For other parts in this series:
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
King Solomon’s prayer of dedication shows how important the Temple is to the Jewish faith. Without the Temple, there is no forgiveness of sins for the Jewish people. The Temple is the center hub for all ceremonies, sacrifices, offerings, festivals and rituals. When King Solomon finished building the Temple of God, he said a dedication prayer found in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 6. In his prayer, he states:
1 Kings 8:20-21 – Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Read: Ark of the Covenant – A Brief History
King Solomon’s Prayer Of Dedication Outlines The Importance Of The Temple
The Jewish people do not believe in the spiritual Temple which is Jesus Christ. For this reason, the only way they can receive forgiveness of sins is through the physical Temple. But that Temple has been destroyed for over 1900 years.
1 Kings 8:24-25 – you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’
God’s promises come with conditions that need to be met in order for the promise to come to fruition. The conditions are that we do not alter, twist or compromise His ways. The Jewish people have failed to meet the conditions by not accepting the teachings of Jesus, the prophesied Messiah.
They have also twisted the scriptures to substitute prayers in place of a blood offering for the forgiveness of their sins. This is not scriptural. One of God’s specific conditions is the requirement of a blood offering. Without a blood offering, there is no forgiveness of sins. The Jewish people are compromising the word of God.
Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.
Hebrews 9:22 – In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Continued… 1 Kings 8:29-30 – that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
The scriptures clearly indicate how important it is for the Jewish people to have the Temple to pray towards in order for God to forgive their transgressions. For the forgiveness of iniquity, the sacrifices and offerings must be made in the Temple.
Without the Temple, there is no forgiveness of sins for the Jewish people
Ever since the Temple has been destroyed, the Jewish people have been in a kind of exile. During this time of exile from the Temple, the Jewish people also refer to Solomon’s prayer of dedication to support their belief that the Temple is not necessary for them to receive forgiveness for their iniquity (sins). They state that King Solomon already anticipated the possibility of Israel being denied access to the Holy place. This is stated in
1 Kings 8:36-39 – then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance. “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),
1 Kings 8:40 – that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
Solomon’s prayer of dedication clearly states that the Jewish people should pray towards the Temple of God. How can the Jewish people pray towards the Temple when it hasn’t been there for more than 1900 years? In place of the Temple, the Jewish people are turning towards the Muslim mosque.
The preceding verses 41-51 of King Solomon’s prayer of dedication also stress the importance of the existence of the Temple. It was the only way for the Jewish people to connect with God. Whether they were in battle, in captivity or even if a foreigner came to Israel because of the name of God. As long as the Temple existed, the Jewish people could turn to God through the Temple to pray, to plead and to be heard by God.
1 Kings 8:41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you,
All of the sins that King Solomon is speaking about are transgressions (sins you know). A prayer can only be accepted by God regarding a sin that you admit and confess. God cannot forgive a sin that is not known or confessed because there has been no repentance for an unknown sin. This is why a blood sacrifice is required for the atonement of unknown sin, called iniquity. A prayer alone will not suffice for an unknown sin.
Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.
Hebrews 9:22 – In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
For Christians, we have the blood of Jesus (which is the Holy Spirit) that atones for our iniquity.
Atonement definition: Reparation for a wrong or injury. Expiation for sin. To make amends.
1 Kings 8 continued…and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace).
When the Temple was destroyed, the connection to God was broken A new connection through Jesus Christ was established. Unfortunately, the Jewish people have rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and so they remain unforgiven of their sins.
Their transgressions remain unforgiven because there is no Temple to pray towards. Their iniquity also remains unforgiven because blood offerings can no longer be offered in the Temple of God.
The Christian way to atone for iniquity is by dying to ourselves. Which means to die to our spirit and no longer follow the ways we were taught by our parents, family, friends, mentors, denomination, church, etc. Instead, we are to follow the ways of Jesus only without adding exceptions or compromise.
It is then, that we will receive the Holy Spirit. This is the shed blood of Jesus which atones for our iniquity. Transgressions are forgiven by our prayers, admissions and confessions of our sins which are in line with the teachings of Jesus and not according to anyone else’s standards.
We must also not lower or compromise the standards of Jesus. Otherwise we can no longer be forgiven for this sin. We will have covered it up and will no longer recognize sin. It will turn into iniquity that you know of (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit) which cannot be forgiven – as in the case of Eli.
1 Samuel 3:13-14 – For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
The iniquity that you know of is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit which is an unforgivable sin.
There is a second account of King Solomon’s Prayer Of Dedication For The Temple of God in the book for 2 Chronicles 6.
Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud; 2and I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.” 3And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all 4and said:
“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, 5‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel. 6But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
7Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart. 9Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
12Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high,a and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14and said:
“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 15You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.
16Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17And now, O LORD, God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.
18But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built. 19Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.
20May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. 21Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
Once again, we see there must be a Temple to pray to in order to receive forgiveness for transgressionary sins. And for iniquity, there must be a blood sacrifice, which can only be performed and offered in the Temple.
continued…2 Chronicles 6:22 When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple, 23then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
24When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading before You in this temple, 25then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to them and their fathers.
The Jewish people must plead to God for deliverance in the Temple in order for Him to hear them and grant forgiveness.
26When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them, 27then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.
28When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come, 29then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple— 30be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways,
since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men— 31so that they may fear You and walk in Your ways all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.
32And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your great name and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, 33then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You.
God would also forgive what a foreigner admits and confesses when he turns toward the Temple of God. He does not have to make sacrifices, this requirement is only for the Jewish people, as we can see from the following scripture:
Acts 21:28-29 – shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)
Continued… 2 Chronicles 6:33 Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.
34 When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name, 35then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.
36When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near, 37and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ 38and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, 39then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.
There is no longer a temple for the Jewish people to turn to. Instead, they turn towards the Dome of the Rock mosque. Their only way to reconcile with God now, is through the teachings of Jesus.
40Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
41Now therefore, arise, O LORD God, and enter Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and may Your godly ones rejoice in goodness. 42 O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one. Remember Your loving devotion to Your servant David.”
This scripture and prayer covers transgressionary sins only. Transgressions are sins you are aware you have committed. However, these prayers do not cover iniquity, which is sin you are unaware that you have committed.
For iniquity, only a blood sacrifice will atone for this sin.
Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.
Hebrews 9:22 – In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Now that there is no Temple, the Jewish people’s only option to receive forgiveness for their iniquity is through accepting the teaching of Jesus. Scripture clearly indicates that God’s overall plan had nothing to do with earthly temples. In King Solomon’s prayer of dedication, he says that the house he has built for the Lord cannot contain him anyways.
1 Kings 8:27 – But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
Stephen, the first Christian martyr, also explains this by quoting the prophet Isaiah.
Acts 7:47-50 – But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: 49 “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?
Isaiah 66:1 – This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
And so does the Apostle Paul.
Acts 17:24 – The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
Hebrews 8:4-13 – Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Only the teachings of Jesus can atone for iniquity now. He is the heavenly Temple that can never be destroyed, an eternal house for the name of the Lord to dwell in.
READ NEXT:
Jonah: The Jewish Argument For Atonement In The Absence of Sacrifices Part 2
Jeremiah 29:The Jewish Argument For Atonement In The Absence of Sacrifices Part 3
Esther: The Jewish Argument For Atonement In The Absence of Sacrifices Part 4
Jeremiah 33: The Jewish Argument For Atonement In The Absence of Sacrifices Part 5
Why Do Jews Believe There Will Be A Third Physical Temple Of God? Part 6
