A KING upon his knees in public, leading the nation in humble supplication to God! Rare spectacle; but why: Kings are but men, even though their power is great. Millions may tremble before them; but what is any king in comparison with God? The haughty Nebuchadnezzar, who so insolently defied his Maker, and cast three of His faithful servants into the burning fiery furnace was brought to the lowest depths of degradation in order that he might learn his own littleness, and the greatness and majesty of God (Dan. 3:15; 4:3515Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (Daniel 3:15)
35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Daniel 4:35)). This divine dealing with the first head of Gentile Imperialism was meant to be a lesson to all who might come after him. The only real difference between king and subject in the matter of prayer is this: the king needs prayer more than any man in his dominions, because of the heavy responsibilities resting upon him, for which he must someday give account to the Sovereign of the universe. All well-disposed persons should pray continually “for kings, and for all that are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:22For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Timothy 2:2)).
God has looked down upon three delightful spectacles of kings humbly praying before Him in Jerusalem:
(2) Jehoshaphat in a day of peril from a great invasion (2. Chron. 20.)
(3) Hezekiah when threatened by the blasphemous Rabshakeh, and the Assyrian hosts (Isa. 37:1515And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, (Isaiah 37:15)).
Had these prayers practical value? Yes, a thousand times YES. It has been truly said, referring to Hezekiah, that “a king in sackcloth was more to be dreaded than a king in a coat of mail.” Solomon “stood before the altars of Jehovah in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold (or platform of bronze) of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, and said, O Jehovah God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the heaven nor in the earth” (2 Chron. 6:2-42But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. 3And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. 4And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying, (2 Chronicles 6:2‑4)). It would be a pleasure to transcribe the whole of the king’s comprehensive prayer, but space forbids. It can be read without irreverent haste by anyone in five minutes. It has been our misfortune to have to listen to public prayers which have taken much more time than Solomon’s, but which have contained much less definite matter. When shall we learn the lesson that we are not heard for our “much speaking?” (Matt. 6:77But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Matthew 6:7)). Why do we not follow the example of the man who said, “Friend, lend me three loaves,” and who repeated his request until his need was met? (Luke 11:55And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; (Luke 11:5)). Definiteness and persistency in prayer are divinely commended in the Word of God.
Psalms 127 shows us how Solomon felt on the great occasion of the dedication of the Temple. The house was indeed finished, but only God could maintain it, and all that was connected with it. “Except Jehovah build the house, they labor in vain that build it, except Jehovah keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Lovely spirit of dependence upon God!
Solomon began his prayer by acknowledging the incomparableness of Israel’s God, always faithful to His word. He promised David that he should never want a man to sit upon his throne, but added, “if thy children take heed to their ways.” On the ground of responsibility all is lost. David’s throne has long disappeared; his family also. Even so, David does not lack a man to sit upon his throne. The genealogy of his true Heir is given in Matthew 1, and before His birth the angel said to the mother: “The Lord God will give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32-3332He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32‑33)). On the Day of Pentecost Peter told his audience in Jerusalem that the promise of God to David centers in the One whom they had crucified (Acts 2:30-3130Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:30‑31)). At present He sits at the right hand of God in heaven, rejected by Israel and by all; but He will yet enter triumphantly into Zion, welcomed by the heartfelt praises of His people (Psa. 118:2626Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. (Psalm 118:26)).
Solomon felt that it was wonderful that God should condescend to dwell with men upon earth. “Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee: how much less this house that I have built?” (1 Kings 8:2727But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (1 Kings 8:27)). Solomon’s Temple has gone, but a more wonderful thing has taken its place. The Church, composed of sinners drawn from amongst Jews and Gentiles, is now His Temple (1 Cor. 3:1616Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)); His house (1 Tim. 3:1515But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)); His habitation (Eph. 2:2222In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)). No mere glory cloud fills this; the Holy Spirit has come from heaven to form the building and to take up His abode therein. Every believer in Jesus is a “living stone” in God’s “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)). Privilege and blessing too immense to be described in words; but Satan has labored from the beginning to rob God’s saints of the realization and joy of it. The various brands of clergy which have crippled the spiritual life of the Church through the centuries would never have come into existence had the abiding presence of the Spirit of God been held in living faith. But to the end He suffices for every real need, and humble waiting upon Him will always reap a rich reward.
However favored and glorious Solomon might be, Solomon was not Christ. The contrast between the prayers in 1 Kings 8 and John 17 is great. Both prayers were uttered in Jerusalem. Although surrounded by magnificence, and possessed of wisdom and power without precedent, Solomon felt that stability had not yet come. Hence his prayer is full of anticipations of trouble. No such sentiments will be present in the mind of Solomon’s greater Son when He takes the throne. Knowing to some extent the possibilities of poor flesh, Solomon used the word “forgive” before mentioning any specific evil (vs. 30). The probable needs and troubles of the future are then stated:
(1) Personal trespasses (vss. 31-32).
(2) Military defeat (vss. 33-34).
(3) Drought (vss. 35-36).
(4) Famine, pestilence, etc. (vss. 37-40).
(5) Danger in war (vss. 44-45).
(6) Captivity in a strange land (vss. 46-50).
In the midst of these forebodings of disaster the king prayed for the stranger from afar who might hear of Jehovah’s great name, and come to His house in search of blessing. The Queen of Sheba and the Ethiopian eunuch are examples of this but with this difference: the Queen got the blessing in Jerusalem, for all was in divine order in her day; the eunuch got the blessing going away from Jerusalem, the Temple being then an empty shell, the Christ of God having been rejected.
Jerusalem was Jehovah’s earthly center, hence Solomon requested that every prayer directed towards the city and sanctuary might be graciously accepted by God. Daniel remembered this in his captivity. “His windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Dan. 6:1010Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Daniel 6:10)). Here again we note a difference between Solomon and Daniel. Solomon said of Israel, “they be Thy people, and Thine inheritance” (1 Kings 8:5151For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: (1 Kings 8:51)); but when Daniel said, “Thy city and Thy people” he was gently corrected by the angel, “thy people and thy holy city” (Dan. 9:19-2419O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. 20And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; 21Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 23At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. 24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Daniel 9:19‑24)). The solemn “Loammi” sentence having gone forth, Daniel’s people were no longer the people of God (Hos. 1:99Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9)). The link of relationship must continue broken until Israel lies low in humble repentance at the feet of the long-rejected Messiah.
In the “Chronicles” account there is an important addition to Solomon’s prayer. “Now therefore arise, O Jehovah God, into Thy resting-place, Thou and the ark of Thy strength: let Thy priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness. O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed: remember the mercies of David Thy servant” (2 Chron. 7:41-42). Solomon had Psalms 132 in mind as thus he concluded his prayer. The full and final blessing of Israel is in view in that Psalm, which Christ alone can bring in. This seems more suitably quoted in “Chronicles” than in “Kings,” for the later record is more typical than the former.
Solomon rose from his knees, and “stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice” (1 Kings 8:54-6154And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: 60That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else. 61Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. (1 Kings 8:54‑61)). He finished by exhorting the people: “Let your heart be perfect with Jehovah your God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day.” Everything thus depended for the time being upon the faithfulness of King and people. This being so, Solomon was led to refer, not to the promises made by Jehovah to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to those made to Moses at the time of the great deliverance from Egypt. The divine promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which contemplate full and final blessing for Israel and for “all the families of the earth,” await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for their fulfillment.