Topical Bible: the First Temple: Solemnly Dedicated to God by Solomon

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The First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple, holds a significant place in biblical history as the first permanent structure built for the worship of Yahweh by the Israelites. Its construction and dedication are detailed primarily in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The Temple served as the central place of worship and the dwelling place of the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence among His people.

Construction and Design

The construction of the First Temple was initiated by King Solomon, the son of King David, who had originally conceived the idea of building a house for the Lord. However, it was Solomon who fulfilled this vision, as God had ordained that David's son would build the Temple (1 Chronicles 22:9-10). The construction began in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, around 966 BC, and took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:1, 38).

The Temple was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, on the site where David had purchased the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:18-25; 2 Chronicles 3:1). The design of the Temple was grand and intricate, reflecting the glory and majesty of God. It was approximately 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high, with an inner sanctuary, known as the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant was housed (1 Kings 6:2, 19).

The Temple was adorned with precious materials, including cedar wood from Lebanon, gold, silver, and bronze. Skilled craftsmen from Tyre, led by Hiram, were employed to create the intricate carvings and furnishings (1 Kings 5:6; 7:13-14). The interior was lined with cedar and overlaid with pure gold, and the walls were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers (1 Kings 6:15-18, 29).

Dedication Ceremony

The dedication of the Temple was a momentous event, marked by a grand ceremony attended by the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the entire assembly of Israel (1 Kings 8:1-2). Solomon led the proceedings, offering prayers and sacrifices to consecrate the Temple to the Lord.

During the dedication, the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Most Holy Place, signifying the Lord's presence in the Temple. As the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, a cloud filled the Temple, and the glory of the Lord was so overwhelming that the priests could not stand to minister (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Solomon's prayer of dedication is a profound expression of worship and supplication. He acknowledged God's faithfulness to His covenant with David and prayed for the Temple to be a place where the prayers of the Israelites would be heard. Solomon asked for God's mercy and forgiveness, recognizing the people's propensity to sin and the need for divine grace (1 Kings 8:22-53).

The dedication ceremony concluded with a massive offering of sacrifices, including 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep, and a feast that lasted fourteen days (1 Kings 8:62-66). The people of Israel rejoiced, and the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, affirming His acceptance of the Temple and reiterating the conditional promise of blessing and presence based on Israel's obedience (1 Kings 9:1-9).

Significance

The First Temple served as the spiritual and cultural heart of Israel for nearly four centuries. It was the focal point of Jewish worship, the site of major religious festivals, and the center of the sacrificial system. The Temple symbolized God's covenant with Israel and His desire to dwell among His people.

The dedication of the First Temple by Solomon is a pivotal moment in biblical history, reflecting the fulfillment of God's promises and the establishment of a central place of worship for the nation of Israel. The Temple's construction and dedication underscore the themes of divine sovereignty, covenant faithfulness, and the importance of worship in the life of God's people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 8:12-66
Then spoke Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 6:1-42
Then said Solomon, The LORD has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The King 'Blessing' his People
... the latest comer as it did that of the first. ... work, like that of building the Temple,
which has ... As 'commandments,' it was solemnly imposed by rightful authority ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the king blessing his people.htm

The Teacher Come from God and the Teacher from Jerusalem - Jesus ...
... removed, and this was the signal for solemnly burning all ... in that first encounter
in the Temple, and it ... it, in his original innocency when he first entered the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi the teacher come.htm

The Call of David.
... so as to make his heart and body His temple. ... We too are first baptized, and then
brought forward to ... us turn away, kneel down seriously and solemnly, and say to ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon iv the call of.htm

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the ...
... notes that the latter decree, though first made by ... or foolish - all of which were
solemnly treated as ... to God,' necessarily dedicated a thing to the Temple. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxi the cavils of.htm

Traditionalism, Its Origin, Character, and Literature - the ...
... He has been solemnly ordained by the laying on ... offerings, and things belonging (as
the first-born), or ... structure and arrangements of the Temple (Middoth, the ...
/.../chapter viii traditionalism its origin.htm

The Only Atoning Priest
... Neither the temple nor the tabernacle was his home. ... I tell thee solemnly, thou wilt
damn thyself by thy ... glorious assembly of the church of the first born whose ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/the only atoning priest.htm

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Or, a Brief Relation of ...
... of God, and were principal in the holy temple, to do ... a very great hand therein: the
which, at first, was very ... the most severe and dreadful of all God's ways to ...
/.../bunyan/grace abounding to the chief of sinners/grace abounding to the chief.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... years, we come to the eighteenth year of Josiah, when he repaired the temple, and
solemnly renewed the worship of God; and also to the first year of ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of ...
... neeman,' trusted; ie, one who had solemnly bound himself ... the Asmon??ans is for the
first time reported ... Hyrcanus, while officiating in the Temple, the victory ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix iv an abstract of.htm

Christian Devotedness, Etc.
... But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his ... shall we, in opposition to his solemnly
recorded judgment ... daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread ...
/.../groves/christian devotedness/christian devotedness etc.htm