Monday, June 17, 2013

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

I Kings 8:1-21

“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.” (I Kings 8:1)

David had had the tabernacle set up in the city of David.  In the New Testament, Bethlehem is called the city of David because it was his family home.  In the Old Testament, however he established his capital in the ancient city of Jebus or Zion, renaming it Jerusalem, and it became known as the city of David.

 When Solomon built the temple, and his palace, they were located outside the walls of the ancient city although they part of the city of Jerusalem.  When he called for the leaders to come and help move the Ark to the temple, it was in effect a formal ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony, even though it was only a short move, unlike David’s bringing the ark from the house of Obededom to Jerusalem.

“And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.  And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.  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. 

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.” (I Kings 8:2-5)

After more than seven years, the temple was almost finished.  The leaders came together to celebrate the opening of the temple, and moving in of the ark so that it could be opened for business.  The entire tabernacle was moved onto the temple site.  It would be the last official move of the tabernacle, and once it was made, the temple could be finished with just a few days work.

As the ark was moved an untold number of sheep and cattle were sacrificed to the Lord along the way, remembering what God had done in the past and anticipating what he would do in the future.

“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.  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.  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.” (I Kings 8:6-8)

The ark was brought into the Holy of Holies, the oracle, and placed under the cherubim’s wings.  The staves for transporting it were drawn out for the first time since the ark had been built almost seven hundred years before.  While they were kept in the temple, their removal from the ark signified that they were in the permanent place god had prepared for them.   It would remain there until the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians about three hundred years later.

“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.” (I Kings 8:9)

In Exodus 16:33-34, “…Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.”  While the tabernacle was in use, Hebrews 9:4 describes it’s contents.  “Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;”

Apparently, when the ark was permanently located and the stases removed, the pot of manna and Aarons rod were also removed and place on display as a reminder of what God had done,  although the tables of stone were left in the ark, since it was built specifically to contain them.

“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 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.” (I Kings 8:10-11)

When the tabernacle had been dedicated, Exodus 40:34-35 described the event.  “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."  Almost seven hundred years later, the same thing happened when they dedicated the temple.  Obviously God approved their efforts to please him.

“Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.  I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.” (I Kings 8:12-13)  

Solomon offered the temple to God as a place for him to dwell forever, a place that followed what God had declared himself as wanting.

“And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) 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, 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. 

And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.  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.  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. 

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.  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.” (I Kings 8:14-21)

Solomon then blessed the people, reminding them how they had been able to accomplish so much because they followed God.  Their accomplishments were the result of God’s promises when they followed him out of Egypt.

No comments:

Post a Comment