Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: The Lord appears to Solomon with a promise and a warning.
Solomon's prayer and blessing at the dedication is repeated (see previous blog.) He also says, "May Your priests be clothed in salvation, and let Your saints rejoice in goodness." After he finishes praying, fire comes down from heaven and consumes the offerings and sacrifices, and the Lord's glory fills the temple. When all Israel sees the fire and the glory, they bow their faces to the ground and worship and praise the Lord, "For He is good and His mercy endures forever." Solomon offers 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep, and they dedicate the house. The dedication lasts seven days, and a feast lasts seven days, and everyone goes away happy and thankful for all God has done for Israel. And it says that Solomon "successfully accomplished all that was in his heart." Then, the Lord appears to Solomon by night and says He has heard His prayer and has chosen this place for Himself as a house of sacrifice. He says when He shuts up heaven so there is no rain, or sends locusts or pestilence, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." He tells Solomon that if he walks before him as David did and keeps His ways and commands, He will establish his throne and kingdom. However, He warns that if he turns away and serves and worships other gods, then He will uproot the people from the land, and His house will be cast out from His sight, and it will become "a proverb and a byword among all peoples," and when people ask why the Lord has done this to the land and the house, they will be told that it is because they forsook the Lord who brought them out of Egypt and embraced other gods and worshiped and served them, and that is why He has brought all this calamity on them.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
"If My people..." What an amazing promise for us today!