2 Chronicles 7:1-11
Solomon Dedicates the Temple (1 Kings 8:62–66)
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.
As soon as Solomon finished praising and thanking the LORD in his public prayer, the glory of God came down like fire to consume the offering and fill the temple with His glorious presence. Imagine being present when this happened! Then imagine being present years later in Jerusalem when God’s Spirit came down on those who had heard the gospel and were then filled (Acts 2:2-3, 4) with the glory of the presence of God in their bodies, the temples of the Lord. Now imagine further that ever since then we in these temples (Ephesians 1:13-14, 1 Corinthians 6:19) have this same presence (1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Colossians 1:27) of the glory of God in us, accepting the living sacrifice of our lives! We likewise should react as Solomon and the people of God did then, bowing to Him and worshipping in praise for this wondrous gift of God very presence in these temples now. He is good and His mercy truly endures forever! Our sacrifices now are a humbled spirit, a willing mind and soul given to live for Him (Psalm 51:17, Micah 6:8, Matthew 9:13, Mark 12:33) as we count ourselves crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) that we might offer lasting sacrifices instead of transitory and incomplete ones like bulls and such the Israelites did then. Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice to replace those (Hebrews 10:6-7, 10) that we might please Him in return with our lives lived (Romans 12:1) for His glory revealed in us to the world as places of His presence of glory. Let us vow to be like Solomon who, having worshipped in this way, afterwards knew he had accomplished all in his heart to honor the LORD God in word and deed for God’s house and his own.
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