And the Lord said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually."
--1 Kings 9:3 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on June 10, 2013 of Psalm 106:16-23; 2 Corinthians 4:17-5:10; 1 Kings 8:22-9:9.
King Solomon spared no expense, neither in money nor manpower nor time, for construction of the permanent Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, fulfilling God's promise to his father David to put his son upon the throne of Israel who will build a house for the Lord's name (please reference 2 Samuel 7:12-13). The Temple itself, while magnificent, comprised but one building in the entire complex that included what may have been an armory connected by a colonnade to a throne room, the King's own house, and a residence just for the daughter of Pharaoh, one of his wives. Gold saw extensive use throughout the complex and its furnishings, as were very expensive stones and cedar lumber from far off lands. The cost of the completed project would have been enormous by any economic standards. But Solomon could well afford it, for God was gracious to him, giving him great riches along with the wisdom he requested (1 Kings 3:11-13).
So through Solomon the word of God to David regarding the house for God's name and the permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant was finished. At the Temple's dedication, Solomon prayed that the Lord forgive His children when they fail to obey God's voice, that He honor the requests of foreigners who come to the Temple so that they might come to know the one true God, and that He dwell in this Temple among His people forever. Today's focus verse shows part of God's answer. The Lord agreed to honor Solomon's prayer and to always be there for His people. But He then qualified this positive response with a warning. God promised to keep His end of the bargain but only if the children of Israel would live up to their responsibilities as well. Otherwise He would leave His Temple and abandon the people and they would be defeated and carried off into captivity again. And of course this is exactly what happened. The people failed to follow God's commandments and were taken captive and dominated by their enemies. The Temple itself was destroyed, rebuilt, and eventually destroyed again.
But Jesus changed all that. God kept His promise to keep one of David's descendants on the throne of Israel forever since Jesus, the King of kings, came from the line of David. More importantly, He provided us with a new temple for God's name, where His eyes and His heart will always be. When our Christ rose into heaven to once again be with our Father, He sent God's Holy Spirit to all those who believe in Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. We, each of us, are God's new Temple, for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus, thank You for sending God's Holy Spirit to live within us so that we might be God's temple. Within us He dwells forever, and God is with us forever. Father, thank You for the life and teachings and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus, and for accepting us, mere mortal and sinful man, as Your holy temple. May we always honor You in how we live. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
So through Solomon the word of God to David regarding the house for God's name and the permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant was finished. At the Temple's dedication, Solomon prayed that the Lord forgive His children when they fail to obey God's voice, that He honor the requests of foreigners who come to the Temple so that they might come to know the one true God, and that He dwell in this Temple among His people forever. Today's focus verse shows part of God's answer. The Lord agreed to honor Solomon's prayer and to always be there for His people. But He then qualified this positive response with a warning. God promised to keep His end of the bargain but only if the children of Israel would live up to their responsibilities as well. Otherwise He would leave His Temple and abandon the people and they would be defeated and carried off into captivity again. And of course this is exactly what happened. The people failed to follow God's commandments and were taken captive and dominated by their enemies. The Temple itself was destroyed, rebuilt, and eventually destroyed again.
But Jesus changed all that. God kept His promise to keep one of David's descendants on the throne of Israel forever since Jesus, the King of kings, came from the line of David. More importantly, He provided us with a new temple for God's name, where His eyes and His heart will always be. When our Christ rose into heaven to once again be with our Father, He sent God's Holy Spirit to all those who believe in Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. We, each of us, are God's new Temple, for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus, thank You for sending God's Holy Spirit to live within us so that we might be God's temple. Within us He dwells forever, and God is with us forever. Father, thank You for the life and teachings and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus, and for accepting us, mere mortal and sinful man, as Your holy temple. May we always honor You in how we live. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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