When we build important buildings, we have dedication ceremonies to inaugurate its completion. People assemble together and a speech is given to speak to the meaning and purpose of the building. When the construction of the Freedom Tower in New York City commenced, there was a dedication ceremony. The governor of New York proclaimed, “Let this great freedom tower show the world that what our enemies sought to destroy – our democracy, our freedom, our way of life – stands taller than ever before.” It was important to proclaim the reason for the building and the meaning of the building. What we see in 2 Chronicles 6-7 is Solomon, the king of Israel, proclaiming the reason for building this temple to the Lord and its meaning. The speech and prayer Solomon offers at the temple dedication teaches us the meaning of the temple and its importance in the lives of God’s people. Then we will see how this meaning is important to our walk with God today.
The Visible Representation of God’s Faithfulness (2 Chronicles 6:1-17)
This dedication ceremony begins by proclaiming God’s faithfulness (2 Chronicles 6:4). The language is amazing because Solomon says that it was God’s hands that have fulfilled these promises, not his own hands. Solomon didn’t do this. God did! Solomon was merely carrying out God’s faithful word. The Lord has kept the promise that he made (6:10). God said that David’s son would build this house so that God’s name would forever be with his people. This is exactly what has happened. The temple would be a monument to God’s faithfulness. God gives us memorials in life to remember his faithfulness. We have things like the Lord’s Supper and baptism as important signs that show God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to us. The temple was to be a place where God’s visible presence reminded the people of God’s continuing faithfulness. Solomon’s prayer also shows God’s faithfulness. In verse 14 Solomon says that there is no one like our God who keeps covenant and shows steadfast love to his servants who walk before God with all their heart. In verse 16 is another reminder of God’s call to our faithfulness because of his faithfulness. If the king will pay close attention God’s laws, then God’s covenant blessings will continue.
The Visible Place For God To Listen and Forgive (2 Chronicles 6:18-42)
But in verse 18 Solomon transitions into explaining the meaning of the temple in this dedication ceremony. Again we see Solomon proclaiming that the greatness of God cannot begin to live in something physical. The highest heaven cannot contain God. Certainly this temple that Solomon cannot contain him. So why do we have this temple? What does the glory of God living in this temple represent to the people? Look carefully at verses 18-21. Solomon says that even though the Lord does not actually live in this building, may the Lord’s eyes always be open toward the temple so that you listen to the prayers offered toward it. The summary idea is in verse 21. When the people of Israel pray toward the temple, then the Lord who lives in heaven and not in this building will hear those prayers and forgive.
This is a critical message about the meaning of the temple. The temple was the place that people could pray toward. When the people prayed toward the temple, then the Lord God who lives in heaven will hear the prayer, because his eyes are always are on this temple, and forgive. Now I want you to notice what Solomon does through the rest of the dedication ceremony. Solomon starts describing different situations where God will listen and forgive.
In verses 22-23 Solomon describes where a person is accused of sinning against his neighbor and an oath of the violation is taken before the temple. God is to hear from heaven and repay the guilty and vindicate the righteous. The temple was to have a role as an administrator of justice for God’s people. The temple is the place to receive justice.
In verses 24-25 Solomon describes a situation where the people of Israel are defeated by their enemies because of their sins. If the people turn again, acknowledging the Lord, and pray toward this house, then God hear in heaven and forgive your people. In verses 26-27 the situation is that God stops the rain because the people have sinned. But if the people “pray toward this peace and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin” then hear in heaven and forgive your people. The same is said in verses 28-30 if there is a famine, plague, or disaster on the land. If the people are spreading their hands toward the temple, then hear from heaven and forgive. Notice in verses 30-31 the emphasis on God’s justice again. God is to render to each according to their ways because God knows the hearts of each person.
Now I want you to also see that these promises were not only offered to Israel. In verses 32-33 Solomon describes that foreigners could come from a distant land and pray toward this house. If they do, then from heaven God would hear their prayers and do all that the foreigner asks “in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you.” Even the Gentiles would be encouraged to come to the temple to seek the Lord and have the Lord respond favorably to them.
Solomon even notes the cosmic problem of sin in this dedication ceremony. In verse 36 he states the problem that the people are going to sin because who doesn’t sin. Israel was to know that perfection by the law was not attainable. But when Israel sins and they are taken into exile into a far away land, even then if they repent and plead with you and pray toward this land and this temple, they hear in heaven and forgive your people (6:36-40).
A House of Prayer
We will look more carefully at the necessary response of the people in the next lesson, Lord willing, as chapter 7 highlights the importance of the heart of people in greater detail. But for this lesson I want us to see Solomon’s emphasis that this temple was to be a house of prayer for Israel and for all nations. Isaiah also proclaimed that this was the point of the temple.
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” (Isaiah 56:6-8 ESV)
This helps us understand what Jesus is doing when he comes to Jerusalem and overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those selling pigeons (cf. Mark 11:15). Jesus shuts down the marketplace that the religious leaders had made out of God’s temple. Listen to what Jesus says as to what the problem was.
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” (Mark 11:17 ESV)
The temple was to be the place where the people could come to God, pray, and God would listen to their prayers and forgive. Now we yet again see the amazing beauty of Jesus calling himself the new temple of the Lord where the glory of God resides (cf. John 2:13-22; John 1:14-18). Everything that Solomon prayed regarding the physical temple he built find its ultimate reality in Jesus. Jesus is the temple where justice for God’s people is found. Jesus is the temple where we can pray and find forgiveness. This is one of the reasons Jesus is going around forgiving people’s sins while he was on the earth. He was showing that he is the place of forgiveness. He was showing that he is the new temple. Listen to how Paul preached this truth in Antioch.
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:36-39 ESV)
It is through Jesus that forgiveness of sins is possible. It is through Jesus that forgiveness and freedom can be proclaimed to the world. Jesus is the full glory and the substance of what the temple was foreshadowing. But I want to draw our attention to one more idea.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)
We noted that we are told that as God’s people we are also to live as temples to the living God so that God is glorified through our lives. I want to zero in on what Jesus said to the religious leaders who were ruining the physical temple. The temple is to be a house of prayer to all the nations. Are we a house of prayer for all the nations? Do we live our lives in such a way so that people come to Jesus and find forgiveness? Do we act as a local church in such a way so that people come to Jesus and find forgiveness? Listen to how Peter summarized the idea after calling us living stone being built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5).
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)
Why have we been given this wonderful status as God’s children? So that we will proclaim the glory and goodness of God to the rest of the world. We live so that people will seek God and find forgiveness. We are to bring people to the goodness of God by our words and actions. We must always be mindful about what we do as a church and as individuals if we are acting in a way to be a house of prayer to the nations or are we blocking people from coming to know the Lord and find forgiveness. Is what I am going to say help people draw closer to God or block them from finding God’s forgiveness? Is what we are doing as God’s people together going to help people draw closer to God or block them from finding God’s forgiveness? Jesus was a house of prayer for all the nations and we must follow in the footsteps of our Master and Savior.