November 2020 Series on Thanksgiving – for more information and an outline see here.
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.”
2 Chronicles 7:5b-6a NIV
In the Day 2 post, we discussed David’s celebration of the return of the ark to Jerusalem. David wanted to build a temple for the ark, but God spoke through the prophet Nathan to tell him that that honor would be given instead to David’s son Solomon (2 Samuel 7).
After completing the temple, the ark was brought up to it, and Solomon had the musicians, including Asaph, sing praises to the Lord, then as they prepare the sacrifices, a fire consumes the offerings and the glory of the Lord fills the temple. The songs of praise from before are repeated in worship:
“He is good;
2 Chronicles 5:13 and 7:3 NIV
his love endures forever.”
Then the people bring their sacrifices, and Solomon himself offers 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep! There is so much offered that the fat from the fellowship thanksgiving offering must be placed in the courtyard because there wasn’t enough room on the altar.
The priests and Levites bring the instruments that King David made and were used to praise God, maybe with the same song that David offered when the ark was returned (1 Chronicles 16). After seven days of festival and an eight day for a solemn assembly, Solomon sends the people home, filled with joy and glad in heart for all God had done.
- Solomon has the priests and Levites use the same instruments that David made for praising God, apparently for the same song David offered at the return of the ark. Perhaps Solomon remembered that celebration and wanted to honor God in the same way. How do your memories of giving thanks motivate you to honor and thank God for current blessings?
- The amount of the offering was large, with the people adding to Solomon’s offering of many oxen and sheep, and the assembly was described as vast, with Israelites from an area throughout the nation. Do we offer thanksgiving to God in a way that it overflows, so that there is barely enough room to hold it?
- The temple filled with God’s glory and all activity with the celebration had to wait to enter the temple as it faded. This occurred whenever God came among the people, as when He was present in the Tent of Meeting in Exodus 40:34-35. How does God’s glory appear in your life? Has it faded or do you continue to enter the sanctuary to be near God’s glory in your life?
John 1:17 talks about how the Word, Jesus, “made his dwelling among us”, or literally he “tabernacled with us”. We have seen His glory! Now our bodies are temples of God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)! Let God’s glory shine as you live a life worthy of Christ.