Chapter 8
Solomon prepares to bring the Ark, located in the Tent of Meeting in the Old City of Jerusalem, to Mount Moriah, where Solomon built the Temple according to instructions given to David. This verse confirms the location:
1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. [2Ch 3:1 ESV]
The Ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the furnishings and utensils were brought to the Temple.
Verse 9 says that the only thing inside the Ark were the two tablets of stone that Moses put there in Horeb. Once the Ark was placed, a cloud filled the house of the Lord. This is also what had happened when the Tent of Meeting was consecrated. I somehow doubt this happened when Herod restored the Temple in his day. Even so, Jesus was angry at the money sellers there because they were profaning the house of the Lord. Even the house that Herod built.
This verse:
12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. [1Ki 8:12 ESV]
So this is what this means. The Ark was inside the Temple, inside the Holy Place, and ultimately inside the Holy of Holies. It would be dark, very dark indeed, all the time. The candle light would be the only light. This is the thick darkness where God dwells. That's what this means in the other places "thick darkness" shows up. It is not a mysterious thing.
2021 - A footnote in TCR says the Septuagint is worded "The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but..." that he would dwell....
Solomon prays that God will hear prayers offered at this place, or when his servants pray "toward" this place, and that He will forgive. Solomon knows that God is not confined to that Temple and between the wings of the cherubim. But he asks God to be specially aware and alert to prayers offered in or toward that geographic location. From this, one can see why Muslims might think it good to pray towards Mecca - since they believe that is where Abraham set up an altar to God, and that altar remains to this day.
2021 -
vs 33, When the nation of Israel is defeated by their enemies because they have sinned...
vs 35, When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned...
vs 37, If there is famine, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, besiegers, -- or whatever plague or sickness.
This verse:
53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD." [1Ki 8:53 ESV]
I emphasize this verse because God's choosing of a nation in microcosm to bless over and above the rest of earth's people, is in my view one of the vehicles God has chosen in history to show His greatness, His glory, and His uniqueness. I have a long discussion of that in these notes, called "The History of the World". And this verse explains, reinforces my thinking, on just why God picked out a nation:
60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. [1Ki 8:60 ESV] He did it to prove Himself.
2021 - There are a number of times in scripture where God gives us the "why" of what He does. Wouldn't that make an interesting study!? Wouldn't it be nice to take every explanation of His actions that God ever gave us? Surely we would get some extra insight into how He operates. There are also the worlds of various prophets, including David, as to how God operates from their perspective. I bet there's enough material here for a book, much less a good in-depth study!
As Solomon finishes his prayer, he gets up and blesses his people thus:
57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. [1Ki 8:57-58 ESV]
This is a verse to know.
There is a note in the MSB saying that the "heads" of the tribes" or "leaders" were the oldest living males within each extended family unit. They were the ones responsible for learning the law and leading their families to obey it. This is what retirement is for. Once youth and vigor are no more, a man should dedicate himself to study of God's word, to learn God's ways, and advise and direct his family, since the younger ones are so caught up in working and child rearing that they don't have the time to study in depth. This made me feel good about the way I'm spending my time these days. Sadly, my family is not interested in the things of God. So I must also find a way to steer a right path despite their indifference.
This is a very long chapter in 1 Kings.