1 Kings 8:1-13; 27-30, Worthy
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God is worthy of human effort in worship (8:1-5).
Worship is both an individual and a corporate undertaking (1-2).
The act of worship was a national act of worship.
First Kings 8 opens with an exciting and important step. The temple has been completed and furnished. The issue is that one of the most important pieces for worship is not present at the Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was housed on Mount Zion in the Southeast portion of Jerusalem called the City of David. With construction complete, the time has come for the ark to be moved. Solomon has wide support for this effort as evidenced by the three specific groups mentioned. The elders, heads, and chiefs comes together to bring the ark. The date is chosen to correspond with the Feast of Tabernacles. The focus in these first two verses is on the broad participation. Moving the ark will be an act of worship and while there are times to worship God individually, in this case the act of worship is a corporate national act of worship. The entire nation is going to participate in this act of worship!
The timing of worship celebrated the end of wilderness wanderings.
The choice Solomon made to move the ark at the feast of tabernacles was a strategic choice when the nation would all have gathered together. Likely, this dedication was 11 months after completion of the temple (1 Kings 6:38 tells us the temple was completed in the 7th month). By waiting Solomon was able to emphasize the significance of God having a dedicated place of worship with the people. These people who had formerly been a wondering people were now a people with a land and a place in that land dedicated to God.
Worship is not intended to be a free-for-all (3-4).
In other words, in real worship you do not call the shots. God is the one who determines what worship should look like.
God had a carefully prescribed means by which the ark and temple utensils were to be transported.
God had prescribed that the priests should be the ones who would carry the ark (remember David made a mistake in exactly this place in 2 Samuel 6). God further prescribed that the Levites were the ones to carry the other furnishings.
Each person accepted their proper role
Solomon funded the project.
The rulers provided the leadership and community support.
The Levites provided labor
The priests provided for spiritual needs
Solomon might have said "I paid for this project, I am going to be the one who leads this worship." But that was not God's model! Worship is not a free-for-all, instead we follow God's leading.
