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FROM TENT TO TEMPLE. I Kings 8:1-12. 06/26/2022. #19.
1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 12 Then Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
1. End of an era
a. For over 450 years worship Jewish worship centered on the tabernacle
a1. The tabernacle was carried from place to place as the Israelites moved through the Wilderness
a2. In Israel the tab. had been in Shiloh, Mount Gibeon, and Mt. Zion in Jerusalem
b. 430 yrs. between Abraham and Moses; 490 years between Moses and Solomon; 370 years between Solomon and the exile (destruction of Temple); 483 years between rebuilt Temple and the Cross
c. When Solomon dedicated the Temple (957 BC), the ministry of the Tabernacle ended forever
a1. Permanent dwelling in Jerusalem
a2. Had the Jews obeyed God, the Jews would have stayed in the land and the Temple would have remained in Jer.
2. Transfer to the Temple
a. The Tabernacle was located on Mount Zion
a1. Called “The City of David”, this was where David had his palace
a2. The Temple was on Mt. Moriah (where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac)
b. 4 hills of Jerusalem: Zion, Moriah, Ariel, and Ophel
a1. 3 hills outside walls of Jer.: Mount Scopius, Mount Olivet, and Mount of Corruption
a2. Golgotha (bald head or skull) was a lesser hill outside the Western Gate
c. The transfer of all the furnishings and vessels from the Tabernacle to Temple happen in the month of Ethniel (Tishri; Sept./Oct.) around the time of both Yom Kippur and Feast of the Tabernacle
a1. Accompanied by countless sacrifices
a2. Much fanfare and celebration
a3. The tabernacle was retired
d. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies under the winged cherubim
a1. The tablets of The Ten Commandments were in the Ark
a2. No mention of what happened to Aaron’s almond branch that budded or the pot of manna in the ark
e. Somehow the poles that carried the ark could be seen from the holy place
3. Glory fills the Temple
a. God indicates that he is pleased with the Temple
a1. God will dwell among his people
a2. God will receive worship from the repentant and the faithful
a3. God sanctifies the activity of the Temple
b. The glory was so overwhelming that the priests could not see to continue their work
c. Had Israel continued to obey, God’s glory would have remained with his people
a1. Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel saw God’s glory depart
a2. Israel never experienced God’s full glory
d. God’s blessing and glory is experienced only as we fully yield to him
a1. Revelation 3:20 God is willing to fully bless us
a2. Psalm 66:18 God does not fellowship with sin
e. Dedication of the Temple was only an event if the people did not fully embrace what it meant