Topical Bible: Dedication: Solomon's Temple

◄ Dedication: Solomon's Temple ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The dedication of Solomon's Temple marks a significant event in biblical history, symbolizing the culmination of King Solomon's efforts to build a permanent dwelling place for the Lord in Jerusalem. This event is recorded in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7, where the grandeur and spiritual significance of the Temple are highlighted.

Historical Context

Solomon, the son of King David, was chosen by God to construct the Temple, a task that David had desired but was not permitted to complete due to his history as a warrior (1 Chronicles 28:3). Solomon's reign was characterized by peace and prosperity, providing the ideal conditions for such an ambitious project. The construction of the Temple began in the fourth year of Solomon's reign and took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:1, 38).

The Temple's Significance

The Temple served as the central place of worship for the Israelites, replacing the portable Tabernacle that had been used since the time of Moses. It was designed to be a permanent dwelling for the Ark of the Covenant, which represented God's presence among His people. The Temple's construction was a fulfillment of God's promise to David that his son would build a house for the Lord's name (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

The Dedication Ceremony

The dedication of the Temple was a grand and solemn occasion, attended by the elders of Israel, tribal leaders, and a great assembly of people. The Ark of the Covenant was brought from the City of David to the Temple, accompanied by sacrifices and the sound of trumpets and other musical instruments (1 Kings 8:1-5; 2 Chronicles 5:2-6).

As the priests placed the Ark in the Most Holy Place, the inner sanctuary of the Temple, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, signifying God's glory and presence (1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chronicles 5:13-14). Solomon then addressed the assembly, blessing the Lord for fulfilling His promise to David and acknowledging the Temple as a place for God's name to dwell (1 Kings 8:12-21).

Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

Solomon's prayer during the dedication is a profound expression of humility and dependence on God. He begins by acknowledging God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises (1 Kings 8:23-24). Solomon then petitions God to hear the prayers of His people when they pray toward the Temple, whether in times of sin, war, famine, or other calamities (1 Kings 8:30-53).

Solomon's prayer emphasizes the Temple as a place of intercession and forgiveness, recognizing that even the heavens cannot contain God, much less the Temple he has built (1 Kings 8:27). He asks God to maintain His covenant with Israel and to be attentive to the prayers offered in this sacred space.

Sacrifices and Celebrations

Following the prayer, Solomon offered a vast number of sacrifices to the Lord, including 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats (1 Kings 8:62-63). The dedication ceremony extended over fourteen days, during which the people of Israel celebrated with feasting and rejoicing (1 Kings 8:65-66).

God's Response

After the dedication, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, affirming that He had consecrated the Temple and that His eyes and heart would be there perpetually (1 Kings 9:3). God reiterated the conditional nature of His promises, urging Solomon to walk in integrity and obedience, warning that disobedience would lead to Israel's downfall and the Temple's destruction (1 Kings 9:4-9).

The dedication of Solomon's Temple stands as a pivotal moment in Israel's history, reflecting the nation's relationship with God and the centrality of worship in their communal life. The Temple served as a symbol of God's presence and a place where His people could seek His face, offering sacrifices and prayers in accordance with His covenant.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Kings 8:1
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, to 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.
Nave's Topical Index

2 Chronicles 7:5
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.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Solomon's Reign.
... (5) Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple, I K. .8: II Chron. .6. Look
for a revelation of his character, religious spirit and conception of God. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xii solomons reign.htm

Altar and Temple
... the most joyous feast of the year, crowded with reminiscences from the remote antiquity
of the Exodus, and from the dedication of Solomon's Temple. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... Upon this altar Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, offered thousands, both
of oxen and of sheep, to signify, surely, the abundant worth and richness ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

Feast of the Dedication. The Jews Attempt to Stone Jesus and He ...
... D John 10:22-42. ^d 22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: 23;
it was winter; and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxxviii feast of the dedication.htm

At the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple.
... eight days on the anniversary of its Dedication.' [4389] The ... That He Who purified
the Temple, was its True ... Jesus spake to the people in Solomon's Porch.' There ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiv at the feast.htm

The Temple and Its Dedication
... The time chosen for the dedication was a most favorable one ... many foreign nations,
assembled in the temple courts ... Solomon, with the elders of Israel and the most ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 2 the temple and.htm

Sacred Institutions of Worship and Seven Great Covenants.
... (1) Solomon's Temple. Study David's desire to build and his preparation for it.2
Sam.7:1-2; 2 Chron.28, 29; its material, erection and dedication, 1 Kings 5-8 ...
/.../chapter iv sacred institutions of.htm

Results of Transgression
... From the day that Solomon was entrusted with the work of building the temple, to
the ... the assembled hosts of Israel at the time of the dedication of the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 4 results of transgression.htm

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication.
... JESUS AT THE FEAST OF DEDICATION. And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem;
it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/jesus at the feast of 2.htm

The New Temple and Its Worship
... Probably the ceremonial of dedication followed immediately on the ... of the former more
splendid Temple in the name ... were poor, if compared with Solomon's 'two and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the new temple and its.htm