Topical Encyclopedia
The First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple, holds a significant place in biblical history as the first permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant. The construction of the Temple was a fulfillment of God's promise to David, realized through his son Solomon. The event of bringing the Ark of God into the Temple was marked by great solemnity and reverence, signifying the culmination of Israel's spiritual journey and the establishment of a central place of worship.
Construction and Dedication of the TempleThe First Temple was constructed under the reign of King Solomon, as detailed in
1 Kings 6-7 and
2 Chronicles 3-4. Solomon's Temple was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, a site of profound historical and spiritual significance. The construction took seven years to complete, and the Temple was renowned for its grandeur and intricate craftsmanship, featuring cedar wood, gold overlay, and precious stones.
The Ark of the CovenantThe Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, represented the presence of God among His people. It was previously housed in the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary used during Israel's wilderness wanderings. The Ark was central to Israelite worship and was associated with God's covenant and His divine presence.
The Solemn ProcessionThe account of the Ark being brought into the Temple is recorded in
1 Kings 8 and
2 Chronicles 5. Solomon summoned the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the ancestral families to Jerusalem for this momentous occasion. The event took place during the Feast of Tabernacles, a time of great national celebration.
1 Kings 8:1-6 describes the procession: "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the families of the Israelites before him in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David. So all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim. When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting with all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up."
The Glory of the Lord Fills the TempleAs the Ark was placed in the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim, a cloud filled the Temple, signifying the glory of the Lord.
1 Kings 8:10-11 states, "And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."
This manifestation of God's glory affirmed His presence and favor upon the Temple and the nation of Israel. It was a powerful reminder of God's covenantal faithfulness and His desire to dwell among His people.
Solomon's Prayer and SacrificesFollowing the placement of the Ark, Solomon offered a prayer of dedication, acknowledging God's greatness and seeking His continued presence and blessing upon Israel. Solomon's prayer, recorded in
1 Kings 8:22-53, emphasized themes of covenant, repentance, and divine mercy.
The dedication ceremony was accompanied by numerous sacrifices, as described in
1 Kings 8:62-64 : "Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD. Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD."
SignificanceThe bringing of the Ark into the First Temple marked a pivotal moment in Israel's history, symbolizing the establishment of a permanent place for God's presence and worship. It underscored the importance of obedience, reverence, and the centrality of God in the life of the nation. The event served as a testament to God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises to His people.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
1 Kings 8:1-9Then 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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook2 Chronicles 5:2-10
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 Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
The Earlier Hebrew Histories.
... the temple of the Lord where the ark of the ... In the sixth chapter of First Kings,
the Septuagint ... injected into the specifications respecting the temple building ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter iv the earlier hebrew.htm
Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ...
... of the Law, various figures were instituted in the temple to betoken ... 9). Also there
was a rod in the ark, ie His ... For on the first of the seventh month was the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm
The First Galilean Ministry.
... what Jesus had said when purifying the Temple formed the ... service, and then pronounced
before the Ark' those Eulogies ... the happy time when he had first seen the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi the first galilean.htm
A Great Religious Awakening.
... for His coming, as Noah prepared the ark."(598 ... of Jerusalem; but the children in
the temple courts afterward ... here that the prophecy of the first angel's message ...
/.../20 a great religious awakening.htm
A Great Religious Awakening
... His coming, as Noah prepared the ark.""Wolff, Researches ... but the children in the
temple courts afterward ... here that the prophecy of the first angel's message ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 20 a great religious.htm
Book 8 Footnotes
... our other copies have, is evident at first sight ... son of Barnchins, whom ye slew between
the temple and the ... by Michal for "dancing before the ark, and uncovering ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 8 footnotes.htm
Consecration and Dedication
... treasures, it lets go the easiest ones first, and as ... In the dedication of the temple
we also have a ... were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter iii consecration and dedication.htm
The Worship of the Synagogue
... the ark." The prayers offered before the ark consisted of ... the shoulders (Sotah,
vii.6); in the Temple, up to ... The first reader began, and the last closed, with ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 17 the worship of.htm
The Glorious Habitation
... his eye back through history, he saw one great temple where God's ... themselves from
their beds and found the ark was in ... I have looked out in the first epistle of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the glorious habitation.htm
Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
... of the law at the side of the ark, so as ... Chaldean invasion (2 Kings 25:9); for the
temple was not ... book of Wisdom, the book of Ecclesiasticus, the first book of ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xv formation and history.htm
Resources
What was Herod's temple? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was Zerubbabel's temple/the second temple? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was Solomon's temple / the first temple? How many temples were there? | GotQuestions.orgTemple: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
