The dedicatory prayer of Solomon's Temple serves as a pattern for both ancient and modern temple dedications and provides insights into temple imagery. We will look at a few more in this post.
God Who Keepeth Covenant and Mercy
As Solomon offers the dedicatory prayer, he can be seen as a mediator type, bridging the gap between God and man. He stands before the altar of the Lord, but also in the presence of the congregation (see 1 Kings 8:22). Kings in ancient Israel were deified to a certain extent. He pleads as an advocate in behalf of his people. This is a recurring theme in Psalms. Psalm 74 proclaims, "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth" (verse 12).
Solomon begins the prayer by saying:
"Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart" (1 Kings 8:23).
The dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple began as follows:
"Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants who walk uprightly before thee, with all their hearts" (Doctrine and Covenants 109:1).
The word walk is a leitwort (theme word) emphasizing the importance of our quest to walk back to the presence of God. The above verses highlight an important temple purpose, and that is to make and keep sacred covenants. The theme of mercy is confirmed in both prayers and also, in the case of the Kirtland Temple, upon the Lord's acceptance of His house. The Lord appeared the following Sunday (on an Easter Sunday, April 3, 1836) and said, "For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house" (D&C 110:7).
The All-Seeing Eye
Solomon petitions the Lord by praying, "That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there" (1 Kings 8:29). Notice in the above verse from Doctrine and Covenants, section 110, that the Lord places His name on the temple as He accepts it as His house. It is a blessing to know that, as we attend the temple, God keeps a continual watch on each of us and our well-being.
Later in the prayer Solomon pleads, "That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee" (1 Kings 8:52). When the Lord accepts the temple he emphasizes this concept a third time:
"I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually" (1 Kings 9:3).
The Lord not only watches over each of us, but there is a soft spot in His heart for each one!
In the Book of Mormon, Jacob teaches about his role as a priest as he witnesses to the people, "I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood" (2 Nephi 9:44). In the Old Testament, as the presiding priest would make vicarious sacrifices for Israel, he would sprinkle the sacrificial blood on the altar (see Leviticus 16:18 for one example). The blood would normally splash upon his own garments, and hence, Jesus uses the following priestly imagery, "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment" (Isaiah 63:3; see also D&C 133:51).
It is significant that the all-seeing eye is acknowledged by both a king (Solomon) and a priest (Jacob). Jacob's role as a priest is clearly identified in the Book of Mormon: "For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi" (Jacob 1:18). Thus, kings and priests (and queens and priestesses) can know of a certainty that God is watching over them.
The all-seeing eye is represented on the east side of the Salt Lake Temple.
The Hallel Gesture of Praise
It is significant that variations of the phrase, "spread forth his hands toward heaven," are mentioned three times during the dedicatory prayer.
"And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven" (1 Kings 8:22).
"What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house" (1 Kings 8:38).
"And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven" (1 Kings 8:54).
The context of these verses emphasizes this gesture as a prayer gesture. It is supported by a New Testament verse: "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (1 Timothy 2:8).
But it's also what Bible scholars call a "gesture of approach." This gesture would reveal the palms of the hand and would also expose the chest cavity, revealing to God "clean hands and a pure heart." A temple psalm (Psalm 24) identifies this concept:
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:3-4).
The "hill of the Lord" and "holy place" are obvious references to the temple. Alma teaches the same idea, "I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?" (Alma 5:19). The Lord speaks of this gesture of approach and Israel's departure from Him by saying, "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15).
At the dedication of the Mount Timpanogos Temple, President Gordon B. Hinckley pleaded, "We acknowledge with thanksgiving the marvelous blessings here to be gained and pray that all who enter the portals of this Thy house may do so with clean hands and pure hearts, with love for Thee and Thy Son, and with faith in Thine everlasting promises made unto us. And the Provo Temple dedication included the following: "May all who enter have clean hands and pure hearts, and may they be built up in their faith and depart with a feeling of peace and praising thy holy name."
In the temple we learn eternal truths and see temple imagery originating from all dispensations, and even from the foundation of the world.
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