2 Chronicles 6-8: The Dedication of the Temple

Thoughts

Chronicles 6

Solomon acknowledges that God chose to dwell in “thick darkness”, yet he has built a house for His Name. Here are other verses about God and dark clouds/darkness.

• Exodus 20:21
  “The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.”
  Deuteronomy 4:11
  “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.”
  Deuteronomy 5:22–23
  “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly… out of the midst of the darkness, the cloud, and the thick darkness…”
  2 Samuel 22:10–12
  “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
  He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky.”
  1 Kings 8:12
  “Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.’”
  2 Chronicles 6:1
  “Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.’”
  Psalm 18:9–11
  “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
  He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—dark rain clouds of the sky.”
  Psalm 97:2
  “Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.”

Solomon blesses the people and recounts how God’s promise to David was fulfilled:

• David’s desire to build a house for the Lord.
• God’s response that Solomon would be the one to build it.
• The completion and placement of the Ark in the Temple.

Solomon stands before the altar, kneels, and spreads his hands toward heaven. He asks God to hear prayers directed toward this Temple and to keep His promise to David’s descendants.

Solomon requests for God to judge righteously between the guilty and the innocent. If they repent, ask God to forgive and restore them.

• And that even non-Israelites who pray toward the Temple may be heard and come to know God.

Solomon ends with“Now arise, Lord God, and come to your resting place.”

(I did not do this chapter well)

Chronicles 7

When Solomon finishes praying, fire comes down from heaven and consumes the burnt offering and sacrifices.

2 Chonicles 5 is mentioned again: The glory of the Lord fills the Temple, so strongly that the priests can’t even enter.

• The people bow with their faces to the ground, worshiping and giving thanks, saying:
  “He is good; his love endures forever.”

Solomon and all Israel offer huge numbers of sacrifices: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats.

The Levites play instruments David made for worship, and trumpeters lead the praise.

The altar area is so full that Solomon consecrates the middle courtyard to hold more offerings.

The people celebrate for seven days, then another seven (the Feast of Tabernacles).

• Everyone returns home “joyful and glad in heart for the goodness the Lord had shown.”

After the festivities end, God personally appears to Solomon to confirm His covenant, but also to warn him.

• God explains what to do if disaster strikes: drought, locusts, plague
• God promises His eyes and heart will always be on this Temple.
• The royal line will endure, if Solomon walks faithfully.
• If Solomon or Israel turn away and worship other gods, God will uproot Israel and make the Temple a ruin.

Chronicles 8

After finishing both the Temple and his palace, Solomon continues construction projects.

• He rebuilds the towns Hiram of Tyre had given him and settles Israelites in them.
• He captures Hamath Zobah and builds storage cities, chariot cities, and fortified outposts.

Solomon uses the remaining non-Israelite peoples (Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites) to serve as soldiers, officers, and leaders.

• Solomon appoints 250 chief officials to supervise the workers.

Solomon builds a separate house for Pharaoh’s daughter (his wife) because he says:“My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”

Solomon maintains daily, Sabbath, festival, and monthly offerings just as Moses and David commanded.

Solomon and Hiram of Tyre (his Phoenician ally) build a fleet at Ezion-Geber near the Red Sea.

• They send ships to Ophir, bringing back 450 talents of gold (roughly 16–17 tons).

Questions

What does it mean that God said He would dwell in thick darkness?

How long did the “fire from heaven” last?

Why was Pharaoh’s daughter given her own separate palace?

Why does he marry her if he admits she is an unbeliever/unholy?

Application

There is a lot to unpack in these three chapters. I want to highlight Solomon’s prayer in Chapter 6 when he says  “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin[…]then[….]forgive the sin of your servants […]. We should pray with realism like Solomon. We are human and we know even with the best intentions that we will ultimately fail. Solomon prayed expecting failure but knowing that there will be forgiveness if asked.