1 Kings 8:12

1 Kings 8:12 says, Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.  Solomon said that God had said He would dwell in the thick darkness of the cloud, but today He lives in the light of Jesus Christ.  The cloud then was not an indication of God's displeasure, but of His presence.  The Holy Spirit indwelling us is the indication of God's presence in our life today.  Verse thirteen adds, I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.  Solomon said he had built God a house, a settled place, where God could abide forever.  This was opposed to the Tabernacle, which moved from place to place.  Still, God could not be confined to a specific place, and we should not attempt to confine Him to church buildings today.  Verse fourteen continues, And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)  Solomon turned around and blessed the whole congregation of Israel while they stood.  I believe a more accurate statement would be that he asked God's blessing on the people there.  God provides the blessings that we receive.  Verse eighteen states, And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,  David said that God Who had spoken to his father David should be blessed because He had fulfilled promise.  We cannot be saved simply by the fact that our father or mother was, but we must have a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  He will always fulfill His promises to us if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse sixteen adds, Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be ; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.  Solomon said God had said since He brought the people of Israel out of Egypt, He had not chosen any city to dwell in, but that He did choose David to be their king.  Today, God still doesn't live just in one particular place, and He has made Jesus Christ is our King forever.  Verse seventeen continues, And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.  Solomon said it was David’s desire to build a house for God.  Whatever we desire to do for God today, we must first make sure that it is what He wants.  Verse eighteen declares, And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.  Solomon said that God told David that he did well in his heart for wanting to build a house for God.  If we are to do something special for God today, it should be with a purity of our heart.  Verse nineteen adds, Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.  Solomon said God told David that even though his desire was good that he wasn't going to be allowed to build a house for God.  God may not allow us to do something that we desire to do for Him.  I believe that the ultimate house of God that He referred to here was not the Temple, but Jesus Christ Himself, since Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the Temple that would be destroyed and rebuilt in three days.  Verse twenty continues, And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.  Solomon said that he had been raised up to replace David his father and fulfill god's promise that David's descendant would build a house for God, but we know that the ultimate fulfillment of that promise came with Jesus Christ, a descendant of David.  We will never be more than servants of God when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.  Solomon said he had made a place for the Ark of the Covenant which God had made with the people of Israel when He brought them out of Egypt.  The covenant between God and mankind has always been based on salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and when we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord, we are not to try to confine Him to one place.  We are to carry His word into all the world.