Sermon Notes + 2.16.2025
SERMON NOTES
Will God Indeed Dwell On the Earth?
1 Kings 8
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead Pastor
Overview: After construction of the Temple is complete, King Solomon assembles the elders and congregation of Israel in order to bring the ark of the covenant and to offer a prayer of dedication. The ark is brought into the Most Holy Place under great fanfare and with great care, culminating in the glory of the Lord being so great that the priests can no longer minister in the house of the Lord. Solomon then turns to the assembly and provides a brief explanation of the construction of the Temple and its meaning for Israel. He extols the Lord for inhabiting the highest heaven while at the same time involving Himself with His people on Earth. He, therefore, petitions the Lord to hear from heaven as His people face personal difficulties, national calamities, surprising victories, and even temporal judgment. Solomon concludes his prayer, asking the Lord to be with His people by turning their hearts toward Him so the people of the Earth may know that the Lord is God and there is no other.
01. God dwells in the highest heaven and the lowly Earth without any difficulty—distance does not separate God from His creation.
02. God dwells in the heart of the humble but not the heart of the proud —sin separates God from His creation.
03. God may dwell in us and yet remove a sense of His presence from us to draw us near to Him again—He will never leave us nor forsake us.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. What is the ark of the covenant? What did it symbolize? What was contained in the ark of the covenant? How did its placement in the Most Holy Place depict the fulfillment of God’s promise to give His people a land and rest from their enemies?
2. Note the great fanfare which accompanies the ark as it is brought to the Temple. On what occasions should a church go all out in its celebration of the Lord? Are there occasions when worship might be more subdued? How do verses 10-11 depict the presence of God among His people during worship? Have you experienced such a time when the presence of God was tangibly felt by those in attendance?
3. How would you answer the question, “Will God indeed dwell on the earth?” What issue does this question raise with regard to God’s transcendence? What examples do we find in Scripture that point to God’s presence among His people? In what way is the incarnation of Christ the supreme example of God dwelling on Earth? See John 1:1-18 and Colossians 2:9 for further insight.
4. Note the refrain “hear in heaven” as it occurs throughout Solomon’s prayer (verses 32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49). What does this refrain suggest about the importance of prayer? What confidence do you have that God will hear from heaven when you pray? See John 14:13 and Hebrews 4:14-16 for further insight.
5. How does Solomon’s prayer anticipate the destruction of the Temple and the exile (verses 46-53)? How would this prayer bring encouragement and hope to those who were taken captive by the Babylonians? In what ways can we look to the promises of God for forgiveness and restoration when we have sinned and incurred temporal judgment? See John 21:15-19 and 1 John 1:9 for further insight.
For Further Reading: Matthew Henry, A Way to Pray: A Biblical Method for Enriching Your Prayer Life (first published 1710; revised and edited by O. Palmer Robertson; Banner of Truth, 2010).