I Kings 8-9 Lesson # 3
I. Introduction:
We are told in I Kings 6-7 that Solomon built the Temple in seven years. Next, we are told that Solomon built his palace, the justice hall and a palace for the King of Pharaoh’ daughter in 13 years. It was only after 20 years that the utensils and furnishings for the Temple were completed. So during all of those years the people worship primarily at the “High Places”. These high places were to become a snare for the people in the years to come.
Chapter 8 is after those 20 years.
II. The dedication of the Temple: Chapter 8.
A. The quiz
Take the Quiz on chapters 8 and 9.
Answer all the quiz questions
Break into groups of 2 or at the most 3. Discuss questions 3 and 4.
B. Bringing Ark into the Temple: 8:1-11
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:1-2
Note: The date chosen for all the leaders of Israel to gather was the third of the three festivals: the feast of Tabernacles. This was one of three times when all the people were to appear before Yahweh: Feast of Passover (early Spring), Feast of Pentecost (early summer), and the Feast of Tabernacles (in late Summer).
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:3-5.
Q What was the occasion?
An = They brought the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple. The whole crowd was around the Ark as the priests carried it.
Q What was done outside the Temple in an extensive fashion that it could not be counted or tallied?
An = They were sacrificing innumerable animals. Sheep and cattle were very expensive sacrifices whereas the common Israelite would bring a quart of grain.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:6-11
Note: The Ark was placed under the Cherubim. I Kings says there was nothing in the Ark but the stone tablets. See Dt. 10:2-5 and Dt. 4:13.
>>>>Have someone read Dt. 10:2-5 and Dt. 4:13.
>>>>Have someone read Hebrews 9:4.
Q What does the cloud represent in verses 10 and 11?
An = Let them answer, and then look at Exodus 40:34.
C. Solomon’s Speech to the People: I Kings 8:12-21.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:12-21.
Q What is the main point of Solomon’s speech to the people, why is Solomon blessing the LORD?
Q Why is God’s promise to David about his son building God a house stressed?
Q What characteristic of God or attribute of God is being praised?
An = God has kept His promises. He has kept His Word.
Q Why is the cloud mentioned in connection with Ark of the Covenant?
An = It is interesting that only the stone tablets are mentioned (8:9) and then mention of the Cloud. Davis says a great theme that goes through out the Bible is being stressed here. God makes His will known in the giving of the Ten Commandments, but His full glory is hidden by the cloud. Mystery and revelation are wedded.
Q Do we know all we wish to know about God?
Break into your groups again and discuss what you do not know about God and what you wish you knew or why He does or does not do certain things.
Q Is it important in any relationship what the other person values and wants?
An = I find it frustrating dealing with passive aggressive people. You have to guess what they are mad about and dislike. Good friends openly tell people their desires and displeasures. God is telling us what He values and what He wants.
Note: There is another issue at stake, and it is the Ark of the Covenant, the “Ark of the Marriage” that is being carried into the Temple. Write that on the board. The Ten Commandments are the covenant stipulations or the marriage vows when Israel gets married to God. Our riddle of why only the stone tablets are mentioned could be to stress that Israel is in relationship to God, she is married to the Lord of the Universe. The “vows” or the definition of the marriage is what is represented in the tablets. We take certain, specific vows when we get married and this is what is stressed here. When we get married to God, His Word defines the relationship, not our word.
D. Solomon’s Speech to God: His Prayer, I Kings 8:22-53.
Note: Before we begin the prayer it might help to see an overview of chapter 8. I have borrowed this from Davis, p. 80.
I. Celebration and Sacrifice: 1-13
II. Blessing Israel and Yahweh: 14-21
III. Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication: 22-53
IV. Blessing Israel and Yahweh: 54-61
V. Celebration and Sacrifice: 62-66.
Note: It opend and closed with Celebration and Sacrifice (1-13 and 62-66) and then directly surrounding the Prayer was Solomon Blessing Israel and Yahweh (14-21 and 54-61). The center of the chapter is the Prayer (22-53).
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:22-24.
Q Why did Solomon call the LORD incomparable and distinct from all the other gods?
An = Unlike the fickle gods of the ancient world, Yahweh kept His promises and was loyal to His covenant. Specifically, God kept His word to David about the Temple being built by one of David’s sons.
Q How important is keeping our word in a relationship?
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:25-26.
Q What was Solomon asking for and on what attribute of the LORD’s character was Solomon basing his request on.
An = Yahweh is a God who keeps His promises.
Q Is it OK to pray that way today? Can you give the class some examples you have prayed when you reminded God of who He is and then proceeded to ask Him to act.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:27-30.
Q Did Solomon believe that the Temple contains God in 8:27?
Q What was the primary thing that Solomon wanted God to do in 8:28-30.
Note: in verse 30 another agenda is introduced: forgive.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:31-32.
Q What is the primary theme of these two verses?
An = May the people realize that when they sin against their neighbor and are made to take an oath, may they realize that judgment will fall if their break their oath.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:33-40.
Q What was Solomon asking for three times?
Q How did Solomon conceive of the purpose of the Temple?
An = It was to be a house of prayer when we are suffering because of our sins, when we are judged and when we repent. We are then to come to God at the Temple, repent and then ask for forgiveness. Of course, remembering that any vows we make are made before God (31-32).
Q Should we stress this from the pulpit as one of the reasons we are to come to church? Is repentance a key thing we should anticipate doing when we come to worship?
An = We should encourage people that when we confess that we are not telling God anything He does not already know (39) and that should lead us to fear Him and so stay in the blessings of God.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:44-53
Q Before we go to battle why should we pray for forgiveness?
An = because we are sinners (46). When we suffer for our sins, and we are again in a foreign land or in captivity we are to repent and pray (47). Solomon asked God to hear their prayers, forgive and have compassion (48-50).
Q What was Solomon reminding God of in 8:51-53?
An = He is God and He keeps covenant and it started when God rescued them from the captivity of Egypt. After they were saved they became His people and His personal and special part of the peoples of the earth. We are to remember the Covenant; we are to remember our past. “For they shall be my people and I shall be their God”.
Solomon was banking on God’s attribute of keeping His promises and the people were to keep their end of the bargain.
F. The Final Celebration: I Kings 8:62-66.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 8:62-66.
Note: The Israelites went to their homes “joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David….” Verse 66 shows the joy that comes when we know we have connections to the past.
III. God’s Response to the Dedication of the Temple: 9:1-9.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 9:1-9.
Q In the LORD’s second appearance to Solomon was He pleased with what Solomon had done?
An = He heard Solomon’s request and promised to put His Name there and His eyes and heart will continually be there (9:3).
Q If Solomon will walk before Him with integrity like his father what is the promise made to Solomon?
An = His dynasty will last past his own life. We all want what good we have done to go on past our own death (4-5).
Q What is longer, the warning in verses 6-9, the promise in verses 4-5 or the acceptance of the Solomon’s request in verse 3? What does this mean?
An = The necessity of obedience tops everything. All they have will be lost, if they do not stay loyal to Him and keep His commandments.
IV. The Mid-Point Description of Solomon’s reign: I Kings 9:10-28.
A. The Relationship of Solomon and Hiram King of type.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 9:10-14.
Q Was the relationship an equal partnership?
B. The Relationship between Pharaoh and Solomon
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 9:15-18.
Note: The southern parts of the country which bordered Egypt were intermixed with what Pharaoh did and what Solomon built and where Solomon got all his laborers.
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 9:19-23.
Q Where did all the work force come from?
Q Were Israelites involved? If Israelites were involved, in what capacity?
>>>>Have someone read I Kings 9:24-28
Note: Pharaoh’s daughter is mentioned again.
Q What business was Solomon involved with 26-28?
Note: Davis notes that the word “to build” occurs nine times in chapter 9 and it lightly holds the whole chapter together and the two sections 1-9 and 10-28 both begin with Solomon finishing the building of the Temple.
V. Addendum: Comparing the Prayer in I Kings 8 with the Prayer in Genesis 18:23-33.
Lot lived in Sodom and 2 angels were going to visit there to see if it was as wicked as the report of it. Break into your small groups.
1) First read Genesis 18:16-21.
2) Second read Genesis 18:22-33.
3) Who heard the prayer of Genesis 18 compared with I Kings 8?
4) What was purpose of the prayer in I Kings 8 and what was the Abraham’s prayer in Genesis 18.
5) Who was being prayed for? How do those being prayed for differ from one another?