What happens when God shows up? In this Sunday message from February 5, 2024, Pastor Linda Reese went back to the day Solomon dedicated the temple, when God’s presence filled the building so completely that the priests could not carry on.

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

1 Kings 8:10–11 (KJV)

Seven years in the making

Solomon oversaw the building of the temple for seven years, using the finest materials and the most skilled craftsmen. Until then Israel had worshipped in the tabernacle, a tent they packed up and carried from place to place. Now there was a permanent place to come to. The furnishings were crafted from precious metals, and the cherubim with their outstretched wings stood for God’s holiness.

Into that room the priests carried the ark of the covenant, which held the two stone tablets Moses placed in it after Israel came out of Egypt. You can read the whole account in 1 Kings 8.

The glory that stopped the service

When the priests came out, a cloud filled the house, and they could not stand to minister. Pastor Linda put it plainly: the presence of God was so heavy on that temple that the priests could not do what they were supposed to be doing. The dedication was never really about the building. It was about the God who agreed to meet His people there.

Why it still matters on a Sunday morning

Solomon wanted to rededicate the people to God’s service, not simply open a building. That is still the point. God seeks to bless His people with His presence, and our part is to make room for Him and to say thank you. We meet in a small chapel rather than a magnificent temple, and that has never been the deciding factor.

Something to carry into the week

Make a little room this week. Give God the first few minutes of a morning, before anything else gets in. For more along these lines, read How to Worship the Lord or Safety in God’s Presence (Psalm 91).

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