Bible Reading Plan – Day 131

₂Then King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem, in order to take the LORD's Covenant Box from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. ₃They all assembled at the time of the Festival of Shelters. ₄When all the leaders had gathered, then the Levites lifted the Covenant Box ₅and carried it to the Temple. The priests and the Levites also moved the Tent of the LORD's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. ₆King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Covenant Box and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle — too many to count. ₇Then the priests carried the Covenant Box of the LORD into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures. ₈Their outstretched wings covered the Box and the carrying poles. ₉The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. (The poles are still there today.) ₁₀There was nothing inside the Covenant Box except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt.

_11-14All the priests present, regardless of the group to which they belonged, had consecrated themselves. And all the Levite musicians — Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, and the members of their clans — were wearing linen clothing. The Levites stood near the east side of the altar with cymbals and harps, and with them were 120 priests playing trumpets. The singers were accompanied in perfect harmony by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, as they praised the LORD, singing:

As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud shining with the dazzling light of the LORD's presence, and they could not continue the service of worship.

₁Then King Solomon prayed,

₃All the people of Israel were standing there. The king turned to face them and asked God's blessing on them. ₄He said, “Praise the LORD God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said to him, ₅‘From the time I brought my people out of Egypt until now, I did not choose any city in the land of Israel as the place to build a temple where I would be worshipped, and I did not choose anyone to lead my people Israel. ₆But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place where I will be worshipped, and you, David, to rule my people.’ ”

₇And Solomon continued, “My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel, ₈but the LORD said to him, ‘You were right in wanting to build a temple for me, ₉but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple.’

₁₀“Now the LORD has kept his promise: I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel. ₁₁I have placed in the Temple the Covenant Box, which contains the stone tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with the people of Israel.”

₁₂Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar and raised his arms in prayer. ₁₃(Solomon had made a bronze platform and put it in the middle of the courtyard. It was 2.2 metres square and 1.3 metres high. He mounted this platform, knelt down where everyone could see him, and raised his hands towards heaven.) ₁₄He prayed, “LORD God of Israel, in all heaven and earth there is no god like you. You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. ₁₅You have kept the promise you made to my father David; today every word has been fulfilled. ₁₆Now, LORD God of Israel, keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided that they carefully obeyed your Law just as he did. ₁₇So now, LORD God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to your servant David.

₁₈“But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough? ₁₉LORD my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer and grant the requests I make to you. ₂₀Watch over this Temple day and night. You have promised that this is where you will be worshipped, so hear me when I face this Temple and pray. ₂₁Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel when they face this place and pray. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us.

₂₂“When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, ₂₃O LORD, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one as he deserves and acquit the one who is innocent.

₂₄“When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you and then when they turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness, ₂₅listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land which you gave to them and to their ancestors.

₂₆“When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you, ₂₇O LORD, listen to them in heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O LORD, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.

₂₈“When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or the crops are destroyed by scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when your people are attacked by their enemies, or when there is disease or sickness among them, ₂₉listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer towards this Temple, ₃₀hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven and forgive them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person as he deserves, ₃₁so that your people may honour you and obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors.

₃₂“When foreigners who live in a distant land hear how great and powerful you are and how you are always ready to act, and then they come to pray at this Temple, ₃₃listen to their prayers. In heaven, where you live, hear them and do what they ask you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is where you are to be worshipped.

₃₄“When you command your people to go into battle against their enemies and they pray to you, wherever they are, facing this city which you have chosen and this Temple which I have built for you, ₃₅listen to their prayers. Hear them in heaven and give them victory.

₃₆“When your people sin against you — and there is no one who does not sin — and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away, ₃₇listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O LORD. ₃₈If in that land they truly and sincerely repent and pray to you as they face towards this land which you gave to our ancestors, this city which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for you, ₃₉then listen to their prayers. In your home in heaven hear them and be merciful to them and forgive all the sins of your people.

₄₀“Now, O my God, look on us and listen to the prayers offered in this place. ₄₁Rise up now, LORD God, and with the Covenant Box, the symbol of your power, enter the Temple and stay here for ever. Bless your priests in all they do, and may all your people be happy because of your goodness to them. ₄₂LORD God, do not reject the king you have chosen. Remember the love you had for your servant David.”