1 Kings 8:54-66
The king has come to the end of the long prayer he has made on his knees (v. 54). We trust that this is a posture familiar to each one of our readers. To kneel down for at least a moment every day and to address God (aloud for preference, when this is possible, to avoid being distracted), there is nothing more precious nor more effective. And even if we afterwards forget what we have prayed for, our words stay "nigh unto the LORD our God day and night" (v. 59). Finally it is said that He maintains the cause . . . of His people . . . at all times, as the matter shall require. We may count on God to uphold our cause, according to each day’s need. He knows that if He were to give us everything right away, all at the same time, we should rely upon those provisions for the days to come, and would cease to count on Himself alone. This is why He orders our affairs one day at a time ("the matter of a day in its day", end of v. 59 (JND), and Jesus similarly teaches us, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34).
This dedication ceremony (or inauguration) of the temple takes place at the time of the great annual Feast of Tabernacles, in the seventh month. It concludes with sacrifices and with rejoicing such as we find in Deuteronomy 16:15.