Dedication of God’s House

2 Chronicles 7:1-11

    1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house. 3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying:

      "For He is good,
      For His mercy endures forever."

    4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 And the priests attended to their services; the Levites also with instruments of the music of the LORD, which King David had made to praise the LORD, saying, "For His mercy endures forever," whenever David offered praise by their ministry. The priests sounded trumpets opposite them, while all Israel stood.

    7 Furthermore Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.

    8 At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel. 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house.

Solomon as the king and the chosen one to build the house of the LORD now is seen dedicating the temple to the his God and King.  No sooner was Solomon’s prayer concluded than fire fell from God above to make the burnt sacrifice His work and not man’s.  This is a foreshadowing of Christ sacrificing Himself because no sacrifice we can devise could ever atone for our sins in our fallen nature.  Our own sacrifices at best could appear to erase a particular sin repented of perhaps, but never our nature; indeed, even our best effort is still a sin-stained rag (Isaiah 64:6) because of that nature of rebellious treason against God from the Garden.  Our refusal to take God at His word and obey led to the need for His work to cover our sin (Genesis 3:21) and promise a Deliverer (Genesis 3:15) in due time (Galatians 4:4-5).  What is now needed, therefore, is taking God at His word for His work of sacrifice in His Christ and obeying that word (John 6:29); He brings down the fire on this sacrifice of our pride and disobedience which looks to the gospel and trusts His word and work.  That is the fire of His sacrifice giving us a new nature by a heavenly rebirth by His Spirit, much like the LORD bringing down fire to consume and sanctify the offering at the temple dedication in this passage.  His glory then fills the house of each of us He comes to live within!  Let us also sing out His goodness and eternal mercy given to us in Jesus Christ of the lineage of David and Solomon.  The words, “His mercy endures forever” should permeate our lives as living sacrifices full of gratitude and worship.  Let us finish His work in reliance upon Him working it in us (Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13) to work out our sanctification of salvation given by Christ’s sacrificial work on the cross proven by His resurrection.  May we do as Solomon in building these houses, these temples of the Lord which are our bodies, finishing all that comes into our hearts to that end in glorifying Him in the beauty of holiness.  It all begins with dedicating these houses of ourselves to Him sacrificially and purposefully as Romans 12:1-2 tells us.