The Book of first kings

Chapter 8c

 

 

[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.

[55] And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
[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.
[57] The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
[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.
[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:
[60] That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
[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.

 

1)      Blessed Benediction (Vs 54-61)

 

A.     Purposeful Prayer

 

                        1. Arisen from the Altar

                                    On his knees (not commanded) but is a good thing

                                    Ez 9:5, Ps 95:6, Dan 6:10, Acts 7:60, Acts 9:40, Acts 20:36, Lk 22:41

 

B.     Pertinent Promises

 

                        1. Acknowledging

                                    Solomon stood to bless the people, but first blessed the Lord

                                    Began to glorify God and Praise God for His past performance and pleads for the future

                                                * 7487 promises in the scripture (read a Bible in 1 yr/ that’s 20/ promises a day

                        2. Asking

                                    ASK and it shall be given unto you  Mt 7:7

                                    “Maintain the cause” “mishpat”  Cause- Interest Num 27:5, Ps 140:12, Mi 7:9

                                    Solomon was Mission Minded and wanted God to bless the world thru Israel   

                        3. Addressing

                                    “Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God”

                                    Walk in his statues and keep his commandments


[62] And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
[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.
[64] The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

 

2)      Bountiful Bloodshed (vs 62-64)

 

A.     Peace Offerings

 

                        1. 22,000 oxen (14 day period X 24 hours/day X 60 min=20,160 minutes) 1.09 oxen/minute

                        2. 120,000 sheep (14 day period X 24 hours/day X 60 min=20,160 minutes) 5.9 oxen/minute

                        3. Can you imagine the number of paschal lambs offered each year for sins of the people?

 

B.     Preparations

 

                        1. The brazen altar was too little (100sq yd)for all of the sacrifices (Peace, burnt, meat & fat offerings)

                        2. Choked the sewers of the temple with blood

                        3. Solomon hallowed, consecrated the middle court of the temple for so much bloodshed

                        4. What a time of sacrifice!

                        5. Fat offering & peace offering- The flesh is to be eaten and the fat burnt on the altar and the blood shed

 

C.     Principle

 

                        1. Jesus is the one sacrifice we need (Heb 9:12-14,28; Heb 10:9-14) for salvation

                        2. We should lay our lives as a sacrifice (Rom 12:1)


[65] And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
[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.

 

           

3)      Beautiful Beholdings (Vs 65,66)

 

A.     Great Congregation

 

                        1. Feast of Tabernacles

                                    Lev 23:34 (7 feasts- Passover, unleavened bread, firstfruits, Pentecost, trumpets, atonement, tabernacles)

                                2. Dedication of Temple

                                    People gathering to celebrate the feast and dedication from all over

                                    (Hamath) Israeli Border of Palestine to the Red Sea or the Nile Israeli border at Egypt

                        3. The feast lasted 1 week longer than normal (1st wk dedication 2nd week feast of tabernacles)

                                    1st week Dedication feast and then on the 15th of 7th month 2nd week feast of tabernacles

                                    Then on the 8th day after the second week (which would be the 23rd) (2 Chr 7:8-10)

                                    What a day when we get to heaven and sit at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

 

B.     Goodness of the Lord

 

                        1. The king sent the people away

                        2. The people blessed the king

                        3. They were joyful and glad of heart for the goodness of the Lord

                                                Goodness performed to David and to the people