Fill the House of the Lord

"Fill the House of the Lord" - 1 Kings 8:12 Solomon encourages the priests. (11) The priests could not remain to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of Jehovah had "filled the house of Jehovah." Solomon reminds them that this was a sign of God's presence, an indication of His grace, for He had said, "I (Leviticus 16:2) will appear in the cloud." Where God dwelt in light, faith is absorbed by vision.

I. (I Kings 8:13) I have built a dwelling house for You.

A. As You desired, come, Lord, come.

1. The house is Yours, entirely Yours, "I have built it for You."

2. It is a joy to Solomon that God has taken up the possession of the temple; and it is his desire that God should continue to possess this His house.

3. Let not the priests, therefore, be frightened by the very thing in which Solomon rejoices.

4. God says, "Not all the time," before the mercy seat is on the ark "so that I may not die" it was where the glory of the Lord was manifested among the cherubim. This was Jehovah's meeting point with His people, and from there He spoke with them.

5. (Job 23:8-9) Job spoke with his bitterness (2).

6. His restlessness is since he cannot find God, no matter how much he searches for Him in all four directions, west, north, east, and south.

7. Therefore, he cannot bring his complaints before Him.

8. The case of Job is the opposite of what he has experienced, he feels the distance from God, that fills him with bitterness.

9. We need God nearby and the place is the Church.

10. (Psalm 10:1) Why are you far away, O Jehovah?

11. God's presence is the joy of His people, but the suspicion of His absence is unsettling beyond measure.

12. He who works with gold is not far from the mouth of the furnace when he has the gold in the fire, and the Son of God is always walking in the midst of the flames when His holy sons are cast into them.

13. The time of tribulation "should be a time of trust; Keeping one's heart fixed on God should prevent the fears of the heart.

14. (Luke 9:32) The disciples were drowsy while all this was going on.

15. The disciples who are here sleeping during a vision of glory found themselves asleep also during the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

16. Flesh and blood must change before they can enter heaven.

17. Our physical constitution must be greatly altered before we can enjoy heaven.

18. When they were wide awake, they saw the glory of Jesus (Luke 9:32) shining all around.

19. To preserve the sacredness of that occasion, Peter proposed to erect three tabernacles or tents, one in honor of Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

20. Of course, it was an idea devoid of knowledge.

21. (Luke 9:34-36) God's voice came from the cloud that enveloped them, acknowledging Jesus as His "beloved Son," and commanding them to hear and obey Him.

22. As soon as the voice ceased, Moses and Elijah were gone.

23. Jesus was there alone.

24. In speaking with Moses and Elijah was the glory of God, His Shekinah = His glory, radiant or presence of God.

25. The glory of God manifested in a cloud.

26. (Isaiah 45:15) Truly you are a God who hides Himself.

27. He hides, He hid Himself so that His glory and His power to save "His people" would not be manifested while they remained in captivity.

28. God leaves places, His glory.

29. A person's salvation is accomplished in a mysterious, hidden way, while Jehovah's Spirit of the hosts works in the "human spirit." —Zechariah 4:6.

30. God works with His Spirit, says Jehovah Almighty.

31. In the cloud, in society, in secret, God works with the spirit of man, whatever is needed in your life, "let's see who can handle this."

32. Man has no strength on earth, only God is the Supreme Authority in the universe. Amen.