II
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. V.
The
temple being built and furnished for God, we have here, I. Possession given to
him, by bringing in the dedicated things (ver. 1), but especially the ark, the
token of his presence, ver. 2-10. II. Possession taken by him, in a cloud,
ver. 11-14. For if any man open the door of his heart to God he will come in,
Rev. iii. 20.
|
The
Ark
Placed in the
Temple
.
|
B.
C. 1004.
|
|
|
1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the
house of the LORD
was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his
father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments,
put he among the treasures of the house of God. 2 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 Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of
the covenant of the LORD
out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3 Wherefore all the men
of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in
the seventh month. 4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites
took up the ark. 5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of
the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle,
these did the priests and the Levites bring up. 6 Also king
Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him
before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor
numbered for multitude. 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the
covenant of the LORD
unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even
under the wings of the cherubims: 8 For the cherubims spread forth their
wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the
staves thereof above. 9 And they drew out the staves of the ark,
that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they
were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. 10 There was
nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb,
when the LORD
made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of
Egypt.
This agrees with what we had 1 Kings viii. 2, &c., where an account was
given of the solemn introduction of the ark into the new-erected temple. 1.
There needed no great solemnity for the bringing in of the dedicated things, v.
1. They added to the wealth, and perhaps were so disposed as to add to the
beauty of it; but they could not add to the holiness, for it was the temple
that sanctified the gold, Matt. xxiii. 17. See how just Solomon was both
to God and to his father. Whatever David had dedicated to God, however much he
might have liked it himself, he would by no means alienate it, but put it
among the treasures of the temple. Those children that would inherit their
godly parents' blessing must religiously pursue their pious intentions and not
defeat them. When Solomon had made all the vessels of the temple in abundance
(ch. iv. 18), many of the materials were left, which he would not
convert to any other use, but laid up in the treasury for a time of need.
Dedicated things must not be alienated. It is sacrilege to do it. 2. But it
was fit that the ark should be brought in with great solemnity; and so it was.
All the other vessels were made new, and larger, in proportion to the house,
than they had been in the tabernacle. But the ark, with the mercy-seat and the
cherubim, was the same; for the presence and the grace of God are the same in
little assemblies that they are in large ones, in the poor condition of the
church that they are in its prosperous estate. Wherever two or three are
gathered together in Christ's name there is he as truly present with them as
if there were 2000 or 3000. The ark was brought in attended by a very great
assembly of the elders of Israel, who came to grace and solemnity; and a very
sumptuous appearance no doubt they made, v. 2-4. It was carried by the
priests (v. 7), brought into the most holy place, and put under the
wings of the great cherubim which Solomon had set up there, v. 7, 8. There
they are unto this day (v. 9), not the day when this book was
written after the captivity, but when that was written out of which this story
was transcribed. Or they were there (so it might be read) unto this day, the
day of Jerusalem's desolations, that fatal day, Ps. cxxxvii. 7. The ark was a
type of Christ, and, as such, a token of the presence of God. That gracious
promise, Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, does
in effect bring the ark into our religious assemblies if we by faith and
prayer put that promise in suit; and this we should be most solicitous and
earnest for. Lord, if thy presence go not up with us, wherefore should
we go up? The temple itself, if Christ leave it, is a desolate place, Matt.
xxiii. 38. 3. With the ark they brought up the tabernacle and all the holy
vessels that were in the tabernacle, v. 5. Those were not
alienated, because they had been dedicated to God, were not altered or melted
down for the new work, though there was no need of them; but they were
carefully laid up as monuments of antiquity, and probably as many of the
vessels as were fit for use were still used. 4. This was done with great joy.
They kept a holy feast upon the occasion (v. 3), and sacrificed
sheep and oxen without number, v. 6. Note, (1.) The establishment
of the public worship of God according to his institution, and with the tokens
of his presence, is, and ought to be, matter of great joy to any people. (2.)
When Christ is formed in a soul, the law written in the heart, the ark of the
covenant settled there, so that it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, there
is true satisfaction in that soul. (3.) Whatever we have the comfort of we
must, by the sacrifice of praise, give God the glory of, and not be straitened
therein; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. If God favour us
with his presence, we must honour him with our services, the best we have.
|
The
Temple Filled with Glory.
|
B.
C. 1004.
|
|
|
11 And it came to pass, when the priests were
come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were
present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of
Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed
in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end
of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with
trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were
as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD;
and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and
instruments of music, and praised the LORD,
saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever:
that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of
the LORD;
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the
cloud: for the glory of the LORD
had filled the house of God.
Solomon, and the elders of Israel, had done what they could to grace the
solemnity of the introduction of the ark; but God, by testifying his
acceptance of what they did, put the greatest honour upon it. The cloud of
glory that filled the house beautified it more than all the gold with which it
was overlaid or the precious stones with which it was garnished; and yet that
was no glory in comparison with the glory of the gospel dispensation, 2 Cor.
iii. 8-10. Observe,
I. How God took possession of the temple: He filled it with a cloud, v.
13. 1. Thus he signified his acceptance of this temple to be the same to him
that the tabernacle of Moses was, and assured them that he would be the same
in it; for it was by a cloud that he made his public entry into that, Exod. xl.
34. 2. Thus he considered the weakness and infirmity of those to whom he
manifested himself, who could not bear the dazzling lustre of the divine
light: it would have overpowered them; he therefore spread his cloud upon
it, Job xxvi. 9. Christ revealed things unto his disciples as they were
able to bear them, and in parables, which wrapped up divine things as in a
cloud. 3. Thus he would affect all that worshipped in his courts with holy
reverence and fear. Christ's disciples were afraid when they entered into a
cloud, Luke ix. 34. 4. Thus he would intimate the darkness of that
dispensation, by reason of which they could not stedfastly look to the end of
those things which were now abolished, 2 Cor. iii. 13.
II. When he took possession of it. 1. When the priests had come out of the
holy place, v. 11. This is the way of giving possession. All must
come out, that the rightful owner may come in. Would we have God dwell in our
hearts? We must leave room for him; let every thing else give way. We are here
told that upon this occasion the whole family of the priests attended, and not
any one particular course: All the priests that were present were
sanctified (v. 11), because there was work enough for them all,
when such a multitude of sacrifices were to be offered, and because it was fit
that they should all be eye-witnesses of this solemnity and receive the
impressions of it. 2. When the singers and musicians praised God, then the
house was filled with a cloud. This is very observable; it was not when they offered
sacrifices, but when they sang the praises of God, that God gave
them this token of his favour; for the sacrifice of praise pleaseth the
Lord better than that of an ox or bullock, Ps. lxix. 31. All the
singers and musicians were employed, those of all the three families; and, to
complete the concert, 120 priests, with their trumpets, joined with them, all
standing at the east end of the altar, on that side of the court which lay
outmost towards the people, v. 12. And, when this part of the service
began, the glory of God appeared. Observe, (1.) It was when they were
unanimous, when they were as one, to make one sound. The Holy God descended on
the apostles when they met with one accord, Acts ii. 1-4. Where unity is the
Lord commands the blessing. (2.) It was when they were lively and hearty, and lifted
up their voice to praise the Lord. Then we serve God acceptably when we
are fervent in spirit serving him. (3.) It was when they were, in their
praises, celebrating the everlasting mercy and goodness of God. As there is
one saying oftener repeated in scripture than this, his mercy endureth for
ever (twenty-six times in one psalm, Ps. cxxxvi., and often elsewhere), so
there is none more signally owned from heaven; for it was not the expression
of some rapturous flights that the priests were singing when the glory of God
appeared, but this plain song, He is good, and his mercy endureth for ever.
God's goodness is his glory, and he is pleased when we give him the glory of
it.
III. What was the effect of it. The priests themselves could not stand to
minister, by reason of the cloud (v. 14), which, as it was an
evidence that the law made men priests that had infirmity, so (as bishop
Patrick observes) it was a plain intimation that the Levitical priesthood
should cease, and stand no longer to minister, when the Messiah should come,
in whom the fulness of the godhead should dwell bodily. In him the
glory of God dwelt among us, but covered with a cloud. The Word was made
flesh; and when he comes to his temple, like a refiner's fire, who may
abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth?
Mal. iii. 1, 2.
Contents
|
Next
Section
