1 Kings 8:41-53 – Keeping short accounts with God

In 1 Kings 8:46-53, we come to the seventh and final petition that Solomon made in his dedication prayer for the temple. In this petition, he prayed as if he knew that one day Israel would be taken captive to a foreign land. He saw the time when Israel would incur the anger of God and be banished into the hands of their enemies and be taken into exile in a foreign land. Solomon prayed for God to hear their plea for mercy in their captivity when they turned to Him in genuine repentance. He petitioned God to be merciful and restore them to the promised land. 

Solomon's seventh petition to God was made long before the people of Israel were taken into captivity. This petition took on a special significance to the first readers of the books of the Kings because they were written to them. They were in effect experiencing exactly as Solomon had described in this prayer. Thus this petition became a call for them to repentance and to pray. It provided hope and instructions to them on what they could do to mend their relationship with God and be restored to the land.

In verses 51-53, we sense Solomon’s earnestness in his seven petitions. He implored the Lord to take heed to his cry and the future cries of His people. The reason: it’s because they were His covenant people. For of all the people on earth, He Himself had chosen them to be His own. Solomon then reminded God that He used Moses to instruct their fathers, whom He had delivered from their bondage in Egypt. The point is that Israel was God’s covenant people.      

One phrase put in parenthesis in verse 46 is painfully disturbing. It says, “for there is no man who does not sin.” This fact necessitates that whenever we sin, we must quickly repent and mend our relationship with God. It’s the only way to stay true to our relationship with Him. If we do not but continue to walk in our sinful ways, we will have to endure the bitter experience of bondage to sin and the loss of our liberty. Continuous sin always leaves us in a state of utter distress and needless pains. The way to freedom in God is repentance and prayer. When we have a restored relationship with God, we will experience His peace and freedom. If we want to walk in divine favor always, keep short accounts with God. He never fails to forgive!