All these buildings and the great court were made of fine stones…
How our attention is drawn to what is transitory (Mark 13:1-2)! May I think and see otherwise, Father (Hebrews 12:27).
When King Solomon finished all the work on the Temple, he placed in the Temple storerooms all the things that his father David had dedicated to the Lord—the silver, gold, and other articles.
But to what end? Do I need to think differently, Lord?
The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. (The poles are still there today.)
Not much else, I imagine (2 Kings 25:10). A reminder…
There was nothing inside the Covenant Box except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt.
What history! It seems like an eternity ago…
As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud shining with the dazzling light of the Lord’s presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties.
This forshadowing your presence in us, Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16). Marvelous. Thank you so much, Father, that we now see and understand (Matthew 13:16-17; 1 Peter 1:12).
Then Solomon prayed:
“You, Lord, have placed the sun in the sky,
yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness.
Now I have built a majestic temple for you,
a place for you to live in forever.”
Fatal. Prayed? No. Exclaimed. That moment where the Spirit filled the temple belonged only to God: there is no place for “I”. Instead of stepping into the background like Daniel (Daniel 2:27-30), Solomon draws all the attention to himself. May my lifelong attitude be totally different, Lord (John 3:30)!