Day 134: 1 Kings 7-8, Psalm 11

Apparently Solomon built his own palace and one for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, before he started the Temple project. This seems backward to me but, so far at least, he's not called on it.

It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. (1 Kings 7:1)

It took 13 years to build his palace, it doesn't really say how long it took to build the temple but I've got to believe it was a comparable period of time...so he's been king about 26 years so far. Solomon still seems to have the humility before God that his father had. He understands that the temple isn't really God's dwelling place. I love this prayer that Solomon prays upon the completion of the temple:

"But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive." (1 Kings 8:27-30)

He continues his prayer with this acknowledgement of their need for God's grace:

“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy; for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace." (1 Kings 8:46-51)

After all the speeches, prayers and ribbon cutting (I would think), then the actual dedication of the temple to it's purpose of worship takes place. Bloody sacrifices have been central to the Israelites' worship for generations. Today is no exception:

Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD. Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the LORD: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the LORD. (1 Kings 8:62-63)

 It's a monumental day for all Israel. The land is at peace, the kingdom is united under Solomon's reign and the magnificent temple is completed...finally a permanent place of worship, not a tent.

Consider how far these people have come since being led out of slavery in Egypt. Amazing.