Solomon Begins to Build The Temple at Jerusalem
May 23, 2022
Commentary
Solomon began to build the temple at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. Mount Moriah is just north of the old Jebusite city of Ophel, and on the spot marked by the threshing floor of Araunah, an important place. This was the place designated by the Lord and purchased by David as a site for sacrifice, during the time of David’s illicit census and a site for the temple. It was here that Abraham started to offer Isaac to the Lord in obedience to God’s command (Gen. 22). It was here that God demonstrated His presence to David by igniting his burnt offering with fire from heaven (I Chronicles 21:26). It was here that the Lord designed and David purchased the site for the Jerusalem temple. It is here that today the Temple Mount is occupied by a Moslem Mosque called the Dome of the Rock. (Recent excavations, however, suggest that the sight of the temple may have been immediately north of the Dome of the Rock).
Great care and concern was taken to design, plan, and prepare the place where God would meet and live with His people. Because God is so great, the building and its worship must be as grand as possible (II Chron. 2:5); because He is so great, it cannot possibly be grand enough (II Chron. 2:6). A lot of time was given to this project. A lot of money was donated for the project. A lot of people worked hard over the project. It was important.
Application
When something is important, we will give it our time, money, and energy (sweat). As a family figure how much time do you spend eating or around the dinner table each day? How much time do you spend meeting with God? If you were in a rush which would be the first you would do without? Why?
2 Chronicles 3:1– 17 (NET)
1 Solomon began building the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign.
3 Solomon laid the foundation for God’s temple; its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet. 4 The porch in front of the main hall was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple, and its height was 30 feet. He plated the inside with pure gold. 5 He paneled the main hall with boards made from evergreen trees and plated it with fine gold, decorated with palm trees and chains. 6 He decorated the temple with precious stones; the gold he used came from Parvaim. 7 He overlaid the temple’s rafters, thresholds, walls and doors with gold; he carved decorative cherubim on the walls.
8 He made the Most Holy Place; its length was 30 feet, corresponding to the width of the temple, and its width 30 feet. He plated it with 600 talents of fine gold. 9 The gold nails weighed 50 shekels; he also plated the upper areas with gold. 10 In the Most Holy Place he made two images of cherubim and plated them with gold. 11 The combined wing span of the cherubim was 30 feet. One of the first cherub’s wings was 7½ long and touched one wall of the temple; its other wing was also 7½ long and touched one of the second cherub’s wings. 12 Likewise one of the second cherub’s wings was 7½ long and touched the other wall of the temple; its other wing was also 7½ long and touched one of the first cherub’s wings. 13 The combined wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. They stood upright, facing inward. 14 He made the curtain out of blue, purple, crimson, and white fabrics, and embroidered on it decorative cherubim.
15 In front of the temple he made two pillars which had a combined length of 52½ feet, with each having a plated capital 7½ high. 16 He made ornamental chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made 100 pomegranate-shaped ornaments and arranged them within the chains. 17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right side and the other on the left. He named the one on the right Yakin, and the one on the left Boaz.