2 Chronicles , Sarah Barry
THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLS THE TEMPLE
Passage: 2_Chronicles 5:2~14  
Key verse: 14
The Ark Brought to the Temple(A)
2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark(B) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 3 And all the Israelites(C) came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.
4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, 5 and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The Levitical priests(D) carried them up; 6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.
7 The priests then brought the ark(E) of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim(F) spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles. 9 These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. 10 There was nothing in the ark except(G) the two tablets(H) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
11 The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.(I) 12 All the Levites who were musicians(J)—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.(K) 13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good;
his love endures forever.”(L)
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud,(M) 14 and the priests could not perform(N) their service because of the cloud,(O) for the glory(P) of the Lord filled the temple of God.
Cross references
- 2 Chronicles 5:2 : 5:2–6:11pp — 1Ki 8:1-21
- 2 Chronicles 5:2 : S Nu 3:31; S 1Ch 15:25
- 2 Chronicles 5:3 : S 1Ch 9:1
- 2 Chronicles 5:5 : S Nu 3:31; S 1Ch 15:2
- 2 Chronicles 5:7 : Rev 11:19
- 2 Chronicles 5:8 : S Ge 3:24
- 2 Chronicles 5:10 : Heb 9:4
- 2 Chronicles 5:10 : S Ex 16:34; S Dt 10:2
- 2 Chronicles 5:11 : S 1Ch 24:1
- 2 Chronicles 5:12 : 1Ki 10:12; 1Ch 9:33; S 25:1; Ps 68:25
- 2 Chronicles 5:12 : S 1Ch 13:8
- 2 Chronicles 5:13 : S 1Ch 16:34, 41; 2Ch 7:3; 20:21; Ezr 3:11; Ps 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11
- 2 Chronicles 5:13 : S Ex 40:34
- 2 Chronicles 5:14 : Ex 40:35; Rev 15:8
- 2 Chronicles 5:14 : Ex 19:16
- 2 Chronicles 5:14 : S Ex 29:43; S 40:35
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
Solomon gathered all the leaders and the people of Israel to bring the ark to the temple. The ark symbolized God's presence among his people and the two tablets of stone represented his word and his covenant. The ark was handled with great reverence and care. The Levites carried the ark from Zion to the temple while consecrated priests placed it in the Most Holy Place. Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel sacrificed countless sheep and cattle. In this way, they sought the presence of the LORD. The way to seek the Lord is with a broken and contrite heart.
2. The glory of the LORD filled the temple (11-14)
The priests withdrew from the Holy Place and an awesome round of worship began. The Levites, who were musicians, played cymbals, harps and lyres while 120 priests blew their trumpets. The singers raised their voices and praised God. What a celebration! Then, the glory of the LORD filled the temple in a cloud. God was present with his people. Is there anything more they could need? Is there anything more they could want?
Prayer: Father, your presence is everything.
One Word: God is present among his people