1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5-7:10

This reading is quite extensive, but these two passages are almost identical. There are a number of places in these Scriptures that should cause you to break out in praise and thanksgiving to the God of Israel, who is also the God of the foreigner (you and me)!

Can you just imagine the enormous celebration Solomon and his people held? Can you hear the people shouting and the instruments playing? Can you see the children running about giggling and playing, their mothers standing in huddles smiling with pride? Can you see each father bringing the sacrificial animal for his family, so many cattle, sheep and goats that no one could count them? Can you sense the excitement? The Israelites had not participated in central, corporate worship for quite some time. Now they had a temple for Name of the One True God, Yahweh! The Israelites knew how to celebrate! Girls, we should throw a party when we worship Christ!

And then the priests carried the ark of the covenant on its poles and placed the throne of the Living God in the sanctuary. Can you imagine the awestruck faces of the people who may not have seen the ark since David had moved it? How nervous would you be if you had been assigned the task of opening the ark to verify that its contents were still there? Then what if you had to be the one to report that only the stone tablets remained? Where were the manna and Aaron's staff? (Heb. 9:4)


1 Kings 8:10-11 "When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple." Girls, I am on my face before God, and I hope you are too! I wanna see God's glory fill my church, my house, and my life. I want people to know I have been with God! We should not be able to go on about our routine business because God's presence is so overwhelming in our daily lives. Whew!


I hope you will allow me a little side trip to take a look at the word "glory." I am fascinated by this little word, and I have been for the past ten years or so, ever since Beth Moore touched on it in one of her Bible studies. The glory of God is the presence of God, and when you and I glorify God, we are making His presence evident to the people around us. I used to get so worried about whether or not I was bringing glory to God because I thought I had to perform perfectly for Him to receive glory in my life. That is too much pressure! Through that Bible study, I came to understand that just by being real, I could show God to others. I didn't have to put on a show; I just had to be transparent, and God would shine through me. I tell you, it was a freeing thought! Now my entire goal in life is to invite others to "Come glorify the Lord with me, let us exalt His Name together!" (Psalm 34:3) I'm so glad you accepted the invitation!

1 Kings 8:17-19--I am so thankful that God planted it in David's heart to build the temple. And I am very grateful that David's dream did not die with him. God allowed his son Solomon to bring it to fruition. Praise the LORD! Are you leaving a godly legacy for your children to pick up when you are gone? What work for God are you doing that your kids will want to take up in your absence? Please do not make the mistake of simply willing your material possessions to your descendants. Pass on your love for Jesus to those who will follow you.

1 Kings 8:27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!" Amen!!

I love Solomon's boldness as he makes requests of God. Solomon knew he and the people would sin (v. 46), and he knew they would need God's mercy and grace; so he boldly asked for it. He asked God to judge between right and wrong, to hear and forgive sin, to teach them the right way to live, to forgive and act, and to deal with them as individuals. Solomon begged God to hear their plea and to uphold their cause, to forgive all their offenses, and to cause their conquerors to show them mercy. He asked God to listen to them because God had singled them out as his chosen people. Solomon also asked God to make allowances for any foreigners because he knew God's fame would spread to other lands and that people would come seeking to worship the One True God. Wow! I think he covered all the bases, don't you? Solomon ended his prayer with praise and a final request that all people may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. (v. 60)

1 Kings 8:63--After he dedicated the temple, Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. If they could count that many animals, then I cannot even fathom how many animals were sacrificed in verse 5!!!!!! Verse 64 says the bronze altar was too small to hold it all. I'm pretty sure our offering plates are rarely overflowing like that.

1 Kings 8:65--Fourteen days. When was the last time you went to church for a 14-day celebration? I remember when I was little Vacation Bible School lasted two weeks, and I have heard people talk about revivals lasting that long. Our attention spans fizzle out too soon in our day and time. Actually, I think that's a cop-out. Do you agree?

I will end today's post by quoting the end of Solomon's prayer that is recorded in 2 Chronicles 6:40-42. "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness. O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant."