Huram also made pans for hot ashes, shovels and sprinkling bowls. David had dedicated objects to the Lord and Solomon put these in the storage rooms of the temple when it was finished. During the Festival of the Shelters when everyone was in Jerusalem, Solomon decided to hold the dedication of the temple. Solomon called together the important leaders of Israel, while the priests and Levites moved the ark and its furnishings to the temple. The poles for carrying the ark were so long that they could be seen from the doorway of the holy place. The two sculptures which spanned the room arched over the ark. The only things inside the ark were the two stones Moses brought down from Mount Sinai. Suddenly a cloud filled the temple as the priests were leaving, the light was so bright they couldn't see to do their work. Solomon prayed and told God that he had built a glorious temple where He could live forever.
Solomon spoke to the people assembled telling them that his father, David had wanted to build God a temple to live in, but God told him that his son would be the one to do it, and now God had kept his promise.
Solomon knelt facing the altar, lifted his arms up to heaven and prayed. He humbly asked God to listen to his prayers and forgive his sins and the sins of the people of Israel. Solomon asked God to remember them when they remembered Him. When Solomon finished his prayer he blessed the people saying that the Lord had kept His promise and given them peace. As God was with their ancestors, Solomon prayed that God would be with them. He asked for God to be with them and turn their hearts toward Him, and to help everyone in Israel in whatever way they needed His help.
Solomon dedicated the temple by offering 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep as sacrifices to ask the Lord to bless them. The courtyard in front of the temple was dedicated also. The people celebrated afterward for 7 days and then went home.
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. He told him that the temple was His and He would always watch over it. God told Solomon that he must always obey His teachings and commandments, that if he did someone from Solomon's family would always be king over Israel. But if any of his descendants disobeyed Him, He would desert the temple and it would become a pile of rocks, and people passing by would know that the children of Israel had rejected their God, who rescued them from Egypt.
Tomorrow read 1Kings 9:10-11:25
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