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Solomon Builds a Temple for the Lord - The Books 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.
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  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
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  Speaker 3: neighbors is forming alliances and establishing trade. It was an
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  Speaker 3: era of hope and prosperity, and Solomon knew that the
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  Speaker 3: time was right to begin building God's temple. His father
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  Speaker 3: had wanted so badly to build the house of God,
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  Speaker 3: but was prevented from doing so because he had blood
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  Speaker 3: on his hands. He had been a man of war.
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  Speaker 3: Though God had prevented David from accomplishing the task, he
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  Speaker 3: promised that his son would build the temple. So now
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  Speaker 3: in the fourth year of his rule, Solomon began to
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  Speaker 3: fulfill that vision. Because of Israel's alliances with neighbors and
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  Speaker 3: the peace they were experiencing, Solomon was able to enlist
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  Speaker 3: labor and materials from other nations. King Hiram of Tyre
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  Speaker 3: sent the best cedar and cypress woods to begin the
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  Speaker 3: construction and along with laborers who worked alongside of Solomon's
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  Speaker 3: own men to erect the temple. And what an impressive
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  Speaker 3: temple this would be. It was so much more than
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  Speaker 3: just a building. It was a symbol, a sanctuary for
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  Speaker 3: the people, a sign of God's presence and their freedom,
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  Speaker 3: a freedom that God promised and delivered to them. It
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  Speaker 3: was a precious thing, but the people and Solomon needed
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  Speaker 3: a reminder, not of what it symbolized, but who it
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  Speaker 3: was for. So God spoke to Solomon, saying in 1
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  Speaker 3: Kings 6, verses 12 and 13, Concerning this house that
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  Speaker 3: you are building, if you walk in my statutes, and
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  Speaker 3: obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk
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  Speaker 3: in them, then I will establish my word with you,
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  Speaker 3: which I spoke to David your father, and I will
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  Speaker 3: dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake
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  Speaker 3: my people Israel. God is a holy father. He knows
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  Speaker 3: his children. And he knows that these children of Israel
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  Speaker 3: needed to remember him in the newfound prosperity that they
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  Speaker 3: had been given, unless they once again turn away into
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  Speaker 3: their own desires and interests and even idols. As impressive
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  Speaker 3: as it was from the outside, this temple was even
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  Speaker 3: more so on the inside. Filled with gold and finest
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  Speaker 3: wood and the best craftsmanship, it was truly a home
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  Speaker 3: befitting the Most High God. And finally... After seven years
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  Speaker 3: of building, the great house of the Lord was completed.
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  Speaker 3: God's presence, the Ark of the Covenant, was brought into
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  Speaker 3: the temple. All that was left to do was to
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  Speaker 3: celebrate this momentous occasion with a great festival. God displayed
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  Speaker 3: his awesome presence by entering the Holy of Holies like
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  Speaker 3: a cloud. The people and the priests were filled with
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  Speaker 3: wonder and awe. Solomon then bowed before the Lord, demonstrating
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  Speaker 3: that he was just an earthly king and that the
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  Speaker 3: one true king the one worthy of praise and submission,
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  Speaker 3: was God Almighty. It was something truly amazing for a
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  Speaker 3: king to do, as no other nation's king would dare
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  Speaker 3: bow to another. But Solomon, like his father, understood that
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  Speaker 3: God was above all and worthy of all praise and adoration.
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  Speaker 3: In humility, he asked God to come and meet his
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  Speaker 3: people in that place, the house that he had built
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  Speaker 3: for God. He also knew that the temple, though great
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  Speaker 3: and glorious, was not enough to contain God's greatness. One
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  Speaker 3: day God's presence would come in an even more remarkable way,
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  Speaker 3: opening the door for him to dwell not in a
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  Speaker 3: house of gold and cedar, but in the hearts of man.
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  Speaker 3: Dear God, thank you for this powerful passage of Scripture,
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  Speaker 3: for your presence in our lives. Just as you indwelt
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  Speaker 3: your temple so long ago, may we now, the temple
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  Speaker 3: of your Spirit, be a sanctuary for your presence. Lord,
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  Speaker 3: fill us with your Spirit that we might live for
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  Speaker 3: your glory. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening
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  Speaker 3: to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham
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  Speaker 3: from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com app and make sure
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  Speaker 3: that prayer and Bible reading is a priority in your life.
• 12:37
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• 12:40
  Speaker 3: it with someone you love, and let's get the Word
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: of God out to many, many people. And if you
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: want more resources as to how you can learn and
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: live the Christian life, be sure to visit jackgraham.org. That's jackgraham.org.
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  Speaker 2: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative health care
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.