THE TRUE KING
Opening Prayer
Lord, as Solomon stated, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth.
Read 1 KINGS 8:22–30
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said:
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.
27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
Solomon’s humility before his God furnishes an excellent example for us all.
Think Further
Solomon thanks God for the promises already fulfilled and prays for those not yet fulfilled. God had promised a king of the line of David to sit on the throne of Israel for ever. There would be years in which there was no king of Israel, but even though Israel was unfaithful, God did fulfill that promise when Jesus came, who “as to his earthly life was a descendant of David” (Rom. 1:3). In him, God did indeed “dwell on earth” (27) and he would be greeted as the Son of David—but his reign would be different from anything that Solomon could imagine, since Jesus was lifted up upon the cross to draw all people to himself.
The chief priests would claim to have no king but Caesar, but over the head of Jesus would be the trilingual proclamation that he is King of the Jews. Here is the King who would bear the sin of his people. Solomon’s prayer that God would look towards the temple and forgive them was fulfilled, as God did not remain in heaven but came to live in human form—the new temple of his body.
This Jesus, the crucified King, is exalted by the Father, who has given him a name above every name that all might bow before him. David’s greater son would not just to be the King of Israel, but “all authority in heaven and on earth” would be given to him (Matt. 28:18). Solomon has a right view of the majesty of God. He recognizes how puny his splendid temple is compared to the God of the universe. He rejoices in the covenant-promise-keeping God, but he is incapable of understanding the full wonder of the grace of God that will be revealed in Jesus.
Apply
Pray that soon the whole world will recognize King Jesus.
Closing prayer
Lord, we stand amazed at Your ability to make a promise and keep it, even though it appears impossible to keep.
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