NL 308: Solomon's Temple

image: “Solomon’s Temple-City of David”(Wikimedia)

1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:1-13

Initial Thoughts

  • 1 Kings 5 is different in Hebrew Bible than Christian Bibles

    • In the Hebrew Bible 1 King 5:1-12 are included at the end of chapter 4, not in chapter 5

  • Dedication of the Temple, highly edited by lectionary readings.

  • What gets skipped?

    • Details about getting the chest from where David kept it to the Temple.

    • Physical description of Holy of Holies.

    • Solomon paying tribute to God and David’s relationship.

    • Solomon appealing to God’s justice in dealing with righteous and wicked.

    • History lesson about Moses.

  • Also not included in this reading: 1 Kings 4:6

Bible Study

  • Introduction parts

    • Public leadership (as opposed to last week, which was a private exchange)

    • Designates the inner sanctum of the Temple as the “Most Holy Place”

    • Reveals that God’s presence is real - smoke, mist so thick the priests cannot see.

  • Nature of public prayer

    • Communicates to God

      • Praise and thanksgiving.

      • Gives praise for eternal and all-powerful nature of God.

      • Reminds God of the promises, and thanks God for fulfilling them.

      • Please for continued relationship, and for God to hear the prayers of the people.

      • Asks for forgiveness, when needed.

    • Communicates to People

      • Teaching, reminders, and confession.

      • Reminds people of relationship between God and David, who is “My Father.”

        • Reinforces Solomon's rightful place as King.

      • Reminds people that “I” am the one that built the Temple.

    • Solomon aligned himself politically and spiritually with God. All of the action is of God, through David, then through Solomon, then to the people.

  • God’s Dwelling Place?

    • Solomon makes it explicit that God is not living here. “But how could God possibly live on earth? If heaven, even the highest heaven, can't contain you, how can this temple that I've built contain you?” (1 Kings 8:27)

    • This is not about containing God, it is about giving access to God to the people.

    • The place of worship is a place that the people may encounter God, not a place where God is contained. This is in contrast to how many other ancients understood their temples.

Thoughts and Questions

  • Add a reading of 1 Kings 9:15-18

  • In what ways do our churches facilitate access to God? Our buildings do not exist to contain God, nor to be a gateway to heaven, but to facilitate and help people connect with God

  • How does your pastoral prayer look like Solomon’s speech? What is good about public prayer? What is the problem with it? What does public confession look like? What place does confession have in corporate worship?

  • Where does God live? What is special about a church? A sanctuary? The candles that are lit? The big Bible on the Table? Is there something about a church sanctuary that is more holy than other places? What activities should happen here?

  • How do we treat immigrants? This can be taken on the very modern national level. If we call ourselves a Christian nation, founded on the laws of the Old Testament, how does that affect the way we treat immigrants? If believe, as Solomon says, that people will come from  “a distant country because of your reputation—because they will hear of your great reputation, your great power, and your outstretched arm,” will we then, as is commanded, “do everything the immigrant asks.”

    • If you do not want to take the national route, then what about “immigrants” in your community? New people in town, new people in church? New ideas in your own thought processes?

Year 3Eric Fistler1 KingsComment