At the occasion of the dedication of Solomon's Temple (c. 953 BC),
And after the glory of Jehovah filled the Holy of Holies,
"And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him,
a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath
unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God,
seven days and seven days, even fourteen days."
- (1 Kings 8:65)
"Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all
Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the
entering in of Hamath unto the briver of Egypt."
- (2 Chronicles 7:8)
When Hezekiah became King, he restored worship of Jehovah:
He has the priests and Levites cleanse themselves and the temple,
and then they held the first Passover in many years:
"And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast
of unleavened bread in the second month,
a very great congregation."
- (2 Chronicles 30:13)
After the Babylonian captivity, and the temple is rebuilt,
The scribe and descendent of Aaron goes to Jerusalem to help
restore the true worship of Jehovah. He too calls a great
Congregation:
"NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping
and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled
unto him out of Israel a very great congregation
of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God,
and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now
there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now therefore let
us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and
such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord,
and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let
it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth
unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do
it. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites,
and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this
word. And they sware. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of
God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib:
and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water:
for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been
carried away. And they made proclamation throughout Judah and
Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they
should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; And that
whosoever would not come within three days, according to the
counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should
be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those
that had been carried away."
- (Ezra 10:1-8)
David speaks of a great congregation in the Psalms
"My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation:
I will pay my vows before them that fear him."
- (Psalms 22:25)
"I will give thee thanks in the great congregation:
I will praise thee among much people."
- (Psalms 35:18)
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of
me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my
heart. I have preached righteousness in the great
congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O
LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness
within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from
the great congregation.
- (Psalms 40:7-10)