Bible 203:  Dedication of the Temple

1 Kings 8:1, 12-13, 22-24, 30-32, 34

 

CATCHING UP

Last “week” Solomon prayed for wisdom and got it

            In fourth years of his reign > began building Temple to honor God

            It took seven years to complete

Then great day came for him to dedicate the Temple > Read from 1 Kings 8

 

FINAL EXAM

This is the last day of this “semester” > Are you ready for your final exam?

            First some “fill-in-the-blank” questions

                        While Samuel was judging Israel , what did the people say they wanted?

                        What did God tell Samuel?

                        Who was Israel ’s first king?

                        What did God say about King Saul?

                        Who did God choose to be the second king?

                        Who became the third King of Israel after David died?

                        What was Solomon’s “throne name?” (Trick question > 2 Sam 12:25)

            Now some “true-false” questions

                        T/F David and King Saul’s son Jonathan became best friends

T/F David was a fine upstanding man who never did anything wrong

T/F Solomon was David and Bathsheba’s second child

                        T/F Jedidiah was Solomon’s “throne name” [just checking to see if you paid attention!]

            Okay, now a couple of essay questions

                        What does God’s response to Israel ’s request for a king show . . .

. . .  about God’s relationship with people?  God responds to requests

                        What did Solomon’s prayer of dedication mean to Israel ; and by extension, to us?

 

PROGRESSION OF KINGS

Before we answer > think about the progression in the answers to questions on your “test”

1.      Israel wanted want they wanted, and the got it > it took a while, but finally got a king

2.      The kings had first one problem and then another

a.      Saul kept getting depressed

b.      David had trouble keeping the main thing the main thing

c.      Solomon prayed good prayer, but in reality let ways of other nations take over

                                                                          i.      Married 700 women from other countries

                                                                        ii.      Let them set up altars to worship their gods

                                                                      iii.      Seemed innocent enough > had disastrous results

1.      when Solomon died > kingdom split in two

2.      subsequent kings withdrew more and more from God

1.      finally other nations invaded and Israel/Judah were no match

2.      it took years to rebuild

d. Finally, 500 years later, King Jesus came

            i. the kind of king God had in mind from the very beginning

 

WHAT SOLOMON’S PRAYER MEANT TO ISRAEL

So, when I ask “what did Solomon’s prayer mean to Israel ,” the answer is this:

            They heard from their king’s own mouth how important it is to keep God first in their lives

            They heard from their king’s own mouth how important it is to keep God first in their lives

 

WHAT SOLOMON’S PRAYER MEANS TO US

If that’s the answer to the first part of the question, then is it also answer to second part . . .

“What does it mean to us?”

                        You bet it is!

                        Now, as then, there are 700 other things to distract us from God

                        But we cannot let that happen without disastrous results

                        We’ve begun restoring our “Room to pay attention to God” > our sanctuary

                        And we cannot let other things distract us from God > we must come every Sunday

 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Last Friday morning this sanctuary was packed > including the balcony

If people of America kept God first in their lives > all would be packed every Sunday morning

            At Session meeting Thursday night, Emile brought up idea of a “Friendship    Sunday”

                        One particular Sunday when everybody brings a friend with them to Church

                        Maybe we can teach ourselves how to invite a friend to church

                        Then, when sanctuary renovation is complete, rededicate it > similar to Solomon

And everybody invite a friend > fill this room to overflowing

 

OVERALL APPLICATION

I believe the most important learning from 1 and 2 Samuel is “keeping the main thing the main thing”

And the “main thing” is paying attention to God

What can you do, for the rest of your life, to “pay attention to God”?