Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 8
God does what he promises. His promises cannot fail. His word is true and it achieves its purpose (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God promised the country formerly called Canaan to Israel’s people (Genesis 15:18-21; Genesis 50:24; Deuteronomy 1:6-8). He promised them a place of safety and rest in that land, where they would remain (Deuteronomy 12:9-10).
Joshua 21:43-45 records that God gave them that land. As Joshua himself declared, God had carried out all of his promises to them (Joshua 23:14). God had given them a safe place to live.
Another 400 years passed from the time of Joshua until Solomon. During Solomon’s rule, the country had peace from its enemies. At last it was possible to build the temple, the permanent house of God, in Israel. Solomon saw, therefore, that God’s promise of rest for God’s people did not end with Joshua (compare Hebrews 4:8). Rather, God was still carrying out his promises to his people. In fact, he was carrying out those promises now in an even better and more complete way.
So it was important for Solomon to declare that God’s promises had not failed. Those promises had not ended, but they continued. In later centuries as in former centuries, God is doing these things. That is a wonderful reason to praise God, as Solomon did on this occasion.
Next part: May God be with us, as he was with our fathers (1 Kings 8:57-58)
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