Good morning everyone. This morning we were in 1 Kings chapter 8 and now that the temple is built and Solomon's house is built, the ark is going to be brought into the temple. And wow, this is like, you know, just the full completion of a goal. I mean, not only, you know, thinking back all the way to
Egypt when they escaped and God gave them the promised land but now they have priests and prosperity and they've built the temple right where on Mount Moriah where God had designated it to go and now they're going to dedicate it to God and how a special celebration and prayer regarding the fact that the temple and Solomon's house has been built. It's just revealing
The hand of God and the blessing of God has been upon them. Let's now take it in. First Kings chapter eight, then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the father's households of the sons of Israel to King Solomon and Jerusalem.
to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, which is Zion. Mount Zion, by the way. Mount Moriah, hopefully you've listened to that message about Mount Moriah. If not, I would search it up and listen to that, yet reviewing the word or whatever podcast platform you listen through because it's quite the story how God designated this place, this specific place.
for the temple to go and all the things that have happened throughout history on this sacred peace of ground. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast in the month Al-Finnim which is the seven month. Then all the elders of Israel came and the priests carried the ark and they brought up the ark of Yahweh and the tent of meeting all the holy utensils which were in the tent and the priests and the Levites brought them up.
I do see polls are going to be mentioned later. I'm assuming Solomon learned through David how to carry the arc correctly, if you might recall some of those stories from the past when they didn't do it correctly.
King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who congregated to him, being with him before the ark, were sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. This is going to be quite the feast that they're going to have in celebration of the opening of the temple. Then the priest brought the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place into the inner sanctuary of the house of the Holy of Holies under the wings of the cherubim.
for the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above but the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could not be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary but they could not
Excuse me that they pulls could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary But they cannot be seen outside and they are there to this day. So Clearly they brought in in on polls There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses laid there at horrib Where Yahweh cut a covenant with the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt and
Now isn't that something? They still have those stones. I mean this is a good 500 years later-ish and they still have Moses' stones. That's pretty cool. Now it happened that when the priest came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house of Yahweh. Can you imagine that? God is showing that he is approving of what they built and that he is going to reside with them so that the priest could not stand and minister because of the cloud. For the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh. How cool is that?
Then Solomon said, Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the cloud of dense gloom. I have surely built you a lofty house, a place for your dwelling forever. Then the king turned his face around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. And he said, blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who spoke with his mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it by his hand, saying,
Since the day that I brought my people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that my name might be there. But I have chosen David to be over my people Israel. And it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. But Yahweh said to my father David, because it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. I think that's kind of cool.
Even though he wasn't supposed to do it, it was good that it was in his heart to do it. Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son, who will come forth from your lines, he shall build the house for my name. And Yahweh has established his word when she spoke, and I have been established in place of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
And there I have set the place for the ark, which is the covenant of Yahweh, which he cut with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, the Mosaic Covenant. And it's pretty cool. Solomon's just reiterating how, you know, this is something God has promised. God promised the Promised Land. God promised David a house. God said that I would build it and God is fulfilling all his promises. Hallelujah. God can be trusted.
Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven. How cool is this? This is a grand time in the history of Israel.
When he said, oh Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or upon earth beneath, keeping covenant and loving kindness to your slaves who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant, my Father David, that which you have promised him, indeed you have promised with your mouth and have fulfilled it by your hand as it is this day. Isn't it cool? God comes through on his promises.
So now O Yahweh the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father which you have promised him saying you shall not have a man cut off from before me who is to sit on the throne of Israel if only your sons keep their way to walk as you have walked before me. So now O God of Israel let your word truly endure which you have spoken to your servant my father David.
That there would be a perpetual priesthood Or perpetual kingship I should say from the family line of David and that ultimately will come true through Jesus and the writer here, you know writing some time later As you'll see this this got written down later on and he's recalling what happened at this event, but he's also longing for
the author of Kings is also longing that God will not forget these promises later even when they are taking captive to Babylon. He's going to want to remind God and remember these promises because he's hoping that God still has a plan for them when they've been deported.
But will God truly dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you. How cool is that? How much less this house which I have built? What a humble thing for Solomon to say, yet have regard to the prayer of your slave and to his supplication. Oh, yeah, my God.
to listen to the cry into the prayer which your slave prays before you today that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day toward the place which you have said. My name shall be there to listen to the prayer which your slave shall pray toward this place and listen to the supplication of your slave and your people Israel when they pray toward this place listen in heaven your dwelling place listen and forgive and
This is something that's going to go down in Judaism where people would turn towards Jerusalem and towards the temple wherever they were and pray. And as a result, they felt God would hear their pray all the more. And now, you know, with their disobedience and the destruction of the temple and now the temple is in us, God's Holy Spirit. He's with us always, even to the very end of the age. And we don't have to turn towards the temple because we can turn towards Jesus at any time today and anywhere.
But this is how they believed it then was to turn towards the temple. So we're going to see them believing in also just the honoring of God that God, you know what, no matter what I'm going through, if I turn towards you and there's something good about that, right? If I'm going through a struggle, if I'm going through a challenge, they would turn towards the temple, but really
that means turning towards God and we should turn towards God. May we turn towards God in our lives when we have need and even when we don't have need. May we always be turning towards God and remembering Him so that He can bless us and guide our lives and correct us and shape us. Hallelujah. But listen to what it says here about turning towards the temple. If a man sins against his neighbor,
and is made to take an oath and he comes and takes an oath before your altar in this house, then listen in heaven and act and judge your slaves condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by bringing him reward according to his righteousness. When your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against you, if they turn to you again and confess your name and pray and make supplication to you,
in this house, then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and then bring back to the land which you gave to their fathers. And this is what I'm saying. Some of this written later, you can see the longing of the writing and the prayer that God would hear and remember no matter where they are, even when they have forsaken him and lost their land.
When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you and they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn away from their sin when you afflict them then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your slaves and your people Israel indeed teach them the good way in which they should walk and give rain on your land and you have given to your people as an inheritance. Now, you know, it's good and right to recognize when we air and repent and turn back towards God and
He is a god of loving kindness and grace and forgiveness. Genuinely turn to him in repentance and restore your relationship to God. If there is a famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is scorching wind or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy beseeges them in the land of their cities, wherever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man by
all your people Israel each of whom knows the affliction of his own heart and spreads his hands towards his house then listen in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and give to each according to all his ways whose heart you know for you alone know the hearts of the sons of men isn't that great that God alone knows the hearts of the sons of men and he hears our prayer
that they may fear you all the days they live upon the face of the land which you have given to your fathers and there it is again how often is it? May we have reverence, may we have fear, may we have awe for the name of God and God is pleased when we do also concerning the foreigner and this is interesting here regarding the foreigner in verse 40 alone which will take in here
You know, the command to Abraham was Abraham, I want to bless your family so that you should be a blessing to all the families in the earth. And we see that here. Also, concerning the foreigner who is not of your people Israel, if he comes from a far country for your name's sake, for they will hear of your great name. Remember, I'm going to make your name great and so that you should be a blessing and your strong hand and out in your ostrich arms. So if he comes, this is the foreigner.
and praise toward this house, listen in heaven, your drawing place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name to fear you. Isn't that great? Solomon's getting it right here in the church age we've brought in all the Gentiles now.
to have faith in Jesus. And Solomon, I'll give him credit. And the author here who wrote this, they got a lot right right here that all the peoples of the earth may know your name to fear you and do your people as do your people Israel.
and to know that your name is called upon this house which I have built. When your people go out to battle against their enemy by whatever way you shall send them and they pray to Yahweh toward the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name then listen in heaven to their prayers and their supplications and do justice
when they sin against you for there is no man who does not sin that's getting a lot right as well and you are angry with them and give them over to an enemy so that they take them away captive so this could be
Assyrian or Babylonian you know when they took people away to the land of the enemy far off or near and if they cause these things to return in their heart in the land where they have been taken captive and return and make supplication to you in the land
of those who had taken them captive saying we have sinned and have committed iniquity we have acted wickedly what a great thing to do by the way to confess your sin and if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul and the land of their enemies who have taken them captive and pray to you toward their land which you have given to their fathers the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name then listen in heaven your dwelling place to the prayer and their supplication
and do justice for them and forgive your people who have sinned against you and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against you and give them over as objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive
that they may have compassion on them and indeed Israel did come back under Ezra and Nehemiah and even all the way into 1947 now Israel came back again. For they are your people and your inheritance which you have brought forth from Egypt from the midst of the iron furnace that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your slave to the supplication of your people Israel
to listen to them whenever they call to you for you have separated from them all the peoples of the earth as your inheritance as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant when you have brought
Our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord Yahweh, and this is something really important to remember that God still has a plan for Israel, and they are receiving punishment even now because of the rejection of Jesus, but God is not without a plan. You have to understand the promises to Israel, and it's different than the church. We've been welcomed into the family of God, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a separate group of people called Israel that God does not have a plan for.
There's an error today in assuming that all of that is done, that God has no further plans. I tell you what, it's all throughout the Bible that God still has future plans for that land and for the people Israel. Praise God, we've been made part of the family of God through faith and have become the church, but God is not done with Israel. It's written about all throughout the Scriptures. So make sure to learn that, to discover that, and that's
what a lot of the end times is about is about redeeming and reclaiming a people who've been lost because they've rejected their Jewish Messiah.
Now it happened verse 54 that once Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven. How cool is that? Solomon the king on his knees spreading his hands towards heaven. Oh, we have something to learn from that. May we do that. And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice saying blessed be Yahweh who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised.
Not one promises failed. All his good promises, which he promised by the hand of Moses's servant. You know what? They're in the land. They have peace, prosperity. They now have a temple. Man, all the gods promises in bringing them out of Egypt. They're being fulfilled. Hallelujah. What a blessing. May Yahweh our God be with us as he was with our fathers.
May he not forsake us or abandon us that he may incline our hearts to himself to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments which he commanded our fathers listen.
obeying God's word, knowing God's word first, and obeying it is something God is pleased with. And may these words of mine which I have made supplication before Yahweh be near Yahweh our God day and night that he may do justice for his slaves and justice for his people Israel as each day requires. Let's follow him each day. So that all the peoples of the earth, there it is again fulfilling
Genesis chapter 12 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh is God and there is no one else let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to Yahweh or God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments as at this day. That's why we got to know the word and I wanted you to know I believe God is pleased with you taking in the whole council of God because how do you know what to obey if you don't know what to obey it's so important to know and fall in love with God and his word and then obey what he's taught and
That's what we're seeking to do here at Revering the Word. Thank you for joining me. All right, just about.
one more verse five more verses now the king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices before Yahweh and Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings which he offered to Yahweh 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep so the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh on the same day that the king set apart as holy the middle of the court that was before the house of Yahweh because
There he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat for the peace offerings and the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too small to hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat and peace offerings. So Solomon celebrated the feast and they're going to feast at that time. They're going to eat these animals and all Israel with him a great assembly from Lebohomoth to the brook of Egypt before Yahweh our God for seven days and seven more days even 14 days.
On the eighth day, he sent the people away and they blessed the king. They went away to their tents with gladness and goodness of heart because of all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, his servants and to Israel, his people. What a celebration. Victorious. They are in Jerusalem. They have the temple. They had a feast. Solomon had his house. God has fulfilled his promises. Old glory. And we're going to see
Another great chapter in chapter 9 and oh that Israel would have just stayed steadfast in following God. But sadly this high watermark chapter 8 and 9 really of the Old Testament, the high watermark unfortunately it's not going to continue because of their disobedience. Oh that they would have just fallen and obeyed God but people have a propensity to disobedience
And that's why we need the cross. We need God's mercy. But now today, may with the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, the temple of the Lord, may we honor Him. Well, what a great chapter. God hears our prayers before they had to turn towards the temple. Now we just turn towards our Lord Jesus Christ and He hears us. Let's fear Him. Let's obey Him. Let's honor Him. Hallelujah. God bless you all.