Chapter 4 · Encounter 39 of 48
Will God Really Dwell on Earth?
Prepare
Generations after the tabernacle, Solomon builds a magnificent temple, and God's glory fills it as it once filled the tent in the wilderness. But during the dedication, Solomon asks a remarkable question about the God for whom he has built this house. As you read, notice what Solomon says about God's greatness and what he asks God to do for those who approach him.
Read Scripture
Open each passage here without leaving this Encounter.
1 Kings 8:10–13; 8:27–30
1 Kings 8:10-13
10When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 11And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
12Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”
1 Kings 8:27-30
27“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
Ponder
- In 1 Kings 8:27, Solomon asks whether God will really dwell on earth, acknowledging that even the highest heavens can’t contain him. What does this reveal about the One who nevertheless chooses to make his presence known in the temple? How does it deepen the portrait of God's greatness you've encountered throughout this Journey?
1 Kings 8:27
27“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
- Solomon asks God to hear from heaven, his dwelling place, as He watches over this house. How do those two ideas fit together? What does this reveal about the relationship between God's transcendence and his attentiveness to his people? How might it shape the way you approach him?
Look Again
Compare 1 Kings 8:13 13I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.” 27“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 1 Kings 8:13
1 Kings 8:27
Solomon speaks of building a house for God to dwell in while acknowledging that even heaven cannot contain him. The temple is not a place where humanity has managed to confine God. It is a place where God has graciously chosen to make his presence known.
Consider what this reveals about the difference between God’s presence and our attempts to contain or control him.
Practice
Spend a few quiet minutes in prayer today. Begin by considering the greatness of the God whom heaven itself cannot contain. Then remember that this same God hears the prayers of his people.
Bring one concern before him, approaching with both reverence for his greatness and confidence in his attentiveness. Ask him to help you see his presence in the temple as a gift rather than a box.
Prayer
Praise God for his incomparable greatness and his willingness to draw near. Thank him for hearing the prayers of his people. Ask him to deepen both your reverence and your confidence in his care.