1 Kings 8:22-53

8:23-26 | The beginning of Solomon’s prayer reminded the people that obedience (wholehearted devotion) is required to experience the blessings of God’s presence.

8:27-29 | God’s name represents all that He is, but He cannot be confined by the temple because He is everywhere, transcending place and time.

8:30 | Supplication means to beg favor on the basis of God’s grace. The prayer of the people was to be directed toward the sanctuary, God’s earthly dwelling. While heaven itself is His eternal dwelling place (Ps. 11:4; Hab. 2:20), He also lives among His people.

8:31-53 | The bulk of Solomon’s prayer recognizes that God’s presence provides help for the difficulties people face in life – even their own failure.

8:33-34 | God’s presence makes it possible for those who have rebelled to turn back to Him.

8:41-43 | The temple was not only for the Hebrew people. In the Court of the Gentiles, foreigners were welcome. Truly, as Jesus remarked, it became “a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17).

8:46-47 | The Bible states frequently that no one exists who does not sin (Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:12,23; 1 John 1:8-10). Sin is the universal condition of a fallen human race. Done wrong is the phrase from which iniquity is derived, and it means “twisted or distorted.”