Solomon now assembled the elders of Israel and the heads of the tribes at Jerusalem, that the ark might be fittingly brought to its resting place within the temple.
The tabernacle also was brought from Gibeon, with all the furniture thereof. Uncounted sacrifices were made by Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, of sheep and oxen, and the priests brought the ark of the covenant into its place, to the oracle, or holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim.
The gold covered staves were long, that had been used to carry the ark in its journeys with the people from Sinai and could be seen outside the ark, and there they were left; their rest was (in type, or illustration) begun.
In the ark there remained only the two tables of the law which Moses had put there (Exodus 40:2020And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: (Exodus 40:20)); the manna was gone (Exodus 16:3333And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. (Exodus 16:33)), and Aaron's rod that budded (Numbers 17:1010And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (Numbers 17:10); Hebrews 9:44Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; (Hebrews 9:4)), for the wilderness days were over.
Now rejoicing began, and as the sound of the trumpeters and singers, and those with cymbals and lutes and harps was heard, the house was filled with the cloud, the token of God's presence, so that the priests could not stand to do their service.
All this glory was soon to depart, because of an unfaithful people. In Ezekiel 9, 10, and 11, the tokens of God's presence are shown as being removed, because of the evil ways of those who professed nearness to Him, and when next we find the cloud, it is linked with the object of God's delight, Jesus, as He walked the earth:
Nevertheless the temple which Solomon had built is a figure of the heavenly dwelling place, our Father's house ( John 14:1, 21Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1‑2)). And, as to Israel in a coming day, it is when all has been accomplished for them, that they will celebrate with joy; and God's presence, in the Person of His Son the Man of power, will be realized.