I Kings Lesson 2 – God’s Glory Fills the Temple

1. Why does Solomon gather all of Israel and the priests and Levites together? What was about to happen?

Solomon was about to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Zion, the city of David, up the hill into the new Temple that he had just finished building.

2. Where did the priests put the Ark of the Covenant?

The priests put the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. This was the only cube shaped place in the whole Temple grounds. It was a perfect square. This was where the presence of God would dwell above the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant.

3. What happened when the priests came out of the temple after putting the Ark inside?

A cloud filled the entire temple. The Temple was so filled with God’s presence that the priests couldn’t even go inside to minister. This showed that God was pleased with the temple Solomon had built and God would accept it as the place where he would meet with his people and be worshipped.

4. What do we find out about God from Solomon’s prayer? What is eventually going to happen to the people when they disobey the covenant?

There is no one like God. There is no creator other than God. God is greater and bigger than the heavens and the earth. As great as the Temple is, God is greater. The people will disobey and break the covenant they made with God back in the Law of Moses. God will send them into exile, but he will come and bring them back home and will redeem them (Deut 28-30). God will always keep his promises.

5. What does this story point to? How does Solomon and the Temple point to Jesus?

God will eventually fill the entire New Heavens and New Earth with his presence and the whole world will be a temple. The whole world will be like the Holy of Holies. Solomon failed and did not keep the commands of God, and the temple that he built was eventually destroyed. But now that the true Temple, Jesus, has come to dwell with us (John 1:14), and now that we are the temple of God (Eph 2:18-22), God will eventually return and Jesus will reign as the Davidic King and we will see his glory fill the entire world. What a great day that will be!