1 Kings 8.1-43

This Sunday we will be focusing on 1 Kings 8.1-43.  This is the end of our sermon series on the life of David.  We began this series at the beginning of June and now we are ending it at the end of August.  During this time we have looked over the life of King David.  We have learned what it means to be "a man after God's own heart" [1 Samuel 13.14].  We have learned that David is a character that had awesome faith and trust in the Lord to guide him through great adversity.  But, we also find David to be a man that struggled with a personal hell that he brought upon himself, by trying to get what he wanted.  This was opposed to what God wanted for him. 

Today's passage from 1 Kings 8 is the culmination of David's life work.  This culmination is found in his son Solomon and what he was able to achieve.  If you recall, David desired to build a temple for the Lord to dwell in.  God did not want David to build that temple because he had been a man of war.  Instead, the Lord had Solomon build the temple.  In this passage we see the Lord as the actor in the thick cloud that filled the house of the Lord [1 Kings 8.11].  Solomon responds to God's actions by interpreting to the people what is going on and then blessing the Temple.  In this response he reminds the people of Israel that this started with his father David and now this throne of David would continue. 

One verse that really stuck out to me was v23 where Solomon prays: "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart."  What does it mean to walk before the Lord with all our hearts?  This seems like it is an acknowledgement that we are relying and trusting on the Lord to be our source and our hope.  If we are to trust in the Lord and surrender to him all of our heart ----- what happens when we do not do that?  In this passage from 1 Kings 8 we get an opportunity to learn how to repent and to trust in God's wonderful grace.  Continue reading vv46-50 and you will get a better sense of this repentance and forgiveness.