There’s a lot of Scripture devoted to the Laws and workings of the temple and the priests and Levites supporting it. But it’s important to note that the temple—along with its precursor the tabernacle—have only actually existed for a very small fraction of Israel’s overall history, much less the entire history of mankind. For the vast majority of time, the temple has not existed. As there is a group in modern Israel that has reconstituted the Sanhedrin and is now purported to be planning to construct a 3rd temple—and as many believe another temple is part of the End Times signs and prophecies—what is the biblical purpose of the temple? This question is explored in detail in Solomon’s dedication of the original temple. And considering that the New Testament tells us that WE comprise His temple, how might this apply to us?
Read verses 22-26
Q: According to v.23, with whom does God keep covenant?
A: “...Your servants who walk before You with all their heart...”
Q: According to v. 25, what is the condition of God’s promise to David? On what is it predicated?
A: “...if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have waked.”
Q: So when Solomon states as in v.26, “let Your word, I pray, be confirmed”, what is he really calling attention to in this introductory prayer?
A: Solomon is calling the attention of those present to their need and even responsibility to be completely obedient and wholly committed to God and His ways.
Q: Does the temple itself “guarantee” anything?
A: This would indicate “no”. The only “guarantee” that man can have is that he will be rewarded according to his obedience.
Read verses 27-30
Q: By what is stated here, does the temple actually contain God?
A: Absolutely not.
Q: Although this is called a house “of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there’”, where does Solomon state God actually resides?
A: “...in heaven Your dwelling place...” (v.30)
Q: What is it that Solomon is then asking for in regards to God’s relationship with the temple?
“...that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day...” (v.29)
“...to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place...” (v.29)
“Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place...” (v.30)
“...hear and forgive.” (v.30)
Point: The temple is intended to be God’s house of prayer.
Read verses 31-32
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the individual.
Q: From where will God hear the individual’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven and act...” (v.32)
Q: What is the result of an individual’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.” (v.32)
Read verses 33-34
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the nation.
Q: From where will God hear the nation’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven, and forgive...” (v.34)
Q: What is the result of a nation’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...bring them back to the land...” (v.34)
Read verses 35-36
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the sinful.
Q: From where will God hear the sinner’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven, and forgive...” (v.36)
Q: What is the result of a sinner’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land...” (v.36)
Read verses 37-40
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the disobedient.
Q: From where will God hear the rebellious person’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act...” (v.39)
Q: What is the result of the disobedient heart rightly committed to God in prayer?
A: “...render to each according to all his ways...that they may fear you...” (v.39-40)
Read verses 41-43
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the foreigner.
Q: From where will God hear the foreigner’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven...and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You...” (v.43
Q: What is the result of a foreigner’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You...and that they may know that this house...is called by Your name.” (v.43)
Read verses 44-45
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of preparation for going to battle for the Lord.
Q: From where will God hear the warrior’s prayer in the temple?
A: “...hear in heaven...” (v.45)
Q: What is the result of a warrior’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...maintain their cause...” (v.45)
Read verses 46-53
Q: What group or circumstance is being addressed?
A: The prayers of the repentant.
Q: It is acknowledged that because of their sin this group has been taken into captivity and has no direct access to the temple. How will they pray?
A: “...if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land where they have taken them captive...and pray to You toward their land...and the house which I have built for Your name...” (v.47-48)
Q: What are the conditions the prayerful must first meet?
A: “...if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul...” (v.48)
Q: From where will God hear the penitent’s prayer?
A: “...hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place...” (v.49)
Q: What is the result of a sinner’s right heart committed to God in prayer?
A: “...maintain their cause, and forgive Your people...and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive...” (v.49-50)
Q: In all these examples of prayer and the purpose of the temple, what is the obvious thing missing for which so much of the Law is written concerning the temple and why?
A: Solomon never once mentions anything about the sacrifices. This is because the sacrifices are the END of the process. Sacrifices do not, in and of themselves, remove or forgive anything. Each person is supposed to experience the knowledge and regret and guilt of having fallen short in some way, revealed the sincerity of their changed heart through prayer, and concluded with a sort of celebration of God’s forgiveness by means of the sacrifices that also acted as a personal commitment NOT to engage in that sin again. In this last example in particular, people held in captivity in a foreign land can’t possibly initiate a temple sacrifice, but God is not requiring it; He requires a changed and submissive heart.
Read verses 54-61
Q: How is the closing of Solomon’s prayer similar to the opening?
A: He is calling the attention of those present to their need and even responsibility to be completely obedient and wholly committed to God and His ways.
“...that He may incline our hearts to Himself...”
“...to walk in all His ways...”
“...and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances...”
Q: What is the main purpose according to v.60?
A: “...so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the lord is God; there is no one else.”
Q: What is the personal call to those that would use God’s temple properly?
A: “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the lord our God, to walk in His statues and to keep His commandments, as at this day.” (v.61)
Q: What would you now say are the primary purposes of the temple?
A: Not just a house of prayer, but a symbol on which to focus one’s prayer from wherever they’re at, knowing that the One True God in heaven hears the sincere intercessions of a heart that does not merely seek Him but seeks to live according to HIS ways.
Overall Application
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
― Ephesians 2:19-22
What is OUR role as being the temple of God? How should prayer play a factor?
What have you learned about the relationship between prayer and obedience? Do your prayers come from your desire to be committed to God’s ways? Do you see from the examples provided that the answers all have to do with improving the quality of your spiritual life and not necessarily the physical?
Have you ever considered that commitment to prayer is evidence to non-believers of the existence and power of God?
Of all the associated activities of church—preaching, singing, worship, prayer, fellowship, etc.—is prayer really a top priority? How can we give it the proper emphasis and place in both our personal and corporate walk in Christ?
