I Kings 8:54-66
“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. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 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.” (I Kings 8:54-56)
Notice Solomon’s attitude of supplication during his prayer. He was on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven, asking God to answer his prayer, even though it is a time when they could have had an emotional sense success and accomplishment.
When he stood up he blessed the people, reminding them what God had already done for them and asking that he continue to treat them in a similar fashion as he promised.
“The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 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. 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: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 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.” (I Kings 8:57-61)
His blessing involved asking that God would act in their lives that they would desire to follow him completely, obeying his commands and laws. In return, that God would support and protect Israel as needed. As a result, the other races and nations throughout the world would know who God was. This would require the people committing themselves to serve God completely.
It fascinates me that Solomon could so thoroughly express the need for following God completely, yet turn away himself. Frequently, those who take the strongest stand are the first to succumb to temptation. One can only guess that is because they think they are above it.
“And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. 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.” (I Kings 8:62-63)
The peace offering given was of twenty two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. By the end of the time, the priests and Levites must have been exhausted, and the smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Fortunately, God helped with the burning of the sacrifices, because they were not able to go into the temple itself at the time. II Chronicles 7:1-6 gives more detail.
“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.”
While the sacrifices were made, the Levites provided instrumental music, and the priests periodically sounded the trumpets to get the people to rise. The whole effort was to praise God, literally, as Hebrews 13: 15 says, thanking God for what he had done.
“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 brazen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.” (I Kings 8:64)
Because the number of sacrifices were more than could be burned on the brazen altar, even though the new one was far larger than the one from the tabernacle, they dedicated the middle courtyard for offering sacrifices. Normally this court or open area was not considered holy, and every Jew was allowed to enter it, not just those who were making sacrifices.
“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. 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.” (I Kings 8:65-66)
The celebrating went on for a solid week, although it took a week to get everyone together since some traveled from around the sea of Galilee or beyond while others came from down at the boundary with Egypt, well into the Sinai peninsula. On the eighth day, they went home rejoicing at what was happening.
“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. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 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.” (I Kings 8:54-56)
Notice Solomon’s attitude of supplication during his prayer. He was on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven, asking God to answer his prayer, even though it is a time when they could have had an emotional sense success and accomplishment.
When he stood up he blessed the people, reminding them what God had already done for them and asking that he continue to treat them in a similar fashion as he promised.
“The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 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. 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: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 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.” (I Kings 8:57-61)
His blessing involved asking that God would act in their lives that they would desire to follow him completely, obeying his commands and laws. In return, that God would support and protect Israel as needed. As a result, the other races and nations throughout the world would know who God was. This would require the people committing themselves to serve God completely.
It fascinates me that Solomon could so thoroughly express the need for following God completely, yet turn away himself. Frequently, those who take the strongest stand are the first to succumb to temptation. One can only guess that is because they think they are above it.
“And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. 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.” (I Kings 8:62-63)
The peace offering given was of twenty two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. By the end of the time, the priests and Levites must have been exhausted, and the smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Fortunately, God helped with the burning of the sacrifices, because they were not able to go into the temple itself at the time. II Chronicles 7:1-6 gives more detail.
“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.”
While the sacrifices were made, the Levites provided instrumental music, and the priests periodically sounded the trumpets to get the people to rise. The whole effort was to praise God, literally, as Hebrews 13: 15 says, thanking God for what he had done.
“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 brazen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.” (I Kings 8:64)
Because the number of sacrifices were more than could be burned on the brazen altar, even though the new one was far larger than the one from the tabernacle, they dedicated the middle courtyard for offering sacrifices. Normally this court or open area was not considered holy, and every Jew was allowed to enter it, not just those who were making sacrifices.
“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. 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.” (I Kings 8:65-66)
The celebrating went on for a solid week, although it took a week to get everyone together since some traveled from around the sea of Galilee or beyond while others came from down at the boundary with Egypt, well into the Sinai peninsula. On the eighth day, they went home rejoicing at what was happening.
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