Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven.
God among His people
I. Prayer for God to come. This prayer was marked--
1. By its publicity.
(1) Public prayer, formally or virtually, has been the custom among all nations at all times.
(2) It is a “reasonable service.”
(3) It is an impressive service. It evokes sympathy.
2. By its specialty.
3. By its success.
II. God among His people.
1. By symbol.
2. Permanently.
3. A source of blessedness. If God be among His people--
(1) He will help His ministers.
(2) The preaching of Christ will be a glory, a blessing, a satisfaction, a source of refreshment to the soul.
3. His providence will wear a very different aspect; in the darkest day we shall feel that all is well
4. The realisation of His presence will give the best idea of heaven--fits them for it and makes them desire it.
III. Praise to God.
1. The theme of their praise: God’s mercy.
2. Its timeliness.
3. Its acceptableness.
Conclusion:
1. Learn the value of public worship.
2. Make it a test of your character.
3. Learn the privilege of true worshippers. It is a delightful employment. “Come thou with us, and we will do thee good,” etc.
4. You may ask, “What can we do to benefit by public worship?” Come to meet with God. Come in a prayerful spirit. Come with a thankful heart. Take heed what you hear. Be not forgetful hearers. Follow all with prayer that “the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.”
5. What can we do to promote it?
(1) Attend it regularly, punctually, and solemnly.
(2) Give your money abundantly and cheerfully to support it. (T. Thoresby.)
A dedication service
The light and fire, “the glory of the Lord,” that came down were symbols.
I. Something supernatural. Solomon with all his wisdom, and Huram’s artisans with all their skill, could not have invented that. The king was as impotent before it as the lowest slave from his provinces was before him. So there is an “unprogrammed” part of the service which is being conducted by the powers of another world. Strange forces have made the edifice their dwelling.
II. That glory was not merely a supernatural phenomenon, something sent from God; it symboled God Himself. Shekinah means dwelling. When our version reads, “I will dwell among Israel,” the Hebrew says, “I will shekinah among them.” God is here.
III. The Divine presence came in response to a man’s consecration prayer; its great Amen.
IV. The shekinah remained in the temple. Though the outer glow of it was withdrawn, a gleam of it lingered within the Holy of Holies, illumining that windowless apartment, dropping its softened light upon the ark of the covenant, with its tables of the law, its golden mercy-seat, and the cherubim of life. So God will remain with us; and the sign of His presence will be that a light falls upon the Bible, our ark of covenant, making its laws of righteousness gleam into our consciences, its assurance of grace fill us with peace, and its promise of life glow in our hopes until we enter that temple where “the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Homiletic Review.)