2 Chronicles 6:3
And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there,

Israel gathered at Jerusalem for the dedication of the temple, united before the Lord in the city He had chosen for His name. Their standing conveyed reverence during a solemn national act of worship. The gathering of the tribes recalled Israel assembled before God at Sinai, when the covenant was received, and testified that the temple stood at the heart of the nation’s covenant life.

Jos 8:33 All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders…
Neh 8:5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people…
2Ch 20:13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives…

the king turned around

Solomon turned from the altar toward the people after addressing the Lord. As David’s son and Israel’s king, he led the nation in recognizing God’s faithfulness to His covenant and His promise concerning the house of David. His position also points beyond itself to Christ, the greater Son of David, who brings His people into the presence of God.

1Ki 8:14 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there,…
1Ki 8:54 Now when Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer…
1Ki 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD,…

and blessed them all

Solomon pronounced God’s favor upon the assembled people, directing them to the Lord who had fulfilled His word to David. The blessing belonged to the worship of Israel and echoed the priestly blessing by which God placed His name upon His people. God’s covenant blessing ultimately reaches all nations through Jesus Christ.

1Ki 8:55 And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel…
Lev 9:22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed…
2Sa 6:18 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings…

Persons / Places / Events
1. King Solomon
The son of King David, Solomon is the king of Israel who is known for his wisdom and for building the temple in Jerusalem. In this verse, he is addressing the assembly of Israel.

2. The Assembly of Israel
This refers to the gathered people of Israel, representing the nation as they come together for the dedication of the temple.

3. The Temple in Jerusalem
The newly constructed temple, a central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people.

4. The Dedication Ceremony
A significant event where the temple is dedicated to God, marking a pivotal moment in Israel's religious history.

5. Jerusalem
The capital city of Israel, chosen by God as the place for His name to dwell, and the location of the temple.
Teaching Points
The Role of Leadership in Worship
Solomon's act of blessing the assembly highlights the responsibility of leaders to guide and bless their communities in worship. Leaders today are called to lead with integrity and a heart for God.

The Importance of Corporate Worship
The gathering of the assembly underscores the importance of coming together as a community to worship God. Believers are encouraged to prioritize communal worship and fellowship.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The dedication of the temple is a fulfillment of God's promise to David. This reminds us of God's faithfulness and encourages us to trust in His promises.

The Significance of the Temple
The temple symbolizes God's presence among His people. Today, believers are reminded that they are the temple of the Holy Spirit, called to live lives that reflect God's holiness.

Blessing Others
Solomon's blessing of the assembly serves as a model for believers to speak blessings over others, encouraging and uplifting those around them.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Solomon's role in this event reflect the responsibilities of spiritual leaders today?

2. In what ways can we prioritize and enhance our participation in corporate worship within our own communities?

3. How does the dedication of the temple demonstrate God's faithfulness, and how can this encourage us in our personal walk with God?

4. What does it mean for us to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, and how should this impact our daily lives?

5. How can we actively bless and encourage others in our community, following Solomon's example?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 8
This chapter provides a parallel account of the temple dedication, offering additional insights into Solomon's prayer and the significance of the event.

Deuteronomy 12
Discusses the centralization of worship in the place that God will choose, which is fulfilled in the building of the temple in Jerusalem.

Psalm 72
A psalm attributed to Solomon, reflecting the themes of blessing and the king's role in leading the people in worship.

Hebrews 9
Discusses the significance of the earthly temple as a shadow of the heavenly realities, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
God Dwelling in DarknessArchdeacon Grant, D.C.L.2 Chronicles 6:1-10
The Dedication of the Temple: 2. the Address of SolomonT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 6:1-11
People
David, Solomon
Places
Egypt, Holy Place, Jerusalem
Topics
Assembly, Blessed, Blesseth, Blessing, Congregation, Face, Faced, Round, Standing, Stood, Turneth, Turning
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 6:3

     5184   standing

2 Chronicles 6:3-11

     8638   benedictions

Library
December the Eighth Judged by Our Aspirations
"Thou didst well, it was in thine heart." --2 CHRONICLES vi. 1-15. And this was a purpose which the man was not permitted to realize. It was a temple built in the substance of dreams, but never established in wood and stone. And God took the shadowy structure and esteemed it as a perfected pile. The sacred intention was regarded as a finished work. The will to build a temple was regarded as a temple built. And hence I discern the preciousness of all hallowed purpose and desire, even though it
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

"If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is None of His. "
Rom. viii. 9.--"If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?" 2 Chron. vi. 18. It was the wonder of one of the wisest of men, and indeed, considering his infinite highness above the height of heavens, his immense and incomprehensible greatness, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, and then the baseness, emptiness, and worthlessness of man, it may be a wonder to the
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Eleventh Lesson. Believe that Ye have Received;'
Believe that ye have received;' Or, The Faith that Takes. Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them.'--Mark xi. 24 WHAT a promise! so large, so Divine, that our little hearts cannot take it in, and in every possible way seek to limit it to what we think safe or probable; instead of allowing it, in its quickening power and energy, just as He gave it, to enter in, and to enlarge our hearts to the measure of what
Andrew Murray—With Christ in the School of Prayer

Sanctification.
VI. Objections answered. I will consider those passages of scripture which are by some supposed to contradict the doctrine we have been considering. 1 Kings viii. 46: "If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near," etc. On this passage, I remark:-- 1. That this sentiment in nearly the same language, is repeated in 2 Chron. vi. 26, and in Eccl.
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
or, Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to Let us More Easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths. 'Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Isreal;--shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out hereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof.'--Ezekiel 43:10, 11 London: Printed for, and sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgate,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Entire Sanctification
By Dr. Adam Clarke The word "sanctify" has two meanings. 1. It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service. 2. It signifies to make holy or pure. Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do in us! and yet all that he has done for us is in reference to what he is to do in us. He was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; ascended to heaven, and there
Adam Clarke—Entire Sanctification

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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