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13. An house to dwell in. The Temple was built as a house of God. When the tabernacle was first constructed in the wilderness God had said, “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8). That sanctuary had been constructed, and in it the Lord had manifested His presence and had communicated with His people.

A settled place. Israel had its sanctuary, but the sanctuary had no settled place. The tabernacle was moved from one place to another in the wilderness. Even in the Promised Land it had no settled place. For 300 years it had been at Shiloh, till sin had caused it again to be moved, first to Nob (1 Sam. 21:1-6; PP 656), and later to Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39, 40; 2 Chron. 1:3). Now at length the Temple had been completed, and at last the ark of God would have a settled place, a place for God to abide throughout the ages. It was God’s purpose to be with His people forever, and had Israel remained true to Him, this glorious building would have stood forever (PK 46). How great must have been the joy of Solomon as he looked back over the years of preparation and building that had cost so much anxiety and thought, to realize that his task had been accomplished and that the house where God was to make His abode with His people, had been completed.