Bible Studies
1 Kings 8: 22-30, 41-43 – A Church for the People of God
Key Verses:
- 22: “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to Heaven.” – Solomon had fulfilled his destiny as God had promised and now he stood before God and all of Israel, dedicating the new temple for the purpose of serving and worshiping God.
- 27: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built.” – Solomon is teaching those assembled to open their hearts and minds to the possibility that God resides throughout the heavens, not simply within a little box in a special room inside a man-made temple.
- 29: “…that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place.” – Solomon is asking that God focus on and give special attention to the prayers that are lifted in the temple.
- 41: “Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name…” – People from around the world are going to hear about God and they will be attracted to His house in order to find out more about Him.
- 43: “So that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you.” – The intent of the temple is not to hide God away and keep Him from the world. Instead, it is a place with open doors that invites the world to experience and come to know God.
- Where do you go to find God?
Promises of the Gospel:
In the dedication ceremony for the magnificent temple that Solomon had taken years to build, he did not discuss the building at all. He discussed God’s presence and he discussed the people that God would attract to that building. Churches provide a place for us to gather, to worship, and to pray. They give us a place to break away from the deafening din that dominates our lives. However, no matter how beautiful a structure, a church is nothing more than a building. It is the people that are walking before God within that building that make the difference. Solomon is calling us to remember our purpose as a church. He is suggesting that we recognize that people who are seeking relationships with God will come to our churches and because of that, it is imperative that we are prepared to meet their needs and to be focused on how we can lead them into closer relationships with God.
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