The
Glory Of The Lord Above The Temple
When
Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt
offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The
priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord
filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of
the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the
ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his
love endures forever.”
Then
the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. And King
Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred
and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated
the temple of God. The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with
the Lord’s musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the Lord
and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, “His love endures forever.”
Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites
were standing.
Solomon
consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the
Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship
offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt
offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.
So
Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with
him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. On the eighth day they held an assembly, for
they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival
for seven days more. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the
people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord
had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.
2 Chronicles 7:1-10
Our
joyful noise reminds us of the psalm that implores us to “worship the Lord with
gladness.” When King Solomon dedicated the temple, the Israelites celebrated
with praises. “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever.”
Our
good God loves us! In grateful response, let’s “shout for the joy to the Lord.”
Praise is the overflow of a joyful heart.
Our
Daily Bread – July 9, 2017