WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday January 12, 2020
Over
227,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com
SOLOMON BLESSES THE PEOPLE
(GOD’s hand is at work for HIS people)
(1 Kings 8:12-21)
There is plenty of archeological
evidence that Middle Eastern kings collected vast amounts of gold for their personal
use. There is also specific evidence of King Solomon’s lavish use of gold in his
decorating and building of the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem.
In 1 Kings 6, verses 20-21, and verse 30,
based on the dimensions of the Temple that are given to us regarding the size
of the inner sanctuary, Solomon used upwards of 25 tons of gold to overlay its
entire interior. At today’s price of around 1400 dollars per ounce, the cost of
overlaying the interior of the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem with gold, would come
to a staggering 1.12 billion dollars!
After setting up the Ark of the Covenant in
the inner sanctuary, the priests exited the Temple, and a cloud immediately filled
the entire structure, indicating “the very presence of the LORD HIMSELF” (1
Kings 8:10-11). Solomon understood the significance of the cloud as being a
visible manifestation of GOD, and it also indicated GOD’s personal approval of
the work that he had done on this most holy and imposing edifice.
Solomon
understood that it would be impossible to actually, physically, build a structure
that would be big enough, or, worthy enough, to be a “house for GOD” to abide
in. However, he intended, through all of his extravagance, that it would be accepted
by GOD, just as the Tabernacle built by Moses was, as a symbolic place where
GOD’s magnificence and glory could be felt, or, spiritually experienced, by HIS
people here on earth. Solomon says in verses 12-13 “O LORD, YOU have said
that YOU would live in thick darkness. But I have built a glorious Temple for
YOU, where YOU can live forever!”
Here Solomon is saying that he wanted to always
reflect GOD’s glory and magnificence in the Temple, in fact, “for as long as humanly
possible”. He understood that he couldn’t build a box for GOD to reside in, but
rather, the Temple was to be “a place where “GOD’s name” would be sincerely
honored” forever (from generation to generation) (v.20b).
In verses 14-21 Solomon turns and addresses
the entire community of Israel with his blessings before the LORD. Here he
expresses deep humility and thanks to GOD for HIS fulfillment of HIS promise to
his father David that “one of his sons would build HIM a house” (v.19). GOD had
been faithful, and Solomon glorified HIM for it.
The Temple of the LORD was primarily a
place for “Ark of the LORD’s Covenant” to be deposited and reside (v.21). It represented
“the Throne of GOD here on earth” and it housed the Covenant promises of GOD to
redeem HIS people. It is a vivid reminder of the direct connection between the “Mosiac”
and “Davidic” Covenants that would be ultimately fulfilled by CHRIST JESUS some
900 years later.
The timing of the dedication of the Temple
during the “Feast of the Tabernacle” forever stands as a testimony to GOD’s faithfulness
to those who choose to follow HIM into eternity.
However,
Solomon took this opportunity to express his own personal testimony to GOD’s faithfulness,
not only to Israel, but to him personally.
Church history will forever reflect GOD’s faithfulness
to HIS greatest creation, mankind. Even today, we as Christians can testify of
GOD’s faithfulness to us as individuals, and, just like Solomon, we need to
testify publicly, and then, actually show our gratefulness by reflecting JESUS’
human-life examples, through our behavior, to, and towards, each other. And just
as Solomon blessed the people of Israel in his day, we too, can also bless GOD’s
people in this, the twenty-first century. Amen.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
No comments:
Post a Comment