Topical Bible: the First Temple: Filled With the Cloud of Glory

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The First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple, holds a significant place in biblical history as the first permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant and the center of Israelite worship. Constructed under the reign of King Solomon, the temple was located in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the site where Abraham was to offer Isaac (2 Chronicles 3:1). The temple's construction is detailed in 1 Kings 6-7 and 2 Chronicles 3-4, highlighting its grandeur and the meticulous care taken to follow divine instructions.

Dedication and the Cloud of Glory

The dedication of the First Temple is a pivotal event recorded in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7. After the completion of the temple, Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes to bring the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David to the newly built temple (1 Kings 8:1-4). The Ark, symbolizing God's covenant and presence with Israel, was placed in the Most Holy Place beneath the wings of the cherubim (1 Kings 8:6-7).

During the dedication ceremony, Solomon offered a prayer of dedication, acknowledging God's faithfulness and asking for His continued presence and blessing upon Israel (1 Kings 8:22-53). It was during this momentous occasion that the temple was filled with the cloud of glory, signifying the presence of the LORD. As recorded in 1 Kings 8:10-11 , "When the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."

This manifestation of God's glory, often referred to as the Shekinah glory, was a visible sign of God's acceptance of the temple as His dwelling place among His people. The cloud of glory had previously appeared during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, guiding them through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22) and filling the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35). Its presence in the temple underscored the continuity of God's covenantal relationship with Israel.

Significance in Israelite Worship

The First Temple served as the central place of worship for the Israelites, where they offered sacrifices and observed the feasts prescribed in the Law of Moses. It was a place where the people could seek God's presence, forgiveness, and guidance. The temple's design, with its inner sanctuary, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place, reflected the holiness of God and the need for atonement and mediation.

The presence of the cloud of glory at the temple's dedication reinforced the understanding that God was not confined to a building but chose to dwell among His people. Solomon himself acknowledged this in his prayer, saying, "But will God indeed dwell on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built" (1 Kings 8:27).

Theological Implications

The filling of the First Temple with the cloud of glory has profound theological implications. It affirmed God's covenant with David and his descendants, as promised in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. It also foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, who would embody the fullness of God's presence on earth (John 1:14). The temple, as a type, pointed to the ultimate dwelling of God with humanity through Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers, making them temples of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:16).

The First Temple's dedication and the filling with the cloud of glory remain a testament to God's desire to dwell among His people and His faithfulness to His promises. The temple's history, from its construction to its destruction, serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 8:10,11
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 5:13
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 7:2
And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Destruction of Jerusalem.
... only, did the second temple exceed the first in glory ... gate, the glory had forever
departed from the temple. ... The disciples had been filled with awe and wonder at ...
/.../1 the destruction of jerusalem.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... only, did the second temple exceed the first in glory ... gate, the glory had forever
departed from the temple. ... The disciples had been filled with awe and wonder at ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 1 the destruction of.htm

Consecration and Dedication
... to yield up its treasures, it lets go the easiest ones first, and as ... was complete
and everything was in perfect order, the glory of God filled the temple. ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter iii consecration and dedication.htm

Christians, Temples of the Living God
... The Jewish temple was also a place where the Great ... or dwell between the cherubims;
and when Solomon first dedicated it ... we are told, "the house was filled with a ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/christians temples of the living.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... ten thousand stand before Him;(673) that temple, filled with the ... was granted a view
of the temple of God ... prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /23 what is the sanctuary.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... stand before Him (Daniel 7:10); that temple, filled with the ... was granted a view of
the temple of God ... the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 23 what is the.htm

Following the Cloud.
... land which they must pass through, but they were led at first through a ... the sacred
Ark of Testimony, the cloud came again and filled the temple with the ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xii following the cloud.htm

Power "In" and "Upon. "
... It says in the first chapter of Luke, 67th verse ... talked of the Scriptures, and they
were both filled with the ... that Simeon, as he came into the temple and found ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/secret power/chapter ii power in and.htm

The Fact of the Redeemer's Return had a Spectacular Setting Forth ...
... the mercy-seat (Lev.16:2). This was the "Cloud" which filled the Temple of Solomon ...
The first thing which the Saviour did after He had given the disciples a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/7 the fact of the.htm

The Light of the World
... The first thing to notice is"the intention of the ceremonial to ... the moving Tabernacle
gave place to the fixed Temple, again 'the cloud filled the house ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the light of the world.htm