outline solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple outline solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple

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. 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. You have kept what You promised: Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises. Living together outside of marriage is direct disobedience to Gods commands, and God cannot bless disobedience. He is too great to be limited to any created place. (READ VERSES 23-24) SOLOMON IS PRAISING BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL The second part of his prayer was for Gods continued presence and direction. 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. This is instructive to us. When such a person prays toward this place, may God hear him too. This king does priestly work without violating the office of the priest as Uzziah later did. i. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. Let us pray. Suddenly this great and beautiful temple becomes very small and insignificant in comparison with the One for Whom it is built. a. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of . Amen. Let's pray that in whatever we do, that the Lord always gets the glory and ask that it will always shine through. After placing the ark in its new home, a praise service broke out with instruments sounding out beautifully and voices raised . Why, or, why not? with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and the people . His concern for foreigners (vv. 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52, [1 Sam. 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. Skilled workers were employed. He is here following an example clearly taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the perfect prayer. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. He adds, "for there is no man that sinneth not.". 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. b. 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. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. The ruler is on his knees before One who is the great Ruler of the universe (2 Chronicles 6:13)! (1 Kings 8:62-63). When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by. How dreadful to pray a prayer of dedication over a house if you are not going to live a godly life for Jesus in that house. 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. Well, yes, of course Solomon and the people all played their parts in making the temple come together, but Solomon in his wisdom recognizes that it was only possible because of the Lord. 59And 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, 60so that all the peoples(BL) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. 1:6; Ps. Remember the mercies of Your servant David.. Solomon's solemn sacrifice 8. 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. 58May he turn our hearts(BK) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. Previously there was not an indication of a complete captivity of His people, but that is considered in this petition. The people had taken confidence in the temple. Now, 11 months later, Solomon stands before the people, spread But, if anyone or if the whole people turn to God in repentance, may He forgive. 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. 54-61), and dismisses it (vv. Praying in the True Temple. It is an immense undertaking for that day to build such a building as the temple. 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). 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. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. 2 Chronicles 6 - Solomon's Prayer of Dedication A. Solomon blesses God. 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. This beautiful prayer must be applied to his heart as well as to the hearts of all who read this prayer. (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. Here are 3 key lessons from Solomon's prayer for wisdom that can give us spiritual wisdom, as well: 1. The hearts determine their actions. And God did help them! 2 Chronicles 2:1. 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. 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10], Lev. 14-21), utters a long dedicatory prayer (vv. It confirms that Davids disqualification was not due to sin, but because the concept of Gods rest must be regarded as the unique and final stage in building the temple. (Selman), So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Through believing prayer like this, God promises and we appropriate. Can a murderer, if he repents, be saved? (True or False) Graciously, Solomon first allowed Adonijah to go free. c. When You hear, forgive: Solomon knew that the most important thing Israel needed was forgiveness. He is famous for building the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Only if they are faithful will they rule. SOLOMON BEGINS HIS PRAYER WITH PRAISE. With the aid of a simple acronym (ACTS), we should never forget "The Purpose Of Prayer". 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. And so this message suddenly got real hard for some of us because Solomons prayer suddenly got real hard. He had kept covenant with His people, and promised mercy to those who would walk in obedience ( 6:14 ). This is a Bible study on prayer, focusing specifically on the prayer at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53; 2 Chronicles 6:12-42). 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. Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication The Ark of the Covenant is brought to the temple. (v. 4) Solomon reiterates that God has never asked for a city or a house or a ruler until now. 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. The services of the dedication will continue for three days in succession, commencing on each day at 11:00 o'clock a.m. Tickets may be had at the watch house near the . 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers. The temple was designed for the keeping up of the correspondence between God and his people; and . For this occasion Solomon has had a platform built which was five cubits wide and five cubits long and three cubits high. 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. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. The temple is dedicated and let God now arise to His dwelling place! V. 22b Verse 54 tells us that he knelt on his knees: "when Solomon had finished praying all You can also change some of your preferences. 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. If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy: Many times in their history, Israel suffered defeat and could only cry out to God. 46When they sin against You (AC)(for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive (AD)to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47(AE)yet when they [d]come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, (AF)saying, We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness; 48and when they (AG)return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and (AH)pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: 49then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [e]cause, 50and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and (AI)grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51(for (AJ)they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, (AK)out of the iron furnace), 52(AL)that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 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. a. b. I have surely built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever: Solomon rightly sensed that the presence of the cloud meant that God dwelt in the temple in a special way. God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 2. and glory in the temple, the people worship him 4. King Solomon mentions several of them. 2 Chronicles Chapter 6. Though it happened 500 years before, it was just as important and real for Israel as the day it happened. 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. Solomon intercedes. He referred to God's name Yahweh 14 times, showing his concern for the reputation of Israel's God. 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. Original German (Salomo II): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart 7 (2004) 803-804. 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. 44When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [c]cause. It collapses economies and replaces peace with terror. I. Thanksgiving and praise for what God has done (54-56). 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. 5. - Solomon acknowledges that God cannot be contained in any temple. This "fear of God" is a concept which we find frequently in the Old Testament. which revealed itself in boils. 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. 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. 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 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. Here they are about to dedicate this beautiful temple to the Lord and Solomon says: But may your hearts be fully committed to God. I dont know if youre familiar with the rest of the history of the Israelites and the temple, but when Gods people eventually turned away from the Lord, God took the temple away from them. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for his people. For less than $5/mo. 6:36; Ps. 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. (1-2) Acknowledgement of God's presence in the cloud. This was the greatest answer to prayer Israel could expect from God. I sometimes run into this with baby dedications. He speaks of a situation in which a man has sinned but the sin cannot be proved. 41Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your names sake 42(for they will hear of Your great name and Your (Z)strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, (AA)that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and (AB)fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. 4. This is the second part of Solomons prayer: a prayer for Gods continued presence and direction. 33-34). The apex of joy is realized in the dedication sacrifices and celebratory feast associated with this climactic moment in Jewish history. Solomon does not attribute the lack of rain to mere natural phenomena, but to the sins of the people.