The Temple is finished, the furniture is moved in, and Solomon dedicates it to the LORD! The ceremony is elaborate, with tens of thousands of sacrifices offered to the LORD. Amid this dedication, Solomon says something interesting. Then Solomon prayed, “O LORD, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!” (1 Kings 8:12–13, NLT)
God is too large to be confined to a 30-foot wide, 90-foot long, and 45-foot tall man-made structure. God inhabits the universe! It is also interesting that Solomon made something for God, the God who created all things. As elaborate, ornate, and glorious as this Temple is, it pales compared to what God has created. Even a Lilly is better arrayed than Solomon is. This whole dedication reminds me of a little child coming to their parent with a picture they drew or colored to give to them. They are excited about what they created, and they are excited to give it to their parent. Yet, while the “artwork” is no Picasso, it is received by the parent. This artwork represents something more precious than a Picasso—love.
Does not our love pale in comparison to the love of God for us? Yet what does God want to receive from us? That we love Him with our whole heart. He receives this feeble love of ours, which is precious to Him. It does seem silly to think of us giving our “colored pictures” to God; in a way, this is what Solomon did. Yet God received it. …a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD…for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of the LORD. (1 Kings 8:10–11, NLT) Wow, what a God! That He would receive anything from us—yet He does! Let’s love Him!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5.