1Ki 6:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | The sizes of the house ( ) are double the sizes of the tabernacle. So the temple is an enlarged tabernacle. The dimensions of the temple, converted to our dimensions, are twenty-seven meters long, nine meters wide and fourteen meters high. The porch in front is extra, as are the windows ( ). There were no windows in the tabernacle. The temple, like the tabernacle, is a picture of: 1. the revelation of the glory of God in Christ, 2. the dwelling place of God; and 3. a place where man can approach God to serve Him as a priest. There are two descriptions of the temple. They are in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. In 2 Chronicles the emphasis is on the altar – and thus the service in connection with the altar – and approaching God . Here in 1 Kings the altar is not mentioned, nor the veil. Here dwelling is emphasized, because here we also have chambers all around the temple, where the priests live. Around the temple, i.e. on both long sides and the back, not the front, chambers are built in three floors ( ). There is an even greater joy than to go to the temple and that is to dwell there. This leads to the priesthood that is expressed in a special way in the praise of the LORD ( ). Where God has His dwelling place, He surrounds Himself with dwelling places. Therefore we can also see the temple as a picture of the Father’s house, of which the Lord Jesus says there are “many dwelling places” ( ). The Lord Jesus also calls the temple “My Father’s house” ( ). The temple is not only a greater repetition of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was meant to be carried through the wilderness. The temple contrariwise is fixed, there is rest for God. The people have come to rest and live in rest in the promised land, and God dwells among His people. After the wilderness journey, the meaning of the tabernacle is ended. In the letter to the Hebrews, the tabernacle is always mentioned, but that is because of the point of view from which the writer views God’s people. The temple is in the land. It presupposes a people in possession of the land, which for us is a picture of the heavenly places. The temple is on a higher level. Three times a year, the Israelite goes to the three harvest feasts, when he has gathered the blessings from the land. Are we familiar with the blessings of the promised land, for us the heavenly places? Only then will we understand and appreciate the meaning of the temple. To explain , a remark is made in the middle of the description of the priestly dwellings in about the ready-prepared stones for the temple. The stones have already been worked in the quarry, so that no sound is heard during building. In the spiritual sense we see that man is naturally dust, but when he becomes a believer, he becomes a stone ( ). Christ is the rock from Whom we are hewn and as such have been added to the house of God. The work of God’s Spirit is done in silence, without the outward display and the great noise that is present in many Christian communities. In there are three stories. This also shows a certain growth, because the rooms are getting bigger and bigger higher up. It contains the encouragement for each priest not to stay on the lower story, but to go higher. What the chambers are, we read in the third description of the temple, in Ezekiel 42, the temple of the kingdom of peace ( ). These are the places where the priests abide. It is not a question of approaching, but of abiding constantly (cf. ).

‏ 1 Kings 6:2-3

The Exterior of the Building

The sizes of the house (1Kgs 6:2) are double the sizes of the tabernacle. So the temple is an enlarged tabernacle. The dimensions of the temple, converted to our dimensions, are twenty-seven meters long, nine meters wide and fourteen meters high. The porch in front is extra, as are the windows (1Kgs 6:3-4). There were no windows in the tabernacle.

The temple, like the tabernacle, is a picture of:

1. the revelation of the glory of God in Christ,

2. the dwelling place of God; and

3. a place where man can approach God to serve Him as a priest.

There are two descriptions of the temple. They are in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. In 2 Chronicles the emphasis is on the altar – and thus the service in connection with the altar – and approaching God. Here in 1 Kings the altar is not mentioned, nor the veil. Here dwelling is emphasized, because here we also have chambers all around the temple, where the priests live. Around the temple, i.e. on both long sides and the back, not the front, chambers are built in three floors (1Kgs 6:5-6).

There is an even greater joy than to go to the temple and that is to dwell there. This leads to the priesthood that is expressed in a special way in the praise of the LORD (1Chr 9:33).

Where God has His dwelling place, He surrounds Himself with dwelling places. Therefore we can also see the temple as a picture of the Father’s house, of which the Lord Jesus says there are “many dwelling places” (Jn 14:2). The Lord Jesus also calls the temple “My Father’s house” (Jn 2:16).

The temple is not only a greater repetition of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was meant to be carried through the wilderness. The temple contrariwise is fixed, there is rest for God. The people have come to rest and live in rest in the promised land, and God dwells among His people. After the wilderness journey, the meaning of the tabernacle is ended. In the letter to the Hebrews, the tabernacle is always mentioned, but that is because of the point of view from which the writer views God’s people.

The temple is in the land. It presupposes a people in possession of the land, which for us is a picture of the heavenly places. The temple is on a higher level. Three times a year, the Israelite goes to the three harvest feasts, when he has gathered the blessings from the land. Are we familiar with the blessings of the promised land, for us the heavenly places? Only then will we understand and appreciate the meaning of the temple.

To explain 1Kgs 6:6, a remark is made in the middle of the description of the priestly dwellings in 1Kgs 6:7 about the ready-prepared stones for the temple. The stones have already been worked in the quarry, so that no sound is heard during building.

In the spiritual sense we see that man is naturally dust, but when he becomes a believer, he becomes a stone (1Pet 2:5). Christ is the rock from Whom we are hewn and as such have been added to the house of God. The work of God’s Spirit is done in silence, without the outward display and the great noise that is present in many Christian communities.

In 1Kgs 6:8-10 there are three stories. This also shows a certain growth, because the rooms are getting bigger and bigger higher up. It contains the encouragement for each priest not to stay on the lower story, but to go higher. What the chambers are, we read in the third description of the temple, in Ezekiel 42, the temple of the kingdom of peace (Eze 42:1-12). These are the places where the priests abide. It is not a question of approaching, but of abiding constantly (cf. Psa 23:6b ; Psa 27:4).