The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER i3.

Kings viii, Ill, 62, 63-Golden Text,
Psa. 122, l. Memory Verses, Oil
Commentary on the Days Lesson.
Introduction. The building of the tenn
pie 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 political.
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
keep up the correspondence between God
and His people. In this chapter we have
an account of the solemnity of their first
meeting there. Those were IsraePs golden
days. The bringing in of the ark was the
crowning work.
Commentary.-I. Bringing in the ark
Tvs. I.Ill. is. 'Then Solomon Assem-.
bled." The dedication was the grandest
ceremony ever performed under the Mo.
sale dispensation, 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 assem-
bled themselves" Il Kings 81, q. 1t is
an enormous concourse that is gatketed in
and about the holy city,. From ''the enter.
ing in of Klamath to the river of Egypt"
". .e5), every town and hamlet had sent
be present-and in the seventh month the
labors of the field We're well-nigh over
would be absent. We must not think of
the heads of the tribes alone; it is a ma
tion that keeps festival to-day. And such
q nation, with such history! And its
glory eliminates to-day in the dedication
of it's 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 cts
place." the holy of holies. The ark was
the root and kernel of the whole sanctuary.
1t contained the moral law, Jehovah's
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. 1-9 and 2
Chron. Sab. Accompanied by q The 1000
singers, and musicians David had organ
lied, arrayed in white linen and chanting
some of those splendid odes, the 47th,
9th, 9Sth and 107th psalms. the Levites
brought the old tabernacle, the brazen all
tar, the table of shewbread, the candle
stick. the brazen serpent from Gideon
and the ark from Zion, and put them in the
temple" !
6-9. "The oracle" By this is meant the
holy of holies. Under the wings" The
outspread wings of the cherubim extend
ed across the whole width of the oracle
another in the middle of the house. Be.
meath these wings that touched, the ark
was set down. "Drew out the staves."
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 a 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, II. CLOUD filled the house." Now
took place the most important event in
the dedication-the manifestation of Je-
hovah in the new temple by the same sym
boil by which He Lad marked the ancient
tabernacle as His earthly dwelling place.
A shining cloud, outdazzling the morning
sun, settled upon the house, $50 that the
priests could not stand to minister by
reason of the cloud; for the glory of the
Lord had filled the house of God" (2Chron.
5:l3, l4). Thus God accepts the temple as
His own.
II. Solomon's blessing Tvs. 1921, 81
6l). 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
Not one ne word Of Gods promises nsf
erense Ha sa to beus. i2:9, 10, = where we read
that when the Lord should have given
rest to Israel, then a 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
a pledge of settlement in the land of Ca
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
subjection.
iii. The dedicatory prayer Tvs. 22-5S).
In the act of dedication Solomon stood
at the head of the whole ceremony. He
was the author of everything from, begin
W CHu-SpSCSu, Gnu
He did not take the place of jehovah, but
was His servant. Hehad erected brazen
scafold, of five cubits (seven and half
feet) long, five cubits broad, and three
cubits 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 ferror of his heart. and the
largeness of his expectations" The prayer
consists of three parts: /. Alteration for
the fulfillment of past promises (23, 24).
e. Prayer that the temple might be cen.
tral place of worship, and that God would
especially bless those who prayed toward
this place (25-3O). 8. Supplication for
specific blessings upon those who might
suffer famine, pestience, oppression, etc.
Tvs. 3l-53l:
w. The sacrifices offered Tvs. 62.66).
90. g. Offered sacrifice" This was
burnt-offering, with its accompaniments,
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 z 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
crt 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 OF
the dedication; both together lasting four
teen days. The brSzen 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 w. 6G.