After seven years of construction, the temple was dedicated by Solomon and all the people. God had given the Israelites the Ten Commandments, the Ark, and the tent of meeting, but a sense of permanence still escaped them until the temple was finished.
The dedication took place on the day the Feast of Booths was observed. This feast celebrated the end of the wilderness wanderings and the fact that God had brought His people into the promised land. The Feast of Booths celebrated the fulfillment of God’s promises.
I encourage you to listen to Rudy Ross’s explanation of the feast from the perspective of his Jewish heritage. He explains how the shelters constructed during the celebration were open to the sky, reminding God’s people to always be aware of His presence.
The Ark of the Lord
The high point of the dedication service was when the priests placed the ark in the most holy place.
And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark.
So they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.
King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim (1 Kings 8:3-6).
The ark was a picture of God’s ruling power and grace. The Ten Commandments outlined God’s prescription for living. God’s people were to represent His character and nature to the world. The way the Israelites joined God in His redemptive purposes was by living in alignment with these commandments.
The top covering of the ark was called the Mercy Seat. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest sprinkled the blood of a spotless lamb on the Mercy Seat. The grace of God’s forgiveness was extended to the people on this sacred day.
Even though the ark was situated in a permanent home, the poles for transporting the ark remained. They were a reminded that there were further journeys for God’s people to undertake.
For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles.
The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day (1 Kings 8:7-8).
The Glory Cloud
God is a personal, interactive deity. He alone is God, and He alone communes with humans. If the priest during Solomon’s time didn’t understand this, they did after the ark was put into the most holy place in the temple.
And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 8:10).
The Rabbinic designation for the cloud is “Shekinah.” It comes from a Hebrew root meaning, “to dwell.”
When Solomon experience God’s cloud of glory, he declared:
“The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
I have built you an exalted house,
a place for you to dwell forever.” (1 Kings 8:12-13)
That God dwells in “thick darkness” refers to how He is inapproachable and unknowable. There is a deep mystery about God that leaves humans in awe of His being.
At the same time, God manifests Himself in ways that should turn people into toast. Instead, He reveals Himself, and we are able to see His gracious presence.
Reflections
I recently read a book by Bishop Fulton Sheen, in which he states his belief that God is not so much opposed in our day as He is ignored.
As we read of God’s revelation of His presence, nature, and character in the dedication of the temple, let’s not make the mistake of ignoring Him.
Let’s take the time and devote the energy to create an atmosphere where God can personally demonstrate His friendship with us.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 