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The temple which Solomon made was
a very beautiful building. It was made of cedar wood, wonderfully
carved, and overlaid with gold. Within the house was the oracle, the
holy place, like the holy of holies in the tabernacle, where the ark was
to be placed. The oracle was divided from the other part of the
house by doors, beautifully carved, and overlaid with gold, and a thick
veil of red, and purple, and blue, hung before the oracle. Inside
the oracle, Solomon put beautiful golden cherubim, like the cherubim in
the tabernacle. He made too an altar of brass, and a great basin or
sea, with the figures of twelve oxen round the basin; and ten tables, and
ten layers, and ten golden candlesticks. These things were outside
the oracle. All the holy vessels were made of gold. Solomon's
servants were industrious, and did the work very quickly; but seven years
passed before the temple was finished. Then Solomon called all
Israel to come to the great feast, when the temple was to be dedicated to
God. The priests brought the ark, and all the holy vessels; and they
put the ark in the oracle, under the wings of the cherubim. In the
ark were the tables of stone, which God had given to Moses so many years
before. When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud
filled the house. The bright glory of the Lord was there. All
the people stood in holy reverence, while the king blessed them, and
prayed to the Lord. Solomon prayed that God would always bless His
holy temple, and hear the prayers of his people there. He knew that
he and his people would often be in trouble, and difficulty, and
sorrow. Perhaps their enemies might fight against them; or there
might be a plague or famine in Israel. Who could help them
then? Only God; so Solomon prayed that when, in these times of
sorrow, he and his people should go and pray in the holy temple, God would
hear, and answer, and bless them. When
Solomon had ended his prayer, he rose from his knees, and blessed the
people again. It was a beautiful sight. The good king praising
God, and blessing his people, and the people attending to all he said, and
praying to God too; and all the house filled with God's glory. Then
they offered sacrifices to the Lord; and He accepted those sacrifices,
because they were offered in faith; and He blessed the people. Then
Solomon made a great feast, and afterwards sent the people away full of
joy and gladness. And now
God appeared again to Solomon. It was by night when Solomon was
asleep. What did God say? He told Solomon that He had heard
his prayer. He said, "I have blessed my house, and I will hear
the prayers which my people make to me there. And if thou wilt obey
and serve me, as David thy father did, then will I bless thee and keep
thee for ever. But if thou and thy people forget me, and serve and
worship idol gods, then I will forsake you. I will not then attend
to your prayers. I will turn away from you and bless you no
more." How happy
Solomon and his people were, to have the promise of God's blessing when
they were faithful to Him! In all their troubles and difficulties
they might go to His holy temple, and pray there, and He would hear
them. The churches where we may go every Sabbath Day, are dedicated
to God, and He promises to hear the prayers of His people there. We
ought to be very thankful for these holy temples, and very glad to go to
them. And when we are in God's house, we should remember what a holy
place it is. God is there. We cannot see His bright glory, and
the cloud which Israel saw; but we know that His Spirit is there, to bless
and teach His people. Jesus says, "Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:20.
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