CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 6

PODCAST

Week 1 / Day 6

INTRODUCTION

Before we begin reading today’s passage, I want to take a moment to shed a bit of light on what you are about to read.  Over the next few days, we are going to be doing a pretty deep dive into the what’s, why’s, and how’s of the temple being built under Solomon’s leadership, but I want to make sure that you do not confuse the TABERNACLE, which is described to us in the book of Exodus, and the TEMPLE, which is being built here.  What’s the difference?  Where the Tabernacle was a portable, temporary tent used during the wilderness wanderings, the Temple, about which we will begin reading today, was a much larger, grand, permanent stone structure built in Jerusalem.

READ

With that in mind, go ahead and read 1 Kings 6 and then come back here so we can dig deeper into the passage together.

---

REFLECT

Now, let’s break down what we just read.​In verses 1-6, we are given some “big picture” details about the building of the temple.  Verse 1 serves as a kind of historical marker, helping to pinpoint both an approximate date for the Exodus (the mass departure of God’s people from slavery in Egypt) and how long Israel has lived in the promised land, which totaled just over 400 years.  Then, in verses 2-6, which take place in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, the temple construction officially begins, the plans for which had been pre-laid in the years prior with the help of his father, King David  (1 Chronicles 28:11-12).  ​It is in these verses that we learn that there are four main structures included in this building project, which, if you look back at the building plans for the tabernacle described in Exodus chapters 25 - 31, very much mirror that original portable structure.  Those four structures include:

• The temple proper, which was divided into two rooms: the holy place and the most holy place.  

• The vestibule or entrance hall to the east of the temple.

• The three-storied side chambers, which were used for storage.

• The large courtyard surrounding the whole structure (aka the inner court).

Verses 7-10 then go on to detail the construction, verses 11-13 tell of God’s promise to Solomon, and finally, verses 14-28 tell of the splendor of the completed temple.  ​

Ok.  If you are anything like me, you may be thinking to yourself, "That was somewhat interesting…but why in the world do I need to know all those intricate details?"  After all, these “blueprints” are not something we follow in building our churches today.  So why does it matter?

A simple answer to that question is - it shows us that God is a God of order.  Just as he perfectly ordered David’s part to play in preparing for the temple build and Solomon’s part in executing it, he also perfectly ordered the plan in building it.

But a deeper, more complete answer is that, woven within the seemingly unimportant details of the temple, we see both the fulfillment of promises and covenants made in the past, as well as a beautiful foreshadowing and visual aid of the redemption story to come through Jesus.  Or, to put it another way…​

“God was not only interested in the end result of a built temple.  But he was also interested in the process of construction.” David Guzik

What are some of those “processes” we see represented here? 

First, we are reminded of the importance of keeping the Lord at the center of our work AT ALL TIMES.  Now, I’m not just talking about the “work” you do for Him when you serve at church or when you tell people about Him.  Obviously, definitely keep Him at the center in those times too, but He should be the center of ALL we do! 

Here we have Solomon leading up a big construction project, a task that has a blueprint and all already in place, and yet what does the Lord remind Him in 1 Kings 6:11-12?

“Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: ‘Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.’”​

Solomon may be building a structure for the Lord, but it is the man Solomon is being built into, not the Temple itself, that is most important.  Verse 12 declares that the Lord’s promise will be fulfilled as a result of Solomon’s faithfulness in following the Lord’s “decrees and regulations”, not upon the completion of a task, in this case, the building of the Temple.  ​

Second, 1 Kings 6:7 tells us:

“The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, or ax, or any other tool at the building site.” (NLT)

This verse tells us that not only were there very specific instructions given on HOW the temple was to be built, but there were even specifics on WHERE each aspect of the building would take place.  Here we read that the stone used for both the temple's foundation and walls was cut and fully prepared at the quarry, so the construction site remained free of typical construction noise.  Why was this important?

For one, the Temple was to be a place of reverence and peace.  And from moment one of the construction process, the space remained just that, reverent, peaceful, and free from loud hammering and banging that normally would have come with hewing the stone on site. 

This seemingly “minor” detail teaches us a powerful lesson:  Don’t confuse times of silence with the Lord’s inaction or neglect.  If we are honest with ourselves, we tend to be “I’ll believe it when I see it” people when it comes to the work of the Lord, especially in the work He is doing in the hearts and lives of others. In fact, many times we are so adept at doing so that we struggle with ever being able to see the redeemed version of a person who has hurt us or wronged us, forgetting that “often the greatest work of the kingdom of God happens quietly.*”

Lord, help us not forget that, as the old song Way Maker says, “Even when I don’t see it, You’re working.”  And that truth applies to both my situation, my heart, and my life, as well as to the hearts and lives of those around me.  After all, the temple work was only quiet because of the “pre-work” done at the quarry. 

But the Temple wasn’t just a building for God’s people then; it also foreshadowed what is to come for each of us when we one day enter Heaven.  For you see, just as heaven will be a place of perfect harmony, free of imperfections, the temple stones were made perfect, being mined, cut, constructed, and prepared, before being put into place in the temple - no further construction needed.

And it is this “pre-temple” preparation that is taking place in our hearts and lives here and now!  The Lord is working on us in the quarry - cutting off our jagged pieces and sanding down our rough edges.  Creating us, forming us, and preparing us daily here, until we, one day, walk fully perfect and whole into the beauty of Heaven - the ultimate, forever firm and lasting Temple of God.  I love how David Guzik puts it:

“Jesus said He went to prepare a place for us.  But it is also true that He prepares us for that place.”

Finally, at the close of this word of covenant promise spoken by the Lord, verse 13 says that He will “dwell among the children of Israel” (ESV).  Notice, He doesn’t say “And I will live in this grand temple you have built for me!” but rather He is intentional to say “I will dwell among you.”  This is important for two reasons.  One, it was the custom and tradition for the pagan gods to live IN the temples built for them.  Here, the Lord is keeping Himself separate from those other gods and the practices of their people. Two, God’s desire and ultimate plan has always been to live among His people, which we see resonating throughout both the Old Testament, by way of the tabernacle and then the temple, AND in the New Testament, by way of the promise (Jesus) and our future hope (eternity with Him). 

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.” Exodus 25:8 (NLT)

“I will live among you, and I will not despise you.  I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26:11-12 (NLT)

“I will make my home among them.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Ezekiel 37:27

“The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

”So the Word became human and made His home among us.”  John 1:14a (NLT)

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”  1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT)

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people!  He will live with them, and they will be His people.   God Himself will be with them.” Revelation 21:3 (NLT)

From the very beginning of time, God’s desire has been to be among HIs people.  From the Garden of Eden in Genesis, where He walked side by side with Adam and Eve, to the time to come after the Lord returns for His people once and for all, as we read in Revelation, He has always dwelt among us! 

Not requiring a grand temple from us, as was true for the pagan gods, but, rather, desiring nothing more than closeness with us.  I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful for a God who is with me and for me.  One who created me and continues to mold me and shape me.  He always works with incredible care, intention, and purpose.  However, oftentimes I get so distracted by striving for the end result (the “temples” to be built and the tasks of life to be completed) that I neglect to see the beauty found in the process of it - the beauty of simply being close to Him.

---

RESPOND

1. The temple stones were shaped and prepared at the quarry before being put into place.  What rough edges, habits, attitudes, or areas of growth is God shaping in your life right now?  What can you do to lean into the process, allowing Him to do a deeper work in and through you?

2. When you look back over your life, can you identify a season that felt like a “quarry” experience - painful, hidden, or difficult - but that God later used to shape you into who you are today?  What did that season reveal about God’s character?

3. The Lord’s promise to Solomon focused on who Solomon was becoming rather than what Solomon was building.   Are there any “end results” you are so focused on achieving that you are missing what God is trying to teach you in the process?  What might it look like to embrace the process as part of His purpose?

4. Throughout Scripture, God’s desire has been to dwell among His people.  How does knowing that God wants a relationship and closeness with you change the way you approach your walk with Him?  What barriers - whether busyness, fear, pride, distraction, or something else - tend to keep you from experiencing the closeness with God that He desires?