[Pastor John asked me if I’d repost my article for day 25 from back when I was doing the 90 Day Challenge. So here you go. Enjoy! ~ Derek]
Let’s begin with some observations from our text. First, as a matter of observation, after Solomon builds the Temple and dedicates it to God the Lord himself consecrates it: “I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there” (1 Kings 9:3). Sounds pretty absolute: God will forever be in the temple that Solomon built. But as you continue to read you will quickly discover the same Covenantal stipulations outlined in Deuteronomy 27-30: Blessings (which equals=remaining in the land) for obedience and Curses (which equals=exile) for disobedience. This means that God will abandon the temple if his people consistently move away in rebellion, in spite of his hopes of remaining there forever: