Solomon Builds The Temple

What is the importance of Solomon having built the physical temple?

1. Gathering together to worship is important for the unity and mutual encouragement of the people. 2. It is very difficult to continue to follow God and grow, if we attempt to do so in isolation as an individual. Hebrews 10:24-25 speaks to this principle.And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Verses 57-60 taught the Israelite's three critical truths, which are equally important for us today...

1. Gods people need his presence (Verse 57) 2. The ability to be devoted to god comes from god (verse 58) 3. All the people need to know the lord is god (verse 60)

1 Kings 8:57 "May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us,

1. May the LORD be with Us... Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." 2. May He not Leave us...Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Christians are the beacons of hope for a world dying in sin: making it incumbent upon them to live lives in obedience to the word; that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, even though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world. Phi 2:15

15 that you may become blameless and [a]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as (A)lights in the world,

1 Kings 8:58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.

3. May He incline our hearts:,Psalm 119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

the Temple of Solomon

A temple what was Oblong in shape and consisted of three main parts: an outer hall (ulam), the main sanctuary (hekhal), and the holy of holies (debir), all decorated with massive carvings in ivory, gold and Cedar

1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect (wholly, fully committed) with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Application: let your heart be perfect: We are to be totally "sold out" to Walking in the Ways of the Lord. We are not to do things halfheartedly; but be fully committed to Him. Partial obedience is offensive to God. In truth, None of us are ever completely ready to walk in all the commandments of the Lord, yet we are exhorted to do so.

1 Kings 8:66 tells us that all the people left very excited... joyful and glad of heart for all the Lord had done for them, their King; and for all Israel.

Application: the people were excited. But, as with all good things, they will end; especially when based solely on emotions. How can we prevent ourselves from falling so far after a spiritual high?

1 Kings 8:58 reveals that God is looking for men with obedient hearts. that he may incline our hearts unto Him... walking in His ways

Application: we should ask God to incline our hearts to Him so that we will happily obey all He commands us to do.

1 Kings 8:10-21 Solomon begins recapping the history of the temple project from when David first conceived the idea to this point in time when it was finally finished.... giving God all the credit for enabling him to complete the project, begun by his father King David.

From this historical perspective, we see the faithfulness of God to term-23keep His promises, shown by His promise to David that someone from his house... a son would build the temple.

1 Kings 8:14 and the King turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel; and all the congregation of Israel stood;

Israel stood; conveys the idea that the congregation rose as Solomon spoke,

Christians are to use their own bodies to replicate the original intent for the physical temple Solomon built.

The original temple was built for the manifestation of God's presence and His glory; so too are the bodies which house a soul that is indwelled by god's spirit.

1 Kings 8:60 that "all the people of the earth to know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else"

There is none else: there is no God Like Jehovah...Isaiah 44:,6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God...

1 Kings 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.

There was no more work, only worship ... when God is present he becomes the primary focus

1 Kings 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,

This temple experience outlined in Solomon's day represents the Church as a corporate body and us individually as His Temple. Paul said, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

What does it mean to bless the Lord? Can we do that?

To Bless the Lord means that we will take a serious look... concentrated on the many good things God has done for us and give him thanks (GLORY) for having done these things... John Piper puts it this way: "Come, soul, look at the greatness and goodness of God. Join my mouth, and let us bless the Lord with our whole being. Soul, we are not going to be a hypocrite!"

1 Kings 8:54 and it was so, that when Solomon made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the alter of the LORD from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.

What was the significance of the King Kneeling in Prayer? How can this change our attitude toward our position when we are praying?

11 Kings 8:55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: 56 Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.

blessed be the Lord who has (1) given rest rest" .... this was conditional on fulfillment of Israel's part in the covenant, by "walking in the ways of the Lord." (2) According to all He promised... not one failed word. Note: God Is Faithful forever... There is and never will be one thing He promised that will not come to pass...

1 Kings 8:20 "Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

built... for the name of the LORD... not only the temple but....Our soul is the dwelling place of God (the temple of the Holy spirit) and the body in which it is housed, is for service, to the LORD who created us

The righteous actions of believers in Christ, become reference points, for the lost,

enabling them to reflect upon His Glory, and be drawn to the truth of the gospel.

1 Kings 8:59 "And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires,

i have made Supplication ... to earnestly beg God for something.... two things... 1) be near the LORD night and day (Both He and Israel) 2) maintain the cause for which he made covenant with Solomon and Israel (every Day requires strength to keep)

Personal Application of the truths found in 1 Kings 8:14-21

when great things are accomplished in our lives, we should take great care to give God all the Glory and Credit for what we were able to do. He is the one who enables us (gifted us) to finish the task to which we are called.... it is His energy, His strength, His guidance, His opportunity. If we take personal credit for all things we are able to accomplish, we have stolen the glory rightfully belonging to God. Solomon recognized that He was only a servant who had done what he was instructed to to from his Heavenly Father, by building Him a temple in which to dwell.

1 Kings 8:21 "There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with our fathers when He brought them from the land of Egypt."

the Ark: contained the Mosaic Covenant between God and the Israelites, where they would be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6), and the sign of the covenant was the tablets of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). The New Covenant is between Christ and his church and consists of obtaining eternal salvation. The covenant sign is baptism (Col. 2:11-12) with the continued participation in the covenant via the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:25). CARM.Org

1 Kings 8:13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever.

when christ truly enters into fellowship with the soul, He comes with the intention of a dwelling that indeed is eternal. Eternal Security... in which He Christ said himself that no man can pluck them out of my hand...