Topical Bible: Prayer: Held in the Temple

◄ Prayer: Held in the Temple ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Prayer, as a central act of worship and communication with God, holds a significant place within the context of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple, as the dwelling place of God's presence among His people, served as a focal point for communal and individual prayer throughout the history of Israel.

Solomon's Dedication of the Temple

The dedication of Solomon's Temple marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative concerning prayer in the Temple. In 1 Kings 8, Solomon offers a profound prayer of dedication, acknowledging God's faithfulness and seeking His continued presence and favor. Solomon prays, "May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that You will hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place" (1 Kings 8:29). This prayer underscores the Temple as a designated place for seeking God's attention and intervention.

The Temple as a House of Prayer

The concept of the Temple as a "house of prayer" is further emphasized by the prophets. Isaiah 56:7 declares, "For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations" . This prophetic vision extends the significance of the Temple beyond Israel, envisioning it as a place where all peoples can seek the Lord. Jesus Himself reaffirms this purpose when He cleanses the Temple, quoting Isaiah and stating, "My house will be called a house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13).

Daily Prayers and Sacrifices

The daily rituals in the Temple included prayers and sacrifices, which were integral to the worship life of Israel. The morning and evening sacrifices were accompanied by prayers, as seen in the practice of the priests and the people who gathered in the Temple courts. Luke 1:10 describes the scene during the time of Zechariah, "And at the hour of the incense offering, the entire congregation was praying outside" . This illustrates the communal aspect of prayer in the Temple, where the faithful gathered to seek God's presence and favor.

The Role of the High Priest

The high priest played a crucial role in the prayer life of the Temple, particularly on the Day of Atonement. Hebrews 9:7 explains, "But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance" . The high priest's intercessory role highlights the mediatory function of prayer in the Temple, bridging the gap between a holy God and His people.

Prayers of the Righteous

The Temple also served as a place where the prayers of the righteous were offered and heard. Hannah's prayer for a child in 1 Samuel 1 is a poignant example. She prayed earnestly in the Temple, and the Lord answered her petition, granting her a son, Samuel. This narrative demonstrates the personal and transformative power of prayer within the sacred space of the Temple.

Conclusion

Prayer held in the Temple is a testament to the enduring relationship between God and His people, facilitated through a sacred space dedicated to worship and communion. The Temple, as a house of prayer, reflects the heart of God's desire for His people to seek Him, both individually and collectively, in faith and reverence.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 2:46
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Nave's Topical Index

Acts 3:1
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Circumcision, Temple Service, and Naming of Jesus.
... A prayer for the coming of the Messiah was daily used by them]: and the ... v.5. There
were probably night services of sacred music held in the temple, at which ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xii circumcision temple service and.htm

This Assiduity in Prayer, Though it Specially Refers to the ...
... be held in contempt, the Lord anciently bestowed upon them the most honourable
appellation, especially when he called the temple the "house of prayer" (Isa.56: ...
/.../of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 29 this assiduity in.htm

At the Temple Gate
... and immediately after a season of earnest prayer, Peter and ... alms at the Beautiful
Gate of the temple: and they ... as the lame man which was healed held Peter and ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 6 at the temple.htm

Of Time for Prayer.
... The same (apostle) was going into the temple, with John ... go to the bath, before
interposing a prayer; for the ... nourishments of the spirit are to be held prior to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on prayer/chapter xxv of time for prayer.htm

The Cleansing of the Temple.
... to the national capital where popular expectation held that the ... stock-yards it was
installed in the temple itself, under ... designed as a "house of prayer for all ...
/.../the new testament commentary vol iii john/the cleansing of the temple.htm

Prayer and the House of God
... out the buyers and sellers in the Temple, repeating the ... words was made clear in the
meeting held before the ... however, a preacher needs must be a man of prayer. ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xiv prayer and the house.htm

Of Stations, and of the Hours of Prayer.
... hour is demonstrated as an hour of prayer, about which ... gift of the Holy Spirit were
held for drunkards ... the ninth, at which they entered the temple: why should ...
/.../on fasting in opposition to the psychics/chapter x of stations and of.htm

Thirteenth Lesson. Prayer and Fasting;'
... power was in Christ, to be received, and held, and used by ... Prayer is the one hand
with which we grasp the invisible ... body has been redeemed to be a temple of the ...
/.../with christ in the school of prayer/thirteenth lesson prayer and fasting.htm

A Glance at the Disciples of Jesus on Holy Saturday.
... her pious companions had finished their nocturnal prayer (that holy ... they did without
difficulty, as they held the offices of inspectors of the Temple. ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter lviii a glance at.htm

Jesus' Last Public Discourse. Denunciation of Scribes and ...
... three seasons of prayer a day, they would spend nine hours in prayer. ... the gold of
the temple more sacred than the temple itself, they held that an oath ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cx jesus last public discourse.htm