1 Kings 8:1-21 - The Covenant Mercy Seat Enters In

1 Kings 8:1-21

The Ark Brought into the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:2—6:2)

1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets 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 came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon spoke:
“The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
13 I have surely built You an exalted house,
And a place for You to dwell in forever.”

Solomon’s Speech at Completion of the Work (2 Chronicles 6:3–11)

14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’ 20 So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

After finishing the temple of worship and atoning sacrifice, Solomon had the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant containing the commandments of the LORD and the mercy seat above the Law into the Most Holy Palace.  When the priests exited the temple, the Spirit of God’s glory filled the temple so that it was impossible for sinful man to enter into His presence until He lifted it from that holy place.  This is a picture (Hebrews 9:8-9) of the grace of God in the New Covenant in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:12-13) where He as the Word (John 1:1, 14) entered in the temple with everlasting mercy over the requirements of the Law (Colossians 2:13-14) which we cannot keep but He did for us to atone forever (Hebrews 9:23-24, 25-26) for our sins.  We now enter into the most holy place through the lifeblood sacrifice of the divine Himself without having to sacrifice repeatedly to earn what we are utterly unable to do (Romans 6:23) in and of ourselves.  This is the deliverance from the wrath of God on our sins through the ultimate sacrifice of God’s Son that was only a shadow to be seen in the earthly temple!  His grace covers the requirements of the Law that were laid in the Ark until His word became a man to forgive forever as our great High Priest (Hebrews 2:17, 4:14) in heaven and on earth.  When we now sin, we can boldly come to the]at throne of grace mentioned in Hebrews 4:16 to find confidence in forgiveness of confessed sins (1 John 1:9) and His Spirit like a cloud of merciful and worshipful grace filling these temple bodies of His presence in us now.  He has built these beautiful temples and we now build on the foundation of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11, 16-17) to make them acceptable to honor and glorify our Intercessor.  May we adorn our temples with the spiritual gifts given us as utensils used in worship in these temples as a place for His word and mercy before Him forever.  This is the covenant mercy seat we have entered into.  Amen.