1Ki 8:10-12 | KingComments | STEP | The dedication of the temple takes place at “the feast, in the month Ethanim”, that is the Feast of Booths. This feast is the great closing of all harvest feasts in “the seventh month” ( ). This feast points to the kingdom of peace, where the people are in possession of all the blessings of God, at the end of all the ways of God. We, New Testament believers, already possess “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ” ( ) and therefore have so much more reason to praise God. The ark is placed in the midst of the people and then in the temple. The ark has not been in the tabernacle since Eli’s days. David brought the ark to Zion and placed it in the tent he had pitched for it ( ), while the tabernacle was at Gibeon ( ). Solomon brings the ark from that tent to the temple. The bringing up of the ark to the temple and the associated sacrifices are a picture of Christ in the midst of His people, the church, where the people bring Him sacrifices of praise and thanks. In 1 Chronicles 28 we see the Spirit of Christ among His people through Whom David says what was in his heart, the wish he had ( ) The ark, which has travelled around for so long, has come to the end of its wanderings and comes into the tranquility of the temple. This is about priests and Levites giving it that place. In spiritual application this means that only if the spiritual conditions are present in us the Lord Jesus can be in the midst of us as His own and we can raise our voice to God in praise. The ark is in itself also a resting place, the footstool for God’s feet. God finds His rest in the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus finds His rest in the midst of His church. Here Solomon leads everything. The Lord Jesus wants to lead everything through His Spirit. Through the leading of Solomon the ark is given its place in the temple of God. The ark is brought to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the great wings of the cherubs. The poles are not pulled out according to the prescription ( ). They remain in the rings and are seen. This is to remind us that the journey is over and rest has been reached. The wilderness journey is over. The Lord Jesus went into the rest after accomplishing His way and work on earth, but we will always be reminded of His life on earth. How it is possible that the poles can be seen from the holy place, while the ark finds itself in a fully enclosed sanctuary, is not clear. In the spiritual application it is clear. It shows that the believer has confidence to enter the holy place and sees Christ there ( ). From the letter to the Hebrews we can conclude that there was a time when there were three objects in the ark ( ). Here we only speak about the two tables of the covenant, i.e. the law. The other two objects are directly related to the wilderness journey – the manna, and rod which budded as the activity of the high priest – but the journey is over here. The law continues to keep its meaning, even in the realm of peace. The perfect will of God remains forever. Also the Lord Jesus remains the dependent Man, in Him the will of God remains completely present. In we are reminded of two events that are similar. It concerns the dedication of the tabernacle ( ) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ( ). Now the temple gets its meaning. God takes His residence in the temple as His dwelling place. Thus the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in the believer individually, but also to form the church, to form the members as a whole “into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” ( ).

‏ 1 Kings 8:10-12

The Ark to the Temple

The dedication of the temple takes place at “the feast, in the month Ethanim”, that is the Feast of Booths. This feast is the great closing of all harvest feasts in “the seventh month” (Lev 23:34). This feast points to the kingdom of peace, where the people are in possession of all the blessings of God, at the end of all the ways of God. We, New Testament believers, already possess “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ” (Eph 1:3) and therefore have so much more reason to praise God.

The ark is placed in the midst of the people and then in the temple. The ark has not been in the tabernacle since Eli’s days. David brought the ark to Zion and placed it in the tent he had pitched for it (2Sam 6:17), while the tabernacle was at Gibeon (2Chr 1:3-5). Solomon brings the ark from that tent to the temple.

The bringing up of the ark to the temple and the associated sacrifices are a picture of Christ in the midst of His people, the church, where the people bring Him sacrifices of praise and thanks. In 1 Chronicles 28 we see the Spirit of Christ among His people through Whom David says what was in his heart, the wish he had (1Chr 28:2)

The ark, which has travelled around for so long, has come to the end of its wanderings and comes into the tranquility of the temple. This is about priests and Levites giving it that place. In spiritual application this means that only if the spiritual conditions are present in us the Lord Jesus can be in the midst of us as His own and we can raise our voice to God in praise.

The ark is in itself also a resting place, the footstool for God’s feet. God finds His rest in the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus finds His rest in the midst of His church.

Here Solomon leads everything. The Lord Jesus wants to lead everything through His Spirit. Through the leading of Solomon the ark is given its place in the temple of God. The ark is brought to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the great wings of the cherubs. The poles are not pulled out according to the prescription (Exo 25:15). They remain in the rings and are seen. This is to remind us that the journey is over and rest has been reached. The wilderness journey is over. The Lord Jesus went into the rest after accomplishing His way and work on earth, but we will always be reminded of His life on earth.

How it is possible that the poles can be seen from the holy place, while the ark finds itself in a fully enclosed sanctuary, is not clear. In the spiritual application it is clear. It shows that the believer has confidence to enter the holy place and sees Christ there (Heb 10:19).

From the letter to the Hebrews we can conclude that there was a time when there were three objects in the ark (Heb 9:4). Here we only speak about the two tables of the covenant, i.e. the law. The other two objects are directly related to the wilderness journey – the manna, and rod which budded as the activity of the high priest – but the journey is over here. The law continues to keep its meaning, even in the realm of peace. The perfect will of God remains forever. Also the Lord Jesus remains the dependent Man, in Him the will of God remains completely present.

In 1Kgs 8:10-11 we are reminded of two events that are similar. It concerns the dedication of the tabernacle (Lev 9:23-24) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2). Now the temple gets its meaning. God takes His residence in the temple as His dwelling place. Thus the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in the believer individually, but also to form the church, to form the members as a whole “into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22).

Solomon Blesses the People

Solomon begins by saying something that is characteristic for the Old Testament and what is opposed to the New Testament. For Solomon the LORD dwells in darkness, although God is light. But God is also love, and for that very reason He lives in darkness, for if He showed His light, it would mean the end of the people and of man. Hence the veil is there, behind which He has withdrawn Himself. This is no longer the case in the church. There He dwells in Christ, in Whom He comes to man.

Solomon blesses the people (1Kgs 8:14). He is here the king-priest, for blessing is what the priest does. We see that with Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-19). The Lord Jesus is the perfect King-Priest (Zec 6:13; Heb 7:1-3).

Solomon begins by praising God as the God Who speaks and does (1Kgs 8:15). Whatever His mouth speaks, His hand carries out. He spoke to David about his election. He has not chosen a city, but David. It seems as if David is a city, but city, temple and king are so connected that David and the city are one. The king and his city belong together. The Lord Jesus is the Son of David and is forever connected with Jerusalem.

Solomon often speaks of the Name of the LORD. The name expresses what someone is or should be. His Name expresses His whole glory. The throne of the LORD shows Who erected the throne. The throne of David shows who sits on the throne. The throne of Israel shows what is ruled.

The covenant lies in the ark, recorded and represented in the two tables (1Kgs 8:21).