1 Kings 8:12-53

1 Kings 8:12-53

After the construction was finished and everything had been brought into the Temple, Solomon spoke to the people of Israel, blessing God. He was thankful for all God had done for them. God had promised since the time of Moses that Israel would have a land in which they would dwell, a land that He was going to give them. He kept His promise, and Israel had prospered in that land for generations. David then wanted to build a Temple, a permanent home for God, to replace the Tabernacle. Although God would not allow David to build the Temple, He promised that Solomon would, and once again, He was true to His word. Solomon led Israel in praise to God grateful for the fact that God always keeps His promises.


Solomon then dedicates the Temple, first acknowledging again that God keeps His promises. But that extends beyond the blessings we typically think of. If we are honest, we would probably say that we are quite thankful that God keeps His promises when it is for our benefit. But what about those times when He promises consequences for our disobedience? We tend to not want to think about those instances, but if God keeps His promises, then we must understand that He will not be slack in punishment either. Solomon understood this truth, and he in a sense warned the people of living in disobedience, talking about how it could lead to defeat in battles or hard times for their nation. However, he also knew that if they humbled themselves and turned back to God, then He would hear them, forgive their sins, and return to them. This passage in the middle of 1 Kings 8 seems to parallel the famous verse 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Solomon referred back to the Law of Moses and warned the people of some of the dangers they faced. This Temple was a place of worship and called for obedience. It was a sign of their relationship with the Lord, for that is where He would dwell. Therefore, they should pay careful attention to how they live their lives. They were a people called to be holy, a light to the nations. But if they drifted from God’s Word, there would be consequences. Solomon alluded to defeat in battles, droughts, and famine, stressing the importance of their obedience.

We are quite similar to the Israelites. We too are called to be holy, and God (through His Spirit) dwells inside of us. We are called to be an example to the nations as we go out and preach His word to others. So we must be careful to follow His word, lest we too face the consequences. Although we may not see famine or drought in the ways that Israel faced it, God still judges sin. As His children we should never desire to take His gift of salvation for granted and use it as a license to sin. Instead, we should have an increasing desire to live a holy life as we strive not to sin.

Matt