Sat.’s Devo - The Dedication of the Temple

Read: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10; Romans 7:14-8:8; Psalm 18:1-19; Proverbs 19:24-25 Solomon made a platform to speak from and had it placed in the middle of the outer courtyard. He knelt on it in front of all the people and lifted his hands toward heaven and prayed. He prayed God’s blessing on the Temple as he dedicated it to the Lord. He asked that when people prayed from this temple, that God would hear their prayer and answer their request. If someone wronged another person and they were required to take an oath of innocence then may God judge between them. If Israel was defeated by their enemies or there was no rain or there was a famine because they had sinned against the Lord and they repented, may God forgive them and restore his blessing on their land. He prayed that even foreigners who came to live in Jerusalem would be able to pray to Him and have their prayers answered if they feared and knew the Lord. If they were in war, or taken captive to another land and they repented and turned toward this Temple and prayed, may God hear their prayer and answer them. *** Then Solomon invited God into his Temple to rest in the Holy Place in his Ark. Lighting flashed and fire came down from heaven and burnt up the offerings and sacrifices and his presence filled the Temple so strongly that the people fell down on the ground and worshipped the Lord says, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” *** The priests sang the same song as they offered the 142,000 sacrifices. The Levites sand while the instruments were played and the priests blew trumpets. Then Solomon consecrated the courtyard in front of the Temple and for the next seven days they all celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles is the Feast that represents God tabernacling with his people. On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony and all went home. *** The Lord had finished building the Temple and his own palace and the Lord came to him and answered his prayer. He told him that if he did punish them with no rain or famine because of their rebellion and they came to this Temple and prayed and repented of their sin and turned back to him that he would hear and heal their land. *** God promised to hear every prayer prayed here. But, if the people abandoned him and disobeyed his decrees and commands and began to worship other gods then he will reject the Temple and make it an object of mockery among the other nations. All would recognize what happened and know why. *** Solomon took 20 years to build the Temple and then he began to rebuild the towns that King Hiram had given him and settle his people in them. He secured other towns and fortified others. He made supply centers and constructed towns to house his chariots and horses. The foreigners were conscripted to do the forced labor and he assigned Israelites as warriors and leaders over the people. *** In Romans, Paul explained the struggle over being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. It was a struggle but the answer was in Jesus Christ our Lord. There is no condemnation to us who belong to Christ. We have the power of God’s Spirit and the power over sin. We have the choice of being dominated by the sinful nature or being controlled by the Holy Spirit. Let’s choose the later so we can please God. *** Lord, we make a conscious effort to set our minds on thinking of ways to please you. Thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome our sinful desires and live to please you.