outline solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple

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. It was the Lord who gave Israel rest from their enemies so they could focus on the building of the temple at that time. Please include the following statement on any distributed copies: And they took away all those beautiful items that adorned the temple. 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.. Prayer for Gods people to remain fully committed to him (61-63). Yes! Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord or the dedication means nothing.. His prayer contained nine requests: 1. Rather than information alone, Solomon . Does the enormity of the sin have anything to do with the possibility of forgiveness? 55He stood and blessed(BG) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: 56Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(BH) to his people Israel just as he promised. Israel had prospered and had been victorious under the reign of David. 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. "If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our . But then as we talk further, and I learn that they are living together before marriage, I get confused. 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). It was even worse when the defeat was because they had sinned against the LORD Himself. 5. The "man after God's own heart" had left the scene. Read the Scripture: 2 Chronicles 6:12-40. We dedicate this sanctuary to be a place of worship. a. This is Solomon's prayer. The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. The overseer of all is Solomon! Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Let us pray. It is our "faith" with its own connotation. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Israel's God does make covenant. 2.F orgiveness of trespasses (vv. He humbly suggests that the Temple is the . 33-34). Such an individual must then come to the altar of God. (BM) 61And may your hearts(BN) be fully committed(BO) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.. 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. 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. 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. (1 Kings 8:57-58). 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. Solomon used the phrasing of that passage to emphasize that the ark of the covenant and the symbol of Gods presence would wander no more and had finally come to its final resting place. What a wonderful prayer to pray! To God be the glory forever! 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. At the end of the prayer, we begin chapter 7, and it states, "As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The pretended gods of the nations could not compare to Him in any way. The first petition which Solomon utters is rather difficult to understand. He is too great to be limited to any created place. Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. And so Solomon begins with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. The Temple stood as a testimony of the fulfilment of God's promise to his father David. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.. Solomon prosperously effected all he designed, for adorning both God's house and his own. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Solomon's prayer acknowledged the greatness of the LORD, and that there was none other God like Him. c. There is no God in heaven or on earth like You: Solomon recognized that God was completely unique. And in the midst of a phenomenal celebratory service; the King of Israel prays a dedicatory prayer like none have ever heard before. When we gather for worship, the Lord meets with us, and we It would have been easy for Solomon and the people to take the credit for the work that had just been accomplished. 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 . 35, 46-49). We dedicate this sanctuary to be a house of prayer. New King James Version (NKJV). Can a murderer, if he repents, be saved? Praying in the True Temple. And so your first thought should always be thanksgiving and praise to God for what he has done. 35When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(U) because your people have sinned(V) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication This is a more general prayer of dedication and well-suited to the dedication of any home, building or business to the Lord. The temple will be a delight to the children of Israel for many years and the impressive ceremony at its dedication will linger with them as long as they live. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All these prayers were offered at a time of challenge for the person praying, where the only one who could provide . 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. Traffic and Tears on the Road to Jerusalem. And, at this point in the history of Israel, he prays that all the promises made to David may go into effect. True (True or False) Because he recognized that Solomon was given the kingdom by the Lord, Adonijah gave up his ambition to be king. 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. b. You can also check out the Top Posts page to get a feel for the site. i. Hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants: Solomon asked the God who can see what man cant who knows the hidden heart of man to enforce from heaven the oaths made at the temple. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. Solomon is praying to the creator of the universe, who already owns all and knows all. Remember the kindness of David, Thy servant (2 Chron.6:42). Does the temple in Jerusalem have more significance than our church buildings? He is here following an example clearly taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the perfect prayer. b. EVERYONE: In their fasting and prayer, the people of Judah claimed the promises God had made in his covenant with Solomon at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8. 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.. (v. 1-2) Solomon blesses all of Israel. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. 9:5, [2 Chr. Religion Past & Present XII (2012) 141. 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. And so I ask them: How can you stand up in front of the church and promise to raise your child in the Lord when you arent following God yourself? It is a wonderful thing to want to dedicate your child to the Lord, but God wants you to dedicate yourself to him first. How ecumenical! When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by. Solomon's prayer reminded his people that all of them had sinned against God (vv. Eight years ago this sanctuary was completed and we began worshiping here but we never had a dedication service, because we didnt actually own the building yet. By Ray Fowler. Give them victory! 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. When King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem in all its glorious splendor, he stood before the altar of the Lord and prayed a very long prayer. Surely, he does not mean it as an excuse. When Solomon's construction was completed, the temple was dedicated. This splendid edifice is now completed, and will be dedicated to the Most High God on Friday, the 1st. Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinners religion. However, before one petition is uttered he extols the greatness of the God to Whom he is praying. Solomon: Begins by praising the God who keeps his promises. b. In the last petition Solomon deals with the worst situation which can befall a people. The Ark of the Covenant is brought to the temple. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. In this prayer, there is plenty of evidence that Solomon understood God's purpose for Israel. We gather to worship God in the beauty of his presence. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. The Ark has been brought in. How much less this temple which I have built! Click here to return to the Sermons page. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord. 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. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. God's presence and protection (vv. 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. Im so glad that we are committed to missions right here at home in Broward County and beyond. i. Otherwise the child dedication has no meaning. Solomon intercedes. What kind of a son will now succeed him to rule over this great people? (Read 1 Kings 8:54-63 and pray.). Now therefore, i. If we dont appropriate in faith, Gods promise is left unclaimed. 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. 32:11, 12; Deut. 17:6, 18; 25:21, Ezra 9:6, 7; Neh. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. Prayer for Gods continued presence and direction (57-58). This was the greatest answer to prayer Israel could expect from God. When the Old Testament speaks of the "foreigner" it does not always refer to the same kind of people. Online 2013. By 1994 we had outgrown the older sanctuary, and so we began plans for a new sanctuary. a. a. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! 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? And that is where we are today. King David himself gathered the raw materials to build the temple and, evidently, God provided the building plans for that holy structure. If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy: Many times in their history, Israel suffered defeat and could only cry out to God. Many modern people close their eyes, bow their heads, and fold their hands as they pray, but the Old Testament tradition was to spread out the hands toward heaven in a gesture of surrender, openness, and ready reception. 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. And I am always happy to do that. Will God dwell on the earth? Israel did not have a Nile river which made the whole land fruitful. (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. (O), 31When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(P) before your altar in this temple, 32then hear from heaven and act. So yes, we pray for our needs as a church, and we ask God to meet those daily needs. We are glad that Solomon said this. The temple was a beautiful place that God instructed Solomon to build to represent the holiness of his presence. Before we try and answer that question, it is helpful to get a little background on this temple that Solomon was dedicating. I sometimes run into this with baby dedications. What does it mean to dedicate a building, or a child or a home? 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. This lesson was prepared for older elementary students and can be adapted for . Stood before the altar of the LORD: Solomon did not dedicate the temple from within the temple. That is his privilege and his duty. New International Version (NIV). In this article: 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. 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. 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. 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. In this way he would be visible to all the people and they would all be able to hear him. For this reason, the only way they can receive forgiveness of sins is through the physical Temple. II. 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. 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. God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray. 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. He adds, "for there is no man that sinneth not.". Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. 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. 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. God's House must ever be known as a place of prayer and His people as a people of prayer. 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. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Finally the king does not distinguish between the various evils which may come but sums them up by speaking of whatsoever plague or sickness there be. There is no God to be found anywhere who may be compared to the God of Israel. Then he prays. Solomon here prays for the faithfulness of all of his own posterity. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. 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) And he said: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel. b. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. 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. How much less this temple which I have built! Prayer for Gods name to be known among the nations (59-60). 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. All rights reserved. The priests could not enter into the house of the . If there are, why are they so few? Skilled workers were employed. There is room for petitions, but first we are to realize to Whom we come and we must also realize our own limitations. 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. God is the one who gave you the talents, the time, the opportunity and the strength to do whatever it is you have done. The first prayer is a longer prayer which is recorded for us in verses 1 Kings 8:22-53. 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! 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52, [1 Sam. 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. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain: Drought was a constant threat for the agriculturally based economy of Israel. i. After seven years the Temple is completed and the magnificence of it is stunning. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. 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. I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). And we should pray for Gods people to remain fully committed to him. But, who is Solomon and what is it which he has built that he should think that Jehovah, the God of Israel, will dwell with men? Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead? After placing the ark in its new home, a praise service broke out with instruments sounding out beautifully and voices raised . Love C.S. IV. No place, now, under the gospel, can add to the prayers made in or towards it. Who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David: Solomon recognized that the temple was the fulfillment of Gods plan, not Davids or Solomons. Solomon extols the faithfulness of God and exhorts the people to continue in the path of covenant obedience. In the second petition the king pleads with his God concerning his people when they are defeated by enemies. Solomons final request is that Gods people would remain fully committed to him at all times. So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. Solomons prayer has a global focus. Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. 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. b. They were defeated because they had sinned against God! 24 You have kept 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." He speaks of a situation in which a man has sinned but the sin cannot be proved. There I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD: The chief glory of the temple was that it was the resting place for the ark of the covenant, a representation of Gods covenantal presence with His people. 2 Chronicles 6:12-40 records the great prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. The Bible contains the record of many wonderful prayers. Moreover, concerning a foreigner: The temple was in Israel but it was always intended to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). Alas, Solomon didn't stay on this height of commitment to God. For less than $5/mo. It was the Lord who fulfilled all the good promises he had given through his servant Moses. In an age when this is frequently misunderstood, it provides a valuable resource. 57May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(BJ) us. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. King Solomon built a structure for God's presence to occupy in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), but Solomon's prayer points toward God's people's being the dwelling place of God. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 1 Kings 8. b. 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. 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. I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." a. 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. He asks God to provide for each days need why? 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.