Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

In the previous 3 chapters, we saw Solomon prepare to build the Temple, his workmen building the Temple, his artisans decorating the temple, and creating the furniture and tools the priests needed for their ministry.

We also had a description of the building of Solomon’s house and other buildings that were around the Temple.

Now, here in this very long chapter 8, the construction of the Temple is complete.

What was left was for it to be consecrated in the presence of the people.

The centerpiece of the Temple was the Ark containing the tablets of the law, which was still in the tent where David had it placed when he brought it to Jerusalem back in .

It was a wrong assumption by many, however, that the Ark was special because it contained the tablets of the law.

Today, that is the significance that many would place on the Ark.

But the ark was special because it was a picture of God’s mercy … with the kofar or “mercy seat” of the ark hiding away those items that represented the nation’s rebellion.

Interestingly, as we will see, by this time the only thing contained in the ark was the 2 tablets of stone on which was inscribed the 10 commandments.

Now, Solomon, surrounded by the jubilant people of Israel brought it to the temple.

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I try very hard to stay around 30 minutes of teaching time for our Wednesday evening services.

I know that people have to be awake and fresh for work on Thursday and kids also need a good nights sleep.

So, I’ve worked to whittle this enormous chapter down to that time frame.

That being said, I may go a little over … it’s just hard to say.

So, I’m going to cut short the introduction, hoping everyone remembers the details of the past few chapters.

Let’s pray and we’ll dig in:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for everyone here this evening.

Thank You that You know each of us by name and have caused us to walk with You.

Lord, we open up Your word desiring to hear from You ... not man's word or wisdom, but Your Words and Wisdom.

Please soften our hearts to receive from You.

Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.”

Abraham Lincoln spoke those words to the American Congress on December 1, 1862, but King Solomon could have spoken them to the Jewish leaders when he dedicated the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles in the twenty-fourth year of his reign.

No matter where the Jews are in this world, or what the century is, they have their roots in Abraham, Moses, and David.

King David is mentioned twelve times in this section2 and Moses is mentioned three times.

During his prayer, Solomon referred to God’s covenant with his father () and also to the covenant God gave to Moses recorded in .

The main thrust of his prayer is that God would hear the prayers directed toward the temple and forgive those who sinned, and this request is based on the promise given in .

Israel’s kings were commanded to make their own copy of the Book of Deuteronomy (), and Solomon’s many references to Deuteronomy indicate that he knew the book very well.

No matter where the Jews are in this world, or what the century is, they have their roots in Abraham, Moses, and David.

King David is mentioned twelve times in this section2 and Moses is mentioned three times.

During his prayer, Solomon referred to God’s covenant with his father () and also to the covenant God gave to Moses recorded in .

The main thrust of his prayer is that God would hear the prayers directed toward the temple and forgive those who sinned, and

What kind of a “house” did Solomon dedicate that day?

Solomon assembled at Jerusalem the leaders of the tribes of Israel and whoever of the citizens could attend, from the north to south (v.

65), that they might assist him in dedicating the house of God.

The word “house” is used twenty-six times in this passage (thirty-seven times in ), for this structure was indeed the “house of God.” (vv. 10, 11, 17, etc.).

But what made this costly building the house of the Lord?

Not simply that God commanded it to be built and chose Solomon to build it, or that He gave the plans to David and provided the wealth to construct it.

Those matters were important, but the thing that made this temple the house of the Lord was the presence of the Lord God Jehovah in the sanctuary.

v1-9

The construction of the Temple was complete.

Now it had to be inaugurated and consecrated in the presence of the leaders of Israel and the people.

There is a parallel account of these events in .

The Ark was brought in (vv.

1–9; ).

In the Holy of Holies, Jehovah was “enthroned between the cherubim” ( niv).

The pagan nations had their temples, altars, priests, and sacrifices, but their temples were empty and their sacrifices useless.

The true and living God dwelt in the temple on Mount Moriah!

That’s why Solomon’s first act of dedication was to have the Ark of the Covenant brought from the tent David had pitched for it () and placed into the inner sanctuary of the temple.

The tabernacle equipment and furnishings were also brought to the temple and stored there ().

The Ark of the Covenant was the only piece of the original furniture that was kept in active service, for nothing could replace the throne of God or the law of God that was kept in the Ark.

That this dedication service took place during the Feast of Tabernacles was significant, for the Ark had led Israel all during their wilderness journey.

Written by Asaph, speaks of the LORD dwelling between the cherubim.

Do not read below:

Asaph lived through David’s reign, into Solomon’s and even into Rehoboam’s.

Asaph served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign and was very close to David.

He was in Jerusalem when God gave David the great promise that David would have a son who would be the Messiah, and reign forever.

He also heard David tell the people and elders of Israel that his son Solomon was the answer to God's promise of a son who would build God's temple and establish a kingdom that would last forever.

He saw the death of David, the accession of Solomon, and the building of the Temple.

He likely thought he was standing on the verge of Israel's golden age.

He was on the mountaintop!

But after Solomon's dedication of the Temple, he saw Israel's "golden age" turn into something quite apart from what he expected.

After a promising beginning, Solomon turned his back on God and pursued power, wealth, luxury, and human wisdom, as well as worship of other gods.

To finance all his pursuits the people were oppressed with slavery and taxes.

Asaph saw Solomon become a wicked man who entrusted the administration of his Kingdom to other wicked men.

In fact, there is good reason to believe that during Solomon's reign, Asaph's brother Zechariah was assassinated in the Temple by Solomon's agents.

Neither Asaph nor Zechariah would keep silent about Solomon's wickedness.

Zechariah paid the ultimate price.

After Solomon's death, Asaph, saw the kingdom torn in two by God's decree.

The northern part, restless under Solomon's punishing taxes and resentful at his wasteful luxury, rebelled and took Jeroboam as King, and the southern part, mostly the tribe of Judah, went with Rehoboam, Solomon's son.

Back to our text … The pagan nations had their temples, altars, priests, and sacrifices.

After that, the Egyptians invaded, along with Israel's neighbors, took Jerusalem, burned and stripped the Temple, killed many of the priests, and left, mocking Israel, and Israel's God.

Since many of Asaph's relatives served in the temple as either musicians or doorkeepers, many of them must have perished in this attack.

In the winter of his years Asaph surveyed the wreckage of his hopes.

The Kingdom was destroyed, the Temple was in ruins, many of his own family had been killed, and "Solomon as the Messiah" had been exposed as a fraud!

In the Holy of Holies, Jehovah was “enthroned between the cherubim” ( niv).

The pagan nations had their temples, altars, priests, and sacrifices, but their temples were empty and their sacrifices useless.

The true and living God dwelt in the temple on Mount Moriah!

That’s why Solomon’s first act of dedication was to have the Ark of the Covenant brought from the tent David had pitched for it () and placed into the inner sanctuary of the temple.

The tabernacle equipment and furnishings were also brought to the temple and stored there ().

The Ark of the Covenant was the only piece of the original furniture that was kept in active service, for nothing could replace the throne of God or the law of God that was kept in the Ark.

That this dedication service took place during the Feast of Tabernacles was significant, for the Ark had led Israel all during their wilderness journey.

But their temples were empty and false, just like their false gods ... and their sacrifices were useless.

The true and living God was present with Israel.

The symbol of His presence was the Ark of the Covenant.

That’s why Solomon’s first act of dedication was to have the Ark of the Covenant brought from the tent David had pitched for it and placed into the inner sanctuary of the temple.

The tabernacle equipment and furnishings were also brought to the temple and stored there.

But remember that aside from Ark, Solomon had created all new items for the new Temple.

The Ark of the Covenant was the only piece of the original furniture that was kept in active service, for nothing could replace the throne of God or the law of God that was kept in the Ark.

That this dedication service took place during the Feast of Tabernacles was significant, for the Ark had led Israel all during their wilderness journey.

Nothing could replace the Ark or the law of God that was kept in the Ark.

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There are a few things that we need to clarify here.

First notice that Solomon assembled national leaders together in Jerusalem for this event of the bringing up of the Ark to the Temple.

Next, it reads that the Ark was brought up from the City of David, which is Zion.

When taking Jerusalem, David first took the defensive stronghold of the city … known as Zion Fortress, which was renamed Ir David or the City of David in his honor.

Later the name Zion became a synonym for the Temple Mount, and sometimes it is used for the entire city of Jerusalem.

Also, the timing coincided with a feast in the month of Ethanim, which after the later exile was renamed Tishri.

It is the 1st month of the civil year and 7th month of the religious calendar.

The Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles was taking place … a pilgrimage feast.

This meant that there was also a great gathering of all the people of Israel taking place in Jerusalem.

That this dedication service took place during the Feast of Tabernacles was significant.