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I Kings 8:12-211NIV New International Version Translations
12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.” 14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 15 Then he said: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’ 17 “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’ 20 “The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

Background2https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/1kings-lbw.htm

We do not know who wrote the books of Kings. Some people say that Jeremiah did. He lived just before Jerusalem’s enemies overcame the city. 2 Kings 24:18-25:30 is the same as Jeremiah chapter 52. There is nothing about Jeremiah in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings. However, Jeremiah went to Egypt. 2 Kings ends with the events in Babylon. An unknown prophet in Babylon probably wrote both 1 Kings and 2 Kings.

The writer or writers used a lot of information from other books. These books probably included Isaiah, Jeremiah and Chronicles. The book refers to an unknown book called the ‘Book of the acts of Solomon.’ It also mentions the ‘Books of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah’.  It also uses collections of stories about the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah and Isaiah.

The author gave a message. He did not just write history. He follows what the Book of Deuteronomy taught. Deuteronomy contains God’s law for His people. It directs how they should live. But most of the kings in Judah and Israel did not obey these instructions. (In fact, none of the kings in the northern kingdom (called Israel) were good kings.) And when the kings were evil, most of the people in their kingdoms became evil too.

The Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings tell us about a period of nearly 400 years. This was from the time when David died to the exile in Babylon. In 930 B.C. (years before Christ) the kingdom divided into two parts. This happened after the death of Solomon. This is the most important event in the book.

In these verses, Solomon briefly recounts the history of his father, David, who wanted to build a temple but was told that his son would do so instead. Solomon says, “Yahweh has established His word that He spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel” (v. 20).

Solomon was encouraging the priests, who were taken back at a dark cloud. The cloud was a sign of the glory of the Lord filling the temple. This showed that God accepted the building and furniture of the temple. Such an event had happened centuries before. It happened when Moses finished the construction of the tent of the Lord’s presence. On both occasions, the cloud showed that God was really present. He had been present at the tent. And now he was present at the temple. God sent the cloud so that people could not see the wonderful light of His presence. That light is too bright for people to see, because of their human weakness. Solomon was telling them to  consider what God has said, and to compare God’s word and works together. Whatever good we do, we must look on it as the performance of God’s promise to us, not of our promises to Him.

Items for Discussions

  1. How would you describe the world’s definition of frustration?
  2. Is this radically different from a Biblical view? Why or Why Not?
  3. Scriptures define Frustration as:
    1. Frustration is an indication of a lack of faith and trust in the Lord.
    2. Sometimes the Lord allows our plans to be frustrated because it’s simply not His time or His will.
    3. Frustration can result from trying to do things in our own strength.
    4. Sometimes frustration results from attempting a task that is beyond our training and experience or is not our “calling.”
  4. What have you personally witnessed where frustration actually became damaging, interfering even with God’s Providence?
  5. One dictionary defines frustration as:
    1. To break or interrupt; hence, to defeat; to disappoint; to balk; to bring to nothing; as, to frustrate a plan, design or attempt; to frustrate the will or purpose.
    2. To disappoint; applied to persons.
    3. To make null; to nullify; to render of no effect; as, to frustrate a conveyance or deed.
  6. What should we do so that our frustrations do not get the best of us?
    1. Frustration is caused whenever we are blocked from achieving a goal by conditions or people that we cannot control. In the state of frustration, we are mentally somewhere in the future. Be in the present so as to stop feeling frustrated.
    2. Interestingly, being angry all the time can be a bad habit – Break the habit.
    3. The root of frustration is dissatisfaction. Appreciate the things that you have.
    4. Anger is a response that you pick so as to deal with powerlessness. Remember Solomon’s advice, the power is God’s to use, not ours.
    5. We feel frustrated when we cannot do what we wanted to in the future thanks to a present problem. Identify what you can do right now and pursue it.
    6. Life can sometimes be unfair. Work to solve any pain that happened in your past. Why, it’s over!
    7. Get rid of fear-Anger is often caused by fear. Remember: God’s in charge!

Discussion Challenge

  • How is living in a frustrated world an opportunity for the Church?