Entertaining the Presence (1 Kings 8: 2 Chronicles 5)
Key verse 1 Kings 8:10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.
Why did the presence come here in 1 Kings like it did?
• I see at least three factors we need to look at. (Only one today)
1. Response
• God was responding to their preparation, praise, worship and honor.
o Solomon did the right thing by building the Temple first before his palace
o Look at all the preparation that goes into this scene and the scene before this passage.
All the detail, work and cost in building the Temple
• Which brings us to chapter 8
o Solomon summons all the elders, heads of tribes, and the chiefs of families.
This took time and effort
Then as the festival began all the men of Israel came.
o Look at verse 8 chapter 8:8
It says they sacrificed so many sheep and cattle that they could not be counted.
• In the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 5:11 is also says the priests consecrated themselves.
o All preparation
• 2 Chronicles 5:12-13 Now the praise and worship
o They had to have prepared and practiced.
• And then the presence comes!
Another thing to note here: It says the presence and the glory came after the priests left the Holy Place
• First, this is because it would be too much for them.
o Exodus 33:20 says that no one may see God and live.
• But it happened this way so that it could only be God.
o It wasn’t because of anything the priests were doing in that moment.
• It was about their preparation though
• And He responded by sending His presence.
o It’s a pattern that repeats itself throughout scripture.
Preparation, sacrifice, praise and worship bring the presence of God.
• The order is important.
o The biblical example is always that praise and worship follow preparation and sacrifice.
o Preparation and sacrifice lead us into worship.
Entertaining the Presence
