Today the priests bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, which contains the 2 stone tablets Moses placed in there at Horeb, to the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place. Then a cloud fills the house of the Lord; “for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord”. Solomon says in his prayer “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” Solomon knows that God can not be limited by a place. His presence fills the heavens and the earth. The Lord is working His plan to bring the Savior that He promised back in the garden. He chose to work His plan through the Israelites and this temple is built for His name.
Solomon prays to God “that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,” that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may you hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people, Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive”. Later in the Story, when the Iraelites are taken into captivity by the Babylonians, Daniel will risk his life believing this is true. King Darius approves an ordinance that anyone who worships any god or man besides him for 30 days would be thrown into the den of lions. “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Daniel 6:11) Daniel believes that the Lord will hear the prayers of those who pray toward His temple and that He will deliver them and Daniel is correct! When he is thrown into the lions den “…no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in God”. (Daniel 6:23) And God receives all the glory bc King Darius then writes a new decree “that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring forever.” (Daniel 6:26) And even later in the Story, the Lord will pour the Holy Spirit onto His people making their bodies the temple, but before we get to all that, tomorrow there is a dedication to the temple so keep reading.
(1 Kings 8:1-11, 2 Chronicles 5:1-14, 1 Kings 8:12-21, 2 Chronicles 6:1-11, 1 Kings 8:22-53, 2 Chronicles 6:12-42)
Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 