The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-11-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THE LESSON FOR DECEMBER 1.
" Dedication OF tho Temple" l. Kings
viii., 54.03-Goiden Text:
Heb. H., 30

over all the most interesting and instructive
account OF the building OF the most wonder
full edifice that ever stood on this earth; and
also the remarkable prayer of Solomon at its
dedication; the lesson assigned us for to-day
being the words of Solomons blessing upon
the people after he had finished his prayer.
The throne on which Solomon sat at Jerusa-
lem is called the Throne of Jehovah Il Chron.
XXX, %; xviii, 8; III Chron. tx, 81. Jcrusa-
lem shah yet be tho throne OF Jehovah and
the capital Of the whole earth (Jer. iii, IN.
The site OF the Temple In Jerusalem was
Mount Moriah, where Abraham received
Isaac back from the dead on the third day
UI Chron. ILL.,, !: Gen. xii, . 4: Hob. xi. 1W.
lsraers resurrection ON the third day will be
the beginning OF tho restoration Of Acts ill.,,
1921; Hos. vi, .; will, IA; Eek, x1xvii., l2-
IA.
The Temple was TO DO exceedingly magnia-
cal, OF fame and glory throughout all coun-
tries III ChrOn. xii, 81. The gold and silver
alone brass and iron being without wcight)
amounted TO i,125OOO talents, which az ia
pounds per talent would I've ~ l25 tons,
worth over four ard half billions Of dol
lars IL Chron. xii, Il; xxx, 4, a. One
room In the building, the Holy OF HOLES
was covered with six hundred talents or
more than thirty-four tons of gold, worth
over sixteen millions of dollars III Chron
ill.,, 81. Tho laborers were 153, 600 strangers
or Gentiles, found in Israel IL Ki v, 1918.
III Chron. H.. IL, Is, who brought from tho
IlouhNalhh Ine WOOD and stone
for the house. There was neither hammer.
nor AK, nor any tool OF iron heard in tho
house while IL was In building Il XII vi. n,
Believers are living stones Il Pet H., 3, r.
w, this world is the quarry and God is by
the events of our daily life preparing rs
here for our respective places IN His temple
made fit for Heaven by His blood, ft for
our place in His kingdom by our trimming
and service here. Notice IN His PRAYER that
the house Is called by the name OF the Lord
God of Israel, that He is asked 10 hear for
His Names sake, that all people OF the earth
may know and fear His Name Notice tho
eight times repeated Hear Thou in Hcav-
en- and the four times Heaven Thy dwell
ling place." also the seven-fold nature of tho
prayer, for the trespasser, the defeated, tho
drought smitten, the plague smitten, the
stranger. those going to war and those in
captivity. He prayed before the altar OF
Jehovah; Jesus is both altar aud sacrifice we
can come to God only in His Name and trust
ing in His merits. He kneeled on his knees
with his hands spreadu pto Heaven: in favor
OF the position OF knecling in prayer see Ezra
iX.,5; Ps. kew, q; Dan. vi, 10: Lu. xii. Al.
| Acts TX, 40; xxi, .; but that position il not
essential; see Moses sitting, Hannah and Ne
hemiah standing, He2ekiah, while sick prays
In his bed, Jonah from the fsh's belly, the
| thief from the cross. pcnitent heart is
everything, position of body is secondary,
! though kneeling is most scriptural and most
fitting when possible. That God heard and
answered this prayer, see III Chron. vii, IL.
55 "He stood and blessed all the congrrgn-
| ton of Israel with a loud voice. When Da-
| vid brought the Ark 90 the tent which he
had pitched for 1t In Jerusalem, he offered
sacrifice and blessed the people IN the name
of the Lord OF Hosts. III Sam. vi, H.. 49,
| Solomon, having now brought up the Ark
the tabernacle aud all the holy vessels w., Al
does the same thing. There is nothing ON
earth that can be compared TO tho blessing
] OF the Lord.
! o. blessed be the Lord that hath given
/ rese unto His people Israeli He had given
rest on every side. so that there was neither
adversary nor evil occurrent. tChap v, a.
Rest and peace shall be among the blessings
OF His Kingdom when it comes
"There hath not failed ono word OF all His
I good promise, which He promised by the
| hand Of Moses His servantn So said Joshua
/ in his farewell words Josh xiii, l4D: but
! the special promise here referred TO is in
/ Deut. xii, 10, II, whore tho Holy Spirit, by
Moses, seems to refer TO this very place and
| building.
/ 81. THE Lord our God be with us =
let Eim not leave us, nor forsakc us" Moses
prayed: "lf Thy presence 20 not with me,
carry us not up hence, Aud the Lord said
| MY presence shall go with thee, and will
| give thee rest" This word of the Lord II
will be with YOU" or II am with YOU" il
one of the grandest and most comprehensive
words in Scripture
Let Him not leave Us nor forsake us"
When David gave Solomon the plans of the
temple which he had received from God Him
self, he said To him "The Lord God, even
my God will be with thee; He will not fail
/ thee nor forsake thee until thou hnst finished
all the work for the service OF the house Of
| the Lord Il Chron. xviii, 10, 2OJ
Solomon had proved the truth and blessed
ness of this promise, and now he desired its
continuance.
5s. That He may incline our hearts unto
| Him, to walk in all His ways This WAS
| just what God desired from them, and what
lie would be delighted To grant them, an un-
divided and obedient heart; they could not
ask anything more In accord with His will.
| 80, Let these my words be
nigh unto the Lord our God day and night,
that lie maintain the cause of His servant,
and the cause of His people Israel" Seven
times In his prayer had he pleaded for "Thy
people Israel" /" and had also said: ''For they
be Thy people and Thine inheritance" and
now he indicates his reliance upon God to
maintain his and their cause.
GO. That all the people OF the earth may
know that the Lord is God, and that there Is
none else" Israel was redeemed and given
the good land, that they might make Jehovah
a name in the earth Oh Sam. vii, 23); their
obedience 10 Him would draw forth His
power on their behalf, and thus He would be
glorifed in them. This, Gods earnest desire,
shall be fulfilled In lsraels restoration at the
return of their Messiah lisa. XIV, 8, o; XII,
ID. LID GEzek. xxxYii.. 2l-2sl.
81. 'Let your heart, therefore, be perfect
with the Lord our God" The word per
| feet" here signifies ''wholen or 'full y as In
Josh. viii, 81; Ruth st., IL, where it is SO
! translated. Solomon now urges tho people
20 have what his father had prayed that he
| might have Il Chron. xxx, 49,
62, 63 And the King, aud all Israel with
him, offered sacrifice before the Lord" And
the Lord accepted the sacrifice by sending
fire 10 consume IL, as IL Is written In III
Chron. viii, 1; Snow when Solomon had
made am end Of praying, the fire came down
| from heaven and consumed the burnt offer.
ing and the sacrifices: and the glory of the
| Lord filled the house" Thus also was the
sacrifice accepted at the dedication of the
Tabernacle, and in tho cases of Gideon and
Elijah q4ev. tx, "A, Judges W., 81; | Kings
xviii, 3Sl; and no doubt in the same way was
the Lords acceptance of Abers Offering and
rejection OF Gains offering manifest at the
Garden of Eden when the fire from the sword
consumed the one but did not touch the
other.
80 the King and all the children of Israel
dedicated the house of the Lord" And He
took possession OF 1t by filing 1t with Hi,
glory. We read OF time when the glory
left the house because OF their sins Hzek. tx,
SIX a. Is; Ii, 23), and OF a time yet futur,
when the glory shall return TO depart n
| more (Ezek. xiii, In. When Jesus. the
brightness of Gods glory. came TO Il He