Verses 1-11 – Solomon had the ark of the covenant brought from Zion to Jerusalem in the seventh month during the festival of Ethanim. Together with the whole of Israel, he made sacrifices to God before the ark. The priests brought the ark with the two tablets of Moses inside the ark, a covenant God made with Israel at Horeb, into the Most Holy Place of the temple. Immediately the glory of God filled the place. This is significant because it represented the presence of God was now residing with the people of Israel in His temple.

God comes to His people on His terms. We cannot expect God to be present in any place we like. He gave specific instructions for how the temple was to be built. He came on the terms of His covenant made with His people and not at our demand. We cannot manipulate or try to contain God as Israel tried to do so with a golden calf during Moses’ time. He comes on His terms. As a church, God can only reside in it when its members are holy as God is holy. We must be holy as He is holy.

Verses 12-21 - Solomon proclaimed God’s promise was fulfilled. He said, “The Lord had said he would dwell in a thick cloud. I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell forever.” He blessed the people and praised God for fulfilling the promise made to his father that his son would build the temple. Yet Solomon said in verse 15 that God was the One who built the temple.

We must recognize that whatever we do, God is the One who uses us to fulfill His will and not because of how good or how resourceful we are. In His sovereign grace, He orchestrates everything so we can accomplish what He calls us to do. It is said that unless God is the Builder, the builder builds in vain. So, we must not take credit for anything just as some pastors who boast of what they can achieve even before they have achieved it. God is the sovereign Builder behind the achievements He allows us to have!

In summary, this passage brought out the sovereignty of God in the construction of the temple and His presence among His people but there are these underlying conditions:

1. He shows up on His terms: The passage illustrates that God’s presence among His people is not something to be manipulated or controlled by human efforts. Instead, God comes to His people according to His terms and in alignment with His covenant with them.

2. He shows up in a holy temple: The temple or church is where God dwells, but He will only be present when it is holy. That is, the members are holy. Thus, the emphasis is on the purity and righteousness of the individuals in the body of Christ.

3. He is the ultimate Builder: While Solomon physically constructed the temple, God was the true Builder. It underscores the idea that all human efforts in serving God are ultimately enabled by God’s sovereign grace. It is not by our human effort.

Thus, we must acknowledge and submit to God’s sovereignty as wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. If we want to do anything for the Lord, we must let Him use us!

Prayer: Praise be to God who sovereignly calls and enables us to do His will. We must acknowledge that without God we cannot do anything. Praise be to our God who is the sovereign Ruler over all of creation! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.