2. Experiencing God Presence 1 Kings 8
Preparing by remembering – Solomon gathered people at Feast of Tabernacles (8:1-3)
By acknowledging sin – Made sacrifices (8:4-6)
By committing to God’s word – Installed the ark, containing the law (8:7-9)
By praise and thanks (2 Chronicles 5:11-14)

4. Walking to the new temple site

6. The need for Holiness
1 Samuel 6:20 – And the people of Beth-Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?
Psalm 24:3-5 – Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…. 5 They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.

8. Courtyard for sacrifices
MOST Holy Place
Holy Place
Courtyard for sacrifices

10. Ark of Covenant – Mercy Seat
Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place
Ark of Covenant – Mercy Seat

11. 3 items in the Ark

13. Experiencing God through praising God
2 Chronicles 5:11-14 – The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place…12 All the Levites who were musicians… stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

15. God’s glory Temple 966 BC 1 Kings 8:10-11
Tabernacle 1445/6 BC Exodus 40:34-38 – Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

17. God’s glorious presence in Jesus
John 1:14, 18 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and … 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
John 2:11 - This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

19. God’s glorious presence dwells in us!
Ephesians 2:21-22 – In whom (Christ) the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
You = the church
1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 – Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
You = the church, Context – Church destroyed by conflict
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
You = an individual, Context – Using body for sexual immorality

21. Experiencing God’s presence today
Preparation of heart
Remembering what He’s done for us
Acknowledging our sinfulness
Committing to obey His word
Praise and thanks
Recognition of mind
As we hear and understand biblical truth
As we sing praises
As we live unified with believers
As we see His sovereignty in good circumstances
As we see His care in trials
As we obey in the power of the Holy Spirit