5:1ffWhy is there so much emphasis on the Temple in the Old Testament? (1) it was a symbol of religious authority, The Temple was God's way of centralizing worship at Jerusalem in order to ensure that correct belief would be kept intact through many generations.
Life Application Study Bible2 ChroniclesChapter 5
2 Chronicles 5
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 672, 673
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52 Chronicles 5
13. Solomon dedicates the Temple
The Ark Brought to the Temple
22Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of tribes—the leaders of the ancestral families of Israel. They were to bring the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant to the Temple from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion. 3So all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn.* 4When all the elders of Israel arrived, the Levites picked up the Ark. 5The priests and Levites brought up the Ark along with the special tent* and all the sacred items that had been in it. 6There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count! 7Then the priests carried the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles. 9These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Temple’s main room—the Holy Place*—but not from the outside. They are still there to this day. 10Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Mount Sinai,* where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel when they left Egypt. 11Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day. 12And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. 13The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the LORD with these words: At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD. ‘The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.
Textual footnotes
- 5:3 Hebrew at the festival that is in the seventh month, The Festival of Shelters began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day occurred in late September, October, or early November.
- 5:5 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; i.e., the tent mentioned in 2 Sam 6:17 and 1 Chr 16:1.
- 5:9 As in parallel text at 1 Kgs 8:8; Hebrew reads from the Ark in front of the Most Holy Place. §:10 Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
5:3The Festival of Shelters celebrated God's protection of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. The purpose of this annual festival was to renew Israel's commitment to God and their trust in his guidance and protection. The festival beautifully coincided with the dedication of the Temple. As the people remembered the wanderings in the wilderness when their ancestors had lived in tents, they were even more thankful for the permanence of this glorious Temple.
5:7-12The priests came out of the Holy Place after having placed the Ark in the Most Holy Place of the Temple. The Holy Place is the outer room, where the Bread of the Presence, altar of incense, and lampstand were kept. Ordinarily the Most Holy Place could be entered only once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. On this unique occasion, however, several priests had to enter the Most Holy Place to carry the Ark to its new resting place. The Levites praised God when these priests emerged from the Holy Place because they then knew God had accepted this new home for the Ark (5:13).
5:9Under God's inspiration, some books of the Bible were compiled and edited from other sources. Because 1 and 2 Chronicles cover many centuries, they were compiled from several sources by a single person. The phrase “they aresstill there to this day” {see also 1 Kings 8:8) was taken from material written before Judah’s exile in 586 B.C. Although 1 and 2 Chronicles were compiled after the Exile and after Solamon’s Temple was destroyed, the writer thought it best to leave this phrase in the narrative.
5:13The first service at the Temple began with honoring God and acknowledging his presence and goodness. tn the same way, our worship should begin by acknowledging God’s love. Praise God first; then you will be prepared to present your needs to him. Recalling God's love and mercy will inspire you to worship him daily. Psatm 107 is an example of how David recalled God’s enduring love.
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Study feature · page 672
(2) it was a symbol of Goa’s holiness. The Temple’s beautiful atmosphere inspired respect and awe for God; it was the setting for many of the great visions of the prophets. (3) it was a symbol of God’s covenant with Israel. The Temple kept the people focused upon God’s law (the tablets of the Ten Commandments were kept in the Temple) rather than on the kings’ exploits. It was a place where God was especially present with his people. (4) it was a symbol of forgiveness. The Temple’s design, furniture, and customs were great object lessons for ail the people, reminding them of the seriousness of sin, the penaity that sin incurred, and their need of forgiveness. (5) it prepared the people for the Messiah. |n the New Testament, Christ said he came to fulfill the law, not destroy it. Hebrews 8:1, 2 and 9:11, 12 use Temple customs to explain what Christ did when he died for us. (6) /t was a testimony to human effort and creativity. Inspired by the beauty of God’s character, people devoted themselves to high achievements in engineering, science, and art in order to praise him. (7) It was a place of prayer. |n the Temple, people could spend time in prayer to God. 5:1-3 The Temple took seven years to buitd. First Kings 6:38 says that the Temple was completed in the eighth month (November) of Solomon's eleventh year as king (959 B.C.). Because 5:3 states that the dedication ceremonies were held in early autumn, they must have occurred either one month before or eleven months after the Tempie’s completion.
Study feature · page 673
purposes to us. In doing so, God was reaching out to us in love. God wants us to reach out to him in return in order to know him and to love him with all our heart. Don’t simply marvel at his power; take time to get to know him.