Last week, we considered the beginning of the pinnacle moment in the history of the nation of Israel. The people who were once stateless and enslaved to a world superpower had finally established their Kingdom as promised by God. Here they are after years of wandering in the wilderness, decades of lawlessness and anarchy in the era of the Judes, and having navigated the Chaos of Saul’s reign and the battles of David; the people of God are at peace. Peace with God and with the nations around them. As under Solomon (Of peace), the nations come in tribute to Isreal with the gifts needed to build the temple. It is the most significant of moments as the nation rises in worship, wondering who God is and what he has done for them. The Lord has dwelt with his people eternally and provided and protected them – and the Symbol of that Past dwelling and continuing dwelling has been the Ark of the Lord, and now will be the Temple of the Lord at the centre of his Capital, among his people. The Ark Symbolises the presence of God among his people, and now, with the Temple at the centre of God’s people, God makes his literal presence known as he Descends in such a way that the priests can no longer continue in their duties of leading Worship. The people have been worshipping who God is and how he has acted to them, and in a moment (just in case there was any doubt), the LORD reminds them that the things they were thankful for, they shall remain grateful for today, tomorrow and forever. The God who rescued them from Slavery and brought them into freedom is the living and good God they worship at the temple – still active and present with his people as he continues to work his redemptive plan in the History of the world.

How would you respond to such a revelation of God? It is the most beautiful of moments, as the people of God, led by their King, in a sense, acknowledge a tremendous civic achievement – the building of the Temple and the completion of other significant projects around Jerusalem. Yet, the appearance of God in the holiest of Hollies has reminded the people (as if they could have had any doubt) who had crowned their crowning achievement. Thus, again, we must ask ourselves: How would we respond? The Answer is simple – Like Solomon. To the Appearance of God’s tangibles, Glory continues in worship as he reflects on the competition of the temple and what it speaks to the people of God in terms of its fulfilment of God’s promise to David. Solomon sees the appearance of the Lord in the temple as a reminder that God is a good who is faithful! He is faithful to his word and loyal to his people.

1. Acknowledging God’s Presence (1 Kings 8:12-13)

I wonder if, during the construction of the Temple, Solomon found himself thinking, “Will the Lord like this,” there must have been moments of worry if what he had set out to create would be worthy of representing the presence of God among his people. How could you not feel the stress and strain of leading the building of something as significant as the house where God would be worshipped and dwell among his people for centuries as they remained faithful to him? Yet, the Lord’s appearing in Glory clarifies in a moment that He is pleased with the worship of his people and the temple they had built to honour him.

The Lord is pleased with the New arrangements for Worship that his people have built for him, and as the Ark has moved into the Holy place and the Glory of the Lord has appeared, there is visual confirmation that this is what the Lord has wanted from his people. In response to the Cloud of the Lord’s glory, Solomon speaks to assure the people gathered that the Lord is pleased as he recalls their history, and he points out that previously, God has said he would dwell in Darkness:

“The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:21 ESV)

“These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.” (Deuteronomy 5:22 ESV)

God’s dwelling in darkness is not a negative image. Instead, it is the visible display of the mystery of God’s personhood, for even as he appears among his people, he is incomprehensible; no eye could survive witnessing the fullness of the Lord’s Glory, so even as his presence is known, seen, and felt there is a transcendent to it. The Glory of God is seen but cannot be fully known until God fulfils his redemptive plan.

Solomon then further declares in v.13 that he has built a temple for God, a place where His name can dwell forever (v. 13). It is a statement of fulfilment; the word is now complete, and the temple will be both the permanent representative of the Lord’s presence, the permanent fulfilment of his promise and the place where his name will be known, and made known by his people. This recognises both the permanence of the temple and the fulfilment of God’s promise. It is a beautiful contrast summarising the tension in knowing God – nothing can contain Him, yet he has said he will dwell with his people. Verse 18 builds on this dwelling as Solomon reflects that David wanted to make a temple in the name of the Lord, too. The name of the Lord is the knowledge of his works in the World, which brings Glory to him. The temple was never the only dwelling place of God in the world, but rather the place where the people he called, known by his name, would make known His Name in their worship of him.

It is a beautiful image as the Temple is complete, and God affirms his presence with his people by making them know his Glory. Yet, it was only ever to be temporary; the temple in all of its splendour was marked by the curse of time and the ware of neglect, for no sooner have we heard of its glory will we read how it has fallen into disrepair. The temple and God’s glorious appearance in it foreshadow his dwelling with those who are his children today. The Temple of stones is but a memory of history, but the Temple of Living Stones is still being built today, as God’s people enter into his presence through our great High Priest Jesus Christ, whom on the cross was the ultimate atoning sacrifice, and now who in the work of the Kingdom and great commission make known the Glory of his name as we serve in the world as living temples of the Holy Spirit who incarnate the Glory of God in the world.

2. The Fulfillment of God’s Promise to David (1 Kings 8:14-16)

Seven years ago, the Lord came to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he wanted; Solomon, recognising God’s presence, sought God’s wisdom for his life and leadership. Seven years later, Solomon has shown the wisdom that the Lord has given him, as the temple is completed and the Lord appears in his Glory to affirm all that has been done, display his pleasure and remind all who will witness his presence and Power. Solomon again recognises the Lord as he responds in verses 12 & 13; yet, in his wisdom, he also recognises that this is not just a moment for him but for all of God’s covenant people as he turns from facing the temple to face all the gathered leadership tribal, civic, royal, and religious as well as all the people of Isreal who would have been present for the outstanding dedication to bless them: “The King turned around and blessed the entire congregation of Israel where they where standing.” Solomon recognised the appearance of Yahweh in his wisdom, and in his Wisdom, he knew that this appearance was for everyone.

Having seen the Lord’s glory fill the temple, Solomon recognises this moment as the culmination of God’s promises to his father, David. Yes, this was something Solomon had led, but it was nothing for Solomon to Glory in – that belonged to God because the very act of building the temple was enabled by the faithfulness of Yahweh, who they were called to worship. In verses 14-16, Solomon turns from the temple to face the assembled people of Israel, blessing them and declaring God’s faithfulness, which they should never have doubted! Solomon recalls how God had chosen David from the fields to lead his people and had assured him that while it would not be him to build the temple, it would bear his name. Solomon led His people to complete what God had set forth.

This act of Solomon’s is significant; it isn’t merely a royal or ceremonial duty. It is an acknowledgement of the continuity of God’s covenant – The God who has been faithful will always be loyal to his people. It is a public declaration that what God had spoken to David has now been fulfilled. The temple is a testament to this, not as a monument to Mankind but as a symbol of Yahweh’s faithfulness and Glory. Solomon’s words remind the people that God’s promises are not empty; they are steadfast and sure, unfolding across centuries. Solomon’s words are a simple reminder that when God says he will do something, he will do it.

Today, we must recognise the importance of remembering and proclaiming God’s faithfulness. It is not just a memory from centuries ago, as God was faithful then – we know far more clearly and abundantly that he is faithful today! How do we know? We have met it in the person of Jesus Christ. As Solomon did, we are called to turn to those around us and declare what God has done or to put in the context of living under the new covenant – we are to tell them about Jesus! The fulfilment of God’s promises in the past gives us confidence for the future, assuring us that the God who was faithful then is the same. The faithful one is unchanging; he is the same yesterday, today and always. He is always good, sovereign, loyal and loving. We know it because we have experienced it in Christ and live it in the power of the Holy Spirit. We remember God’s faithfulness in the past because it helps us trust it today.

3. The Continuity of God’s Plan (1 Kings 8:17-19)

Solomon reflects on how his father, David, had it in his heart to build a temple in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. This desire was born out of David’s deep experience of the love God had shown him, the mercy he had received, and the forgiveness he had been granted. David was a mighty king who had known great success with the sword. Yet, he also stumbled, and in the stumbling and sin, as he entered the darkest days, he knew the Lord greater still. In the Darkness, the light of hope in Yahweh showed brighter still and allowed David to revere God. Recognising that the Ark symbolised God’s presence among His people and needed a permanent home, David desired to honour God by building the Temple. However, God had a different plan that extended beyond David’s lifetime. David was not the one to build the temple, but his son, Solomon, would fulfil this task. A reminder that the plans do not belong to us; they belong to the Lord – our call is to trust and be faithful.

What we get to see here is simple: God’s plan across generations. That the Lord was doing something among his people that was not bound to the reign of one King or another. No God was doing something far beyond the understanding of the human mind! He was building to the eternal throne where one of the lines of David would reign and bring peace eternally – Jesus. David’s desire was noble, but Solomon was chosen to carry it out, and others would follow Solomon. God’s purposes often span beyond the immediate, weaving through the lives of His people over time until that which he has said will happen is complete. God’s purposes are still woven today. What he began then continues in his living temple among us and through us. The temple’s construction was not just a project but part of God’s ongoing Story of redemption, an arc that began long before Solomon and would continue long after him in the person of Jesus Christ and the work of the Body of Christ.

We are writing part of this unfolding story today as the Body of Christ living in the redemption of Christ through his infectious, transformative, and affections. Grace is at work in us to make known the hope of Redemptive to the world that needs it. We are living and writing the Arc of redemptive history today because God’s plans are not limited to a single person or moment! They are continuous and expansive, as the Spirit works where he wants to work: to do what he wants to do to bring Glory to God. Not without order or a plan, but in fulfilment of what the Lord spoke when sin first entered the world – His redemptive plan- would display fully to work His power and Glory. Encompassing the efforts of all who faithfully serve Him. We are the temple. As we serve God in the normal of each day and seek to bring honour and fame to his name – this is worship – we continue the call that God gave to his people: to be faithful to Him as he was faithful to us. We carry out Kingdom labouring in our communities, building on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and laying the foundation for those who will come after us. We contribute to something much more significant than ourselves – the Kingdom’s call to bring Glory to God so that all might know the beauty of Living by faith and living fully. A work we delight in continuing until the fulfilment of all things in Christ.

4. The Completion of the Temple (1 Kings 8:20-21)

In verses 20-21, Solomon acknowledges that this moment represents the fulfilment of God’s promise to David many years ago. He stands before the people of Israel, having succeeded his father on the throne, and declares that he has built the temple in the name of the Lord, as was promised by God—an act which brings honour to God’s name by its majesty and its fulfilment. The temple’s completion marks a significant moment for Solomon and the nation. Think about it that as a young King, one of his first enactments was to build a temple for their God to be worshipped and dwell; of all the things he could have done, he chose to do something that, in the eyes of the world seemed insignificant, yet, with the wisdom he knew was the right thing to do. So they laboured, planned, toiled and worked for seven years to build something that would bring Glory to God and allow his Covental Ark to rest. Thus, we were faithful to God’s request and promised to create something in worship. It is the duality of how the Lord works in the world and the mystery, as he promises something will happen and then uses his servant to enact what he has said will become. Not because the Lord needs to use us but because he delights in using us for his cause and to bring honour to his name.

The completion of the temple is a physical reminder to the people of God of God’s faithfulness. Every time they enter it, look at it, and walk past it, they should be reminded of the God who was with them. He brought what He had spoken to David to pass through Solomon and to completion in Jesus. This moment is a powerful reminder that God’s promises are sure and steadfast. Even when they take time to materialise, they are always fulfilled according to His perfect timing and wisdom.

This moment encourages us to trust God’s promises, even when the fulfilment seems distant. It challenges us to be faithful in our discipleship, call and witness, knowing that we are building upon the foundations laid by those who have gone before us. Our work in our churches, communities, and personal lives is part of God’s more excellent plan—a plan that will ultimately be completed in His time because God does what he says he will do.

Conclusion

As we finish and reflect upon the dedication of the temple and Solomon’s blessing of his people, it is beautiful to remember that we glimpse a powerful telling of God’s unwavering faithfulness, the unbroken continuity of His plan, and the unfailing fulfilment of His promises. Shadows of what was displayed must be entirely on the Cross and in the person of Jesus Christ. The temple stood as an irrefutable testament to these truths, where the presence of God was tangibly felt, and His name was exalted. The living Temple today, that is the body of Christ – the church – those who have been bought with his blood and are marked by faith in his forgiving work: we, the Church, stand in the identical stead today as an irrefutable testament to the Gospel of Grace, where the presence of God was tangibly felt as we live out his love in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Glory is brought to his name as we Live for Christ by living like Christ:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Yet, the temple Solomon built, despite its grandeur, was nothing more than a mere shadow of what was to come. Today, we, the church, are the living temple of God, a community of believers called to embody His presence in the world. We are not a building or a specific place. We are people set free from the Curse of Sin by Christ’s work and encouraged in the power of the Spirit to bring Glory to God’s name not by where we worship, but by how we worship. Our responsibility is not limited to the mere preservation of a building but to live out the Gospel we have received! To witness how we love one another and serve our communities as an unwavering testament to God’s ongoing work in the world – to know His name and make it known.

Hence, let us go forward with unyielding confidence that God, who proved faithful to David, Solomon, and all His people, remains steadfast. His plans are relentless, His promises are committed, and His presence is unceasing with us, now and forever. Amen.