Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-10-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson FOR November D.
1ss6-Ths Temple Dedicated-I KiAgs
e:5z-63.

s:54-63.
TArrangeI from Peloubet's Notes1
GOLDEN TEXT.-The Lord is in His
holy temple; let all the earth keep silence
before him.-Hab. 2:20
THE SECTION includes / Kings S:1-66
ana sI-9, and the parallel account in 2
Chronicles chaps. s, and z.
T1MI1.-The Temple was completed in
the month Bull tOctober-Novemberl B.
c zoos, in the eleventh year of Solomon's
reign. The dedication took place one
month earlier, in Tthanim CTizrD, (Sep-
tember-October), at the great national
festival of the tabernacles. probably about
the list of October.
LESSON NOTES.
The Dedication Ceremonies. - The
dedication was the grandest ceremony
ever performed under the Mosaic dis
pensation, and one of the brightest days
of Jewish history.
Not only were the "elders of Israel,
the heads of the tribes, and the chief of
the fathers" summoned, but "all the
men of Israel assembled themselves
q Kings ST., p. ''It is an enormous
concourse that is gathered in and about
the holy city"
Accompanied by 'the 1000 singers
rave d in white linen, and chanting some
of those splendid odes, the 47th, 9th
and forth Psalms, the Levites brought
the old tabernacle. the brazen altar, the
table of shewbread, the candlestick, and
the brazen serpent from Gideon, and
the ark from Zion, and put them in their
places in the temple" See description
in Milmap and Stanley.
Then took place the most important
event in the dedication-the manifesto
ton of Jehovah i'll the new temple by the
same symbol by which He had marked
the ancient tabernacle as His earthly
dwelling place. A shining cloud, out
dazzling the morning sun, settled upon
the house, so that the priests could not
stand to minister by reason of the cloud;
for the glory of the Lord had filed the
house of God e Chron. 5:13, 14).
Solomons Prayer of Dedication
Near the great brazen altar Solomon
had erected platform of bronze,
~ feet square and Az feet
high e Chron. 6:13), where he
could be seen and heard by all the peo-
pie III the courts of the temple; stand
ing before them in his gorgeous robes.
he first made solemn address to the as
sembled peoples who stood reverently
before him; then, instead of the usual
standing posture in devotion. he knelt
down-the first instance in Scripture of
this attitude--and stretching out his
hands towards Heaven, uttered prayer
of almost unequaled sublimity.
Solomor's Benediction. = vs.. 54-61.
After his prayer Solomon stood
again before the people and ex-
pressed his good desires for them. 1t
was sermon and prayer united. 81
was high idea. set before the people
! ever to be remembered as that toward
/ which they should strive.
The Answer to the Prayer See g
Chronicles 7;1-e2; Kings 9:1-o As
the king concluded, the cloud which had
rested ever the Holy Of HOLES grew
brighter and more dazzling: fire hro}f
| ont and consumed all The sacrifices &
Chron. 7:1); the priests stood without
awe-struck by the insupportahle 81 ler
dor; tho whole people fell upon tlei
faces. and worshiped and praised t3t
IoFu, u OF tie y Eo0us tor LIS mercy #
forever. Milman.
The Festival VS.. c. CO. The Fee
Of Tabernaeles was held as usual fa
seven days; hut in this ease the festisit
continued for fourteen aHys seven &
fore the feast, and The seven 81 tfs
feast, with two additional aays, foi Il.
people We're net dismissed till lis
twenty-third day q King s:G5-eG; Z
Chron. 7:e-l0).
\ New Vision "a dream. like thai
which Ind opened his reign at the an
Gent and now deserted sanctuary a
Gideon, closed the esentful ceremony
IT conveyed the assurance that the Di
vine blessing was conditional on th,
obedience and piety Of the nation.
| Stanley.