Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

1Kings  8:22-66

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord.

On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.

Solomon's prayer, for the total house and for the nation, echoes the language of Moses. He asks that God will hear the prayers and forgive the sin of his people when they focus on the Temple even though no building on earth could ever contain the God of heaven.

Prayer is followed by blessing' blessing by sacrifice' sacrifice by creating and rejoicing throughout the land.

Why?

Until now Solomon did what is good to the Lord and to his people, and the Lord is favor his worship and offering and dedicated the Temple.

Yes, there is no God like our God in heaven above or on earth, our God keeps the covenant of love with all his servants.

The prayer of Solomon to the Lord is so wonderful and great!

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所羅門的禱告：聖殿成為萬國萬民禱告的殿。有認罪悔改的地方就是聖殿的地方。國家民族犯罪後，向神禱告的地方就是聖殿。神的居所是在天上。這個殿其實很小，容不下神的。所羅門竟為外邦人禱告，這個殿不是以色列人的專門，希望外邦人也來聖殿禱告

三個特點：聖殿完工是神的工作、作為。所羅門不居功自傲、不自誇。更多提到人的軟弱，因為我們是有罪的，求主赦免，這看到所羅門的謙卑。今天不是我為主計劃什麼，做什麼，只求主來改變我，使我成長，討主的喜悅。我們所做的事，不用沾沾自喜，因為這些都是神的工作，即使教會服事沒有成果也不要灰心。

所羅門為百姓的祝福：四個願：願你的眼目看顧僕人、願你垂聽，願耶和華─我們的神與我們同在，願耶和華─我們的神晝夜垂念。一個吩咐：你們當向耶和華─我們的神存誠實的心，遵行他的律例，謹守他的誡命，至終如今日一樣。

所羅門的獻祭：

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How?

God is good, give thanks to the Lord, Thank the Lord blesses the wedding of Zoe and JJ last Saturday, blessing all the guests who attended this wedding. Our God listens to our prayer!