MY LIVING GOD DESERVES MORE

“Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD. 63 And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.” (1Ki 8:62-63 BSB)

To complete the dedication of the temple, Solomon led the people to offer peace offerings to the Lord. Imagine the materials presented for the sacrifice: 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep! The number of the animals offered was so great that the usual single bronze altar could not accommodate them. Solomon first had to consecrate the entire middle courtyard. After consecrating the court, he probably had a series of auxiliary altars set up in the court to accommodate all their peace offerings.

Based on today’s commodity prices, Solomon’s offering of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep would be worth roughly $50–$80 million or more.

While some may regard the offerings of Solomon as being extravagant and a waste of resources, history reveals that the heathens sacrificed hecatombs (a hundred animals), and even chiliombs (a thousand animals). But the sacrifices offered by Solomon on this occasion surpassed all the other oblations on record. Solomon’s expression might be re-presented as, if unbelievers could offer their dead god what they offered, MY LIVING GOD DESERVES MORE.

The sacrifices offered seemed enormous; it was in keeping with the magnitude of this event and a reflection of the state of their hearts, appreciating GOD for His goodness towards Israel. No wonder, in the next chapter, God’s response was clear and emphatic: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me.”

Beloved, God may not be asking you to offer animals for sacrifice today, but how much have you offered yourself as a worthy and surpassing sacrifice unto Him? How much have you influenced those around you to give Him unequal sacrifice? No matter the amount of praise or sacrifice you have ever offered GOD, let it keep re-echoing that MY LIVING GOD DESERVES MORE.