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Solomon Builds a Temple for the Lord - The Book of 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And he said, Lord God of Israel,
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  Speaker 1: there is no God like thee, in heaven above or
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  Speaker 1: on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy
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  Speaker 1: servants that walk before thee with all their heart. 1
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  Speaker 1: Kings 8.23 My God, as I enjoy the vastness of
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  Speaker 1: your glory and splendor, I will be mindful to continue
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  Speaker 1: building the business, ministry, department, company, and family that you've
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  Speaker 1: called me to build. As I build, I will make
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  Speaker 1: sure that, like Solomon, I will construct my life off
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  Speaker 1: of your blueprint and the blueprint or specifications you've set
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  Speaker 1: for others. When the temptation comes to play it small
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  Speaker 1: or hold back from giving my all, I will look
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  Speaker 1: to today's reading in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles to
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  Speaker 1: remind myself that you deserve nothing less than my best. So, today,
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  Speaker 1: I commit my all to you. I declare that you
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  Speaker 1: will receive nothing less than my best in all that
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  Speaker 1: I do. When excellence seems to be out of reach,
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  Speaker 1: I declare that you will bring the right people into
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  Speaker 1: my life to elevate everything that I touch. I acknowledge
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  Speaker 1: that whatever I build will serve as a monument to
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  Speaker 1: you and your glory. Therefore, I will not stop until
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  Speaker 1: the world sees the beauty and splendor of what you've
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  Speaker 1: placed inside of me. In Jesus' name. Thank you for
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  Speaker 1: making prayer a priority in your day. To learn more
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  Speaker 1: about the Bible, stay tuned for today's story. Brought to
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  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: Solomon builds a temple for the Lord. In our last story,
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  Speaker 2: we peered into the dreams of Solomon. God asked him
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  Speaker 2: to request anything and it would be answered. Instead of
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  Speaker 2: asking for riches, long life, or victory, Solomon asked for
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  Speaker 2: wisdom and a kind heart to lead his people. God
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  Speaker 2: granted this to Solomon and gave him more than he
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  Speaker 2: could have ever asked for. Now we see Solomon putting
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  Speaker 2: his wisdom to good use as he seeks to build
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  Speaker 2: the great temple of God, inspired by the book of
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  Speaker 2: 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of The
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year. In our previous episode, we heard
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  Speaker 3: how God appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered
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  Speaker 3: to give him whatever he desired. Rather than ask for
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  Speaker 3: riches or a long life, Solomon asked God to give
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  Speaker 3: him wisdom and discernment so that he could lead God's
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  Speaker 3: people well. This pleased God so much that God promised
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  Speaker 3: not only wisdom, but wealth, fame, and prosperity. Today, We'll
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  Speaker 3: learn how Israel experienced a time of great peace and celebration,
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  Speaker 3: something they'd never really had before. And in this new era,
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  Speaker 3: Solomon the wise king was set about accomplishing the vision
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  Speaker 3: his father David had, to build a great house for
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  Speaker 3: the Lord. So let's listen now to today's Word.
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  Speaker 2: It was a time of peace in Israel. David, the
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  Speaker 2: great warrior, had vanquished many of Israel's enemies. As a result,
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  Speaker 2: Solomon had the privilege of building alliances, trade routes, and libraries.
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  Speaker 2: Conflict was replaced by communication. Bloodshed was replaced by brotherhood.
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  Speaker 2: So much so that when it came time for Solomon
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  Speaker 2: to begin building the temple of God, he had the
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  Speaker 2: aid of other nations. King Hiram of Tyre offered up
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  Speaker 2: his cedar beams in Cyprus from Lebanon, as well as
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  Speaker 2: men to aid in construction. All was falling into place
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  Speaker 2: for Solomon, and the Spirit of God was pleased with
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  Speaker 2: his work. Springtime waltzed into the land like a joyful song.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon and his workforce had worked day and night unto
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  Speaker 2: the Lord. The sun was gentle, and the breeze was kind.
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  Speaker 2: Spring flowers bloomed in an array of colors and smells.
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  Speaker 2: It had been 480 years since the people of Israel
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  Speaker 2: were delivered out of slavery, and for the first time
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  Speaker 2: Israel began to feel permanent. The people watched as the
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  Speaker 2: massive temple was built before them. This was a symbol
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  Speaker 2: of their freedom. Solomon looked up at the temple. The
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  Speaker 2: sun reflected off of its roof beautifully. Nearly finished, Solomon
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  Speaker 2: could finally step back to appreciate the work. God spoke
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  Speaker 2: in the coolness of midday, saying, Remember what this temple means.
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  Speaker 2: Obey me and I will fulfill my promise to your father.
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  Speaker 2: I will live among you and will never abandon you.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He
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  Speaker 2: was content. Solomon stepped inside the temple to finish the interior.
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  Speaker 2: The entire inside was paneled with fine cedar. The floors
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  Speaker 2: were smooth cypresses. The inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies,
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  Speaker 2: was at the far end of the temple. It was
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  Speaker 2: thirty feet deep, and its walls were carved with immaculate
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  Speaker 2: floral designs. The entire interior was then overlaid with solid gold,
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  Speaker 2: and gold chains protected the entrance. Two fifteen-foot cherubim were
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  Speaker 2: made of wild olive wood and placed there in the
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  Speaker 2: inner sanctuary. Their wingspans spread across the room valiantly. Palm trees, flowers,
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  Speaker 2: and gold filled the hallways, and the double doors were
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  Speaker 2: pure olive wood. Finally, after seven years of planning, building,
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  Speaker 2: and refining, the temple of the Lord was complete. It
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  Speaker 2: stood as a beacon of hope and sanctuary to all
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  Speaker 2: who entered Israel. Solomon stood in the temple courtyards in
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  Speaker 2: awe of the temple's beauty. He turned back towards the
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  Speaker 2: main entrance and watched as the priests of Israel raised
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  Speaker 2: the Ark of the Covenant and brought it into the temple.
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  Speaker 2: The entirety of Israel gathered for a festival and watched
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  Speaker 2: as the presence of God filled the temple in an instant.
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  Speaker 2: The glorious presence of the Lord came upon the Holy
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  Speaker 2: of Holies like a cloud, and the priests stood in wonder.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon fell to his knees before the temple. People stood
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  Speaker 2: and watched as their king bowed before him. No king
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  Speaker 2: in the land ever bowed to anyone, yet Solomon would
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  Speaker 2: bow to God, for it was God who was above all.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon looked to the heavens and said, Here you are, Lord,
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  Speaker 2: your permanent home. He then rose to his feet and
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  Speaker 2: turned to the people. He raised his hand before them, smiled,
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  Speaker 2: and declared, Praise the Lord! Praise the God of Israel!
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  Speaker 2: It was my father's greatest wish to build this temple,
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  Speaker 2: but war kept him from building it. But here it is!
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  Speaker 2: The crowd erupted in cheers. Shouts of joy and praise
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  Speaker 2: filled the skies. Solomon burst into laughter as he spoke.
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  Speaker 2: Tears streamed down his face. He looked to heaven again
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  Speaker 2: and said, There is no one like you in all
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  Speaker 2: of heaven or on earth. Please keep your promises to
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  Speaker 2: us by your unfailing love. Carry out your promises. We
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  Speaker 2: know that there is nothing that can contain you, not
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  Speaker 2: even this temple. But we ask that you meet us here.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon placed his hand on the altar and spoke to God.
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  Speaker 2: God would continue to meet with his people in the temple,
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  Speaker 2: although not even the vastness of the temple could contain him.
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  Speaker 2: As for Solomon... His wealth and influence would expand beyond
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  Speaker 2: any king in the east. His poetry, philosophy, and theology
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  Speaker 2: would be sought after by princes and nobles from far
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  Speaker 2: off lands. Peace filled the land. God filled the land.
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  Speaker 2: Although struggle awaited the people of Israel, they enjoyed their
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  Speaker 2: moment of bliss and the glory of their God.
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  Speaker 3: As we begin today's lesson, the kingdom of Israel is
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  Speaker 3: reaping the benefits of David's many battles. Solomon rules over
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  Speaker 3: a nation that, rather than engage in battles with its neighbors,
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  Speaker 3: is forming alliances and establishing trade. It was an era
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  Speaker 3: of hope and prosperity, and Solomon knew that the time
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  Speaker 3: was right to begin building God's temple. His father had
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  Speaker 3: wanted so badly to build the house of God, but
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  Speaker 3: was prevented from doing so because he had blood on
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  Speaker 3: his hands. He had been a man of war. Though
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  Speaker 3: God had prevented David from accomplishing the task, he promised
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  Speaker 3: that his son would build the temple. So now in
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  Speaker 3: the fourth year of his rule, Solomon began to fulfill
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  Speaker 3: that vision. Because of Israel's alliances with neighbors and the
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  Speaker 3: peace they were experiencing, Solomon was able to enlist labor
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  Speaker 3: and materials from other nations. King Hiram of Tyre sent
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  Speaker 3: the best cedar and cypress woods to begin the construction,
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  Speaker 3: along with laborers who worked alongside of Solomon's own men
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  Speaker 3: to erect the temple. And what an impressive temple this
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  Speaker 3: would be. It was so much more than just a building.
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  Speaker 3: It was a symbol, a sanctuary for the people, a
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  Speaker 3: sign of God's presence and their freedom, a freedom that
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  Speaker 3: God promised and delivered to them. It was a precious thing,
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  Speaker 3: but the people and Solomon needed a reminder, not of
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  Speaker 3: what it symbolized, but who it was for. So God
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  Speaker 3: spoke to Solomon, saying in 1 Kings 6 verses 12
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  Speaker 3: and 13, Concerning this house that you are building, if
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  Speaker 3: you walk in my statutes, and obey my rules and
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  Speaker 3: keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I
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  Speaker 3: will establish my word with you, which I spoke to
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  Speaker 3: David your father, and I will dwell among the children
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  Speaker 3: of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel. God
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  Speaker 3: is a holy father. He knows his children. And he
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  Speaker 3: knows that these children of Israel needed to remember him
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  Speaker 3: in the newfound prosperity that they had been given, unless
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  Speaker 3: they once again turn away into their own desires and
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  Speaker 3: interests and even idols. As impressive as it was from
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  Speaker 3: the outside, this temple was even more so on the inside.
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  Speaker 3: Filled with gold and finest wood and the best craftsmanship,
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  Speaker 3: it was truly a home befitting the Most High God.
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  Speaker 3: And finally, after seven years of building, the great house
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  Speaker 3: of the Lord was completed. God's presence, the Ark of
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  Speaker 3: the Covenant, was brought into the temple. All that was
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  Speaker 3: left to do was to celebrate this momentous occasion with
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  Speaker 3: a great festival. God displayed his awesome presence by entering
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  Speaker 3: the Holy of Holies like a cloud. The people and
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  Speaker 3: the priests were filled with wonder and awe. Solomon then
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  Speaker 3: bowed before the Lord, demonstrating that he was just an
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  Speaker 3: earthly king and that the one true king, the one
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  Speaker 3: worthy of praise and submission, was God Almighty. It was
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  Speaker 3: something truly amazing for a king to do, as no
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  Speaker 3: other nation's king would dare bow to another. But Solomon,
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  Speaker 3: like his father, understood that God was above all and
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  Speaker 3: worthy of all praise and adoration. In humility, he He
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  Speaker 3: asked God to come and meet his people in that place,
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  Speaker 3: the house that he had built for God. He also
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  Speaker 3: knew that the temple, though great and glorious, was not
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  Speaker 3: enough to contain God's greatness. One day God's presence would
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  Speaker 3: come in an even more remarkable way, opening the door
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  Speaker 3: for him to dwell not in a house of gold
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  Speaker 3: and cedar, but in the hearts of men. Dear God,
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  Speaker 3: thank you for this powerful passage of Scripture. for your
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  Speaker 3: presence in our lives. Just as you indwelt your temple
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  Speaker 3: so long ago, may we now, the temple of your Spirit,
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  Speaker 3: be a sanctuary for your presence. Lord, fill us with
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  Speaker 3: your Spirit that we might live for your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com app
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: and make sure that prayer and Bible reading is a
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  Speaker 3: priority in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, let
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: someone else know. Share it with someone you love and
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: let's get the Word of God out to many, many people.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: And if you want more resources as to how you
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  Speaker 3: can learn and live the Christian life, be sure to
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  Speaker 3: visit jackgraham.org. That's jackgraham.org.