Highlights In Today's Reading:
What a tremendous chapter! The Temple is finally completed, furnished, and dedicated. Solomon prays. Envision a humongous display of pageantry as the priests carry in the Ark and other sacred items. The cloud of the glory of the Lord fills the House as trumpet players, and singers with cymbals . . . psalteries and harps . . . were (all) as one (II Chron 5:12-14). WOW! You will love it!
The glorious day had arrived for the dedication of the Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. In the eleventh year, in the . . . eighth month, was the House finished. . . . So was he seven years in building it (I Kin. 6:38).
Just prior to the dedication, Solomon assembled the elders of Israel . . . in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the City of David, which is Zion. . . . And the priests brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord unto . . . the Most Holy Place (8:1,6). God dwelt above the Mercy Seat of the Ark (Ex. 25:22). Now there was nothing in the Ark save (except) the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb (Sinai) centuries before (I Kin. 8:9). After the Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, the glory of the Lord . . . filled the House of the Lord (8:11). This was a visible reminder that the God of Israel was in their midst.
As the people stood in the courtyard and worshiped the Lord, Solomon stood (on a platform) before the altar (of burnt offerings) of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee . . . who keepest covenant and mercy with Thy servants that walk before Thee with all their heart (8:22-23). Solomon stressed the necessity of faithfulness to the Word of God (8:61).
The Israelites were chosen to let the world know there is only One True God. That all people of the earth may know Thy Name, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Israel. . . . let Him not leave us, nor forsake us: That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His Commandments. . . . That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else (8:43,57-58,60). The one true God includes just Three Persons: God the Father, Jesus who is God the son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Solomon concluded: Let your heart therefore be perfect (blameless) with the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His Commandments (I Kin. 8:61).
Thought for Today:
Prayer is a wonderful privilege given to us by God, but all our prayers are worthless unless we are obedient to His Word.
Christ Revealed:
As the perfect Temple of God before whom all kings of the earth one day must bow (I Kin. 8:54; John 2:19-21). Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name (Phil. 2:9-10).
Word Studies:
8:2 Ethanim (later called Tishri) =ept/Oct; 8:37 blasting =light; 8:47 bethink themselves =earn their lesson and repent.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for Staff: Ilene Wallace • Government Official: Rep. Jack Kingston (GA) • Country: Jamaica (3 million) in the West Indies • Major languages: English and Creole • Religious freedom • 78% Protestant; 10% Roman Catholic; 7% Afro-American spiritist • Prayer Suggestion: Ask the Lord to give you strength for today's need (Eph. 3:14-16).
Optional Reading: Acts 25
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 6:13
