor was the interest merely temporary or local. Click here to return to the Sermons page. 2 Chronicles Chapter 6. Just because God promises does not mean that we possess. Only if they are faithful will they rule. God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray. b. 62-66).To this account is appended an appearance of the Lord to Solomon that balances the divine word to Solomon in the . After sacrificing a seemingly endless number of animals ( 1 Kings 8:5 ), Solomon blessed the Lord for His covenantal faithfulness (vv.12-21). He prays for God to meet the daily needs of the people not for their own sake but so that Gods name may be known among the nations. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. 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. 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. 22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands(B) toward heaven 23and said: Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like(C) you in heaven above or on earth belowyou who keep your covenant of love(D) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. Jesus told his disciples: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. It's actually three prayers and what I find most interesting about them is the balance of what is said. 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. The speaker speaks of each experiencing the plague of his own heart his sin. Through believing prayer like this, God promises and we appropriate. 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. 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. ii. Solomon took time to contemplate the God he was praying to. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Now therefore, 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). II. I ask them: Why do you want Gods blessing on your marriage, but you dont want Gods blessing on your present relationship? Its not consistent. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain: Drought was a constant threat for the agriculturally based economy of Israel. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20). (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. But we must always remember why we exist as a church. 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. How does Solomon overcome the difficulty of doing priestly work and not sinning by doing so? "Solomon's Prayer of Dedication" . And so now we are finally in a position officially to dedicate this sanctuary to God and his glory. 22Then Solomon stood before (B)the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and (C)spread out his hands toward heaven; 23and he said: Lord God of Israel, (D)there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, (E)who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who (F)walk before You with all their hearts. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.. And when the priests withdrew from the Holy Place where they put the ark, the glory of the Lord filled the temple and all the people worshiped God. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication. 8:1-66 The account of the Temple's dedication ceremony is organized concentrically: Solomon gathers the assembly (), blesses it (vv. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. 10. on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month --This was the last day of the feast of tabernacles. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. 6:36; Ps. Used by permission. This was to be a beautiful temple built for Gods glory. In this refrain he speaks of the riches of the experience of faith. 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. 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. 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. This is instructive to us. which revealed itself in boils. a. 25-30). And a place for You to dwell in forever.. This is a unique prayer from the Old Testament. 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 . Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! 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. 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. 1:10; [Rom. He was the first king to follow his father as a hereditary monarch. a. 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. Online 2013. 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. So what does it mean to dedicate something to the Lord? If God's people only repent! How were the kingly and priestly offices kept separate? Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits . 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?) And we should pray for Gods people to remain fully committed to him. b. As king himself, Solomon remembered and spoke those truths at the dedication of the temple in his prayer and benediction. Can a murderer, if he repents, be saved? It was the Lord who provided all that they needed to complete the project. (1 Kings 8:54-56). 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. Look at verses 59-60: And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each days need, 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. His prayer contained nine requests: 1. I. Solomon's Prayer of _____ of God (1 Kings 8:22-29) 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. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. 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. If there are, why are they so few? Solomon has no basis upon which to request anything except God's beloved mercy. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The substance is Christ; whatever we ask in his name, it shall be given us. The first prayer is a longer prayer which is recorded for us in verses 1 Kings 8:22-53. 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. There is no God to be found anywhere who may be compared to the God of Israel. b. He must there confess his sin so that the sin does not rest on the whole people! God honors a praying people, because a praying people honors God! We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place where Gods word is honored and proclaimed. 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. How can we dedicate something to Gods glory if we are not seeking to glorify him with our lives? a. 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. As long as this did not slip into a superstitious misunderstanding, it was good to recognize a special place to come and meet with God. All rights reserved. Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. You can check these in your browser security settings. That is his privilege and his duty. And in the midst of a phenomenal celebratory service; the King of Israel prays a dedicatory prayer like none have ever heard before. No other God ever makes a covenant with the people whom he rules. 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? The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with the Lord's musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the Lord and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, "His love endures forever." Even though men cannot prove the sin which has been committed by this "someone," God does know. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. And then we not only pray for Gods continued presence but also for his direction. Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 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. Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. 33When your people Israel have been defeated(R) by an enemy because they have sinned(S) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,(T) 34then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors. 12. the Lord appeared to Solomon by The dedication of the temple must have been an occasion of intense national interest to Solomon and his subjects. (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.. This glorious Temple built under the direction of King Solomon had as one of it's purposes to be a witness to the world in that day. 26:34, 44; Deut. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. Famine came upon the land of Canaan several times during the course of sacred history despite the fact that this land was to be the land "flowing with milk and honey." The king is here not referring to the stranger who makes his home in Israel, but to the foreigner who comes and goes. Praying in the True Temple. Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. Crafts: Draw or paint self-portraits and write out 1 Corinthians 3:16 on the picture. How much less this temple which I have built! He knows exactly who he is praying to. 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. 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..
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