CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 5
- Jun 12
- 6 min read
Week 1 / Day 5
INTRODUCTION
Today, we will be wrapping up week 1 of our Crowned series by diving into 1 Kings 5. Let’s take a moment to meet the individuals we will be reading about in today’s passage.
Solomon - the new King of Israel, whom we are getting to know quite well already!
Hiram, King of Tyre - a Phoenician King who serves as a crucial ally and business partner to King Solomon, forming a partnership of nations that spans beyond only the rebuilding of the temple.
Adoniram - an Israelite recruited to oversee the labor force working to build the temple. Think of him like the temple project manager. His long-standing government role spanned three administrations: King David, King Solomon, and King Rehoboam.
Men of Gebal - The Phoenician coastal city of Gebal, later called Byblos by the Greeks, was an important Mediterranean port city. The men of this region were master stonemasons and shipwrights, whose skill sets and partnership are also mentioned in Ezekiel 27:9.
READ
Now, if you haven’t done so already, go ahead and read 1 Kings 5.
REFLECT
1 Kings 5 continues to paint a picture of Solomon’s unfolding Kingship, in which he continues to honor the legacy of his father, David, and continues to walk in the supernatural wisdom and abundant blessings given to him by the Lord. And though there are many lessons we can glean from this passage, I want to focus on one in particular today: the power and importance of unity!
If you’ve been in church for a decent amount of time, you have likely heard a message preached on 1 Corinthians 12:12-17, which reminds us that we are all one body made up of many members and that each member has their own role to play and calling to fulfill. And 1 Kings 5 serves as a pillar in upholding that foundational truth of “one body, many members.”
Oftentimes, when we think of the church as a body, we think only of MY skill sets or talents compared to YOUR skill sets and talents, and how each works together to bring people to Jesus. However, this “many members, one body” imagery goes much deeper than that! In fact, it’s not just about unity in mission, but a beautiful tapestry of legacy and collaboration in working together with the Lord and with others across countless generations. What do I mean? Let’s look at today’s passage to help unpack it all.
Right off we see the idea of “many members, one body” reflected in the way Solomon continues to honor his father's legacy. You see, though it will be Solomon who ultimately builds the temple of the Lord, it was his father, David, who originally dreamed of the project. Let’s read an excerpt of that account, found in 2 Samuel 7, together:
“When King David was settled in his palace, and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the Lord said to Nathan…”Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed…Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you - a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house - a temple - for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 2 Samuel 7: 1-4, 8-10a, 11b-13 (NLT)
Essentially, what this passage is telling us is that David had an idea - and it was a good one! As he sat in his beautiful palace, he had the thought - how is it right that I, an earthly King, have such a grand home while the Lord, the King of Kings, does not! So he calls for Nathan, a prophet and close friend and confidant, and says, “Nathan, what do you think? Should we build a beautiful house for the Lord?”
At first, Nathan’s reply was “Go for it!” But then the Lord speaks to Nathan and says, “Go back and tell David not to build a home for me. Not because it’s not a good idea,, but because it is not David who will build it.
I’m sure that was a somewhat difficult conversation for Nathan to have. Not only had he already supported his king and friend in saying “Let’s do it! Let’s build this thing!” and is now having to take back those words of strong support and encouragement, but he is also having to “squash the dreams”, if you will, of a man eager and excited to do something great for the Lord!
But beyond that, I am sure both Nathan and David were wondering then, much like you and I are wondering now, why? If it’s a good idea and the Lord makes it clear that it WILL happen in the future, why not now? Why not under David’s leadership?
Because, as the Lord reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-9:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (NLT)
In other words, the Lord knows far more than we do, and so He knew that, though the idea itself was a great one, the timing was not right because David was not “the guy” destined to build the temple. You see, David was a man of war, and it was through his giftings and calling that the kingdom expanded greatly, gained secure borders, and amassed great wealth. All of which were necessary in order for the building of the temple to be a success.
Solomon, on the other hand, was a man of peace, living in a tranquil and wealthy kingdom without warfare, which provided for the perfect season, free of war and abundant in resources, in which to build the Temple of the Lord.
And that is exactly what I mean when I say “many members, one body” goes much deeper than simply unity in mission. It’s about legacy and collaboration. It’s about each of us playing our part, leading in our God-given strengths while walking in God-given wisdom, working together with the Lord and with others across countless generations to accomplish His will for our lives.
David and Solomon could not have been more different! David’s reign was filled with war and conquest, and Solomon’s was filled with peace. They were two different men, in two different seasons, with two very different strengths and leadership styles, and yet they were both valuable, needed, and timely. For it was because of the battles won and the abundance amassed under David’s leadership that the next generation, under Solomon’s leadership, had the resources needed to build the temple and enjoyed a time of peace, allowing construction to proceed much more smoothly. Again, two very different men, together accomplishing one very unified mission.
And the same is true for each one of us! No matter if the Lord has called you to be a temple builder, a warrior, a priest, or anything in between - the mission is the same: we are all called to faithfully follow the Lord’s leading for our lives individually and, in doing so, staying on mission for the Lord, unified and together from generation to generation- “many members, one body.”
RESPOND
God’s timing and plans were different from what David expected. Is there an area of your life where you are struggling to trust God’s timing? What would it look like to surrender your plans and trust His ways are higher than your own?
David had a vision to build the temple, but Solomon was the one chosen to complete it. How does it challenge the way you think about success, legacy, and your role in God’s larger plan?
The Lord used David’s strengths in one season and Solomon’s strengths in another. What unique gifts, experiences, or opportunities has God given you, and how can you faithfully use them in your current season?
Building the temple required the faithfulness and obedience of multiple generations working together. Who has helped lay a spiritual foundation in your life, and how can you invest in future generations to continue God’s work?
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