What I Noticed Today (1 Kings 5-7)
1 Kings 5
Timber and stone are acquired for the construction of the Lord’s Temple.
In verses 1-12, Solomon’s father, David, had provided much of what was needed to build the Temple, but Solomon reached out to Hiram, the King of Tyre, to supply cedar trees from the forest of Lebanon.
Note: Hiram was the Gentile king of Tyre (Lebanon). The timber Hiram supplied was taken to the Mediterranean Sea made into rafts, floated to Joppa, and then carried to Jerusalem.
- Solomon provided 100,000 bushels of wheat and 110,000 gallons of oil to Hiram, king of Tyre, every year. In exchange, Hiram supplied timber for the construction of the Temple.
- Solomon and Hiram made a treaty with each other, and there was peace between them.
In verses 13-18, to help in the work,
- Solomon drafted 30,000 men and sent 10,000 of them to work in Lebanon for a month at a time.
- There were 70,000 porters and 80,000 stone cutters in the mountains.
- The immense stones needed for the Temple were cut at stone quarries nearby.
1 Kings 6
Construction of the Lord’s Temple begins.
In verse 1, the construction of the Lord’s Temple began 480 years after the Israelites came out of Egypt.
Note: This would place the date of the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt at approximately 1446 or 1447 B.C.
In verses 2-10, details of the size and construction of the Temple are described.
In verses 11-13, the Lord entered into a covenant with Solomon (1 Kings 6:11) stating that the Lord would dwell among the people and not forsake them as long as they walked in His statutes, obeyed His rules, and kept His commandments.
In verses 14-36, the details of the construction of the interior of the Lord’s Temple are described.
In verses 37-38, the Temple construction began in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign and was finished seven years later.
1 Kings 7
Once the Temple was completed, David began building his own house and other buildings in the palace complex.
In verse 1, the construction of Solomon’s palace took 13 years to complete.
In verses 2-12, the construction of a building referred to as “The House of the Forest of Lebanon” is described.
- In addition, Solomon built a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, his wife.
Note: The name of the building is derived from the number and size of the cedar pillars used in its construction.
- All of the buildings were made of stone and cedar wood.
In verses 13-47, while his own house was being built, Solomon brought Huram/Hiram (not the same Hiram as the king), who was a skilled worker in bronze to make all the temple furnishings.
- Verses 15-22. Two large bronze pillars were cast in bronze. They were installed at the portico of the sanctuary (the entrance to the Temple. The one on the left was named Boaz (in Him is Strength), and the one on the right was named Jachin (He shall establish).
- Verses 23-26. The Sea, a large bronze basin that held 11,000 gallons of water, was cast and placed on 12 bronze oxen. It was placed between the Temple and the altar.
- Verses 27-39. Ten bronze water basins were cast and placed on wooden carts with wheels so they could be moved from place to place. Each basin held 220 gallons of water.
- Verses 40-47. Hiram supervised the casting of all the bronze pots, shovels, and bowls used in the Temple.
In verses 48-50, Solomon completed the construction of all the gold furnishings used in the Temple, including the altar of incense, the table of gold, ten gold tables for the showbread, ten gold lampstands, and all the gold utensils.
In verse 51, when all the furnishings were completed, Solomon had them dedicated and stored in the temple treasury.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- Building the Temple was a massive undertaking It required adherence to the details of God’s plan. It required significant preparation in the assembling of the materials. And perhaps most importantly, when it came time to build, it required sacrifice, cooperation among the people, and sustained focus over a long period of time.
- Imagine what we might accomplish as a people of God, if we came together in such unity of purpose, with such dedication, willingness to sacrifice, and focus today!
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
