Year One, October 19

Will God Indeed Dwell on the Earth?1

1 Kings 8:1-6; 10-11; 22-30

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

Solomon prepared the temple before he brought the ark to it. An old writer observes that before we pray, we should prepare our heart as a temple of the Lord.

2And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. (They stopped at different spots along the way and offered sacrifices. Josephus2 tells us, “The ground was moist with drink-offerings and sacrifices.” It was the year of jubilee and the time of the feast of tabernacles. The crowds were great and the joy overflowing. When shall we see the whole earth celebrating and adoring the risen Savior?) 6Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.

10And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. (The cloudy pillar was the sign that God was present. It filled the sanctuary to show that the Lord accepted the temple. We do not know whether the cloud was bright and awe-inspiring or dark and threatening. Either way, it overwhelmed the minds of the priests. It is a glorious thing to be so overcome by the presence of the Lord among his people that all our works become as nothing and we feel that we can no longer “stand to minister,” because the Lord himself is there.)

22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, (He was not a priest and therefore could not present the sacrifices on the altar. But as the king, he represented the nation and it was proper for him to offer up the national prayer.) 23and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day.” (Notice how he dwells on the covenant. Praying is more delightful when we can remind God of his promises.)

25“Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (So even in the dim light of Judaism it was understood that the Lord does not live in temples made with hands. How astonishing it is that under the gospel people still cling to the idea of holy places.) 28Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.”

In our highest joys we still have need to pray “Forgive.” Our hearts are out of order when that word does not rise to our lips. Let us plead with God to bless us throughout our lives and always to forgive.

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¹ 1 Kings 8:27

² Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived during the first century A.D.