ESOCS Devotional 26 April 2025 – God is Attracted By Righteous Living
MEMORY VERSE: “As the Priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud.”1 Kings 8:10
TEXT: 1 KINGS 8:1-20
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles extended so that the [c]ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
12 Then Solomon spoke:
“The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
13 I have surely built You an exalted house,
And a place for You to dwell in forever.”
14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’ 20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
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We must set our priorities right. In serving God, we must first package our lives and the things we do in a way that pleases God. There is no other way that pleases God except living according to His word. In our text, we see that Solomon completed building the temple and summoned the elders and leaders of Israel to carry out the process of dedication of the temple. The Priests and Levites trained and qualified for the tasks were given the opportunity to serve. The right sacrifices were offered and this was so bountifully done. The covenant box was properly placed and all the people well conducted. There was unity and commitment in all they did (Vv. 1-9).
In response, God made Himself manifest. God took over before they could finish. By God’s presence, they saved themselves much stress and hard work. In verses 10 and 11, we read thus: “As the temple was suddenly filled with a cloud shinning with the dazzling light of the Lord’s presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties.”
This teaches us that God takes over our affairs if we live to please Him. It is a blessed thing to have God’s Spirit present in whatever you engage to do. He makes life easy and less hard work. Again, the proper time to pray and ask from God is the moment when you have work to do – the time when you notice the presence of the Holy Spirit. King Solomon started to pray and asked for God’s blessings when he saw the dazzling light of the Lord’s presence. Learn to praise, worship, meditate and feel the Lord’s presence before you pray.
At the end of it all, testimony of God’s wonders will be total. Solomon, in verse 20, testified thus: “And now the Lord has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as King of Israel, and I have built the temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel.” May we live to testify of the accomplishment of God’s purpose. Amen.
CHALLENGES
- Is there anyone who will not be pleased to have his workers do the proper thing?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, may I live with the grace of right doing, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 7:35-51; 1 Corinthians 11:13-34; 12:1-15
ESOCS Devotional 26 April 2025
