1Ki 6:1 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter is about the building and furnishing of the temple. A global outline: 1. Introduction, . 2. Exterior of the building, . 3. Responsibility, . 4. Interior of the building, . 5. Completion, . With a more refined outline we see the following aspects of the building: 1. Beginning of the building, . 2. The dimensions, . 3. The windows, . 4. The stories, . 5. The noiselessness of the building, . 6. Again the stories, . 7. A word for Solomon, . 8. The covering of the walls and the floor, . 9. The inner sanctuary, covered with pure gold, . 10. The gold covering of the whole, including the altar, . 11. The two great cherubs, . 12. Cherubs, palms and open flower buds on the walls, . 13. The gold covered floor, . 14. The doors, . 15. The inner court, . 16. The duration of the building, . For the historian, the start of the building of the temple is a striking point in the history of Israel. He mentions the year in which the start is made and connects that date with Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. The start of the building of the temple takes place in 966 BC. The exodus took place in 1446 BC. Although there is a lot of time in between, the exodus and building of the temple are closely connected. At the exodus, on the banks of the Red Sea, the people sang about the dwelling place of the LORD ( ). The purpose of the redemption from Egypt was that God would dwell with His people, a redeemed people. The temple is here called “the house of the LORD”. Also the month of the beginning of the building is mentioned, “the month of Ziv which is the second month”. This month corresponds to our month of May. “Ziv” means “shine” or “splendor”, probably because of the budding floral splendor in that month. From a spiritual point of view, this indicates a new era in which everything is fresh and beautiful. Israel stands on the threshold of the glorious summer time of blessing and prosperity. The temple shines with gold. The place of the building is not mentioned, but we know from 2 Chronicles that it is on Mount Moriah ( ). In spiritual terms, salvation from the power of sin and the house of God, that is the church ( ), also belong together. Our redemption by the Lord Jesus is the starting point, and whoever has accepted Him as Savior in faith is sealed with the Holy Spirit and therefore belongs to the church. Solomon starts “in the fourth year” of his government with the building of the temple. The first three years he was busy arranging the affairs of his realm. The time we use to prepare for the work of God and to free ourselves from anything that might distract us from it is not lost time. In building the temple, Solomon is also a picture of the Lord Jesus. It is said of the Messiah that He will build the temple ( ). The temple is the pledge of the durable possession of the inheritance by the people. God’s presence definitively determines the possessions.

‏ 1 Kings 6:1

Introduction

This chapter is about the building and furnishing of the temple. A global outline:

1. Introduction, 1Kgs 6:1.

2. Exterior of the building, 1Kgs 6:2-10.

3. Responsibility, 1Kgs 6:11-13.

4. Interior of the building, 1Kgs 6:14-35.

5. Completion, 1Kgs 6:37-38.

With a more refined outline we see the following aspects of the building:

1. Beginning of the building, 1Kgs 6:1.

2. The dimensions, 1Kgs 6:2-3.

3. The windows, 1Kgs 6:4.

4. The stories, 1Kgs 6:5-6.

5. The noiselessness of the building, 1Kgs 6:7.

6. Again the stories, 1Kgs 6:8-10.

7. A word for Solomon, 1Kgs 6:11-13.

8. The covering of the walls and the floor, 1Kgs 6:14-18.

9. The inner sanctuary, covered with pure gold, 1Kgs 6:19-20.

10. The gold covering of the whole, including the altar, 1Kgs 6:21-22.

11. The two great cherubs, 1Kgs 6:23-28.

12. Cherubs, palms and open flower buds on the walls, 1Kgs 6:29.

13. The gold covered floor, 1Kgs 6:30.

14. The doors, 1Kgs 6:31-35.

15. The inner court, 1Kgs 6:36.

16. The duration of the building, 1Kgs 6:37-38.

Beginning of the Building of the Temple

For the historian, the start of the building of the temple is a striking point in the history of Israel. He mentions the year in which the start is made and connects that date with Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. The start of the building of the temple takes place in 966 BC. The exodus took place in 1446 BC. Although there is a lot of time in between, the exodus and building of the temple are closely connected. At the exodus, on the banks of the Red Sea, the people sang about the dwelling place of the LORD (Exo 15:17). The purpose of the redemption from Egypt was that God would dwell with His people, a redeemed people. The temple is here called “the house of the LORD”.

Also the month of the beginning of the building is mentioned, “the month of Ziv which is the second month”. This month corresponds to our month of May. “Ziv” means “shine” or “splendor”, probably because of the budding floral splendor in that month. From a spiritual point of view, this indicates a new era in which everything is fresh and beautiful. Israel stands on the threshold of the glorious summer time of blessing and prosperity. The temple shines with gold. The place of the building is not mentioned, but we know from 2 Chronicles that it is on Mount Moriah (2Chr 3:1).

In spiritual terms, salvation from the power of sin and the house of God, that is the church (1Tim 3:15), also belong together. Our redemption by the Lord Jesus is the starting point, and whoever has accepted Him as Savior in faith is sealed with the Holy Spirit and therefore belongs to the church.

Solomon starts “in the fourth year” of his government with the building of the temple. The first three years he was busy arranging the affairs of his realm. The time we use to prepare for the work of God and to free ourselves from anything that might distract us from it is not lost time.

In building the temple, Solomon is also a picture of the Lord Jesus. It is said of the Messiah that He will build the temple (Zec 6:12). The temple is the pledge of the durable possession of the inheritance by the people. God’s presence definitively determines the possessions.