Solomon Prays in a Way That Get’s Results
June 27, 2020
Commentary
The Lord has been present, he has heard, and He answers twice, once immediately and again later. The Lord sent down fire to consume the sacrifices that were prepared (v. 1). The answer to prayer was the fire. The people fell to their faces acknowledging the Lord’s faithfulness (vv. 2-3). This answer of prayer caused the assembled people to offer more sacrifices. Solomon alone offered 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats (vv. 4-5). In praise the priests and Levites played their musical instruments (vv. 6-7). For seven days the sacrifices went on (v. 8). On the eighth day, which followed the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36). The people came together once more just before returning to their homes (v. 9). At this point Solomon sent everyone home praising the Lord because of all the good things the Lord had done (v. 10). Solomon’s prayer was specific in which he was asking what God wanted Him to ask.
The Lord appeared to Solomon and assured Him that his work on the temple and its dedication pleased Him (v. 11-12) (details are given on the actual construction in I Kings 7:1-12). Obedience was the key to God’s Blessing. God encouraged Solomon by His promise that if His judgment (by drought, locusts, or a plague) should fall on the nation for their sin, they need only turn in sincere humility and repentance to the Lord (vv. 13-22). Then they would have forgiveness and restoration (v.13-15). This promise given, in answer to Solomon’s prayer (6:26-31) was because God’s presence among His people Israel is eternal. (v.16). The covenant promise comes through clearly in the Lord’s declaration that if Solomon would obey Him (v.17) he could be assured of God’s blessing (v. 18). Conversely, if Solomon and the nation should fall away from the Lord and serve other gods they would be exiled, and the temple destroyed (v:19-20).
Application
One of my weaknesses is praising others publicly as much as I should. It is so easy to be critical of others when I should be looking for ways to praise them. I also need to praise the Lord more.
2 Chronicles 7:1– 22 (NET)
1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple. 2 The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”
4 The king and all the people were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple. 6 The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord. (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”) Opposite the Levites, the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there. 7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat from the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to hold all these offerings. 8 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Stream of Egypt in the south. 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people home. They left happy and contented because of the good the Lord had done for David, Solomon, and his people Israel.
11 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and accomplished all his plans for the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made. 13 When I close up the sky so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there. 17 You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. 18 Then I will establish your dynasty, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’
19 “But if you people ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep, and decide to serve and worship other gods, 20 then I will remove you from my land I have given you, I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence, and I will make you an object of mockery and ridicule among all the nations. 21 As for this temple, which was once majestic, everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 22 Others will then answer, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, who led them out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served. That is why he brought all this disaster down on them.’”