First Kings
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Strangers
(I Kings 8:41-43)
From earliest age children are taught an aversion to “strangers.” “Don’t talk to strangers,” our mothers warned us. And while their advice to us was good, we can be glad that God doesn’t feel the same way. In fact, God seeks strangers—those who are estranged from Him by sin. Rather than being warily repulsed by us, God has taken the initiative to establish a relationship with His wayward creation. Strangers are the objects of God’s love and desire.
In dedicating the temple, Solomon recognized it as a place of worship unique to God’s covenant people, Israel. He understood that the sacrifices, ritual, prayers, songs, and offerings would all be distinctly Jewish, offered in accordance with the Mosaic legislation. And, of course, the temple would represent the seat of Israel’s God. The whole thing would be unapologetically Jewish—by Jews, for Jews.
Solomon, however, also recognized a larger purpose for his temple. With tremendous foresight, Solomon predicted a day when “strangers,” non Israelites, would seek Jehovah (41). He knew that the God of the universe could not be confined to Israel alone. He envisioned gentiles converting to Judaism and coming into the temple to pray (42)! In fact, the outer court of the temple was specifically designed as a place for gentile worship! Though the Jews got the front seats, the “strangers” were not forgotten by God.
Solomon even prayed that God would answer the prayers of gentile worshippers (43). He realized that “all the people of the earth” need to “know [God’s] name.” So rather than excluding gentile supplicants, Solomon invited them to Israel’s house of worship to pray to Israel’s God. From earliest times God purposed to save gentiles. In Old Testament times, the gentile conversion rate was a trickle. In New Testament times, the church is largely a gentile bride. Admittedly, the temple was distinctively Jewish, but—even in the Old Testament dispensations—God loved “strangers” too!
