1 Kings Chapter 8
By Bro David Petersen
The Wonder Of The Ancient World
Forget the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colossus of Rhodes. Solomon's temple was truly the wonder of the ancient world. It was not only the most magnificent building on earth in terms of its imposing golden splendor; but it was also the dwelling place of the one true God. It was where he met with his own people in a special way and manifested his presence in the form of a visible luminous cloud called the "shekinah glory". These meetings were special because they pictured the forgiveness of sins that is freely available through the once and for all sacrifice of our Great High Priest: Jesus Christ.
For a more complete physical description of the temple and its layout, please see our online lesson "The Construction of Solomon's Temple". It will "lay the foundation" you need to appreciate the spiritual lessons of the temple dedication more fully.
The wonder of the ancient world needed the most magnificent dedication cermony ever for its inauguration and that is certainly what we have here in 1 Kings chapter 8.
The Golden Age Of Israel
As mentioned in our Introduction to the Book of 1 Kings, this is one of the most glorious moments in the history of the people of Israel. In terms of it spiritual significance it is right in there with the exodus out of Egypt and the entry into the promised land.
Temple Types and Shadows
There are many types (future things typified or shadowed) and spiritual lessons in the temple and its dedication. However the types tend to be loose, not tight and it is easy to over-spiritualize the temple.
For example, the period of Solomon's reign is generally typical of the milennial (1000 year) reign of Christ in the future. However some people try use the construction of the temple to make predictions about the end times. Often these predictions are based on complex and not so complex mathematical formulas derived from the dimensions of the temple. This is what we call trying to make the type "go on all fours".
The temple typifies the New Testament church which is his body. We know this because the apostle Peter wrote "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5.
But you run into problems for example when you try to use the cutting of the temple stones at the quarry to typify the preparation of the material for the New Testament church. 1 Kings says that in building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built: "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." 1 Kings 6:7.
Some commentaries will say this typifies the fact that only saved people (i.e. blocks dressed at the quarry) can be part of the church. It is true that only saved, baptized believers can be part of the church (see Acts 8:37). But they have to be born again and become "new creations" (2 Cor. 5:17) to be fitly framed together" in the church. It is not that they were already a stone that just needed a little shaving on the sides to fit into the church. They were aliens and strangers without hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12). They were not stones at all.
The Temple Is Rich In Spiritual Lessons
There is however no shortage of great spiritual lessons in this material regarding the dedication of the temple. We will attempt to bring out these profound and beautful truths. But in our analysis we will keep our types loose and we will refrain from over-spiritualizing the lesson.
Here is a passage from the Book Of Revelation that draws heavily upon imagery from the temple dedication. At this point in the Revelation God is about to pour out his wrath on the Anti Christ and those who serve him.
Rev 15:5-16:1
5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Here in Revelation 15 when the heavenly temple in John's vision is filled with the glory of God then no man is able to enter into the temple. What we will see when we study 1 Kings 8 is that when the temple is filled with the glory of the LORD the result is that the priests cannot continue their work.
What was the work of the priests? What was their purpose? And for that matter, what was the purpose of the temple? Although the temple was magnificent, it was not very big. The entire structure is approximately 90 cubits or 135 feet long. The temple is not a cathedral where many people go to worship. Instead it is a place where the priests do their work. It was where God met with his people through a mediator: the high priest. Today our mediator is Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest.
The work of the priests was to make intercession for the people:"For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." Heb 5:1.
So in Revelation chapter 15, when the temple is filled with the smoke of the glory of God so that no man is able to enter into it; the result is that no one is able to make intercession for the people on the earth who are about to have God's wrath poured out on them.
If you would like to conduct a more complete study of the types taught in the temple here are some scriptures for you to consider:
| The Temple Is A Type Of | Scripture Reference |
| Christ's Physical Body | John 1:14, 2:19-21 |
| The Body Of A Saved Believer | 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19 |
| Local Churches | Ephesians 2:21 |
| The Sanctuary In Heaven | Revelation 11:19, Heb 8:5 |
| The Lord Almighty and The Lamb | Revelation 21:22 |
1 Kings Chapter 8
8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
The temple did not have a graven image of a god in it the way pagan temples did. Instead the one true God manifested his presence in the form of the shekinah glory above the ark of the covenant. The ark had to come to the temple so that the one who was to "dwell" there would make his presence evident.
2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
Verse 2 refers to the Feast Of Tabernacles. See Leviticus 23:24.
3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
The only article from the tabernacle that was used in the temple was the ark. The temple had all new articles such as the altar of incense, the tables of shewbread and the lampstands that were scaled larger for the temple which was approximately twice as large as the tabernacle that it replaced. The articles from the tabernacle were placed in storage at the temple.
5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
One of the main teachings of the temple was sinfullness and forgiveness, that is redemption. Animal sacrifices point to the sacrifice of Christ that was to come. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb 10:4.
You can sacrifice bulls, well, til the cows come home but those sacrifices can never take away sin. Instead animal sacrifices are a reminder of sin as Hebrews chapter 10 teaches. That is because they cannot satisfy God's demand for justice. Only the perfect life of Christ can do that: "life for life".
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
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7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
The Holy Of Holies |
8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. |
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Since the ark was now in its permanent resting place it was no longer necessary to keep its carrying poles in place. However the poles were placed they could be seen from the Holy Place but not from outside the temple. |
Description of the Ark:
- The ark is basically a large chest, overlaid with gold, in and out .
- It had a solid gold lid that was called the mercy seat .
- 2 cherubim above the mercy seat, facing each other .
- It is the only article of furniture in the innermost room, or Holy of Holies, of the Tabernacle and later the temple.
The Ark Of The Covenant |
Purpose of the Ark
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9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
The Bible does not say what happened to Aaron's rod that budded and the pot of manna that were formerly in the ark along with the tables of stone.
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,
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.
2 Chronicles chapter 5 is the complimentary parallel account of the temple dedication. This account provides more detail regarding the appearance of the cloud. Let's take a look at the 2 Chronicles account.
2 Chron 5:12-14
12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets.
13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
I always assumed that verse 13 meant that they priests could not continue because they could not see through the cloud. But notice that the verse does not say that they could not "see". Instead it says that they could not STAND. Hebrew " amad" to stand, to remain, to endure, to take one's stand, to hold one's ground, to continue, to abide.
They had probably just finished singing "O give thanks to the Lord" just before they sang "for he is good" because that's how the song went. This was a song that David had written and delivered to Asaph, the chief musician when he brought the ark up to Jerusalem. This is the end of the song right before all the people say "Amen". This is the crescendo at the end of the song. (See 1 Chron 16:34). Somehow the priests were so overwhelmed by the magnificent splendor of the glory of God that they were unable to continue.
I could just imagine two brothers chatting by the temple door after the service:
Brother 1: "You know, I thought we had a pretty good service today".
Brother 2: "Yeah, I sorta felt uplifted."
The conversations after the temple dedication probably did not go anything like the casual discussion of brothers 1 and 2 above. People were so overwhelmed by the glory of God that they could not stand (continue). They carried people out of there on gurneys. Nobody just stood there casually and said "Amen".
12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
Solomon started with a comment that was appropriate for the moment. He is saying that the Israelites should not be surprised that God appeared in a cloud. It says so in the scriptures as we see in Leviticus.
Leviticus 16:2
2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
The appearance of the cloud at the temple dedication is a good thing. Solomon is reassuring the people that this cloud signifies God's approval and acceptance of the new temple.
13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
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14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) 15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, |
The first thing to notice about Solomon's address to the people is his emphasis on the word of God. This isn't about their traditions or what the Rabbi's taught in the extra-biblical literature. It is about the inspired word of God.
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
The ark had no permanent home for almost 500 years. It was housed in a tent, the tabernacle and went from place to place periodically. Most recently David brought it out of the house of Abinidab the priest to Jerusalem where he pitched a tent for it. The city that was to become the permanent home of the ark would also be the spiritual capital of the nation of Israel.
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
David did many things for the Lord. He started out small, tending sheep for his family. But the Lord was training him to tend his sheep, that is his people because later he called him to be king of the nation.
One day he was serving the Lord by delivering some cheese and roasted grain to the Lord's army. That was sort of the cheese pizza of that day. David was kinda' like the Domino's delivery boy. This led to him slaying a Philistine giant who defied the Lord.
Solomon brought out how the Lord said that David did well to have it in his heart to build a house for the name of the Lord. We should always recoginze, focus on and emphasize the positive things that people are doing and mention them frequently.
David was always concerned about the name of the Lord. His response to the Philistine giant "who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" Later when he was king and the Lord had given him victory over all the surrounding nations he was again concerned about the name of the Lord. He said "see I'm living in a palace of cedar, while the Lord dwells in a tent". This is one of the characteristics that made David "a man after God's own heart".
So he purposed in his heart to build a house for the Lord. But the Lord informed his that that was not his calling. He had accomplished so much for the Lord during his lifetime. The Lord informed him that he was to save a few scraps for those who would come after him. If David were to conquer all his enemies, write the psalms, establish the city of Jerusalem and build the temple, then what would there be left for Solomon to do?
Like David we should be concerned about the kingdom of God and its advancement. We should seek to serve him in our fullest capacity. The Bible calls this "with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind".
20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
A major theme in this section of 1 Kings is the covenant faithfulness of God to David, Solomon and the people of Israel. God's people should proclaim his faithfulness to each other and to the world. If we follow the Lord faithfully we will be able to look back on our experiences and see how he has come through time and again. Then our confidence in him will be strengthened and our faith will grow.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
The ark now had a place where it was to stay. It had a permanent home. This meant stability and security to the nation of Israel. The Lord had established them as a nation. He subdued their enemies and they were no longer wandering nomads without a place of their own.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
Look for the doctrine in Solomon's sermon and prayers. Verse 23 emphasizes the one true God, his faithfulness, his covenants and this mercy to his faithful servants. Notice how the covenants connect God to his servants. The first part of the verse is about God, the last part is about his servants and the middle is about the covenants.
24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
Solomon gives the Lord the credit for the building of the temple. He says "you have fulfilled it with your hand". Now wait a minute. If you look back you will see that David established the city of Jerusalem out of an old Jebusite town. David used great military skill and employed mighty men to subdue the nations. David accumulated vast amounts of material for the building of the temple. Solomon contracted the purchase of wood and stone from Hiram, King of Tyre. He employed the finest woodsmen in the world, the Sidonians to fell the timber. He outsourced the construction of the temple to Huram-abi a master Phoenician architect. Solomon also conscripted a slave labor force of over 150,000 men to build the temple.
So how is it that he says "you have fulfilled it with your hand"? The Lord had promised David that his son would build the temple. So Solomon didn't expect the Lord to drop the temple down to earth from heaven like the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation. We pray for our daily bread, but we don't expect it to fall from heaven like manna. Instead we pray and then go to work.
So it is with the kingdom of God. God is building his kingdom. The kingdom is currently in its recruitment phase. God is signing up volunteers. But the gospel of the kingdom doesn't float down from heaven. God doesn't speak from the sky like he did when Jesus was baptized and transfigured. Instead the Lord commissioned his church to preach the gospel. And so we have an opportunity to partner with God in building his kingdom just as David and Solomon partnered with him to build the temple.
25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;
42(For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
The Book of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles
Introduction |
1 Kings 1 |
1 Kings 2 |
1 Kings 3 |
1 Kings 4 |
1 Kings 5 |
1 Kings 6-7 |
1 Kings 8 |
1 Kings 9 |
1 Kings 10 |
1 Kings 11 |
1 Kings 12 |
2 Chronicles 13 |
1 Kings 13 |
1 Kings 14 |
1 Kings 15 |
2 Chronicles 15 |
1 Kings 16 |
1 Kings 17 |
1 Kings 18 |
1 Kings 19 |
1 Kings 20 |
1 Kings 21 |
1 Kings 22