Solomon Blesses the People
[ READ ] 1 Kings 8:54–66
Solomon's Benediction
54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices
62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people
54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices
62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people
This is going to sound morbid, but it's what caught my attention most in this passage. Solomon sacrificed 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep.
Think about that for a second.
A quick Google search said it takes anywhere from 1-3 hours to sacrifice an ox (so call it 30min-1 hour for a sheep). That’s 22,000 hours of sacrifice time. 22,000 hours dedicated to the Lord, with tremendous bloodshed.
Honestly, I have no idea how this pertains to our everyday lives, and sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes, just acknowledging the insane measures Old Testament believers took to honor God is enough.
How many of Solomon’s advisers suggested that, “Hey man, maybe we should stop at the 10,000th ox. I think we’re good.”
But the Lord demands our absolute respect, attention, and time.
22,000 oxen. 22,000 sacrificing hours.
Insane.
- Brandon Beylo
Think about that for a second.
A quick Google search said it takes anywhere from 1-3 hours to sacrifice an ox (so call it 30min-1 hour for a sheep). That’s 22,000 hours of sacrifice time. 22,000 hours dedicated to the Lord, with tremendous bloodshed.
Honestly, I have no idea how this pertains to our everyday lives, and sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes, just acknowledging the insane measures Old Testament believers took to honor God is enough.
How many of Solomon’s advisers suggested that, “Hey man, maybe we should stop at the 10,000th ox. I think we’re good.”
But the Lord demands our absolute respect, attention, and time.
22,000 oxen. 22,000 sacrificing hours.
Insane.
- Brandon Beylo
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Where in your life do you need to increase your “sacrifice time”?
+ Where in your life do you need to increase your “sacrifice time”?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What areas of your life have you not sacrified to God because it would take too much time?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What areas of your life have you not sacrified to God because it would take too much time?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, I pray that you give me a heart like Solomon. Help me to give freely of my time, energy, and talents, regardless of the sacrifice. Because you are worth it.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, I pray that you give me a heart like Solomon. Help me to give freely of my time, energy, and talents, regardless of the sacrifice. Because you are worth it.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
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