Read: 1 Kings 8:1-30, 41-43, and 52-61.
God promised to David that his son would build the temple. The temple symbolized that God chose Israel to be his people and he chose to dwell among them. It reminded them of God’s covenantal and unique relationship with them, which included their deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 6:6-8; 19:4-6) and part of the covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). The completion of the temple fulfilled both the promise to David, and was to contribute to the fulfillment of the remaining part of the promise given to Abraham: “…in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Solomon prayed during the temple dedication for the last part of the promise to be fulfilled (1 Kings 8:43, 60). He understood that when all the peoples of the earth know and call on God’s name, they will be blessed. Solomon believed the temple would be the location where Jews and foreigners who were attracted to Yahweh would come, such as the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:6-9). However, if the king and Israel did not uphold their part of the covenant (to worship God alone and obey him), God’s mission would be disrupted and the effects of sin would follow. The wisest and wealthiest king of that time learned this the hard way (1 Kings 11:4-12).
- In 1 Corinthians 3:16, our bodies are referred to as God’s temple, where the Holy Spirit lives. Is the joy from having my life fully surrendered to God’s will an attraction to God for others?
- Today, many foreigners come to our cities due to unemployment, poverty, war, persecution or oppression. How do we see foreigners – do we welcome and help them, do we tolerate them, do we pray for them, or do we wait for the day when they will go home? Do our actions, behavior, words, and spirit with foreigners attract people to the Lord Jesus Christ or repel them?
- What are some specific ways that Christians disrupt God’s mission to people from other lands? What are some specific ways that Christians can join with God in his mission to people from other lands?