The
building and furniture of the temple were very glorious, but the dedication
of it exceeds in glory as much as prayer and praise, the work of saints,
exceed the casting of metal and the graving of stones, the work of the
craftsman. The temple was designed for the keeping up of the correspondence
between God and his people; and here we have an account of the solemnity of
their first meeting there. I. The representatives of all
Israel
were called together (ver. 1, 2), to keep a
feast to the honour of God, for fourteen days, ver. 65. II. The priests
brought the ark into the most holy place, and fixed it there, ver. 3-9. III.
God took possession of it by a cloud, ver. 10, 11. IV. Solomon, with
thankful acknowledgments to God, informed the people touching the occasion
of their meeting, ver. 12-21. V. In a long prayer he recommended to God's
gracious acceptance all the prayers that should be made in or towards this
place, ver. 22-53. VI. He dismissed the assembly with a blessing and an
exhortation, ver. 54-61. VII. He offered abundance of sacrifices, on which
he and his people feasted, and so parted, with great satisfaction, ver.
62-66. These were
Israel
's golden days, days of the Son of man in
type.
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The
Dedication of the Temple.
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B.
C. 1003.
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1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of
Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the
children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up
the ark of the covenant of the LORD
out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the
men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the
month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the
elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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,
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 temple, though richly beautified, yet while it was without the ark was
like a body without a soul, or a candlestick without a candle, or (to speak
more properly) a house without an inhabitant. All the cost and pains
bestowed on this stately structure are lost if God do not accept them; and,
unless he please to own it as the place where he will record his name, it is
after all but a ruinous heap. When therefore all the work is ended (ch.
vii. 51), the one thing needful is yet behind, and that is the
bringing in of the ark. This therefore is the end which must crown the work,
and which here we have an account of the doing of with great solemnity.
I. Solomon presides in this service, as David did in the bringing up of the
ark to Jerusalem; and neither of them thought it below him to follow the ark
nor to lead the people in their attendance on it. Solomon glories in the
title of the preacher (Eccl. i. 1), and the master of assemblies,
Eccl. xii. 11. This great assembly he summons (v. 1), and he is the
centre of it, for to him they all assembled (v. 2) at the feast in
the seventh month, namely, the feast of tabernacles, which was appointed
on the fifteenth day of that month, Lev. xxiii. 34. David, like a very good
man, brings the ark to a convenient place, near him; Solomon, like a
very great man, brings it to a magnificent place. As every man
has received the gift, so let him minister; and let children proceed in
God's service where their parents left off.
II. All Israel attend the service, their judges and the chief of their
tribes and families, all their officers, civil and military, and (as they
speak in the north) the heads of their clans. A convention of these might
well be called an assembly of all Israel. These came together, on
this occasion, 1. To do honour to Solomon, and to return him the thanks of
the nation for all the good offices he had done in kindness to them. 2. To
do honour to the ark, to pay respect to it, and testify their universal joy
and satisfaction in its settlement. The advancement of the ark in external
splendour, though it has often proved too strong a temptation to its
hypocritical followers, yet, because it may prove an advantage to its true
interests, is to be rejoiced in (with trembling) by all that wish well to
it. Public mercies call for public acknowledgments. Those that appeared
before the Lord did not appear empty, for they all sacrificed sheep and oxen
innumerable, v. 5. The people in Solomon's time were very rich, very
easy, and very cheerful, and therefore it was fit that, on this occasion,
they should consecrate not only their cheerfulness, but a part of their
wealth, to God and his honour.
III. The priests do their part of the service. In the wilderness, the
Levites were to carry the ark, because then there were not priests enough to
do it; but here (it being the last time that the ark was to be carried) the
priests themselves did it, as they were ordered to do when it surrounded
Jericho. We are here told, 1. What was in the ark, nothing but the two
tables of stone (v. 9), a treasure far exceeding all the dedicated
things both of David and Solomon. The pot of manna and Aaron's rod were by
the ark, but not in it. 2. What was brought up with the ark (v.
4): The tabernacle of the congregation. It is probable that both that
which Moses set up in the wilderness, which was in Gibeon, and that which
David pitched in Zion, were brought to the temple, to which they did, as it
were, surrender all their holiness, merging it in that of the temple, which
must henceforward be the place where God must be sought unto. Thus will all
the church's holy things on earth, that are so much its joy and glory, be
swallowed up in the perfection of holiness above. 3. Where it was fixed in
its place, the place appointed for its rest after all its wanderings (v.
6): In the oracle of the house, whence they expected God to speak to
them, even in the most holy place, which was made so by the presence of the
ark, under the wings of the great cherubim which Solomon set
up (ch. vi. 27), signifying the special protection of angels, under
which God's ordinances and the assemblies of his people are taken. The
staves of the ark were drawn out, so as to be seen from under the wings of
the cherubim, to direct the high priest to the mercy-seat, over the ark,
when he went in, once a year, to sprinkle the blood there; so that still
they continued of some use, though there was no longer occasion for them to
carry it by.
IV. God graciously owns what is done and testifies his acceptance of it, v.
10, 11. The priests might come into the most holy place till God manifested
his glory there; but, thenceforward, none might, at their peril, approach
the ark, except the high priest, on the day of atonement. Therefore it was
not till the priests had come out of the oracle that the Shechinah
took possession of it, in a cloud, which filled not only the most holy
place, but the temple, so that the priests who burnt incense at the golden
altar could not bear it. By this visible emanation of the divine glory, 1.
God put an honour upon the ark, and owned it as a token of his presence. The
glory of it had been long diminished and eclipsed by its frequent removes,
the meanness of its lodging, and its being exposed too much to common view;
but God will now show that it is as dear to him as ever, and he will have it
looked upon with as much veneration as it was when Moses first brought it
into his tabernacle. 2. He testified his acceptance of the building and
furnishing of the temple as good service done to his name and his kingdom
among men. 3. He struck an awe upon this great assembly; and, by what they
saw, confirmed their belief of what they read in the books of Moses
concerning the glory of God's appearance to their fathers, that hereby they
might be kept close to the service of the God of Israel and fortified
against temptations to idolatry. 4. He showed himself ready to hear the
prayer Solomon was now about to make; and not only so, but took up his
residence in this house, that all his praying people might there be
encouraged to make their applications to him. But the glory of God appeared
in a cloud, a dark cloud, to signify, (1.) The darkness of that dispensation
in comparison with the light of the gospel, by which, with open face, we
behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord. (2.) The darkness of our
present state in comparison with the vision of God, which will be the
happiness of heaven, where the divine glory is unveiled. Now we can only say
what he is not, but then we shall see him as he is.
12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD
said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I have surely
built thee a house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for
ever. 14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the
congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
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, 16 Since the day that
I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all
the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be therein; but I
chose David to be over my people Israel. 17 And it was in the
heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD
God of Israel. 18 And the LORD
said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build a house
unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 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.
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 a house for the name of the LORD
God of Israel. 21 And I have set there a place for the ark,
wherein is the covenant of the LORD,
which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of
Egypt.
Here, I. Solomon encourages the priests, who came out of the temple from
their ministration, much astonished at the dark cloud that overshadowed
them. The disciples of Christ feared when they entered into the cloud,
though it was a bright cloud (Luke ix. 34), so did the priests when
they found themselves wrapped in a thick cloud. To silence their fears, 1.
He reminds them of that which they could not but know, that this was a token
of God's presence (v. 12): The Lord said he would dwell in the
thick darkness. It is so far from being a token of his displeasure that
it is an indication of his favour; for he had said, I will appear in a
cloud, Lev. xvi. 2. Note, Nothing is more effectual to reconcile us to
dark dispensations than to consider what God hath said, and to compare his
word and works together; as Lev. x. 3, This is that which the Lord hath
said. God is light (1 John i. 5), and he dwells in light (1 Tim. vi.
16), but he dwells with men in the thick darkness, makes that his
pavilion, because they could not bear the dazzling brightness of his glory. Verily
thou art a God that hidest thyself. Thus our holy faith is exercised and
our holy fear is increased. Where God dwells in light faith is swallowed up
in vision and fear in love. 2. He himself bids it welcome, as worthy of all
acceptation; and since God, by this cloud, came down to take possession, he
does, in a few words, solemnly give him possession (v. 13): "Surely
I come," says God. "Amen," says Solomon, "Even
so, come, Lord,. The house is thy own, entirely thy own, I have
surely built it for thee, and furnished it for thee; it is for ever thy
own, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever; it shall never be
alienated nor converted to any other use; the ark shall never be removed
from it, never unsettled again." It is Solomon's joy that God has taken
possession; and it is his desire that he would keep possession. Let not the
priests therefore dread that in which Solomon so much triumphs.
II. He instructs the people, and gives them a plain account concerning this
house, which they now saw God take possession of. He spoke briefly to the
priests, to satisfy them (a word to the wise), but turned his face about
(v. 14) from them to the congregation that stood in the outer
court, and addressed himself to them largely.
1. He blessed them. When they saw the dark cloud enter the temple they
blessed themselves, being astonished at it and afraid lest the thick
darkness should be utter darkness to them. The amazing sight, such as they
had never seen in their days, we may suppose, drove every man to his
prayers, and the vainest minds were made serious by it. Solomon therefore
set in with their prayers, and blessed them all, as one having authority
(for the less is blessed of the better); in God's name, he spoke
peace to them, and a blessing, like that with which the angel blessed Gideon
when he was in a fright, upon a similar occasion. Judg. vi. 22, 23, Peace
be unto thee. Fear not; thou shalt not die. Solomon blessed them,
that is, he pacified them, and freed them from the consternation they were
in. To receive this blessing, they all stood up, in token of reverence and
readiness to hear and accept it. It is a proper posture to be in when the
blessing is pronounced.
2. He informed them concerning this house which he had built and was now
dedicating.
(1.) He began his account with a thankful acknowledgment of the good hand of
his God upon him hitherto: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, v.
15. What we have the pleasure of God must have the praise of. He thus
engaged the congregation to lift up their hearts in thanksgivings to God,
which would help to still the tumult of spirit which, probably, they were
in. "Come," says he, "let God's awful appearances not drive
us from him, but draw us to him; let us bless the Lord God of Israel."
Thus Job, under a dark scene, blessed the name of the Lord. Solomon
here blessed God, [1.] For his promise which he spoke with his mouth to
David. [2.] For the performance, that he had now fulfilled it with
his hand. We have then the best sense of God's mercies, and most
grateful both to ourselves and to our God, when we run up those streams to
the fountain of the covenant, and compare what God does with what he has
said.
(2.) Solomon is now making a solemn surrender or dedication of this house
unto God, delivering it to God by his own act and deed. Grants and
conveyances commonly begin with recitals of what has been before done,
leading to what is now done: accordingly, here is a recital of the special
causes and considerations moving Solomon to build this house. [1.] He
recites the want of such a place. It was necessary that this should be
premised; for, according to the dispensation they were under, there must be
but one place in which they must expect God to record his name. If,
therefore, there were any other chosen, this would be a usurpation. But he
shows, from what God himself had said, that there was no other (v.
16): I chose no city to build a house in for my name; therefore there
is occasion for the building of this. [2.] He recites David's purpose to
build such a place. God chose the person first that should rule his people (I
chose David, v. 16) and then put it into his heart to build a
house for God's name, v. 17. It was not a project of his own, for
the magnifying of himself; but his good father, of blessed memory, laid the
first design of it, though he lived not to lay the first stone. [3.] He
recites God's promise concerning himself. God approved his father's purpose
(v. 18): Thou didst well, that it was in thy heart. Note,
Sincere intentions to do good shall be graciously approved and accepted of
God, though Providence prevent our putting them in execution. The desire
of a man is his kindness. See 2 Cor. viii. 12. God accepted David's good
will, yet would not permit him to do the good work, but reserved the honour
of it for his son (v. 19): He shall build the house to my name;
so that what he had done was not of his own head, nor for his own glory, but
the work itself was according to his father's design and his doing it was
according to God's designation. [4.] He recites what he himself had done,
and with what intention: I have built a house, not for my own name,
but for the name of the Lord God of Israel (v. 20), and set
there a place for the ark, v. 21. Thus all the right, title,
interest, claim, and demand, whatsoever, which he or his had or might have
in or to this house, or any of its appurtenances, he resigns, surrenders,
and gives up, to God for ever. It is for his name, and his ark. In this,
says he, the Lord hath performed his word that he spoke. Note,
Whatever good we do, we must look upon it as the performance of God's
promise to us, rather than the performance of our promises to him. The more
we do for God the more we are indebted to him; for our sufficiency is of
him, and not of ourselves.
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Solomon's
Prayer.
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B.
C. 1003.
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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:
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: 24 Who hast kept with thy
servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy
mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this
day. 25 Therefore now, LORD
God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst
him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the
throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they
walk before me as thou hast walked before me. 26 And now, O God
of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto
thy servant David my father. 27 But will God indeed dwell on the
earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how
much less this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou
respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto
the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to
day: 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and
day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be
there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make
toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of
thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this
place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest,
forgive. 31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an
oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine
altar in this house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and
judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head;
and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his
righteousness. 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: 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. 35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain,
because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and
confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy
people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk,
and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an
inheritance. 37 If there be in the land famine, if there be
pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if
their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague,
whatsoever sickness there be; 38 What prayer and
supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people
Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread
forth his hands toward this house: 39 Then hear thou in heaven
thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to
his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only,
knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) 40 That they may
fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our
fathers. 41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not
of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's
sake; 42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy
strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray
toward this house; 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place,
and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all
people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people
Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is
called by thy name. 44 If thy people go out to battle against
their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD
toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I
have built for thy name: 45 Then hear thou in heaven their
prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 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; 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; 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: 49 Then
hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place,
and maintain their cause, 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: 51 For they
be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out
of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: 52 That thine
eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the
supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they
call for unto thee. 53 For thou didst separate them from among
all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest
by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of
Egypt, O Lord GOD.
Solomon having made a general surrender of this house to God, which God had
signified his acceptance of by taking possession, next follows Solomon's
prayer, in which he makes a more particular declaration of the uses of that
surrender, with all humility and reverence, desiring that God would agree
thereto. In short, it is his request that this temple may be deemed and
taken, not only for a house of sacrifice (no mention is made of that in all
this prayer, that was taken for granted), but a house of prayer for all
people; and herein it was a type of the gospel church; see Isa. lvi. 7,
compared with Matt. xxi. 13. Therefore Solomon opened this house, not only
with an extraordinary sacrifice, but with an extraordinary prayer.
I. The person that prayed this prayer was great. Solomon did not appoint one
of the priests to do it, nor one of the prophets, but did it himself, in
the presence of all the congregation of Israel, v. 22. 1. It was
well that he was able to do it, a sign that he had made a good improvement
of the pious education which his parents gave him. With all his learning, it
seems, he learnt to pray well, and knew how to express himself to God in a
suitable manner, pro re nata--on the spur of the occasion, without a
prescribed form. In the crowd of his philosophical transactions, his
proverbs, and songs, he did not forget his devotions. He was a gainer by
prayer (ch. iii. 11, &c.), and, we may suppose, gave himself much
to it, so that he excelled, as we find here, in praying gifts. 2. It was
well that he was willing to do it, and not shy of performing divine service
before so great a congregation. He was far from thinking it any
disparagement to him to be his own chaplain and the mouth of the assembly to
God; and shall any think themselves too great to do this office for their
own families? Solomon, in all his other glory, even on his ivory throne,
looked not so great as he did now. Great men should thus support the
reputation of religious exercises and so honour God with their greatness.
Solomon was herein a type of Christ, the great intercessor for all over whom
he rules.
II. The posture in which he prayed was very reverent, and expressive of
humility, seriousness, and fervency in prayer. He stood before the altar
of the Lord, intimating that he expected the success of his prayer in
virtue of that sacrifice which should be offered up in the fulness of time,
typified by the sacrifices offered at that altar. But when he addressed
himself to prayer, 1. He kneeled down, as appears, v. 54,
where he is said to rise from his knees; compare 2 Chron. vi. 13.
Kneeling is the most proper posture for prayer, Eph. iii. 14. The greatest
of men must not think it below them to kneel before the Lord their Maker.
Mr. Herbert says, "Kneeling never spoiled silk stocking." 2. He
spread forth his hands towards heaven, and (as it should seem by v.
54) continued so to the end of the prayer, hereby expressing his desire
towards, and expectations from, God, as a Father in heaven. He spread
forth his hands, as it were to offer up the prayer from an open enlarged
heart and to present it to heaven, and also to receive thence, with both
arms, the mercy which he prayed for. Such outward expressions of the
fixedness and fervour of devotion ought not to be despised or ridiculed.
III. The prayer itself was very long, and perhaps much longer than is here
recorded. At the throne of grace we have liberty of speech, and should use
our liberty. It is not making long prayers, but making them for a pretence,
that Christ condemns. In this excellent prayer Solomon does, as we should in
every prayer,
1. Give glory to God. This he begins with, as the most proper act of
adoration. He addresses himself to God as the Lord God of Israel, a
God in covenant with them And, (1.) He gives him the praise of what he is,
in general, the best of beings in himself ("There is no God like
thee, none of the powers in heaven or earth to be compared with
thee"), and the best of masters to his people: "Who keepest
covenant and mercy with thy servants; not only as good as thy word in
keeping covenant, but better than thy word in keeping mercy, doing that for
them of which thou hast not given them an express promise, provided they walk
before thee with all their heart, are zealous for thee, with an eye to
thee." (2.) He gives him thanks for what he had done, in particular,
for his family (v. 24): "Thou hast kept with thy servant
David, as with thy other servants, that which thou promisedst him."
The promise was a great favour to him, his support and joy, and now
performance is the crown of it: Thou hast fulfilled it, as it is this
day. Fresh experiences of the truth of God's promises call for enlarged
praises.
2. He sues for grace and favour from God.
(1.) That God would perform to him and his the mercy which he had promised, v.
25, 26. Observe how this comes in. He thankfully acknowledges the
performance of the promise in part; hitherto God had been faithful to his
word: "Thou hast kept with thy servant David that which thou
promisedst him, so far that his son fills his throne and has built the
intended temple; therefore now keep with thy servant David that which
thou hast further promised him, and which yet remains to be
fulfilled in its season." Note, The experiences we have had of God's
performing his promises should encourage us to depend upon them and plead
them with God: and those who expect further mercies must be thankful for
former mercies. Hitherto God has helped, 2 Cor. i. 10. Solomon repeats the
promise (v. 25): There shall not fail thee a man to sit on the
throne, not omitting the condition, so that thy children take heed to
their way; for we cannot expect God's performance of the promise but
upon our performance of the condition. And then he humbly begs this entail (v.
26): Now, O God of Israel! let thy word be verified. God's promises
(as we have often observed) must be both the guide of our desires and the
ground of our hopes and expectations in prayer. David had prayed (2 Sam.
vii. 25): Lord, do as thou hast said. Note, Children should learn of
their godly parents how to pray, and plead in prayer.
(2.) That God would have respect to this temple which he had now taken
possession of, and that his eyes might be continually open towards it
(v. 29), that he would graciously own it, and so put an honour upon
it. To this purpose,
[1.] He premises, First, A humble admiration of God's gracious
condescension (v. 27): "But will God indeed dwell on the
earth? Can we imagine that a Being infinitely high, and holy, and happy,
will stoop so low as to let it be said of him that he dwells upon the
earth and blesses the worms of the earth with his presence--the earth,
that is corrupt, and overspread with sin--cursed, and reserved to fire? Lord,
how is it?" Secondly, A humble acknowledgment of the incapacity of
the house he had built, though very capacious, to contain God: "The
heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, for no place can include him who
is present in all places; even this house is too little, too mean to be the
residence of him that is infinite in being and glory." Note, When we
have done the most we can for God we must acknowledge the infinite distance
and disproportion between us and him, between our services and his
perfections.
[2.] This premised, he prays in general, First, That God would
graciously hear and answer the prayer he was now praying, v. 28. It
was a humble prayer (the prayer of thy servant), an earnest prayer
(such a prayer as is a cry), a prayer made in faith (before thee,
as the Lord, and my God): "Lord, hearken to it, have respect to it,
not as the prayer of Israel's king (no man's dignity in the world, or titles
of honour, will recommend him to God), but as the prayer of thy
servant." Secondly, That God would in like manner hear and
answer all the prayers that should, at any time hereafter, be made in or
towards this house which he had now built, and of which God had said, My
name shall be there (v. 29), his own prayers (Hearken to the
prayers which thy servant shall make), and the prayers of all Israel,
and of every particular Israelite (v. 30): "Hear it in
heaven, that is indeed thy dwelling-place, of which this is but a
figure; and, when thou hearest, forgive the sin that separates
between them and God, even the iniquity of their holy things." a.
He supposes that God's people will ever be a prayer people; he resolves to
adhere to that duty himself. b. He directs them to have an eye, in
their prayers, to that place where God was pleased to manifest his glory as
he did not any where else on earth. None but priests might come into that
place; but, when they worshipped in the courts of the temple, it must be
with an eye towards it, not as the object of their worship (that were
idolatry), but as an instituted medium of their worship, helping the
weakness of their faith, and typifying the mediation of Jesus Christ, who is
the true temple, to whom we must have an eye in every thing wherein we have
to do with God. Those that were at a distance looked towards Jerusalem, for
the sake of the temple, even when it was in ruins, Dan. vi. 10. c. He
begs that God will hear the prayers, and forgive the sins, of
all that look this way in their prayers. Not as if he thought all the devout
prayers offered up to God by those who had no knowledge of this house, or
regard to it, were therefore rejected; but he desired that the sensible
tokens of the divine presence with which this house was blessed might always
give sensible encouragement and comfort to believing petitioners.
[3.] More particularly, he here puts divers cases in which he supposed
application would be made to God by prayer in or towards this house of
prayer.
First, If God were appealed to by an oath for the determining of any
controverted right between man and man, and the oath were taken before this
altar, he prayed that God would, in some way or other, discover the truth,
and judge between the contending parties, v. 31, 32. He prayed that,
in difficult matters, this throne of grace might be a throne of judgment,
from which God would right the injured that believingly appealed to it, and
punish the injurious that presumptuously appealed to it. It was usual to
swear by the temple and altar (Matt. xxiii. 16, 18), which corruption
perhaps took its rise from this supposition of an oath taken, not by
the temple or altar, but at or near them, for the greater
solemnity.
Secondly, If the people of Israel were groaning under any national
calamity, or any particular Israelite under any personal calamity, he
desired that the prayers they should make in or towards this house might be
heard and answered.
a. In case of public judgments, war (v. 33), want of rain (v.
35), famine, or pestilence (v. 37), and he ends with an et cetera--any
plague or sickness; for no calamity befals other people which may not befal
God's Israel. Now he supposes, (a.) That the cause of the judgment
would be sin, and nothing else. "If they be smitten before the
enemy, if there be no rain, it is because they have sinned against
thee." It is sin that makes all the mischief. (b.) That the
consequence of the judgment would be that they would cry to God, and make
supplication to him in or towards that house. Those that slighted him before
would solicit him then. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee. In their
afflictions they will seek me early and earnestly. (c.) That the
condition of the removal of the judgment was something more than barely
praying for it. He could not, he would not, ask that their prayer might be
answered unless they did also turn from their sin (v. 35) and turn
again to God (v. 33), that is, unless they did truly repent and
reform. On no other terms may we look for salvation in this world or the
other. But, if they did thus qualify themselves for mercy, he prays, [a.]
That God would hear from heaven, his holy temple above, to which they must
look, through this temple. [b.] That he would forgive their
sin; for then only are judgments removed in mercy when sin is pardoned. [c.]
That he would teach them the good way wherein they should walk, by
his Spirit, with his word and prophets; and thus they might be both profited
by their trouble (for blessed is the man whom God chastens and teaches),
and prepared for deliverance, which then comes in love when it finds us
brought back to the good way of God and duty. [d.] That he would then
remove the judgment, and redress the grievance, whatever it might be--not
only accept the prayer, but give in the mercy prayed for.
b. In case of personal afflictions, v. 38-40. "If any man
of Israel has an errand to thee, here let him find thee, here let him find
favour with thee." He does not mention particulars, so numerous, so
various, are the grievances of the children of men. (a.) He supposes
that the complainants themselves would very sensibly feel their own burden,
and would open that case to God which otherwise they kept to themselves and
did not make any man acquainted with: They shall know every man the
plague of his own heart, what it is that pains him, and (as we say)
where the shoe pinches, and shall spread their hands, that is, spread their
case, as Hezekiah spread the letter, in prayer, towards this house; whether
the trouble be of body or mind, they shall represent it before God. Inward
burdens seem especially meant. Sin is the plague of our own heart; our
indwelling corruptions are our spiritual diseases. Every Israelite indeed
endeavours to know these, that he may mortify them and watch against the
risings of them. These he complains of. This is the burden he groans under: O
wretched man that I am! These drive him to his knees, drive him to the
sanctuary. Lamenting these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer. (b.)
He refers all cases of this kind, that should be brought hither, to God. [a.]
To his omniscience: "Thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all
the children of men, not only the plagues of their hearts, their several
wants and burdens" (these he knows, but he will know them from us),
"but the desire and intent of the heart, the sincerity or hypocrisy of
it. Thou knowest which prayer comes from the heart, and which from the lips
only." The hearts of kings are not unsearchable to God. [b.] To
his justice: Give to every man according to his ways; and he will not
fail to do so, by the rules of grace, not the law, for then we should all be
undone. [c.] To his mercy: Hear, and forgive, and do (v.
39), that they may fear thee all their days, v. 40. This use
we should make of the mercy of God to us in hearing our prayers and
forgiving our sins, we should thereby he engaged to fear him while we live. Fear
the Lord and his goodness. There is forgiveness with him, that he may be
feared.
c. The case of the stranger that is not an Israelite is next
mentioned, a proselyte that comes to the temple to pray to the God of
Israel, being convinced of the folly and wickedness of worshipping the gods
of his country. (a.) He supposed that there would be many such (v.
41, 42), that the fame of God's great works which he had wrought for Israel,
by which he proved himself to be above all gods, nay, to be God alone, would
reach to distant countries: "Those that live remote shall hear of
thy strong hand, and thy stretched-out arm; and this will bring all
thinking considerate people to pray towards this house, that they may obtain
the favour of a God that is able to do them a real kindness." (b.)
He begged that God would accept and answer the proselyte's prayer (v.
43): Do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for. Thus
early, thus ancient, were the indications of favour towards the sinners
of the Gentiles: as there was then one law for the native and for the
stranger (Exod. xii. 49), so there was one gospel for both. (c.)
Herein he aimed at the glory of God and the propagating of the knowledge of
him: "O let the stranger, in a special manner, speed well in his
addresses, that he may carry away with him to his own country a good report
of the God of Israel, that all people may know thee and fear thee
(and, if they know thee aright, they will fear thee) as do thy people
Israel." So far was Solomon from monopolizing the knowledge and
service of God, and wishing to have them confined to Israel only (which was
the envious desire of the Jews in the days of Christ and his apostles), that
he prayed that all people might fear God as Israel did. Would to God
that all the children of men might receive the adoption, and be made God's
children! Father, thus glorify thy name.
d. The case of an army going forth to battle is next recommended by
Solomon to the divine favour. It is supposed that the army is encamped at a
distance, somewhere a great way off, sent by divine order against the
enemy, v. 44. "When they are ready to engage, and consider
the perils and doubtful issues of battle, and put up a prayer to God for
protection and success, with their eye towards this city and temple,
then hear their prayer, encourage their hearts, strengthen their
hands, cover their heads, and so maintain their cause and give them
victory." Soldiers in the field must not think it enough that those who
tarry at home pray for them, but must pray for themselves, and they are here
encouraged to hope fore a gracious answer. Praying should always go along
with fighting.
e. The case of poor captives is the last that is here mentioned as a
proper object of divine compassion. (a.) He supposes that Israel will
sin. He knew them, and himself, and the nature of man, too well to think
this a foreign supposition; for there is no man that sinneth not,
that does not enough to justify God in the severest rebukes of his
providence, no man but what is in danger of falling into gross sin, and will
if God leave him to himself. (b.) He supposes, what may well be
expected, that, if Israel revolt from God, God will be angry with them,
and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, to be carried
captive into a strange country, v. 46. (c.) He then supposes
that they will bethink themselves, will consider their ways (for afflictions
put men upon consideration), and, when once they are brought to consider,
they will repent and pray, will confess their sins, and humble themselves,
saying, We have sinned and have done perversely (v. 47), and in
the land of their enemies will return to God, whom they had forsaken in
their own land. (d.) He supposes that in their prayers they will look
towards their own land, the holy land, Jerusalem, the holy city, and the
temple, the holy house, and directs them so to do (v. 48), for his
sake who gave them that land, chose that city, and to whose honour that
house was built. (e.) He prays that then God would hear their
prayers, forgive their sins, plead their cause, and incline their
enemies to have compassion on them, v. 49, 50. God has all
hearts in his hand, and can, when he pleases, turn the strongest stream the
contrary way, and make those to pity his people who have been their most
cruel persecutors. See this prayer answered, Ps. cvi. 46. He made them to
be pitied of those that carried them captive, which, if it did not
release them, yet eased their captivity. (f.) He pleads their
relation to God, and his interest in them: "They are thy people, whom
thou hast taken into thy covenant and under thy care and conduct, thy
inheritance, from which, more than from any other nation, thy rent and
tribute of glory issue and arise (v. 51), separated from among all
people to be so and by distinguishing favours appropriated to
thee," v. 53.
Lastly, After all these particulars, he concludes with this general
request, that God would hearken to all his praying people in all that
they call unto him for, v. 52. No place now, under the gospel,
can be imagined to add any acceptableness to the prayers made in or towards
it, as the temple then did. That was a shadow: the substance is Christ;
whatever we ask in his name, it shall be given us.
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Solomon
Blesses and Exhorts the People.
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B.
C. 1003.
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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.
Solomon, after his sermon in Ecclesiastes, gives us the conclusion of the
whole matter; so he does here, after this long prayer; it is called his blessing
the people, v. 55. He pronounced it standing, that he might be
the better heard, and because he blessed as one having authority. Never were
words more fitly spoken, nor more pertinently. Never was congregation
dismissed with that which was more likely to affect them and abide with
them.
I. He gives God the glory of the great and kind things he had done for
Israel, v. 56. He stood up to bless the congregation (v.
55), but began with blessing God; for we must in every thing give thanks.
Do we expect God should do well for us and ours? let us take all occasion to
speak well of him and his. He blesses God who has given, he does not say
wealth, and honour, and power, and victory, to Israel, but rest, as
if that were a blessing more valuable than any of those. Let not those who
have rest under-value that blessing, though they want some others. He
compares the blessings God had bestowed upon them with the promises he had
given them, that God might have the honour of his faithfulness and the truth
of that word of his which he has magnified above all his name. 1. He
refers to the promises given by the hand of Moses, as he did (v.
15, 24) to those which were made to David. There were promises given by
Moses, as well as precepts. It was long ere God gave Israel the promised
rest, but they had it at last, after many trials. The day will come when
God's spiritual Israel will rest from all their labours. 2. He does,
as it were, write a receipt in full on the back of these bonds: There has
not failed one word of all his good promises. This discharge he gives in
the name of all Israel, to the everlasting honour of the divine
faithfulness, and the everlasting encouragement of all those that build upon
the divine promises.
II. He blesses himself and the congregation, expressing his earnest desire
and hope of these four things:-- 1. The presence of God with them, which is
all in all to the happiness of a church and nation and of every particular
person. This great congregation was now shortly to be scattered, and it was
not likely that they would ever be all together again in this world. Solomon
therefore dismisses them with this blessing: "The Lord be present
with us, and that will be comfort enough when we are absent from each
other. The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers (v.
57); let him not leave us, let him be to us to day, and to ours for
ever, what he was to those that went before us." 2. The power of his
grace upon them: "Let him be with us, and continue with us, not
that he may enlarge our coasts and increase our wealth, but that he may
incline our hearts to himself, to walk in all his ways and to keep his
commandments," v. 58. Spiritual blessings are the best
blessings, with which we should covet earnestly to be blessed. Our hearts
are naturally averse to our duty, and apt to decline from God; it is his
grace that inclines them, grace that must be obtained by prayer. 3. An
answer to the prayer he had now made: "Let these my words be nigh
unto the Lord our God day and night, v. 59. Let a gracious return
be made to every prayer that shall be made here, and that will be a
continual answer to this prayer." What Solomon asks here for his prayer
is still granted in the intercession of Christ, of which his supplication
was a type; that powerful prevailing intercession is before the Lord our
God day and night, for our great Advocate attends continually to this
very thing, and we may depend upon him to maintain our cause (against the
adversary that accuses us day and night, Rev. xii. 10) and
the common cause of his people Israel, at all times, upon all
occasions, as the matter shall require, so as to speak for us the word of
the day in its day, as the original here reads it, from which we shall
receive grace sufficient, suitable, and seasonable, in every time of
need. 4. The glorifying of God in the enlargement of his kingdom among
men. Let Israel be thus blessed, thus favoured; not that all people may
become tributaries to us (Solomon sees his kingdom as great as he desires),
but that all people may know that the Lord is God, and he only, and
may come and worship him, v. 60. With this Solomon's prayers, like the
prayers of his father David, the son of Jesse, are ended (Ps. lxxii. 19,
20): Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. We cannot close
our prayers with a better summary than this, Father, glorify thy name.
III. He solemnly charges his people to continue and persevere in their duty
to God. Having spoken to God for them, he here speaks from God to them, and
those only would fare the better for his prayers that were made better by
his preaching. His admonition, at parting, is, "Let your heart be
perfect with the Lord our God, v. 61. Let your obedience be
universal, without dividing--upright, without dissembling--constant, without
declining;" this is evangelical perfection.
|
Solomon
Holds a Great Feast.
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B.
C. 1003.
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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. 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.
We read before that
Judah
and
Israel
were eating and drinking, and very cheerful under their own vines and
fig-trees; here we have them so in God's courts. Now they found Solomon's
words true concerning Wisdom's ways, that they are ways of pleasantness.
I. They had abundant joy and satisfaction while they attended at God's
house, for there, 1. Solomon offered a great sacrifice, 22,000 oxen and
120,000 sheep, enough to have drained the country of cattle if it had not
been a very fruitful land. The heathen thought themselves very generous when
they offered sacrifices by hundreds (hecatombs they called them), but
Solomon out-did them: he offered them by thousands. When Moses
dedicated his altar, the peace-offerings were twenty-four bullocks, and
of rams, goats, and lambs, 180 (Num. vii. 88); then the people were
poor, but now that they had increased in wealth more was expected from them.
Where God sows plentifully he must reap accordingly. All these sacrifices
could not be offered in one day, but in the several days of the feast.
Thirty oxen a day served Solomon's table, but thousands shall go to God's
altar. Few are thus minded, to spend more on their souls than on their
bodies. The flesh of the peace-offerings, which belonged to the offerer, it
is likely, Solomon treated the people with. Christ fed those who attended
him. The brazen altar was not large enough to receive all these sacrifices,
so that, to serve the present occasion, they were forced to offer many of
them in the middle of the court, (v. 64), some think on
altars, altars of earth or stone, erected for the purpose and taken down
when the solemnity was over, others think on the bare ground. Those that
will be generous in serving God need not stint themselves for want of room
and occasion to be so. 2. He kept a feast, the feast of tabernacles, as it
should seem, after the feast of dedication, and both together lasted
fourteen days (v. 65), yet they said not, Behold, what a weariness
is this!
II. They carried this joy and satisfaction with them to their own houses.
When they were dismissed they blessed the king (v. 66), applauded
him, admired him, and returned him the thanks of the congregation, and then went
to their tents joyful and glad of heart, all easy and pleased. God's
goodness was the matter of their joy, so it should be of ours at all times.
They rejoiced in God's blessing both on the royal family and on the kingdom;
thus should we go home rejoicing from holy ordinances, and go on our way
rejoicing for God's goodness to our Lord Jesus (of whom David his servant
was a type, in the advancement and establishment of his throne, pursuant to
the covenant of redemption), and to all believers, his spiritual Israel, in
their sanctification and consolation, pursuant to the covenant of grace. If
we rejoice not herein always it is our own fault.
