Prayer

Context: Solomon’s call (1 Kings 8:17-19, 1 Chronicles 22:7-10)

• David originally planned to build the temple
  • However, was not allowed to, because of the blood on his hands
  • Solomon, whose name is derived from Shalom (Peace)
    • Would have peace on all sides during his reign and
    • Will build the temple of God
      • This was prophesied before he was born
• Solomon took 7 years to build the temple (1 Kings 6:38)

What would men definitely do? What is the consequence and solution? (v46-53, 1 Jn 1:9-10)

• Men will sin – there are no exceptions
  • Women?  Men should be read as all / everyone
    • Romans 3:23: for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
• Consequence:
  • They would bring God’s judgment on themselves
• Solution:
  • Romans 3:24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
  • 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
    • If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make Him a liar
• Knowing everyone will sin, is praying that God would forgive them, when they repent

“pray to you toward their land” Did God dwell in that temple? v48, 1 Kings 8:27-28

• Solomon knows that nothing can contain God – not even heaven and heaven of heavens
  • Therefore, there is no expectation that a temple could contain God
    • Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven, the heaven of heavens, and the earth, with all that is therein.
    • Acts 7:47-50 Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands
  • Instead, Solomon is just praying that God would “graciously consider” prayers that are offered in that temple and or prayed towards that temple
    • God granted his request.  Example Daniel’s prayers 6:10
• The real ask from God is to follow Him and keep his commandments and statutes
  • If Israelites forget that and follow other gods – then
    • They will be exiled and the temple would be cast out of His sight
• No – we don’t have a holy place to turn towards, for our prayers to be heard

What is Solomon’s prayer / blessing for the assembly of Israel? v54-60

• That God would continue to be with them
  • Which requires that they follow God and keep his commandments
    • Therefore he also prays that they have a heart to walk in his ways
• When all the people look at the assembly of Israel, they will know
  • That Yahweh Himself is God and there is no one else.

Conclusion

• 2 Chronicles 7:14: if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Main Passage 1 Kings  8:46-60 – World English Bible (WEB)

46 If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; 47 yet if they repent in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;’ 48 if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name; 49 then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause; 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron furnace); 52 that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant, and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh.”

54 It was so, that when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before Yahweh’s altar, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant. 57 May Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him 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, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night, that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day requires; 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh himself is God. There is no one else.

Notes / Cross References

1 John 1:9-10 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Daniel 6:10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

1 Kings 8:27 But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

1 Kings 9:6-7 6 But if you turn away from following me, you or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them; 7 then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and I will cast this house, which I have made holy for my name, out of my sight; and Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

2 Chronicles 7:14 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Acts 7:47-50 47 But Solomon built him a house. 48 However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says, ‘heaven is my throne,

    and the earth a footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord.

    ‘Or what is the place of my rest?

50 Didn’t my hand make all these things?’