The Dedication Of The Temple
1 Kings 8:1-9:28; 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:22
Focus On: 1 Kings 8:3-6, 10, 11, 18-20, 22, 23, 33, 34, 46-51, 63, 66
In our last lesson we saw part of the construction of the Temple and it's furnishings.
It took seven years from start to finish in the construction of the Temple, not for the lack of skills but only because of the lack of modern machinery.
And as brother Buddy can attest to, it would have taken a great skill to assemble material that was custom made and processed in so many different places.
This glorious Temple built under the direction of King Solomon had as one of it's purposes to be a witness to the world in that day.
Since God will not live in temples made by hands but only in temples that He constructs Himself, we that are saved have this same purpose, to be a witness of the glory of God to this world we live in!
So now it was time to "dedicate" this marvelous Temple.
To "dedicate" this Temple meant "to set it apart for God's use"!
It was not just the building itself that was dedicated for God's use. It was the building, all the furniture, all the vessels, all the altars, and all the tools that were a part of this glorious Temple.
Another word for this "dedication" would be "sanctification".
The Temple of Solomon could only be dedicated one time.
The Temple of Solomon could never be perfect.
We know that God will not live in man made structures but He will live in a "Born Again" child of God and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to take that dedicated child of God on to perfection!
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
These temples that are made by the hands of God are built upon our own "Faith"!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
So let's see the dedication process for the Temple of Solomon and relate what we see to each Christian.
*****1Ki 8:3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
1Ki 8:4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
We must realize that this entire Temple complex and all the things associated with it were designed to house the Ark of the Covenant.
It was the Ark that was the symbol of God's presence and without the presence of God, this Temple would be just a building and of no use for the work of God!
King David had made the mistake of moving the Ark in his own way the first time and not obeying the Word of God and it had caused the death of a good man, Solomon was not about to make that same mistake.
God had said the Ark could only be moved one way.
Num 3:30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
Num 3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
Num 3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
The movement of the Ark had to coincide with the proper time.
This was not only the time of the Feast of the Tabernacles but it also fell a Jubilee year and the fulfillment of the words of Moses!
Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
Deu 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
It was in Jerusalem where God chose to have the Temple that was built by Solomon.
It was also the time of the Jubilee that is considered the acceptable year of the Lord:
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
We know that Jesus Christ also used this same passage when He began His ministry.
So the purpose of the Temple was:
1) To provide a fixed place for all the Nation of Israel to worship.
2) To provide a central place where all the tribes of Israel could assemble at the time of the three feast as directed by God to preserve the unity of Israel.
This was the place to meet Jehovah.
This was the place to offer sacrifices, the blood atonement, the propitiation.
This was the place to meet the Priests, the intermediary between Jehovah and the people.
This was the place to meet Jehovah at the right time which was, daily, weekly, monthly, and especially yearly at the annual feast.
This was the place to learn how to approach God in the proper way.
3) This was the place that was to be a type of the buildings that God would build.
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
And as many as believed Word Of God showed up.
*****1Ki 8:5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
1Ki 8:6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
1Ki 8:7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
We need to remember that this entire Temple complex was designed to house the Ark of the Covenant and only then to become a house of prayer!
Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Isa 56:8 The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
The Temple was never to be just for the people of Israel but for all people. The Temple was never to be just some royal chapel nor become some tourist attraction.
It Jesus who showed God's wrath at what was taking place in the Temple in Jerusalem as He trained the disciples.
Mar 11:15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
Mar 11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
Mar 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
To the Church, the Ark emphasizes the "Person" of Jesus Christ just as the "Mercy Seat" portrayed by the Cross, emphasizes the "Purpose" of Jesus Christ!
The Cherubim on the Mercy Seat faced each other as a sign they observed the mysteries of God's Grace.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The Cherubim in the Holy of Holies faced the Holy Place where the congregation were, as a sign that they also observed the ministry of God's people.
1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
Once put in the Most Holy Place, the staves were withdrawn enough to guide the High Priests but not far enough to be seen by the congregation.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
*****1Ki 8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
Originally the Ark had contained not only the stone tablets but also the "golden pot that held manna" and also "Aaron's rod" that had budded but these had been removed leaving only the two stones.
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
The Ark has since disappeared and may never be found again!
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and "there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament": and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
This Ark was originally called the Ark of the Testament:
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon "the ark of the testimony", of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
It was then that God showed up!
This is the same Cloud of Glory that had filled the Tabernacle when it had been completed.
This cloud was the symbol of the divine presence of the Lord and a symbol of God's acceptance of the Temple as a place of worship.
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Just as Moses had been awestruck by this obvious sign of the presence of God, so it was with all of Israel this day of the Temple dedication.
*****1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
The glory of the Lord is known as the "shekinah".
Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Today in our churches it is that presence of the Holy Spirit!
Jo 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And in another parallel it is God's presence in each believer.
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Solomon spent a great price in building the first Temple but God paid an even greater price for the living temples He builds with the blood of His Son Jesus!
And so the Temple became a place where the divine glory of God is revealed to His people and just as Solomon establish his royal residence in sight of this Temple, the Lord Jesus will one day establish His residence in the New Jerusalem and become our Temple.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
It was not Solomon that had caused this to happen as much as it was his father King David.
*****1Ki 8:18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
1Ki 8:19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
1Ki 8:20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
On this day of dedication Solomon acted as King and High Priest in other words a royal priest, a priest that sat on a throne!
Solomon had rule over the civil power.
Solomon had rule over the priestly power.
Solomon had rule over the religious power all the days of his life.
Solomon was given a tremendous responsibility and Solomon failed!
BUT, on this day of dedication Solomon made the nation of Israel aware that God will always keep His promises!
God in His "Goodness" and His "Grace" had made a covenant with David concerning his family and this House of God.
What God speaks with His mouth, God accomplishes with His hands.
1Ki 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
What God promised to David, God fulfilled through Solomon.
But we must not believe that God did these things to glorify Solomon nor his father David.
God did these thing in honor of His own name Jehovah!
We can see the title LORD mentioned 14 times in this prayer of Solomon.
Solomon was very careful to give God the glory for what he had accomplished.
When we come together to worship we must remember why we came to the House of God for it must be to worship God, by the Holy Spirit and through His Son Jesus.
We must give God the glory for what He has done in our lives and even if God only saves us He has done much more than what we deserved!
We must also certainly never forget that when God makes promises, God uses people to fulfill those promises during this time of God's "Grace"!
Solomon rejoiced in his being the son of promise to his father David but the true Son of Promise is the Lord Jesus Christ!
Rom 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Solomon began his prayer of dedication while standing but Solomon just as soon went to his knees.
*****1Ki 8:22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
Our prayers are not to be a request only thing!
It is by Prayer that we have fellowship with the Lord.
It is by prayer that we have communion with God.
And it is by prayer that we are identified with God.
True prayer is a soul that knows who his true Father is and pours out his heart in loving devotion!
*****1Ki 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
There may be many religions in our world but there is only One Jehovah God.
Sure He is the God of Israel but He is also the God of joy of all those that believe but also the God of wrath to all those that do not believe!
There are many in our world that think they can loose their salvation but that could only happen if we did not have an Intercessor who is dedicated to keeping us saved!
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
The Lord Jesus is not just preparing us a place in our new home but He is also saving us to the uttermost so we can get there!
Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Even when we make a sinful mistake, and we all do, it is our Intercessor who restores us to fellowship when that fellowship is broken.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
No, there is no other god like unto the LORD!
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
All these things are just as true for the nation of Israel!
*****1Ki 8:33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
1Ki 8:34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
If we need a time piece to know where we are in Biblical fulfillment, then we need only to look toward Israel!
Israel has been restored as a nation and as small and as vulnerable as they are, Israel stands firmly and boldly before the world.
This is a sign to the "Born Again" Christian that we are also to stand boldly before the world!
Solomon recognized that Jehovah God rules all His creation and has complete provincial control of all nature and all of Heaven.
Solomon realized that prayer changes things!
If prayer could not change the outcome of things God would not teach us to pray!
The hope of Israel is the ultimate restoration of all things under the Messiah!
Mic 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
The hope of the Church is the Rapture!
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
The Rapture has not taken place and God is not through with Israel but these things get closer with every passing day.
Most all remaining prophesy concerns Israel as the Church could be removed at any moment!
*****1Ki 8:45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
1Ki 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
1Ki 8:47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
1Ki 8:48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
What is the truth of repentance?
To repent is to "bethink", which is to recall to the mind.
Repentance is a complete change of mind followed with a complete change of direction!
Repentance is not just saying I'm sorry!
And how are we to love the Lord?
Moses taught the children of Israel with these words:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Jesus taught the disciples:
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
God said the way to get restored after wickedness Israel would have to return to the Lord with all their heart and all their soul, even if they were in the land of their enemies!
This is a picture of the "Grace of God" and God tells the Church to do the very same thing!
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament!
And all these things come about when we pray.
*****1Ki 8:49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
1Ki 8:50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
1Ki 8:51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
How do we know that God will hear our prayers?
1st) Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
If we have not repented then we can be sure God will not hear our prayer!
2nd) If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins.
If we have confessed our sins we can be sure that God is listening to our prayers.
The truth is that God will answer every prayer that reaches into Heaven!
And, God will always provide the things that meets His will for our lives!
What is the will of God?
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Being able to get our prayers answered is the will of God!
Being filled with knowledge and understanding of God, we will have the wisdom of God's will for our lives.
Walking worthy of the Lord Jesus is being in the will of God!
We can know that our prayers will be answered if we belong to God!
Not one Word out of the mouth of God will ever fail!
*****1Ki 8:54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
1Ki 8:55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
1Ki 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
God had promised David that the reign of King Solomon would be a time of peace for the nation of Israel!
Joshua had seen the same thing as Solomon was seeing.
Jos 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
And if all the good things will always come true, then all the bad things will certainly be true when we ignore the Word of God!
Jos 23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
But what is the pure truth of God?
When we become part of the family of God, He will never leave us or forsake us!
1Sa 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
God will simply not ever do anything that goes against His own nature!
Why?
*****1Ki 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
1Ki 8:58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
1Ki 8:59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
1Ki 8:60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
If we will just walk in the ways of God's Word.
If we will just keep the two "royal commandments" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we will just study the Word of God we will be able to know how God deals with sin.
And all the world will know that the LORD, He is God!
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
There is no other way to be in the family of God except by Jesus Christ!
If we walk in His ways, then all the world will know that the LORD, He is God!
Not Allah, not Confucius, not Buddha, not any other false thing!
*****1Ki 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
1Ki 8:62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
1Ki 8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
The pure truth of the Lord is that He provides the needs that we require daily.
With the nation of Israel observing his actions, Solomon had prayed directly to the Lord.
Solomon was dedicating the new Temple to the Lord.
Now Solomon was asking the entire nation of Israel to rededicate themselves to the Lord.
It was a time of national revival and we need this in America today!
We need to let our hearts be as perfect as humanly possible with the Lord.
We need to walk in the statutes of the Lord, the "royal law" of Jesus Christ.
We need to keep all the commandments of God and see that no man-made laws are written that go against the statutes of God.
And We Must Then Sacrifice Ourselves To The Lord!
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We can see that a godly national leader can have a tremendous impact on the any nation.
We must dedicate ourselves to the Lord!
We must dedicate our places of worship to the Lord!
We must dedicate our Nation to the Lord!
*****1Ki 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
A nation that knows Jehovah God will truly be blessed and they will know it!
A nation that knows the Lord will also be a blessing to it's leaders.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Today we find America is even more divided than it was at the time of the Civil War!
AND, it is not because of States Rights as it was in those days though that is a major part of it.
It is not because of slavery because slavery does not exist in that form today in America even though it is still in much of the world.
America is divided because we do not follow the statutes and the commandments of God!
America is divided because our national leaders do not accept the Word of God as the basic tool for humanity!
America is divided because God's people have allowed Satan's worldly system to dominate over the truth of God!
Solomon dismissed Israel to go back home hoping they would return to the ways of God.
Our leader has dismissed America in all things, because he has exalted himself above not only the office that he holds but he has exalted himself above God!
We "may" get one more opportunity to use our vote to change things but if we fail once again we may never have that same opportunity again!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
1 Kings 8:1-9:28; 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:22
Focus On: 1 Kings 8:3-6, 10, 11, 18-20, 22, 23, 33, 34, 46-51, 63, 66
In our last lesson we saw part of the construction of the Temple and it's furnishings.
It took seven years from start to finish in the construction of the Temple, not for the lack of skills but only because of the lack of modern machinery.
And as brother Buddy can attest to, it would have taken a great skill to assemble material that was custom made and processed in so many different places.
This glorious Temple built under the direction of King Solomon had as one of it's purposes to be a witness to the world in that day.
Since God will not live in temples made by hands but only in temples that He constructs Himself, we that are saved have this same purpose, to be a witness of the glory of God to this world we live in!
So now it was time to "dedicate" this marvelous Temple.
To "dedicate" this Temple meant "to set it apart for God's use"!
It was not just the building itself that was dedicated for God's use. It was the building, all the furniture, all the vessels, all the altars, and all the tools that were a part of this glorious Temple.
Another word for this "dedication" would be "sanctification".
The Temple of Solomon could only be dedicated one time.
The Temple of Solomon could never be perfect.
We know that God will not live in man made structures but He will live in a "Born Again" child of God and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to take that dedicated child of God on to perfection!
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
These temples that are made by the hands of God are built upon our own "Faith"!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
So let's see the dedication process for the Temple of Solomon and relate what we see to each Christian.
*****1Ki 8:3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
1Ki 8:4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
We must realize that this entire Temple complex and all the things associated with it were designed to house the Ark of the Covenant.
It was the Ark that was the symbol of God's presence and without the presence of God, this Temple would be just a building and of no use for the work of God!
King David had made the mistake of moving the Ark in his own way the first time and not obeying the Word of God and it had caused the death of a good man, Solomon was not about to make that same mistake.
God had said the Ark could only be moved one way.
Num 3:30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
Num 3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
Num 3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
The movement of the Ark had to coincide with the proper time.
This was not only the time of the Feast of the Tabernacles but it also fell a Jubilee year and the fulfillment of the words of Moses!
Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
Deu 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
It was in Jerusalem where God chose to have the Temple that was built by Solomon.
It was also the time of the Jubilee that is considered the acceptable year of the Lord:
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
We know that Jesus Christ also used this same passage when He began His ministry.
So the purpose of the Temple was:
1) To provide a fixed place for all the Nation of Israel to worship.
2) To provide a central place where all the tribes of Israel could assemble at the time of the three feast as directed by God to preserve the unity of Israel.
This was the place to meet Jehovah.
This was the place to offer sacrifices, the blood atonement, the propitiation.
This was the place to meet the Priests, the intermediary between Jehovah and the people.
This was the place to meet Jehovah at the right time which was, daily, weekly, monthly, and especially yearly at the annual feast.
This was the place to learn how to approach God in the proper way.
3) This was the place that was to be a type of the buildings that God would build.
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
And as many as believed Word Of God showed up.
*****1Ki 8:5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
1Ki 8:6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
1Ki 8:7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
We need to remember that this entire Temple complex was designed to house the Ark of the Covenant and only then to become a house of prayer!
Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Isa 56:8 The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
The Temple was never to be just for the people of Israel but for all people. The Temple was never to be just some royal chapel nor become some tourist attraction.
It Jesus who showed God's wrath at what was taking place in the Temple in Jerusalem as He trained the disciples.
Mar 11:15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
Mar 11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
Mar 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
To the Church, the Ark emphasizes the "Person" of Jesus Christ just as the "Mercy Seat" portrayed by the Cross, emphasizes the "Purpose" of Jesus Christ!
The Cherubim on the Mercy Seat faced each other as a sign they observed the mysteries of God's Grace.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The Cherubim in the Holy of Holies faced the Holy Place where the congregation were, as a sign that they also observed the ministry of God's people.
1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
Once put in the Most Holy Place, the staves were withdrawn enough to guide the High Priests but not far enough to be seen by the congregation.
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
*****1Ki 8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
Originally the Ark had contained not only the stone tablets but also the "golden pot that held manna" and also "Aaron's rod" that had budded but these had been removed leaving only the two stones.
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
The Ark has since disappeared and may never be found again!
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and "there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament": and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
This Ark was originally called the Ark of the Testament:
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon "the ark of the testimony", of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
It was then that God showed up!
This is the same Cloud of Glory that had filled the Tabernacle when it had been completed.
This cloud was the symbol of the divine presence of the Lord and a symbol of God's acceptance of the Temple as a place of worship.
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Just as Moses had been awestruck by this obvious sign of the presence of God, so it was with all of Israel this day of the Temple dedication.
*****1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
The glory of the Lord is known as the "shekinah".
Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Today in our churches it is that presence of the Holy Spirit!
Jo 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And in another parallel it is God's presence in each believer.
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Solomon spent a great price in building the first Temple but God paid an even greater price for the living temples He builds with the blood of His Son Jesus!
And so the Temple became a place where the divine glory of God is revealed to His people and just as Solomon establish his royal residence in sight of this Temple, the Lord Jesus will one day establish His residence in the New Jerusalem and become our Temple.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
It was not Solomon that had caused this to happen as much as it was his father King David.
*****1Ki 8:18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
1Ki 8:19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
1Ki 8:20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
On this day of dedication Solomon acted as King and High Priest in other words a royal priest, a priest that sat on a throne!
Solomon had rule over the civil power.
Solomon had rule over the priestly power.
Solomon had rule over the religious power all the days of his life.
Solomon was given a tremendous responsibility and Solomon failed!
BUT, on this day of dedication Solomon made the nation of Israel aware that God will always keep His promises!
God in His "Goodness" and His "Grace" had made a covenant with David concerning his family and this House of God.
What God speaks with His mouth, God accomplishes with His hands.
1Ki 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
What God promised to David, God fulfilled through Solomon.
But we must not believe that God did these things to glorify Solomon nor his father David.
God did these thing in honor of His own name Jehovah!
We can see the title LORD mentioned 14 times in this prayer of Solomon.
Solomon was very careful to give God the glory for what he had accomplished.
When we come together to worship we must remember why we came to the House of God for it must be to worship God, by the Holy Spirit and through His Son Jesus.
We must give God the glory for what He has done in our lives and even if God only saves us He has done much more than what we deserved!
We must also certainly never forget that when God makes promises, God uses people to fulfill those promises during this time of God's "Grace"!
Solomon rejoiced in his being the son of promise to his father David but the true Son of Promise is the Lord Jesus Christ!
Rom 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Solomon began his prayer of dedication while standing but Solomon just as soon went to his knees.
*****1Ki 8:22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
Our prayers are not to be a request only thing!
It is by Prayer that we have fellowship with the Lord.
It is by prayer that we have communion with God.
And it is by prayer that we are identified with God.
True prayer is a soul that knows who his true Father is and pours out his heart in loving devotion!
*****1Ki 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
There may be many religions in our world but there is only One Jehovah God.
Sure He is the God of Israel but He is also the God of joy of all those that believe but also the God of wrath to all those that do not believe!
There are many in our world that think they can loose their salvation but that could only happen if we did not have an Intercessor who is dedicated to keeping us saved!
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
The Lord Jesus is not just preparing us a place in our new home but He is also saving us to the uttermost so we can get there!
Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Even when we make a sinful mistake, and we all do, it is our Intercessor who restores us to fellowship when that fellowship is broken.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
No, there is no other god like unto the LORD!
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
All these things are just as true for the nation of Israel!
*****1Ki 8:33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
1Ki 8:34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
If we need a time piece to know where we are in Biblical fulfillment, then we need only to look toward Israel!
Israel has been restored as a nation and as small and as vulnerable as they are, Israel stands firmly and boldly before the world.
This is a sign to the "Born Again" Christian that we are also to stand boldly before the world!
Solomon recognized that Jehovah God rules all His creation and has complete provincial control of all nature and all of Heaven.
Solomon realized that prayer changes things!
If prayer could not change the outcome of things God would not teach us to pray!
The hope of Israel is the ultimate restoration of all things under the Messiah!
Mic 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
The hope of the Church is the Rapture!
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
The Rapture has not taken place and God is not through with Israel but these things get closer with every passing day.
Most all remaining prophesy concerns Israel as the Church could be removed at any moment!
*****1Ki 8:45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
1Ki 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
1Ki 8:47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
1Ki 8:48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
What is the truth of repentance?
To repent is to "bethink", which is to recall to the mind.
Repentance is a complete change of mind followed with a complete change of direction!
Repentance is not just saying I'm sorry!
And how are we to love the Lord?
Moses taught the children of Israel with these words:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Jesus taught the disciples:
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
God said the way to get restored after wickedness Israel would have to return to the Lord with all their heart and all their soul, even if they were in the land of their enemies!
This is a picture of the "Grace of God" and God tells the Church to do the very same thing!
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament!
And all these things come about when we pray.
*****1Ki 8:49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
1Ki 8:50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
1Ki 8:51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
How do we know that God will hear our prayers?
1st) Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
If we have not repented then we can be sure God will not hear our prayer!
2nd) If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins.
If we have confessed our sins we can be sure that God is listening to our prayers.
The truth is that God will answer every prayer that reaches into Heaven!
And, God will always provide the things that meets His will for our lives!
What is the will of God?
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Being able to get our prayers answered is the will of God!
Being filled with knowledge and understanding of God, we will have the wisdom of God's will for our lives.
Walking worthy of the Lord Jesus is being in the will of God!
We can know that our prayers will be answered if we belong to God!
Not one Word out of the mouth of God will ever fail!
*****1Ki 8:54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
1Ki 8:55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
1Ki 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
God had promised David that the reign of King Solomon would be a time of peace for the nation of Israel!
Joshua had seen the same thing as Solomon was seeing.
Jos 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
And if all the good things will always come true, then all the bad things will certainly be true when we ignore the Word of God!
Jos 23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
But what is the pure truth of God?
When we become part of the family of God, He will never leave us or forsake us!
1Sa 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
God will simply not ever do anything that goes against His own nature!
Why?
*****1Ki 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
1Ki 8:58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
1Ki 8:59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
1Ki 8:60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
If we will just walk in the ways of God's Word.
If we will just keep the two "royal commandments" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we will just study the Word of God we will be able to know how God deals with sin.
And all the world will know that the LORD, He is God!
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
There is no other way to be in the family of God except by Jesus Christ!
If we walk in His ways, then all the world will know that the LORD, He is God!
Not Allah, not Confucius, not Buddha, not any other false thing!
*****1Ki 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
1Ki 8:62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
1Ki 8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
The pure truth of the Lord is that He provides the needs that we require daily.
With the nation of Israel observing his actions, Solomon had prayed directly to the Lord.
Solomon was dedicating the new Temple to the Lord.
Now Solomon was asking the entire nation of Israel to rededicate themselves to the Lord.
It was a time of national revival and we need this in America today!
We need to let our hearts be as perfect as humanly possible with the Lord.
We need to walk in the statutes of the Lord, the "royal law" of Jesus Christ.
We need to keep all the commandments of God and see that no man-made laws are written that go against the statutes of God.
And We Must Then Sacrifice Ourselves To The Lord!
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We can see that a godly national leader can have a tremendous impact on the any nation.
We must dedicate ourselves to the Lord!
We must dedicate our places of worship to the Lord!
We must dedicate our Nation to the Lord!
*****1Ki 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
A nation that knows Jehovah God will truly be blessed and they will know it!
A nation that knows the Lord will also be a blessing to it's leaders.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Today we find America is even more divided than it was at the time of the Civil War!
AND, it is not because of States Rights as it was in those days though that is a major part of it.
It is not because of slavery because slavery does not exist in that form today in America even though it is still in much of the world.
America is divided because we do not follow the statutes and the commandments of God!
America is divided because our national leaders do not accept the Word of God as the basic tool for humanity!
America is divided because God's people have allowed Satan's worldly system to dominate over the truth of God!
Solomon dismissed Israel to go back home hoping they would return to the ways of God.
Our leader has dismissed America in all things, because he has exalted himself above not only the office that he holds but he has exalted himself above God!
We "may" get one more opportunity to use our vote to change things but if we fail once again we may never have that same opportunity again!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
