SOLOMON'S TEMPLE AND THE CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL

Solomon finished building the temple. Then Solomon gathered together the most important men in Israel to bring the ark of the covenant out of the city of David. These important men consecrated themselves to God. With great solemnity and reverence, they followed the priests who carried the ark.SRme 1.843

"The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of the Lord's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Covenant Box [the ark] and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle--too many to count" (1 Kings 8:4, 5).SRme 1.844

Solomon followed the example of his father David. Every time the people took six steps with the ark, Solomon stopped to sacrifice. With singing, music, and great ceremony "the priests carried the Covenant Box [the ark] into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures [angels]. Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it [the ark] was carried by" (1 Kings 8:4-7, TEV).SRme 1.845

The temple was beautiful. The builders of the temple had followed the pattern shown Moses at Mount Sinai and later shown David by the Lord. The temple on earth was made as the one in heaven.SRme 1.846

There were two gold angels on top of the ark. Solomon made two larger angels that stood on the floor, one angel at each end of the ark. These angels represented the heavenly angels who always guard the law of God.SRme 1.847

The beauty and glory of Solomon's temple cannot be described. The sacred ark was carried reverently into the temple and was put under the wings of the gold angels that Solomon stood on the floor.SRme 1.848

A sacred group of singers sang praises to God. The singers were joined by people playing different kinds of musical instruments. The beautiful music sounded through the temple and was heard through Jerusalem. The cloud of God's glory filled the temple in the same way that a cloud had filled the sanctuary in the desert.SRme 1.849

"As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud shining with the dazzling light of the Lord's presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties" (1 Kings 8:10, 11).SRme 1.850

King Solomon stood upon a brass platform before the altar and blessed the people. Then Solomon knelt down and raised his hands upward. He prayed an earnest and solemn prayer to God. The people bowed with their faces to the ground. After Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifice.SRme 1.851

God told the Israelites that terrible things would happen to them if they did not follow Him. Many hundred years after the temple was built terrible things happened to the Israelites. God promised Solomon that the glorious temple would stand forever if he and his people would remain faithful. The temple would be proof that God was blessing Israel for their obedience.SRme 1.852