Day 304 – Dedication, Forgiveness

1 Kings 8:1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of JEHOVAH from the City of David, which is Zion.

 2 Therefore, the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

 3 Thus, the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

 4 Then they brought up the ark of JEHOVAH, the tabernacle of meeting, and the holy furnishings in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.

 5 Also, King Solomon, and the congregation of Israel assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.

 6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of JEHOVAH to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.

 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.

 8 The poles extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. They are there to this day.

 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when JEHOVAH made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

 10 And it happened, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of JEHOVAH, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of JEHOVAH filled the house of JEHOVAH.

 12 Then Solomon spoke, “JEHOVAH said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 13 I have built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever.”

 14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the assembly of Israel stood.

 15 And he said, “Blessed be JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel. 18 However, JEHOVAH said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you will not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he will build the temple for My name.’ 20 Thus, JEHOVAH fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as JEHOVAH promised; and I have built a temple for the name of JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel. 21 And there I made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of JEHOVAH which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of JEHOVAH in the presence of the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and he said, “LORD Elohiym of Israel, there is no Elohiym in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.

 24 “You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

 25 “Therefore, JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You will not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ 26 And now I pray, O Elohiym of Israel, let Your word come true, which You spoke to Your servant David my father. 27 However, will Elohiym indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I built! 28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O JEHOVAH my Elohiym, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today; 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name will be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. 30 May You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

 31 “When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. 33 When Your people Israel is defeated before an enemy because they sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.

 35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they e sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You gave to Your people as an inheritance.

 37 “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple, 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), 40 that they may fear You all the days they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

 41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to everything for which the foreigner calls to You, that the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I built is called by Your name.

 44 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to JEHOVAH toward the city which You chose and the temple which I built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

 46 “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; 48 and when they return to You with their entire heart and with their entire soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You chose and the temple which I built for Your name; 49 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive Your people who sinned against You, and their transgressions which they transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace), 52 that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You separated them from among the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Adonay YEHOVIH.”

 54 It happened, when Solomon finished praying this prayer and supplication to JEHOVAH, that he arose from before the altar of JEHOVAH, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.

 55 Then he stood and blessed the entire assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: 56 “Blessed be JEHOVAH, who gave rest to His people Israel, according to everything He promised. There has not failed one word of His good promises, which He promised through His servant Moses. 57 May JEHOVAH our Elohiym be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, 58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. 59 May these words of mine, with which I made supplication before JEHOVAH, be near JEHOVAH our Elohiym day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, 60 that the people of the earth may know that JEHOVAH is Elohiym; there is no other. 61 Let your heart, therefore, be loyal to JEHOVAH our Elohiym, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”

 62 Then the king and everyone in Israel with him offered sacrifices before JEHOVAH.

 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to JEHOVAH, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. Thus, the king and the children of Israel dedicated the house of JEHOVAH.

 64 On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court in front of the house of JEHOVAH; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar before JEHOVAH was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

 65 At that time Solomon held a feast, and everyone in Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before JEHOVAH our Elohiym, seven days and seven more days—fourteen days.

 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for the good JEHOVAH did for His servant David, and for Israel His people.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH, JEHOVIH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Adonay – God’s proper name

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Hagios Pneuma – Sacred, Holy, Breath, Spirit

God’s character:

Compassionate

Listener

Forgiver

Dedication ceremonies take place for many reasons followed by celebrations for the achievements made by those who dedicated the projects.

King Solomon finished building the temple and dedicated it to JEHOVAH and prayed for His compassion and His eyes to be on His chosen people, to hear them when they prayed, forgive them confess their sin, and be with them wherever they went.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, you dedicated your life to Him. In his dedication prayer, Solomon said everyone sins and asked JEHOVAH to hear the prayer of His people when they confessed their sin with a repentant heart. When you sin against Yeshuwa, you need to confess your sin with a repentant heart, and He will hear you and forgive you. It’s His promise to you as His child.

Yet how often do you sin, and you don’t consider yourself worthy of forgiveness and refrain from praying and confessing your sin? Solomon covered every possibility of sin against JEHOVAH in his prayer to Him and asked Him to hear His people when they prayed to Him. He will hear you too. There is no sin too great except the blasphemy of the Hagios Pneuma that Elohiym will not hear you and forgive you.

Matthew 12:31 “Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Pneuma will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Hagios Pneuma, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

If you strayed from Yeshuwa, if you believe your sin is unforgiveable, if you need to repent and rededicate your life to Yeshuwa, do it without delay. Pray, seek His face, and He will hear you and forgive you.

When Solomon finished praying, JEHOVAH answered him. His answer is the same for you.

2 Chronicles 7:12 Then JEHOVAH appeared to Solomon by night and said to him: “I heard your prayer and chose this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The promise JEHOVAH Elohiym gave Solomon is the same promise He gives you when you pray with a repentant heart and seek His forgiveness. He will hear, answer, and forgive.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from every unrighteousness.

Let’s pray: Father, forgive me for not coming to You when I sin, believing my sin is too great for You to forgive me. Listen to my prayer with a repentant heart as You promised and let me know Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 17 November 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux