Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 8:31-40.  Let’s go!  

1 Kings 8:38-39 (NIV) 
38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel–each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple– 
39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place…

On verses 31-40:  Here Solomon prays that when people in Israel encounter various problems — whether it’s having wronged a neighbour (v31), being defeated by an enemy (v33), suffering from famine (v35) or some other form of disaster or disease (v37) — they will find hope, healing, and help whenever they prayed to God “in this temple” (v31, 33) or even “toward this temple” (v35, 39).  He prays that in each of these cases God would “hear from heaven” (v32, 34, 36, 39, and repeated three more times from verses 41 to 53) and respond with His help and forgiveness.  

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 8:22-30.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 8:22 (NIV) 
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 

On verses 22-30:  Here we see King Solomon leading the entire assembly of Israelites in prayer at the dedication service for the newly constructed temple.  This was Solomon’s most glorious moment where he steps into his role not only as a ruler but as a spiritual leader and priest for the people he is leading.  Just like David wore the linen ephod as a priest would and danced before God with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14), here Solomon is taking on the equivalent of a priestly role, praying on behalf of the nation.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 8:12-21. Let’s go!

1 Kings 8:16 (NIV) 
16 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’ 

On verses 12-21:  After a cloud of God’s presence has miraculously filled the temple (v11), Solomon tells God that this temple is for Him to dwell in (v12-13).  He then blesses the entire assembly of Israelites (v14) and tells them about how God faithfully fulfilled the promises He made to Solomon’s father David (v15).  Then in verse 16, Solomon quotes God as saying: 

“Since the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.” (v16) 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 8:1-11.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 8:1-5 (NIV) 
1 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 
2 All the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month. 
3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, 
4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, 
5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 7:1-51.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 7:1 (NIV) 
1 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. 

On verses 1-12:  Whereas it took Solomon 7 years to complete the construction of the temple, it took him 13 years to complete the construction of his own palace.  What does that tell us?  One theory is that at this time in Solomon’s life, the kingdom of God was more important than his own kingdom.  So when it came to deciding which should take priority — God’s temple or Solomon’s palace — Solomon chose to work first on God’s temple. The fact that the building of Solomon’s own palace is sandwiched in between two long passages about Solomon work on the temple further supports the theory that for Solomon, his first priority was the house of God.  As a result, the house of God was blessed, and Solomon’s own house was blessed.