1 [King] Solomon {Peace-Man} [shouts], “YHVH told [us] that he dwells in thick clouds.
2 —But [YHVH], I've built a temple for you to stay in. [So please] stay here forever.” Solomon knew that YHVH doesn't need a house; YHVH is everywhere at all times. Churchians often like to use this "Lord's house" idea to run up a building debt. There are no commands whatsoever in the New Testament indicating that building programs are sanctioned by scripture. However, building religious facilities is not necessarily a sin.3 King [Solomon] turns his face [from the ark]. He blesses the whole congregation of Israeli [leaders]. The entire Israeli congregation stands. 4 [King Solomon shouts], “Kneel [and adore] YHVH Elohim of Israel. [YAH] has single-handedly fulfilled the [promise] he spoke with his mouth to my father David {Love}:5 [YAH] said, ‘Since the day I brought my people up out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a Temple in which to house my Authority. Nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over my people Israel.6 But I've chosen Jerusalem to shine my Fame. And I chose David {Love} to [shepherd] over my people Israel.’”7 [Solomon continues], “Now it was in the heart of my father (David) to build a temple to [promote] the fame of YHVH Elohim of Israel. David's temple was more than just a church building used a few hours a week to host B-rate music and boring lectures. David's temple was a full-time, 24/7/365 house of praise music, scriptural instruction, charity, healing, feasting and prayer.8 But YHVH said to my father (David), ‘[I know] you [dreamed] in your heart of building a temple to [promote] my fame. You did well to plan that in your heart.9 —But don't build [my] temple. Your son, soon to come forth out of your reproductive-organs, he will build the temple for my Fame.’10 —So YHVH has performed the promise he spoke: I've risen up in the place of David {Love} my father. YAH has set me on the throne of Israel, as [He] promised. And [I've] built the temple to [promote] the Fame of YHVH, Israel's Elohim. 11 —In [this temple] I place the ark which holds the covenant YHVH made with the children of Israel.” 12 [King] Solomon {Peace-Man} stands before YHVH's altar. The whole congregation of Israel face [Solomon]. [Solomon] spreads forth his hands. 13 Solomon [stands] in the midst of the court [on] a brass scaffold he's made. (It measures 5 cubits [8.5 feet] long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits [5.25 feet] high.) He kneels down on his knees before the complete assembly of Israel's [leaders]. He spreads up his hands toward heaven. 14 [King] Solomon {Peace-Man} [sings], “O YHVH Elohim of Israel, there is no Elohim like You in the heaven, nor in the earth. You [alone perfectly] keep [your] covenants. [You alone] show [infinite] mercy to Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts! 15 —You keep on keeping the promise [s] you made to your servant David {Love} my father. [What you] spoke with Your mouth, to this day, you keep fulfilling with Your [loving] hand [of power]. 16 — YHVH Elohim of Israel, [continue to] keep your promise [s] you made to your servant David my father. You said, ‘[You'll] never fail to have a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel, [if] your children watch their path, and walk in My Law, as you, [David] have [often] walked before Me.’17 —YHVH Elohim of Israel, fulfill your word you promised to your servant David {Love}.18 —But Elohim can't really stay [cooped up in buildings] with earth-men. [The sky, outer-space, and heaven] can't contain You; how much less this temple I built! YHVH doesn't need anyone to build Him a church building. He has a home: everywhere. Christians should gather in parks, city squares, anywhere people gather.19 —So [please] respect [my] prayer. [I'm] your servant. [I'm] begging! O YHVH my Elohim, listen to the cries and the prayer[s] which [I,] your servant pray before you.20 —Keep your eyes open [to us Hebrews]. [Watch] this ‘house’ day and night. Watch [over] the place where you promised to establish your name-authority. Listen to the prayer [s] your servant [s] pray toward this [temple]. 21 —Yes, listen to the bended-knee prayers of [me] your servant, and of your people Israel, which they'll [continue to] make toward this site. Hear from your dwelling place, [high] in heaven. When you hear [us], [please] forgive [us]. 22 —When a man sins against his neighbor [or associate], and [his accuser] lifts up a cursing [accusation] against him and calls him to swear [to his innocence] on penalty of perjury before your altar in this temple, [achieve justice]. This is not a recommendation from YHVH to swear oaths. This is Solomon praying that YHVH will sort out lies from truth in judicial matters. The word ‘alah’ primarily signifies not ‘oath’ but ‘curse’: #423 'alah from 422; an imprecation:--curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing.
#422 'alah aw-law' adjure, i.e. (usually in a bad sense) imprecate, curse, swear.23 — [Please] hear from heaven. [Take] action! Judge your servants. Repay the wicked [man]. Boomerang his way upon his own head. Justify the righteous [party]. Give [each human] what his righteousness deserves. 24 —And if enemies defeat your people Israel because they've sinned against you, [help the Israelis to] repent and acknowledge your Name-authority. [Help them] pray and plead before you in this temple. 25 —From the heavens, hear [us]. Forgive the sin [s] of your people Israel. Bring the [dispersed Hebrews] back to the land you gave to them and to their ancestors. Fulfilled yet again at the end of World War 2.26 —When [you] shut up the heavens, [denying people] rain, because they've sinned against you, [help] them pray toward this place. [Get them to] acknowledge your Name-authority. As you abase them, [help them] turn from their sins. Sin produces drought. Repentance brings rain in just the right amounts.27 —Then hear from heaven. Forgive the sin [s] of your servants, of your people Israel. Then teach [us] the good way to walk. Send rain upon your land that you've awarded your people as [their] inheritance. 28 —If famine [ravages] the land, or pestilence, or blight, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars; if [our] enemies besiege [us] in the cities of [our] country, whatever disaster or whatever sickness comes, [help us].29 —Then whatever prayers or pleadings any human makes (of all your people Israel, each one aware of his own pain, his private grief,) [if they] spread forth [their] hands toward this temple, [heal them]. 30 —Hear [our cries] from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive [us]. Pay back to every man whatever his [previous good] conduct [deserves]. You know [every man's] heartbeats. Only you see [inside] the hearts of the children of Adam. 31 — [Forgive us] so [we] can [live to] revere you, and walk in your ways, all the [days of our] lives, in the land you gave [our] ancestors. 32 —Also [help] the foreigner [s], aliens to your people Israel. [Help all] who travel from far countries to [honor] your great Name, [to witness] your mighty hand, your outstretched arm [helping mankind]. [Help visitors] come and pray in this temple. 33 —Then hear from the heavens, your [true] dwelling place. Do every [good] miracle any foreigner asks of you, so [that] all people of the earth soon know your Name, and revere you, as do your people Israel, so [the world] will know that this temple I've built bears your Name-Authority. 34 If your people go out to [wage praise] war against their enemies by whatever way you send them, as the [Hebrews] pray to you, facing this city you've chosen, [facing] the temple I've built to [glorify] your Name, [help them]. 35 From the heavens, hear [your peoples'] prayer [s] and pleas. Uphold their [righteous] cause. 36 If [we] sin against you (for there is no meat-man who never sins,) and you get angry with [us], and [you] hand [us] over to [our] enemies, and they carry [us] away captives to a land far off or near, [rescue us]. 37 —When [we Hebrews] come to our senses in the land where [oppressors] carry us as slaves; when [we] turn and pray to you in the land of captivity, [when we] say, “We've sinned, we've done wrong, we've dealt wickedly,” [please redeem us]. 38 In the land of captivity, where [slave-masters] kidnap and drag us, [if we] return to you with all [our] hearts and with all [our] souls — if we pray toward [our home] land which you gave to [our] fore-fathers, toward the city [of Peace] you've chosen, toward this temple I've built to [glorify] your name, [please extract us from slavery]. 39 —From [your] heavens, your [true] dwelling-place, hear our prayers and pleas. Uphold [our] cause. Forgive your people who've sinned against you. 40 —Now, my Elohim, I beg you, [keep] your eyes open and your ears attentive to the prayer[s people utter] in this place.41 —Rise, O Sovereign YHVH. Keep [your presence] in your established place [here at] the ark [which manifests] your strength. O YHVH Elohim, clothe your priests with salvation. Keep brightening-up your separatist-saints [with joy] in [your] goodness. 42 —O YHVH Elohim, never turn away the face of your anointed [servant]. Remember the mercies [you promised give to] David your obeyer, [and to us, his descendants].” |