2 Chronicles 7:1
Verse
Context
Sermons
Bakht Singh
Zac Poonen
Chuck Smith
Alan Bartley
Erlo Stegen
Shane IdlemanSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The fire came down - The cloud had come down before, now the fire consumes the sacrifice, showing that both the house and the sacrifices were accepted by the Lord.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The divine confirmation of the dedication of the temple. - Ch2 7:1-10. The consecration of the sacrificial service by fire from heaven (Ch2 7:1-3), and the sacrifices and festival of the people (Ch2 7:4-10). Ch2 7:1-3 At the conclusion of Solomon's prayer there fell fire from heaven, which devoured the burnt-offering and the thank-offering, and the glory of the Lord filled the house, so that the priests could not enter the house of Jahve. The assembled congregation, when they saw the fire and the glory of the Lord descend, bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped God to praise. Now since this narrative is not found in Kg1 8:54., and there a speech of Solomon to the whole congregation, in which he thanks God for the fulfilment of His promise, and expresses the desire that the Lord would hear his prayers at all times, and bestow the promised salvation on the people, is communicated, modern criticism has rejected this narrative of the Chronicle as a later unhistorical embellishment of the temple dedication. "If we turn our attention," says Berth. in agreement with Then., "to Ch2 5:11-14, and compare Ch2 5:14 with our second verse, we must maintain that our historian found that there existed two different narratives of the proceedings at the dedication of the temple, and received both into his work. According to the one narrative, the clouds filled the house (Kg1 8:10, cf. Ch2 5:11-14); and after this was done Solomon uttered the prayer, with the conclusion which we find in 1 Kings 8; according to the other narrative, Solomon uttered the prayer, with the conclusion which we find in Chron., and God thereafter gave the confirmatory signs. Now we can hardly imagine that the course of events was, that the glory of Jahve filled the house (Ch2 5:14); that then Solomon spoke the words and the prayer in 2 Chron 6; that while he uttered the prayer the glory of Jahve again left the house, and then came down in a way manifest to all the people (Ch2 7:3), in order to fill the house for a second time." Certainly it was not so; but the narrative itself gives no ground for any such representation. Not a word is said in the text of the glory of Jahve having left the temple during Solomon's prayer. The supposed contradiction between Ch2 5:14 and the account in Ch2 7:1-3 is founded entirely on a misinterpretation of our verse. The course of events described here was, as the words run, this: Fire came down from heaven upon the sacrifices and devoured them, and the glory of the Lord filled the house; and this is in Ch2 7:3 more exactly and precisely repeated by the statement that the people saw the fire and the glory of Jahve descend upon the house. According to these plain words, the glory of Jahve descended upon the temple in the fire which came down from heaven. In the heavenly fire which devoured the sacrifices, the assembled congregation saw the glory of the Lord descend upon the temple and fill it. But the filling of the temple by the cloud when the ark was brought in and set in its place (Ch2 5:13) can be without difficulty reconciled with this manifestation of the divine glory in the fire. Just as the manifestation of the gracious divine presence in the temple by a cloud, as its visible vehicle, does not exclude the omnipresence of God or His sitting enthroned in heaven, God's essence not being so confined to the visible vehicle of His gracious presence among His people that He ceases thereby to be enthroned in heaven, and to manifest Himself therefrom; so the revelation of the same God from heaven by a descending fire is not excluded or set aside by the presence of the cloud in the holy place of the temple, and in the most holy. We may consequently quite well represent to ourselves the course of events, by supposing, that while the gracious presence of God enthroned above the cherubim on the ark made itself known in the cloud which filled the temple, or while the cloud filled the interior of the temple, God revealed His glory from heaven, before the eyes of the assembled congregation, in the fire which descended upon the sacrifices, so that the temple was covered or overshadowed by His glory. The parts of this double manifestation of the divine glory are clearly distinguished even in our narrative; for in Ch2 5:13-14 the cloud which filled the house, as vehicle of the manifestation of the divine glory, and which hindered the priests from standing and serving (in the house, i.e., in the holy place and the most holy), is spoken of; while in our verses, again, it is the glory of God which descended upon the temple in the fire coming down from heaven on the sacrifices, and so filled it that the priests could not enter it, which is noticed. Since, therefore, the two passages involve no contradiction, the hypothesis of a compounding together of discrepant narratives loses all standing ground; and it only remains to determine the mutual relations of the two narratives, and to answer the question, why the author of the book of Kings has omitted the account of the fire which came down from heaven upon the sacrifices, and the author of the Chronicle the blessing of the congregation (Kg1 8:54-61). From the whole plan and character of the two histories, there can be no doubt that in these accounts we have not a perfect enumeration of all the different occurrences, but only a record of the chief things which were done. The authority made use of by both, however, doubtless contained both the blessing of the congregation (Kg1 8:55-61) and the account of the fire which devoured the sacrifices (Ch2 7:2-3); and probably the latter preceded the blessing spoken by Solomon to the congregation (Kings). In all probability, the fire dame down from heaven immediately after the conclusion of the dedicatory prayer, and devoured the sacrifices lying upon the altar of burnt-offering; and after this had happened, Solomon turned towards the assembled congregation and praised the Lord, because He had given rest to His people, of which the completion of the temple, and the filling of it with the cloud of the divine glory, was a pledge. To record this speech of Solomon to the congregation, falls wholly in with the plan of the book of Kings, in which the prophetic interest, the realization of the divine purpose of grace by the acts and omissions of the kings, is the prominent one; while it did not lie within the scope of his purpose to enter upon a detailed history of the public worship. We should be justified in expecting the fire which devoured the sacrifices to be mentioned in the book of Kings, only if the temple had been first consecrated by this divine act to be the dwelling-place of the gracious presence of God, or a sanctuary of the Lord; but such significance the devouring of the sacrifices by fire coming forth from God did not possess. Jahve consecrated the temple to be the dwelling-place of His name, and the abode of His gracious presence, in proclaiming His presence by the cloud which filled the sanctuary, when the ark was brought into the most holy place. The devouring of the sacrifices upon the altar by fire from heaven was merely the confirmatory sign that the Lord, enthroned above the ark in the temple, accepted, well pleased, the sacrificial service carried on on the altar of this temple; and since the people could draw near to the Lord only with sacrifices before the altar, it was a confirmatory sign that He from His throne would bestow His covenant grace upon those who appeared before him with sacrifices; cf. Lev 9:23. Implicitly, this grace was already secured to the people by God's consecrating the sanctuary to be the throne of His grace by the cloud which filled the temple; and the author of the book of Kings thought it sufficient to mention this sign, and passed over the second, which only served as a confirmation of the first. With the chronicler the case was different; for his plan to portray in detail the glory of the worship of the former time, the divine confirmation of the sacrificial worship, which was to be carried on continually in the temple as the only legitimate place of worship, by fire from heaven, was so important that he could not leave it unmentioned; while the words of blessing spoken by Solomon to the congregation, as being already implicitly contained in the dedicatory prayer, did not appear important enough to be received into his book. For the rest, the sacrifices which the fire from heaven devoured are the sacrifices mentioned in Ch2 5:6, which the king and the congregation had offered when the ark was borne into the temple. As there was an immense number of these sacrifices, they cannot all have been offered on the altar of burnt-offering, but, like the thank-offerings afterwards brought by Solomon and the congregation, must have been offered on the whole space which had been consecrated in the court for this purpose (Ch2 7:7). This is expressly attested by Ch2 7:7, for the העלות can only be the sacrifices in Ch2 5:6, since the sacrifices in Ch2 7:5 of our chapter were only שׁלמים; cf. Kg1 8:62. Ch2 7:4-6 The sacrifices and the festival. After fire from heaven had devoured the sacrifices, and Solomon had praised the Lord for the fulfilment of His word, and sought for the congregation the further bestowal of the divine blessing (Kg1 8:54-61), the dedication of the temple was concluded by a great thank-offering, of which we have in Ch2 7:5, Ch2 7:6 an account which completely agrees with Kg1 8:62-63. - In Ch2 7:6 the author of the Chr. again makes express mention of the singing and playing of the Levites when these offerings were presented. In the performance of this sacrificial act the priests stood על־משׁמרותם, in their stations; but that does not signify separated according to their divisions (Berth.), but in officiis suis (Vulg.), i.e., ordines suos et functiones suas a Davide 1 Chron. Ch2 24:7. institutas servarunt (Ramb.); see on Num 8:26. The Levites with the instruments of song of Jahve, which David had made, i.e., with the instruments invented and appointed by David for song to the praise of the Lord. בּידם דויד בּהלּל, not hymnos David canentes per manus suas (Vulg.), taking דויד הלּל for the praising appointed by David, which by the hands of the Levites, i.e., was performed by the hands of the Levites (Berth.), but literally: when David sang praise by their hand (i.e., their service). This clause seems to be added to the relative clause, "which king David had made," for nearer definition, and to signify that the Levites used the same instruments which David had introduced when he praised God by the playing of the Levites. The form מחצצרים as in Ch1 15:24. Ch2 7:7-10 Ch2 7:7 contains a supplementary remark, and the ו relat. expresses only the connection of the thought, and the verb is to be translated in English by the pluperfect. For the rest, compare on Ch2 7:4-10 the commentary on Kg1 8:62-66. Ch2 7:11-22 The Lord's answer to Solomon's dedicatory prayer. Cf. Kg1 9:1-9. The general contents, and the order of the thoughts in the divine answer in the two texts, agree, but in the Chronicle individual thoughts are further expounded than in the book of Kings, and expressions are here and there made clear. The second clause of Ch2 7:11 is an instance of this, where "and all the desire of Solomon, which he was pleased to do," is represented by "and all that came into Solomon's heart, to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house, he prosperously effected." Everything else is explained in the Com. on 1 Kings 9.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,.... The prayer recorded in the preceding chapter: the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; which was the token God gave of his acceptance of them, of which there had been several instances before, Lev 9:24, Kg1 18:38, and the glory of the Lord filled the house; the glory of the Shechinah of the Lord, as the Targum, see Kg1 8:11.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. The gracious answer which God immediately made to Solomon's prayer: The fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, Ch2 7:1. In this way God testified his acceptance of Moses (Lev 9:24), of Gideon (Jdg 6:21), of David (Ch1 21:26), of Elijah (Kg1 18:38); and, in general, to accept the burnt-sacrifice is, in the Hebrew phrase, to turn it to ashes, Psa 20:3. The fire came down here, not upon the killing of the sacrifices, but the praying of the prayer. 1. This fire intimated that God was, (1.) Glorious in himself; for our God is a consuming fire, terrible even in his holy places. This fire, breaking forth (as it is probable) out of the thick darkness, made it the more terrible, as on Mount Sinai, Exo 24:16, Exo 24:17. The sinners in Sion had reason to be afraid at that sight, and to say, Who among us shall dwell near this devouring fire? Isa 33:14. And yet, (2.) Gracious to Israel; for this fire, which might justly have consumed them, fastened upon the sacrifice which was offered in their stead, and consumed that, by which God signified to them that he accepted their offerings and that his anger was turned away from them. 2. Let us apply this, (1.) To the suffering of Christ. When it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief, in that he showed his good-will to men, having laid on him the iniquity of us all. His death was our life, and he was made sin and a curse that we might inherit righteousness and a blessing. That sacrifice was consumed that we might escape. Here am I, let these go their way. (2.) To the sanctification of the Spirit, who descends like fire, burning up our lusts and corruptions, those beasts that must be sacrificed or we are undone, and kindling in our souls a holy fire of pious and devout affections, always to be kept burning on the altar of the heart. The surest evidence of God's acceptance of our prayers is the descent of the holy fire upon us. Did not our hearts burn within us? Luk 24:32. As a further evidence that God accepted Solomon's prayer, still the glory of the Lord filled the house. The heart that is thus filled with a holy awe and reverence of the divine glory, the heart to which God manifests himself in his greatness, and (which is no less his glory) in his goodness, is thereby owned as a living temple. II. The grateful return made to God for this gracious token of his favour. 1. The people worshipped and praised God, Ch2 7:3. When they saw the fire of God come down from heaven thus they did not run away affrighted, but kept their ground in the courts of the Lord, and took occasion from it, (1.) With reverence to adore the glory of God: They bowed their faces to the ground and worshipped, thus expressing their awful dread of the divine majesty, their cheerful submission to the divine authority, and the sense they had of their unworthiness to come into God's presence and their inability to stand before the power of his wrath. (2.) With thankfulness to acknowledge the goodness of God; even when the fire of the Lord came down they praised him, saying, He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. This is a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should be never out of tune. However it be, yet God is good. When he manifests himself as a consuming fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their light. Nay, they had reason to say that in this God was good. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we are bound to be very thankful." 2. The king and all the people offered sacrifices in abundance, Ch2 7:4, Ch2 7:5. With these they feasted this holy fire, and bade it welcome to the altar. They had offered sacrifices before, but now they increased them. Note, The tokens of God's favour to us should enlarge our hearts in his service, and make us to abound therein more and more. The king's example stirred up the people. Good work is then likely to go on when the leaders of a people lead in it. The sacrifices were so numerous that the altar could not contain them all; but, rather than any of them should be turned back (though we may suppose the blood of them all was sprinkled upon the altar), the flesh of the burnt-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings were burnt in the midst of the court (Ch2 7:7), which Solomon either hallowed for that service or hallowed by it. In case of necessity the pavement might be an altar. 3. The priests did their part; they waited on their offices, and the singers and musicians on theirs (Ch2 7:6), with the instruments that David made, and the hymn that David had put into their hand, as some think it may be read (meaning that Ch1 16:7), or, as we read it, when David praised by their ministry. He employed, directed, and encouraged them in this work of praising God; and therefore their performances were accepted as his act, and he is said to praise by their ministry. 4. The whole congregation expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable. They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar seven days, from the second to the ninth; the tenth day was the day of atonement, when they were to afflict their souls for sin, and that was not unseasonable in the midst of their rejoicings; on the fifteenth day began the feast of tabernacles, which continued to the twenty-second, and they did not separate till the twenty-third. We must never grudge the time that we spend in the worship of God and communion with him, nor think it long, or grow weary of it. 5. Solomon went on in his work, and prosperously effected all he designed for the adorning both of God's house and his own, Ch2 7:11. Those that begin with the service of God are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. It was Solomon's praise that what he undertook he went through with, and it was by the grace of God that he prospered in it.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:1-3 When the Ark was brought to its place (see 5:13-14), the glorious presence of the Lord descended on the Temple. The divine glory remained in the Temple, preventing the priests from entering to perform their service (see “The Glory of God” Theme Note and “God’s Glory with His People” Theme Note).
2 Chronicles 7:1
Fire from Heaven
1When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.2The priests were unable to enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled it.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
God's Glory
By Bakht Singh5.4K38:25Glory Of God1SA 4:222CH 7:1LUK 3:21JHN 1:33JHN 21:3In this sermon, the preacher addresses the common prayer among believers for revival and the sense that something is missing in their spiritual lives. He emphasizes the need to learn how to pray according to God's purpose and to prioritize prayer over other activities. The preacher identifies three major obstacles to experiencing revival: the love of money, the love of power, and the love of fame. He also highlights the danger of idolizing and glorifying men instead of giving glory to God. The sermon references the story of Hannah in the Bible as an example of praying to meet God's needs. The preacher concludes by urging believers to commit themselves to God and to seek His glory above all else.
Through the Bible - 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra
By Zac Poonen2.8K53:29Through The Bible2CH 7:12CH 14:15EZR 8:25EZR 9:1In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the book of Chronicles, specifically the first nine chapters. The speaker mentions that these chapters provide a list of people who were taken into exile and highlights the repetition of incidents mentioned in the Kings and Chronicles to teach spiritual lessons. One verse in chapter four is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of trusting in the Lord. The speaker also mentions the division of the kingdom and the different kings mentioned in the remaining chapters, including the warning given to King Asa.
(Through the Bible) 2 Chronicles 1-9
By Chuck Smith1.7K1:27:45ExpositionalEXO 40:342SA 7:251KI 8:272CH 7:1PSA 89:20JHN 16:24ROM 8:32In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being motivated by the love of Jesus Christ. He references the apostle Paul's statement that the love of Christ constrains him to preach the gospel. The preacher also mentions the example of King David, who desired to build a house for the Lord but was not allowed to do so. Instead, his son Solomon built the temple, which testifies to God's faithfulness. The sermon concludes with the reminder that God loves us and is willing to bless us abundantly, as demonstrated by the sacrifice of His own Son.
Revival!
By Alan Bartley1.2K1:09:18RevivalEXO 7:32CH 7:1PSA 37:4ISA 63:15MAT 6:33ROM 6:23EPH 5:18In this sermon, the preacher shares a personal experience of a young man seeking the Lord and being filled with a vision of revival just before the Great Awakening in 1904. The preacher emphasizes the fear and awe of being in the hands of the Lord and the supernatural power that comes with it. He highlights the importance of experiencing the presence of God in the sanctuary and the need for a new faith and fire in the church. The preacher calls for a holy reverence and consciousness of sin in both preachers and congregations, urging them to seek the sounding of God's bowels and his fatherly love.
Missing God's Promises
By Erlo Stegen1.0K53:34Promises2CH 7:1JER 29:11JHN 8:341CO 10:122PE 2:22In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of dying to the desire for wealth. He warns that those who desire to be rich often fall into temptation and harmful desires that lead to ruin and destruction. The love of money is described as the root of all kinds of evils, causing some to wander away from their faith. The preacher also shares a story of a man who had a near-death experience and was saved by God, highlighting the need for spiritual awakening and attentiveness to God's message. The sermon concludes with a reminder of God's promise of welfare and a future filled with hope.
Is God Waiting on You?
By Shane Idleman1841:19Responding to God's CallDesperate Need for Truth2CH 7:1ISA 1:18MAT 5:6MAT 24:21JHN 4:14ACT 3:19ROM 12:1GAL 5:221PE 1:16REV 7:14Shane Idleman emphasizes the foundational principles of West Side Christian Fellowship, focusing on the desperate need for truth, love, discipleship, prayer, power, holiness, and ultimately, Christ. He warns against drifting from these truths, highlighting the importance of aligning church activities with God's calling to avoid exhaustion from good ideas that aren't God ideas. Idleman challenges the congregation to reflect on their relationship with God, asking if God is waiting on them to respond to His call. He encourages a deep commitment to prayer and the Holy Spirit's power, urging believers to seek a transformative relationship with Christ. The sermon concludes with a call to action for those feeling distant from God to come forward and seek renewal.
The Fire Came Down From Heaven, and Consumed
By F.B. Meyer0HolinessDivine Presence2CH 7:1PSA 51:10MAT 5:8JHN 15:4ROM 12:11CO 10:16HEB 12:29JAS 4:81PE 1:161JN 1:3F.B. Meyer emphasizes the significance of God's immediate response to prayer, illustrating that when we make room for Him, He fills our lives with His presence. The fire that came down from Heaven symbolizes God's Divine Presence, Purity, and Fellowship, urging believers to maintain a constant awareness of God's glory through prayer and meditation. Meyer encourages the faithful to seek God's cleansing power and to experience the transformative effect of His holiness in their lives. He highlights the importance of communion with God, as believers partake in the Lord's Supper, feeding on Christ and enjoying fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Stirred Up the Spirit of Cyrus.
By F.B. Meyer0Obedience to GodDivine Calling2CH 36:22PRO 21:1ISA 45:1ISA 55:11JER 29:10DAN 9:2PHP 2:131TH 5:24JAS 5:16F.B. Meyer emphasizes that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to fulfill the prophecy of the return of the Jewish captives from Babylon, as foretold by Jeremiah and Isaiah. He highlights the importance of prayer, as exemplified by Daniel, in influencing leaders and initiating divine movements. Meyer notes that while God can stir hearts, obedience is essential, and sadly, only a few of the Jewish captives responded to the call to return. He encourages believers to rise up and act whenever they feel a divine stirring in their lives. Ultimately, the sermon calls for faith and responsiveness to God's leading.
The Price of Revival
By Colin Peckham0GEN 22:22CH 7:1PSA 51:17JOL 2:17MRK 8:34Colin Peckham emphasizes the price of revival, highlighting the sacrifices and burnt offerings required for true spiritual awakening. He shares stories of individuals who had to make difficult decisions, such as confessing past wrongdoings or giving up prestigious positions, in order to align themselves with God's will. Peckham warns against opposing revival when it challenges personal comforts or desires that contradict God's plan, stressing the importance of surrendering all aspects of life, including reputation, relationships, possessions, and time, on the altar of sacrifice. He underscores the necessity for spiritual leaders to bear the burden of intercession and weeping before God, seeking His presence and power to break hardened hearts and bring about true transformation.
The Purpose of Revival
By Colin Peckham02CH 7:12CH 7:3PSA 29:2PSA 85:6ISA 40:5JHN 1:142CO 4:6JAS 4:8Colin Peckham preaches on the purpose of revival, emphasizing that it is not for our own glory, the salvation of souls, or the blessing of Christians, but for the glory of God. Revival is about beholding the glory of the Lord, seeing Jesus in His fullness, and experiencing His power and presence. The produce of revival is a sense of awe, unworthiness, and joyfulness, leading to worship, praise, and a deep desire for God to pour out His Spirit.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The fire came down - The cloud had come down before, now the fire consumes the sacrifice, showing that both the house and the sacrifices were accepted by the Lord.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The divine confirmation of the dedication of the temple. - Ch2 7:1-10. The consecration of the sacrificial service by fire from heaven (Ch2 7:1-3), and the sacrifices and festival of the people (Ch2 7:4-10). Ch2 7:1-3 At the conclusion of Solomon's prayer there fell fire from heaven, which devoured the burnt-offering and the thank-offering, and the glory of the Lord filled the house, so that the priests could not enter the house of Jahve. The assembled congregation, when they saw the fire and the glory of the Lord descend, bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped God to praise. Now since this narrative is not found in Kg1 8:54., and there a speech of Solomon to the whole congregation, in which he thanks God for the fulfilment of His promise, and expresses the desire that the Lord would hear his prayers at all times, and bestow the promised salvation on the people, is communicated, modern criticism has rejected this narrative of the Chronicle as a later unhistorical embellishment of the temple dedication. "If we turn our attention," says Berth. in agreement with Then., "to Ch2 5:11-14, and compare Ch2 5:14 with our second verse, we must maintain that our historian found that there existed two different narratives of the proceedings at the dedication of the temple, and received both into his work. According to the one narrative, the clouds filled the house (Kg1 8:10, cf. Ch2 5:11-14); and after this was done Solomon uttered the prayer, with the conclusion which we find in 1 Kings 8; according to the other narrative, Solomon uttered the prayer, with the conclusion which we find in Chron., and God thereafter gave the confirmatory signs. Now we can hardly imagine that the course of events was, that the glory of Jahve filled the house (Ch2 5:14); that then Solomon spoke the words and the prayer in 2 Chron 6; that while he uttered the prayer the glory of Jahve again left the house, and then came down in a way manifest to all the people (Ch2 7:3), in order to fill the house for a second time." Certainly it was not so; but the narrative itself gives no ground for any such representation. Not a word is said in the text of the glory of Jahve having left the temple during Solomon's prayer. The supposed contradiction between Ch2 5:14 and the account in Ch2 7:1-3 is founded entirely on a misinterpretation of our verse. The course of events described here was, as the words run, this: Fire came down from heaven upon the sacrifices and devoured them, and the glory of the Lord filled the house; and this is in Ch2 7:3 more exactly and precisely repeated by the statement that the people saw the fire and the glory of Jahve descend upon the house. According to these plain words, the glory of Jahve descended upon the temple in the fire which came down from heaven. In the heavenly fire which devoured the sacrifices, the assembled congregation saw the glory of the Lord descend upon the temple and fill it. But the filling of the temple by the cloud when the ark was brought in and set in its place (Ch2 5:13) can be without difficulty reconciled with this manifestation of the divine glory in the fire. Just as the manifestation of the gracious divine presence in the temple by a cloud, as its visible vehicle, does not exclude the omnipresence of God or His sitting enthroned in heaven, God's essence not being so confined to the visible vehicle of His gracious presence among His people that He ceases thereby to be enthroned in heaven, and to manifest Himself therefrom; so the revelation of the same God from heaven by a descending fire is not excluded or set aside by the presence of the cloud in the holy place of the temple, and in the most holy. We may consequently quite well represent to ourselves the course of events, by supposing, that while the gracious presence of God enthroned above the cherubim on the ark made itself known in the cloud which filled the temple, or while the cloud filled the interior of the temple, God revealed His glory from heaven, before the eyes of the assembled congregation, in the fire which descended upon the sacrifices, so that the temple was covered or overshadowed by His glory. The parts of this double manifestation of the divine glory are clearly distinguished even in our narrative; for in Ch2 5:13-14 the cloud which filled the house, as vehicle of the manifestation of the divine glory, and which hindered the priests from standing and serving (in the house, i.e., in the holy place and the most holy), is spoken of; while in our verses, again, it is the glory of God which descended upon the temple in the fire coming down from heaven on the sacrifices, and so filled it that the priests could not enter it, which is noticed. Since, therefore, the two passages involve no contradiction, the hypothesis of a compounding together of discrepant narratives loses all standing ground; and it only remains to determine the mutual relations of the two narratives, and to answer the question, why the author of the book of Kings has omitted the account of the fire which came down from heaven upon the sacrifices, and the author of the Chronicle the blessing of the congregation (Kg1 8:54-61). From the whole plan and character of the two histories, there can be no doubt that in these accounts we have not a perfect enumeration of all the different occurrences, but only a record of the chief things which were done. The authority made use of by both, however, doubtless contained both the blessing of the congregation (Kg1 8:55-61) and the account of the fire which devoured the sacrifices (Ch2 7:2-3); and probably the latter preceded the blessing spoken by Solomon to the congregation (Kings). In all probability, the fire dame down from heaven immediately after the conclusion of the dedicatory prayer, and devoured the sacrifices lying upon the altar of burnt-offering; and after this had happened, Solomon turned towards the assembled congregation and praised the Lord, because He had given rest to His people, of which the completion of the temple, and the filling of it with the cloud of the divine glory, was a pledge. To record this speech of Solomon to the congregation, falls wholly in with the plan of the book of Kings, in which the prophetic interest, the realization of the divine purpose of grace by the acts and omissions of the kings, is the prominent one; while it did not lie within the scope of his purpose to enter upon a detailed history of the public worship. We should be justified in expecting the fire which devoured the sacrifices to be mentioned in the book of Kings, only if the temple had been first consecrated by this divine act to be the dwelling-place of the gracious presence of God, or a sanctuary of the Lord; but such significance the devouring of the sacrifices by fire coming forth from God did not possess. Jahve consecrated the temple to be the dwelling-place of His name, and the abode of His gracious presence, in proclaiming His presence by the cloud which filled the sanctuary, when the ark was brought into the most holy place. The devouring of the sacrifices upon the altar by fire from heaven was merely the confirmatory sign that the Lord, enthroned above the ark in the temple, accepted, well pleased, the sacrificial service carried on on the altar of this temple; and since the people could draw near to the Lord only with sacrifices before the altar, it was a confirmatory sign that He from His throne would bestow His covenant grace upon those who appeared before him with sacrifices; cf. Lev 9:23. Implicitly, this grace was already secured to the people by God's consecrating the sanctuary to be the throne of His grace by the cloud which filled the temple; and the author of the book of Kings thought it sufficient to mention this sign, and passed over the second, which only served as a confirmation of the first. With the chronicler the case was different; for his plan to portray in detail the glory of the worship of the former time, the divine confirmation of the sacrificial worship, which was to be carried on continually in the temple as the only legitimate place of worship, by fire from heaven, was so important that he could not leave it unmentioned; while the words of blessing spoken by Solomon to the congregation, as being already implicitly contained in the dedicatory prayer, did not appear important enough to be received into his book. For the rest, the sacrifices which the fire from heaven devoured are the sacrifices mentioned in Ch2 5:6, which the king and the congregation had offered when the ark was borne into the temple. As there was an immense number of these sacrifices, they cannot all have been offered on the altar of burnt-offering, but, like the thank-offerings afterwards brought by Solomon and the congregation, must have been offered on the whole space which had been consecrated in the court for this purpose (Ch2 7:7). This is expressly attested by Ch2 7:7, for the העלות can only be the sacrifices in Ch2 5:6, since the sacrifices in Ch2 7:5 of our chapter were only שׁלמים; cf. Kg1 8:62. Ch2 7:4-6 The sacrifices and the festival. After fire from heaven had devoured the sacrifices, and Solomon had praised the Lord for the fulfilment of His word, and sought for the congregation the further bestowal of the divine blessing (Kg1 8:54-61), the dedication of the temple was concluded by a great thank-offering, of which we have in Ch2 7:5, Ch2 7:6 an account which completely agrees with Kg1 8:62-63. - In Ch2 7:6 the author of the Chr. again makes express mention of the singing and playing of the Levites when these offerings were presented. In the performance of this sacrificial act the priests stood על־משׁמרותם, in their stations; but that does not signify separated according to their divisions (Berth.), but in officiis suis (Vulg.), i.e., ordines suos et functiones suas a Davide 1 Chron. Ch2 24:7. institutas servarunt (Ramb.); see on Num 8:26. The Levites with the instruments of song of Jahve, which David had made, i.e., with the instruments invented and appointed by David for song to the praise of the Lord. בּידם דויד בּהלּל, not hymnos David canentes per manus suas (Vulg.), taking דויד הלּל for the praising appointed by David, which by the hands of the Levites, i.e., was performed by the hands of the Levites (Berth.), but literally: when David sang praise by their hand (i.e., their service). This clause seems to be added to the relative clause, "which king David had made," for nearer definition, and to signify that the Levites used the same instruments which David had introduced when he praised God by the playing of the Levites. The form מחצצרים as in Ch1 15:24. Ch2 7:7-10 Ch2 7:7 contains a supplementary remark, and the ו relat. expresses only the connection of the thought, and the verb is to be translated in English by the pluperfect. For the rest, compare on Ch2 7:4-10 the commentary on Kg1 8:62-66. Ch2 7:11-22 The Lord's answer to Solomon's dedicatory prayer. Cf. Kg1 9:1-9. The general contents, and the order of the thoughts in the divine answer in the two texts, agree, but in the Chronicle individual thoughts are further expounded than in the book of Kings, and expressions are here and there made clear. The second clause of Ch2 7:11 is an instance of this, where "and all the desire of Solomon, which he was pleased to do," is represented by "and all that came into Solomon's heart, to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house, he prosperously effected." Everything else is explained in the Com. on 1 Kings 9.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,.... The prayer recorded in the preceding chapter: the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; which was the token God gave of his acceptance of them, of which there had been several instances before, Lev 9:24, Kg1 18:38, and the glory of the Lord filled the house; the glory of the Shechinah of the Lord, as the Targum, see Kg1 8:11.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. The gracious answer which God immediately made to Solomon's prayer: The fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, Ch2 7:1. In this way God testified his acceptance of Moses (Lev 9:24), of Gideon (Jdg 6:21), of David (Ch1 21:26), of Elijah (Kg1 18:38); and, in general, to accept the burnt-sacrifice is, in the Hebrew phrase, to turn it to ashes, Psa 20:3. The fire came down here, not upon the killing of the sacrifices, but the praying of the prayer. 1. This fire intimated that God was, (1.) Glorious in himself; for our God is a consuming fire, terrible even in his holy places. This fire, breaking forth (as it is probable) out of the thick darkness, made it the more terrible, as on Mount Sinai, Exo 24:16, Exo 24:17. The sinners in Sion had reason to be afraid at that sight, and to say, Who among us shall dwell near this devouring fire? Isa 33:14. And yet, (2.) Gracious to Israel; for this fire, which might justly have consumed them, fastened upon the sacrifice which was offered in their stead, and consumed that, by which God signified to them that he accepted their offerings and that his anger was turned away from them. 2. Let us apply this, (1.) To the suffering of Christ. When it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief, in that he showed his good-will to men, having laid on him the iniquity of us all. His death was our life, and he was made sin and a curse that we might inherit righteousness and a blessing. That sacrifice was consumed that we might escape. Here am I, let these go their way. (2.) To the sanctification of the Spirit, who descends like fire, burning up our lusts and corruptions, those beasts that must be sacrificed or we are undone, and kindling in our souls a holy fire of pious and devout affections, always to be kept burning on the altar of the heart. The surest evidence of God's acceptance of our prayers is the descent of the holy fire upon us. Did not our hearts burn within us? Luk 24:32. As a further evidence that God accepted Solomon's prayer, still the glory of the Lord filled the house. The heart that is thus filled with a holy awe and reverence of the divine glory, the heart to which God manifests himself in his greatness, and (which is no less his glory) in his goodness, is thereby owned as a living temple. II. The grateful return made to God for this gracious token of his favour. 1. The people worshipped and praised God, Ch2 7:3. When they saw the fire of God come down from heaven thus they did not run away affrighted, but kept their ground in the courts of the Lord, and took occasion from it, (1.) With reverence to adore the glory of God: They bowed their faces to the ground and worshipped, thus expressing their awful dread of the divine majesty, their cheerful submission to the divine authority, and the sense they had of their unworthiness to come into God's presence and their inability to stand before the power of his wrath. (2.) With thankfulness to acknowledge the goodness of God; even when the fire of the Lord came down they praised him, saying, He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. This is a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should be never out of tune. However it be, yet God is good. When he manifests himself as a consuming fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their light. Nay, they had reason to say that in this God was good. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we are bound to be very thankful." 2. The king and all the people offered sacrifices in abundance, Ch2 7:4, Ch2 7:5. With these they feasted this holy fire, and bade it welcome to the altar. They had offered sacrifices before, but now they increased them. Note, The tokens of God's favour to us should enlarge our hearts in his service, and make us to abound therein more and more. The king's example stirred up the people. Good work is then likely to go on when the leaders of a people lead in it. The sacrifices were so numerous that the altar could not contain them all; but, rather than any of them should be turned back (though we may suppose the blood of them all was sprinkled upon the altar), the flesh of the burnt-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings were burnt in the midst of the court (Ch2 7:7), which Solomon either hallowed for that service or hallowed by it. In case of necessity the pavement might be an altar. 3. The priests did their part; they waited on their offices, and the singers and musicians on theirs (Ch2 7:6), with the instruments that David made, and the hymn that David had put into their hand, as some think it may be read (meaning that Ch1 16:7), or, as we read it, when David praised by their ministry. He employed, directed, and encouraged them in this work of praising God; and therefore their performances were accepted as his act, and he is said to praise by their ministry. 4. The whole congregation expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable. They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar seven days, from the second to the ninth; the tenth day was the day of atonement, when they were to afflict their souls for sin, and that was not unseasonable in the midst of their rejoicings; on the fifteenth day began the feast of tabernacles, which continued to the twenty-second, and they did not separate till the twenty-third. We must never grudge the time that we spend in the worship of God and communion with him, nor think it long, or grow weary of it. 5. Solomon went on in his work, and prosperously effected all he designed for the adorning both of God's house and his own, Ch2 7:11. Those that begin with the service of God are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. It was Solomon's praise that what he undertook he went through with, and it was by the grace of God that he prospered in it.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:1-3 When the Ark was brought to its place (see 5:13-14), the glorious presence of the Lord descended on the Temple. The divine glory remained in the Temple, preventing the priests from entering to perform their service (see “The Glory of God” Theme Note and “God’s Glory with His People” Theme Note).