The Temples Interior
November 13, 2022
Commentary
In this passage a description of the inside of the temple is given. The cherubim were sculptured angels, carved from olive wood. Their wings were spread 30 feet and they were covered with gold (vv. 23-28). The walls of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place were decorated with carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers. All the doors to the inner and outer rooms were decorated like the walls. The doors leading from the porch into the holy place were made of pine (v. 34). Solomon made everything new and more magnificent than it had been, except the ark which was the same as when Moses made it, with its mercy seat and cherubim that was the token of God’s presence.
The courtyard was an open plaza surrounding the temple. The size of this courtyard is not given, but if it was proportionate to the temple structure itself, it was probably about 150 feet wide and 400 feet long. There was also an outer courtyard not mentioned here (II Chron. 4:9) which was lower. The inner courtyard was separated from the outer courtyard by a wall. This wall consisted of three rows of cut limestone and one row of cedar beams. The outer courtyard was also surrounded by a wall.
The use of gold and silver as well as the magnificence of cedar wood provided an awesome sight. This was further magnified by the number of workman who worked on the temple as well as the seven and one-half years required to build it. The entire inside of the Temple was covered with Gold, even the floor. Solomon Spared no expense and because there was so much Gold it tended to take away from its value.
Application
God was very particular in the material He put into the construction of the temple. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we need to be careful as to what we put into them.
1 Kings 6:23– 38 (NET)
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood; each stood 15 feet high. 24 Each of the first cherub’s wings was 7½ feet long; its entire wingspan was 15 feet. 25 The second cherub also had a wingspan of 15 feet; it was identical to the first in measurements and shape. 26 Each cherub stood 15 feet high. 27 He put the cherubim in the inner sanctuary of the temple. Their wings were spread out. One of the first cherub’s wings touched one wall and one of the other cherub’s wings touched the opposite wall. The first cherub’s other wing touched the second cherub’s other wing in the middle of the room. 28 He plated the cherubim with gold.
29 On all the walls around the temple, inside and out, he carved cherubim, palm trees, and flowers in bloom. 30 He plated the floor of the temple with gold, inside and out. 31 He made doors of olive wood at the entrance to the inner sanctuary; the pillar on each doorpost was five-sided. 32 On the two doors made of olive wood he carved cherubim, palm trees, and flowers in bloom, and he plated them with gold. He plated the cherubim and the palm trees with hammered gold. 33 In the same way he made doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall, only with four-sided pillars. 34 He also made two doors out of wood from evergreens; each door had two folding leaves. 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and flowers in bloom and plated them with gold, leveled out over the carvings. 36 He built the inner courtyard with three rows of chiseled stones and a row of cedar beams.
37 In the month of Ziv in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple. 38 In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build.