Thurs.’s Devo - The Dedication of the Temple

Read: 1 Kings 8:1-66; Acts 7:51-8:13; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 17:1 Solomon had finished the Temple in the 4th month of that year but waited till the seventh month to dedicate it. This time was their new year and it was a jubilee year. He brought everyone together a few days before the Feast of Tabernacles which, appropriately represented how God reigns on earth with us. *** The priests brought the ark up out of the tent in the city of David along with all the vessels. The men of Israel had come to Jerusalem for the feast, so it was a perfect time for the nation to celebrate the dedication of Temple. Inside the Ark was the tablets that God had written on for Moses. The priests placed the Ark in the Holy Place and when they came out, a cloud filled the house of the Lord. The priest had no strength to stand because of the cloud of glory filled the house. *** Solomon blessed the Lord and the people and told them why the Temple was built. It was in the heart of David to build God a house, but the Lord said that one of David’s sons would build it. Now, the Lord fulfilled that promise and Solomon had built the Lord a house. *** Solomon prayed a prayer exalting the name of the Lord and praying for God’s blessing on his family that they would always sit on the throne of Israel and walk before him. *** He prayed that God would honor this place of worship and in times when people need him to help them, if they would pray towards this place that God would hear their prayer and give them their request. Solomon gave every scenario he could think of that Israel would need the Lord. When he had finished praying, he knelt with his hands stretched toward heaven and blessed the people with peace and prayed that God would be with them always. He prayed that the people would have hearts to walk in God’s ways and keep his commandments, statutes and rules that he commanded their fathers. *** Solomon offered thousands of animals as peace offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings. They celebrated the seven days of the feast, then on the eighth day he sent the people home full of joy and gladness celebrating the goodness of the Lord. *** In Acts, Stephen was at the end of his story. He told the people that they were stubborn and their hearts were evil because they resisted the Holy Spirit. They persecuted and killed the prophets who announced the coming of the Messiah, who they has now killed. They had received the law of Moses, yet didn’t keep it. *** When the leaders heard this, they were full of anger and hatred towards Stephen. But, Stephen looked to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand. He told them what he was seeing. They mobbed him and took him out of the city where they stoned him. *** The witnesses laid their garments at the feet of Saul, who was a young man at that time. As they were stoning Stephen, he fell on his knees and begged the Lord not to hold this sin against them. Then he fell asleep. *** Persecution became rampant from that day. Believers buried Stephen’s body, while Saul was ravaging the church and dragging men and women to prison for believing in Jesus. *** The apostles were scattered and began preaching about Christ where they went. Philip went to Samaria and brought healing and deliverance to those in the city. *** There was a man named Simon who lived in Samaria and practiced magic. He had many followers. But, when his followers saw what Philip was doing under the power of God, they were baptized under his teaching. Simon also came to believe in Jesus and was baptized. He was amazed at the miracles that Philip performed. *** It had always been God’s plan that the apostles go out and preach the good news everywhere, but they had stayed in Jerusalem. Persecution caused then to scatter and the good news to spread. Sometimes, what looks like a bad thing is really God’s intent all along. *** Lord, may we recognize You in everything. May we see that you can turn everything in our lives for something good if we let you. Thank you for your steadfast love.