Division: A Study in 1 Kingsنموونە

What does it say?

God’s glory filled the temple after the Ark of the Covenant was brought in and put into place.

What does it mean?

The completion of the temple was a major milestone for the people of Israel. Having a permanent place for the Ark of the Covenant and for their worship was confirmation that they were no longer wandering. After all of his hard work, Solomon desired more than anything for God’s presence to dwell in the temple. The peopled cheered in a fitting celebration as the cloud descended. 

How should I respond?

This is the culmination of hundreds of years of promises. God, in his ineffable glory, descended upon the newly-built temple. As Jerusalem became the center of worship for the Jewish people, we are reminded that even this glorious scene is only a foretaste of God's good plans. Ultimately, God's plan was for his presence to dwell in all his people (1 Corinthians 3:16). The glorious good news of the gospel is that God has made himself available to all his people - unfettered by sacrifice or ritual. No longer would the center of worship be Jerusalem, rather the Spirit of God descends in every place God's people have gathered.