1 Kings 6:1-38
Q.1. When did Solomon build the Temple? What special message did the Lord give to him while he was building the Temple? – (1Kgs.6:1-13)
Solomon – began to build the house of the Lord … in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt (1 Kgs.6:1). NOTE: This is helpful in calculating the years from the exodus to the third year of Solomon’s reign. The date is corroborated by the apostle Paul, and the LXX (Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament) that states there were four hundred and forty years from the death of Moses to the commencement of the construction of the temple (1 Kgs.6:1 c.f. Deut.34:7; Acts 13:19). We are given the dimensions of the temple (1 Kgs.6:2-10). The builders were careful to comply with God’s instructions about building His house and altar. It was recorded that – the house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built (1 Kgs.6:7 c.f. Exo.20:25). The Word of the Lord came to Solomon before completion. God promised to dwell amongst His people, if they obeyed all God’s commandments – 12 “Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. 13 I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will not forsake My people Israel (1 Kgs.6:12-13).
Q.2. What was to be housed in the inner sanctuary of the temple? How was the Holy of Holies adorned? – (1 Kgs.6:14-22)
The Most Holy Place was prepared – in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the Lord (1 Kgs.6:19). God had promised to dwell above the Mercy Seat of the Ark, where blood was sprinkled each year by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (c.f. Exo.25:21-22). Two golden cherubim stood guard over the ark. Solomon – overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold … (1 Kgs.6:21). It was to reflect the glory of the God of Israel.
Q.3. Why do you think Solomon overlaid much of the Temple with gold? Where and how long did it take to build the Temple? – (1 Kgs.6:21-38)
Gold was the most precious of metals that glowed. It was fitting for much of the Temple and its contents to be overlaid by gold, in order to convey the preciousness and glory of God (1 Kgs.6:21-22, 28, 30, 32, 35). Solomon built the Temple – in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David … on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (2 Chron.3:1 c.f. Gen.22:2, 11-14). Solomon took thirteen years to build his own palace, and seven years to build the temple of the Lord (1 Kgs.6:38-7:1).