CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 7

PODCAST

Week 1 / Day 7

INTRODUCTION

If you struggled with reading the seemingly lackluster content of 1 Kings 6, then get ready, because 1 Kings 7 is more of the same.  Only this time, you will tackle 51 verses versus the 38 verses you read yesterday.  And so, before you begin reading begrudgingly, reading just for reading's sake, I want to take a moment to challenge your thinking a bit. 

Let me begin by asking you a question:  What is the Bible?   To put it simply, the Bible is the inspired word of God.   “Inspired Word of God” means God-breathed, which tells us that the Holy Spirit divinely guided the human authors so that the words they wrote are literally God’s message for us today. 

That means that the laundry list of words that we read yesterday and will read today is not there by accident.  So though the temptation will be to gloss over the verses, gleaning only the “big picture” of the text, I challenge you to slow down and think about what you are reading!  Because if God included it in the Bible, then He has something He wants us to read, hear, and learn, no matter how mundane it may appear at the outset.  

READ

Now, go ahead and read 1 Kings 7, taking your time and reading with intention and purpose.

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REFLECT

1 Kings 7 can easily be split into two parts: The building of the temple and the furnishing of the temple.  And for our time together today, we will be focusing on the latter. 

Clearly, Solomon did not spare any expense in making the Temple a grand space!  And the grand nature of it all didn’t stop at the gold-covered interior of the Temple proper but spilt out beyond the Temple and into the porch (or vestibule) area.  Arguably, the most prominent of these opulent structures were the two free-standing pillars of bronze, which were so noteworthy that they were given names: Jachin, which means “He will establish”, and Boaz, which means “in Him is strength.”

Now, again, these pillars were free-standing.  That means these humongous structures, which reached heights greater than 27 feet, were not load-bearing and served no structural purpose for the temple!  So, what was the point?

Though similar free-standing pillars were a common architectural feature during this time in History, these specific ones held a much deeper value than mere aesthetics.  You see, these two pillars served as a reminder to all who saw them that all we have and all we are comes from the Lord and the Lord alone.  Upon seeing them, the people’s minds would have been quickened with thoughts like “Look!  There is ‘He shall establish” and there is “in Him is strength!’” , reminding them of the Lord’s faithfulness in the past, building their faith for His faithfulness in the future, and preparing their hearts and minds for worship.

In fact, to take it a step further, the Temple itself was “a place where people experienced what the pillars were all about.  At that house, people were established in their relationship with God.  At that house, people were given strength from the Lord.  From this building, it should go out to the whole community:  Come here and get established.  Come here and receive the strength of God.”

Another “show stopper” found within this inner courtyard of the Temple was the Brazen Sea, also called the Molten Sea or Bronze Sea, depending on the Bible translation you are reading.

Upon first reading, this feature almost conjures up images of molten lava; however, that is definitely not what is being described here.  This “Brazen Sea” is akin to the “Brazen Laver” found in the tabernacle (Exodus 27), as both were used for ceremonial cleansing and purification.   The main difference…size!  Where the Brazen Laver held approximately 300 gallons of water, the Brazen Sea held approximately 12,000 - 18,000 gallons. 

Why the massive upgrade? 

First, the Brazen Laver of the tabernacle was used during the years of wilderness wandering and so needed to be portable.  Therefore, it was a simple basin used by priests to wash their hands and feet as a part of the purification process before entering the holy place (Exodus 30:18).  The Brazen Sea was designed to handle large-scale rituals at the new permanent, centralized temple.  The depth of the sea allowed priests to fully immerse themselves rather than just rinsing their hands and feet. 

Second, the shift from the smaller Tabernacle Laver to the massive Sea at the Temple reflected the growth of the nation of Israel, foreshadowing the full and immersive purification to come through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  Just as there was a more complete cleansing as the Sea replaced the Laver, an even greater cleansing would soon take place when the Sea is replaced by the Cross, closing out the old covenant and ushering in the new.  

In addition to the Bronze Sea, Solomon also built 10 movable Bronze Lavers that lined the Sea.  While the Sea was reserved for the cleansing of the priests, these small, movable structures were used to cleanse the animal sacrifices offered on the Brazen Altar (the altar of sacrifice). 

In the same way that the pillars would have served as an unavoidable visual reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness and strength, this Brazen Sea, the 10 Brazen altars, and the ritual of washing and cleansing that came with them would have served as visual reminders of their humanity and fallen nature. 

Today, we no longer have need of temple court yards stocked with lavers and seas and altars for animal sacrifice, for, as you know, Jesus came and served as the ultimate sacrifice for us all!  However, though the need for ritual under the old covenant has been eliminated, our need for the Savior that it points to has not.  And just as the people of Israel were reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness and strength each time they passed by the courtyard pillars, and of their need for cleansing from the Lord every time they passed by the Brazen Sea and Brazen Altars, we too need to be reminded of the same. 

But without the temple structures in place to help call those truths to remembrance, what are we to do? 

In the same way the Priests washed in the Brazen Laver, we are to wash ourselves in the word daily.  Not just sprinkling a little on our hands and feet and going about our day, but fully immersing ourselves in it, meditating on it, praying over it, and allowing it to cleanse us and change us from the inside out.   Recognizing every step of the way that we are fallen and broken people only made new and made whole in Him! 

And just as the pillars stood tall declaring the faithfulness and strength of the Lord, we must take time daily to stand firm in prayer, remember who He is, not just what He’s done, and prepare ourselves to live lives of worship, not simply being people who take time for moments of worship on a Sunday morning.

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RESPOND

1. The Pillars Jachin (He will establish) and Boaz (In Him is strength) reminded God’s people of who He is.  When challenges or uncertainties arise, what truths about God’s character do you most need to remember?  How can you intentionally keep those truths before you each day?

2. The Bronze Sea pointed to the need for cleansing before entering God’s presence and foreshadowed the greater cleansing found in Christ.  Are there areas of your life where you have settled for a “surface-level” relationship with God rather than allowing Him to transform you from the inside out?

3. Israel’s worshippers were surrounded by visual reminders of both God’s faithfulness and their need for Him.  What rhythms, habits, or practices help keep you mindful of God’s presence throughout the week?

4. Today’s reflection showed us that the Temple was not just where the Spirit of God was housed, but it was also a place where people could be established in God and receive strength from Him.  Today, the “temple of the Lord” isn’t a building; instead, WE are the temple.  With that in mind, when people interact with you, do they encounter someone who points them towards God’s faithfulness and strength?    How can you serve as a pillar for the Lord in your home, in your community, and at your job?