Solomon’s Prayer

 

Solomon is one of the most prolific writers of Scripture. He gave us the larger portion of Proverbs (Prov. 1:1; 10:1; 25:1), plus the whole of Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 1:1), and the ever-interesting Song of Solomon (Song 1:1). Some have even put him forth as the author of the book of Job, though that doesn’t seem to hold much water in my perspective. Nevertheless, that is a tremendous amount of Scripture for any one person to be responsible for. For all of his failings later in life (1 Kings 11:1–11), we must admire the tremendous wisdom on life’s most important topics that the Lord revealed through Solomon’s skillful pen (1 Kings 4:29–34).

For all of the time I have spent learning from the thoughtful musings of humanity’s wisest author, I would have given anything to hear his address and prayer at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8; 2 Chron. 6). So much went into that fateful day. Truthfully, the history of that faithful moment goes all the way back to Eden (Gen. 2:8–9; 3:22–24).

The Temple and the Problem of Separation

The Temple, like the Tabernacle before it, was designed to approach the holy God (Ex. 25:8; 40:34–38). By far the greatest loss in our expulsion from Eden was the loss of direct fellowship with our Creator (Gen. 3:8–10, 23–24). The Tabernacle showed how sinful man can approach the holy God (Lev. 16:1–34; Heb. 9:1–10).

The outer court was filled with a laver for washing before coming to the Lord (Ex. 30:17–21), and the great brazen, four-horned altar (Ex. 27:1–8). Sin had to be paid for with sacrifice—without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22).

Passing through into the Holy Place, one sees the altar of incense, which reminds us of prayer (Ex. 30:1–10; Ps. 141:2; Rev. 8:3–4), and the showbread, which reminds us of the presence and provision of the Lord (Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–9). The lampstand was a seven-branched menorah (not a six-branched one) and reminds us of the light of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Ex. 25:31–40; Zech. 4:1–6).

Through the final curtain was the Most Holy Place—where the Ark of the Covenant sat (Ex. 26:33–34; 40:20–21). It was a place so holy that a person could enter only once per year, under specific circumstances as prescribed by the Law of Moses (Lev. 16:2, 29–34; Heb. 9:7).

David’s Shock and Solomon’s Opportunity

The moment Solomon prayed his dedication prayer over the Temple was amplified by history. It was David who realized how shocking it was that he dwelt in a palace while the meeting place between God and man was still in a tent (2 Sam. 7:1–2; 1 Chron. 17:1). The true centerpiece of all Israel’s hope and history—in a tent!

Yet the Lord did not allow David to build the Temple because he was a man of war (1 Chron. 22:7–8; 28:2–3). How shocking it must have been for David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22), to learn that his violent path disqualified him from building the Lord’s house.

So he did the best thing he could: laying aside the materials and making the plans so that Solomon would have all that was needed—and leaving no excuse to begin the project (1 Chron. 22:2–5, 14–16; 28:11–19).

The Building of Glory

Even then, it took several years. It must have been amazing to see the beauty of that Temple take shape (1 Kings 6:1–38). From a bare building site, watching the walls rise—surely the people peered in as the structure went up and finally closed off the place of the Lord’s presence from their sight.

All of these moments build anticipation for the day when the Temple of the Lord would be permanently placed in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Chron. 5:2–5). Reading through Solomon’s prayer of dedication, we feel the full weight of all the history that led to that very moment (1 Kings 8:22–53). How powerful it would have been to stand there and see such a significant advance in the Lord’s plan.

The Lord Dwells Among His People

The Lord took up residence in that Temple in a special way that day. The Shekinah glory entered the Temple—smoke filled the space, and the priests could not stand to minister because of the glory of the Lord (1 Kings 8:10–11; 2 Chron. 5:13–14). The sacrifice was consumed, fire fell from heaven, and the Lord approved and dwelt in Israel (2 Chron. 7:1–3).

This moment would only be equaled when Jesus Christ, Immanuel (“God with us”), entered the second Temple almost 500 years later (Matt. 1:23; Luke 2:22–32; John 2:13–22). In Him, God did not simply inhabit a building—He came in flesh and blood, and “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14).

The Greater Temple Today

The Church is the Lord's Temple in this age—the dwelling place of God upon the earth (1 Cor. 3:16–17; Eph. 2:19–22). The Holy Spirit indwells every believer, creating a constant meeting place between God and man in everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 14:16–17; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19–20).

That same Holy Spirit who filled the Temple with God’s glory now indwells the believer and provides the power for the Christian life every day (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18). That powerful picture of the inauguration of Solomon's Temple is a reminder of the miracle of the Holy Spirit's ministry in the Church today. Lest we forget, or become insensitive to His presence and work within us, we have the opportunity to bring sinful people near to the very presence of God Almighty and invite them into that same relationship that we enjoy by the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.