Happy Tuesday. In Tucson the weather is warming up, we can feel summer drawing near.
Today, we read 1 Kings 8-9 and here are my thoughts on these verses.
The Ark of the Covenant of God
Solomon has finished building the Temple, and he calls for the priests and Levites to bring the Ark in (v8:4). He places it between the cherubim and dedicates the temple (v8:6).
We have seen wherever the Ark was, God was there with them. It is true here as the cloud and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (v8:11).
We are to worship God, not the ark. Men like to find relics and give them spiritual significance. Many relics exist, including the famous Shroud of Turin, the spear of destiny, the crown of thorns, and pieces of the crucifixion cross.
The ark in itself was nothing more than a box. Even its contents, the stone tables Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai, were just tablets.
The ark is a symbol of the people’s obedience. They followed the directions given to Moses by God.
We read today of a tremendous offering Solomon and the people made to the Lord. “Twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats.”
Fourteen days of festivities.
God does not want our festivals (see Amos 5:21-24). He wants our hearts.
Solomon’s prayer
In 1 Kings 8:12, Solomon prays to the Lord. He opens with praise, acknowledging who God is and what He has done. God has been faithful to Israel and the house of David. He continues to be faithful to all His people.
We read in verses 8:17-19 that David wanted to build the temple, but God had planned for Solomon to do it. The Lord always keeps His promises.
Then, after acknowledging how he was fulfilling the Lord’s plan, he spreads his arms toward heaven and begins his Prayer of Dedication.
I would encourage you all to read this prayer a few times. There are many specific parts and we can validate each one throughout scripture.
The consistent theme throughout is that bad things happen in life. He lists many; we will have neighbors betray us, lose battles, have droughts, famines and plagues, etc.
Each one requires God to forgive us first, and then to restore us.
This tells me that all of our misery results from sin being in the world. God promised this to Adam in the Garden of Eden (see Gen 3:17-19).
All of us sin, and draw God’s anger toward ourselves (v8:46).
God promises forgiveness
1 Kings 8:47 tells us that when a country has a change of heart and repents, calling out to God. Confessing their sins to Him. God will hear our plea and uphold our cause (v8:49). He will forgive His people (v8:50) and show us mercy.
He doesn’t do this because of who we are. Though it states He singled us out from all the nations. If He has called you to faith in Jesus, this is you too! We are nothing other than what God enables us to be.
It is because of who He is that He does this. His character is absolute and unwavering.
He can not be involved in sin. It is against His nature. When we persist in sin and refuse to repent, He permits us to follow our own path (see Rom 1:24).
This is the story we see in the Old Testament and New. His people sin, suffer and repent.
He is always faithful to forgive. God wants our fellowship. Sometimes I don’t even like being around myself. But God wants us to be close to Him.
God answers prayers
When we humble ourselves and repent, turning our hearts toward God and seeking His ways. He gives us the strength to follow His decrees and commands (v8:58).
Then we can celebrate and enjoy all the fellowship He offers.
Solomon prays all of this long prayer, and then God answers him. This is only the second time he hears God’s voice.
God puts His Name, which is Jesus, in the temple. It is not the place, it is the Name. His eyes will always be there, on His Name (v9:3)
We need to heed verse 9:4. Allow me to paraphrase: “As for us, if we walk before Him faithfully with integrity of heart, like David did. Keeping His commands and obeying His laws. He will establish us forever.”
However, we see Israel could not do this. Neither can we.
So God, having promised never to forsake us, does the very best thing. He provides the atonement for our sins.
Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, took our sins onto Himself. On the cross, He paid the price we could never pay.
If we wish to be judged by our own life, and many people want to be “their own man”, we need to look at the cross and realize that is the price we will have to pay.
We can only restore ourselves to a place of fellowship with God by giving Him Lordship over our lives, repenting of our pride, and trusting in His sacrifice.
The sacrifice of one hundred forty-two thousand heads of livestock could not keep the people of Israel from returning to their sins.
Don’t be foolish enough to think anything you can do will be strong enough.
Trust in Jesus today.
