TRUE WORSHIP, Sarah Barry
SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW
Passage: 1Kings 8:54~66  
Key verse: 60,61
54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed(A) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:
56 “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(B) to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(C) he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(D) us. 58 May he turn our hearts(E) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60 so that all the peoples(F) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.(G) 61 And may your hearts(H) be fully committed(I) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”
The Dedication of the Temple(J)
62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices(K) before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated(L) the temple of the Lord.
64 On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat(M) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar(N) that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.(O)
65 So Solomon observed the festival(P) at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath(Q) to the Wadi of Egypt.(R) They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good(S) things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
Cross references
- 1 Kings 8:55 : S Ex 39:43; Nu 6:23
- 1 Kings 8:56 : S Ex 33:14; Dt 12:10; Heb 4:8
- 1 Kings 8:56 : S Jos 23:15; S Jer 29:10
- 1 Kings 8:57 : S Dt 4:31; S 31:6; S Mt 28:20; Heb 13:5
- 1 Kings 8:58 : S Jos 24:23
- 1 Kings 8:60 : S Jos 4:24
- 1 Kings 8:60 : S Dt 4:35
- 1 Kings 8:61 : Dt 6:5
- 1 Kings 8:61 : 1Ki 9:4; 11:4; 15:3, 14; 22:43; 2Ki 20:3; 1Ch 28:9; 29:19; 2Ch 16:9; 17:6; 25:2; Ps 119:80; Isa 38:3
- 1 Kings 8:62 : 8:62-66pp — 2Ch 7:1-10
- 1 Kings 8:62 : S 2Sa 6:13; 1Ch 29:21; Eze 45:17
- 1 Kings 8:63 : Ezr 6:16
- 1 Kings 8:64 : S Ex 29:13
- 1 Kings 8:64 : S Ex 27:1; 2Ki 16:14; 2Ch 4:1; 8:12; 15:8; Eze 43:13-17
- 1 Kings 8:64 : S 2Sa 6:17
- 1 Kings 8:65 : S ver 2
- 1 Kings 8:65 : S Nu 13:21
- 1 Kings 8:65 : S Ge 15:18
- 1 Kings 8:66 : S Ex 18:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Hearts fully committed to the Lord (54-61)
King Solomon rose from his knees and blessed the people. He praised God who keeps his promises. He asked that God might be with his people, and that he might turn their hearts to him so that they might walk according to his word. He reminded the people that God had world mission purpose for them (60). To walk in his blessing and fulfill his purpose, God's people must commit their hearts fully to him. He still wants his people to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:6; 1Pe 2:9).
2. The dedication of the temple (62-66)
Forgiveness of sin is God's best blessing. Solomon and all Israel offered fellowship offerings--blood sacrifices to atone for sin and restore a right relationship between the holy God and sinful man. The grain offerings were for thanksgiving. After celebrating before the Lord, the people went home full of joy and thanksgiving. We should live with his blessing in our hearts and his praise on our lips.
Prayer: Lord, help me to commit my heart to you and to your world mission task and joyfully live under your blessing.
One Word: Leave God's house with a glad heart