Year 1, Week 46, Day 1 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 46, Day 1

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Kings 8.

Today’s reading, along with part of 1 Kings 9, records the dedication of the Temple. 1 Kings 8-9 parallel the same historical accounting as 2 Chronicles 5-7. With the Temple construction project complete, 1 Kings 8 begins by noting the arrival of the Ark into the Temple: “the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim” (1 Kings 8:6). Then, like when the Tabernacle was completed, the glory of the LORD descended: “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD” (1 Kings 8:10-11; see Exodus 40:34-35). Upon the arrival of God’s presence, Solomon prayed: “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart…have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day” (1 Kings 8:22-23,28). Then Solomon completed the dedication events with sacrifices: “Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD” (1 Kings 8:62).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the ordinary clarity that existed amidst the spectacular mystery in the immediate aftermath of the Ark’s arrival to the Temple. A cloud, which everyone saw, hid the presence of God, which no one saw. The cloud was a manifestation of God’s glory and yet a concealment of God’s glory. This was the same phenomenon when the Tabernacle was complete: “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35). All of this reminds us that there is a hiddenness with the LORD; there is much that we cannot see concerning God, and there is much that we do not know about God.

However, there is clarity expressed through the arrival of the Ark into the Temple. A simple note is made concerning the contents inside the Ark: “There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 8:9). While there is hiddenness and mystery in our relationship with the LORD, there is disclosure and knowledge for our relationship with the LORD. There are spectacular experiences in connection with the LORD, such as Moses and the priests being unable to enter the Temple and Tabernacle because the glory of the LORD of glory filled the room. However, there are normal or ordinary components connected to our walk with the LORD. Our relationship or walk with the LORD does have mystery, but there is much about living before our God that is not mysterious. God has spoken His plans and will for us. For Israel, He put them on two tablets of stone: “At that time the LORD said to me, Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain and make an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.’ So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. And he wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the Ten Commandments that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me” (Deuteronomy 10:1-4). And those two tablets of stone were what was inside the Ark helps us to grasp that while the LORD cannot be known exhaustively, His will for us can be truly known, for He wrote it out for us.

We relate to God through His Word. There actually is no experiential relationship with the LORD apart from His Word. If we do not know the Word, we cannot genuinely know the God, who has given us His Word. The Ark, located inside the Temple, would serve as the place where Israel would meet with the LORD. And what was physically located in the Ark, was the Word. Thus, our walk with the LORD need not be obscure and baffling; we can know His central will as we seek Him. Whoever we are, wherever we live, and whatever we do, there is clarity from the LORD. He desires things such as we worship only Him, honor our parents, live faithfully married, do not take what is not ours, and do not harm others. God has given us clear direction on things that have great meaning to Him. And the things that He has revealed to us about His will for our lives are things that get lived out in quiet and ordinary routines of a mundane life. But when we live according to His will, it turns out to be anything but mundane; it turns out to be a life that is pleasing to him. 

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe