Features of Solomonic Temple Worship

The temple emphasized the presence of God in the midst of Israel. Worship was characterized by sacred symbols, sacred rituals, and a sacred ministry. This model had a great impact on the development of liturgical worship in the ancient church. The temple emphasized the presence of God in the midst of Israel. For example, God spoke to Moses, saying,"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them" (Exod. 25:8; 2 Chron. 6:7; ratification of god's covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, Exod. 24). Also the temple was seen as an expression of the antithesis between Israel and the surrounding culture. Worship set the Israelites apart from the worship conducted by the pagans and accented their relationship with Yahweh (Deut. 12). Thus, the tabernacle and the temple became the visible and tangible signs of Israel's relationship to God. A second feature of the temple was its symbolic character. It was characterized by a sacred sense of space, sacred rituals, and sacred min…