This is the Bible Book Club. I'm Heather and I'm Susan. And we're in the book of First Kings.

Welcome to the club.

Last time in Chapter 7, Solomon furnished the temple just like Moses had furnished the tabernacle.

The difference between the tabernacle and temple was

that everything in the temple was bigger, more elaborate, and much more expensive. In fact, the

interior of the temple was covered with gold. The courtyard was filled with bronze items, including

a basin with over 11,000 gallons of water.

That is one big swimming pool. The purpose of the temple was the same as that of the tabernacle.

It was a sacred place for God and a visible reminder of the covenant with God.

So the temple's complete and Solomon is ready to dedicate it. So I imagine with great trepidation and solemnity,

the Israelites gather and they probably all had one question on their mind. We have built it. Will

He come? Scene one. The ark, the cloud, and theence of the Lord. Chapter 8. Then King Solomon summoned

into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs

of the Israelites families, to bring up the Ark of the Lord's covenant from Zion, the city of David.

All the Israelites came together to King Solomon

at the time of the festival in the month of Ithanim, the seventh month. So the temple move

and celebration took place in the seventh month. Now the temple was completed in the eighth month we

know, so it's now 11 months later. And the month of Ethanim was later known as Tishri and correlated with September, October.

The festival, they celebrated in conjunction with, you hear that thunder people, the Lord,

the Lord is here.

The festival they celebrated in conjunction with the temple dedication was the Feast of Tabernacles.

So Solomon kind of waited a few

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