Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-12-10
i THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments fo'
December Is.
snb,ect: The Dedication Of the Temple, kinSi
WILL, Ill, 81, 63-Golden Text, Pisa. liz,
i-Memory Verses, 9'll-commentary
on the Days Lesson.

l-memory Verses, Oil Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
Introduction. The building of the tenn
ple marks one of the most important eras
in the history of Israel. 1t introduced
new force in the making OF the nation
Its influence was religious and poltlcai.
The building and furniture were very
Gorgeous, but the dedication Of it exceed.
ed in glory as much as prayer and praise
exceed the casting of metal and the CRAVING
of stones The temple was designed to
keen up the correspondence between GOD
and His people. In this chapter we have
an account Of the solemnity OF their trst
meeting there. Those were lsraers golden
days. The bringing in of the ark was the
GROWING work.
Commentary.-I. Bringing in the ark
Tvs. lily. is. "Then Solomon assem-.
bled." The dedication was the grandest
ceremony ever performed under the Mo.
sale dispensaton, 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 sum-
moned, but "all the men OF Israel sl assem- =.
an enormous concourse that is gathered in
and about the holy city. From the enter,
ing in of Klamath to the river of Egypt
". 65), every town and hamlet had sent
up its tale of men. No Israelite who could
be present-and in the seventh month the
labors of the field were well.nigh over,
would be absent. We must not think OF
the heads of the tribes alone; it is ma
ton that keeps festival today: And Hi such ;ta
glory eliminates to-day in the dedication
Of its temple. What child of Israel, then,
but would be there! Brought up the
ark" The act of dedication began by
carrying the ark of the covenant in SOL
emn procession, with the king at the head,
into the temple, and putting. it into its
place." the holy of holes. The ark was
the root and kernel of the whole sanctuary.
covenant, to dwell in the midst of His
chosen people. While everything else was
new, the same ark of the covenant was
kept, and only changed its place. The
procession is described in VS.. 10 and 2
Chron Sab Accompanied by 1.-THE 1900
singers and musicians David had organ
lied, arrayed in white linen and chanting
some Of those splendid odes, the Attn,
9th, 9Sth and 10th psalms, the Levites
brought the old tabernacle, the brazen al.
tar. the table of shewbread, the candle
stick, the brazen serpent from Gideon
and the ark from Zion, and put them in the
GO. "Thc oracle" BY this is meant the
holy of holes. Under the wings" The
outspread wings of the cherubim extend
ed across the whole width of the GRACE
(chap. 6:27). and their wings touched one
another in the middle of the house. Be-
meath these wings that touched, the arl;
was set down. drew out the slaves"
The slaves were used for the purpose OF
carrying the ark After the ark was set
down in the most holy place they drew
the slaves so far forward that their ends
could be seen from the sanctuary, The
object of this cannot be determined with
certainty. Others suggest that the draw
ing out OF the slaves was sign that now
at last the ark had reached the place OF
its rest, and was not to be carried about
any more 1.-Two tables of stone. In
Heb. 9:4 it is stated that the ark also
contained the golden pot OF mama and
Aaron's rod that budded, but these had
probably been lost while the ark was
with the Philistines.
10, H. CLOUD filled the house" Now
took place the most important event IN
the dedcation-the manifestation OF Jc-
hovah in the new temple by the same sym
Dol by which He had marked the ancient
tabernacle as His earthly dwelling place.
A shining cloud, outdazzling 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 Cod t2Chron
5:l3, l4) Thus God accepts the temple as
His own.
II. solomon blessing Tvs. 1921, a.
6D. Both before and after the dedicatory
prayer Solomon blessed the Lord and the
people He gave God glory, not by wealth.
honor, power or victory to Israel. but for
rest" Not one word of Gods promises
had failed ". 56). This is a distinct rel.
crence to Deut. 1919, 10, where we read
that when the Lord should have given
rest to Israel, then place for sacrifice,
etc, should be appointed. That place was
now being dedicated. But solomon saw
the proof that the rest was at last fully
attained The permanent sanctuary was
pledge of settlement in the land OF Ia
naan, to which Israel had been brought
from Egyptian bondage. The rest hitherto
enjoyed had been but partial, but now at
last the Philistines had been brought into
subsection.
Ill. The dedicatory PRAYER Tvs. 22-53):
In the act of dedication Solomon stood
at the head of the whole ceremony; He
was the author of everything from begin
ming to end--speech, prayer and blessing.
He did not take the place of Jehovah, but
was His servant. He had erected a brazen
scaffold, of five cubits (seven and q half
feet long, five eabts broad, and three
cubts high e Chron. 6:l3), and on this he
stood, raised above the people, to bless and
instruct them, then kneeled to offer prayer,
spreading his hands toward heaven to ex.
press "the fervor of his heart. and the
largeness of his expectations" The PRAYER
consists Of three. parts: /. Alteration for
the fulfillment of past promises (23, pa.
2. Prayer that the temple might be cen.
trail place of worship, and that God would
especially bless those who "prayed toward
this place" (25-30). 8. Supplication for
specific blessings upon those who might
suffer famine, pestlence, oppression, etc.
Tvs. 3l-53).
w. The sacrifices offered Tvs. 62.66).
60, 63. "Ofered sacrifice" This was
burnt offering, with its Accomplishments,
and being the first laid ON the altar of the
temple, was, as in the similar case of the
tabernacle, consumed by miraculous fire
from heaven Il Chron. 7:l2). The large
proportion of the sacrifices were peace
offerings and were mostly eaten by the
people. The vast numbers Of people pres
ent required large amount of food. The
great number of offerings mentioned here
were not offered all in one day, but during
the fourteen days ". 65). Solomon kept
the feast of tabernacles, after the feast or
the dedication; both together lasting four.
teen days. The brazen altar was not large
enough to receive these sacrifices, so that,
to serve the present OCCASION. they were
forced to offer many of them in the mid
die OF the court ". 64l.