20240913

fortnight festival

1 Kings 8:62-66 (JDV)

1 Kings 8:62 The king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices in Yahveh ‘s presence.
1 Kings 8:63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep and goats. In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicated Yahveh’s temple.
1 Kings 8:64 On the same day, the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of Yahveh’s temple because that was where he offered the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the fellowship offerings since the bronze altar before Yahveh was too small to accommodate the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings.
1 Kings 8:65 Solomon and all Israel with him — a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt — observed the festival at that time in the presence of Yahveh our God, seven days, and seven more days — fourteen days.
1 Kings 8:66 On the fifteenth day he sent the people away. So, they blessed the king and went to their homes rejoicing and with happy hearts for all the goodness that Yahveh had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.

fortnight festival

The normal week-long festival of booths was extended to twice this time this once because of the celebration of the the finishing of the temple. People lingered and worshipped and celebrated. What a blessing that time must have been. Imagine the joy we will all experience when our Lord returns to set up his kingdom on earth.