Topical Bible: Solomon: Builds the Temple

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Introduction

Solomon, the son of King David and Bathsheba, is renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and extensive building projects, the most significant of which is the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This monumental task, often referred to as Solomon's Temple or the First Temple, is a pivotal event in biblical history, symbolizing the establishment of a permanent dwelling place for the presence of God among His people.

Biblical Account

The narrative of Solomon building the Temple is primarily found in 1 Kings 5-8 and 2 Chronicles 2-7. Solomon's reign is marked by peace and prosperity, providing the ideal conditions for such an ambitious project. The Temple's construction fulfills the divine promise made to David, Solomon's father, that his son would build a house for the Lord's name (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

Preparation and Planning

Solomon's preparation for the Temple's construction is meticulous. He secures a treaty with Hiram, king of Tyre, to obtain the finest materials, including cedar and cypress timber from Lebanon (1 Kings 5:6-10). Solomon also enlists skilled laborers, including stonecutters and craftsmen, to ensure the Temple's grandeur and precision (1 Kings 5:17-18).

Construction Details

The Temple's construction begins in the fourth year of Solomon's reign and takes seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:1, 38). The structure is built on Mount Moriah, the site where Abraham was to offer Isaac (2 Chronicles 3:1). The Temple's dimensions and design are divinely inspired, with the inner sanctuary, or Most Holy Place, housing the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19).

The Temple is adorned with gold, precious stones, and intricate carvings, reflecting the glory and majesty of God. The interior features two cherubim made of olive wood, overlaid with gold, symbolizing the divine presence (1 Kings 6:23-28).

Dedication of the Temple

Upon completion, Solomon dedicates the Temple with a grand ceremony, inviting the elders of Israel and the heads of the tribes to witness the event (1 Kings 8:1-2). The Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Most Holy Place, and the glory of the Lord fills the Temple, signifying His approval and presence (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Solomon offers a profound prayer of dedication, acknowledging God's faithfulness and sovereignty. He petitions the Lord to hear the prayers of His people when they pray toward the Temple, emphasizing the Temple's role as a house of prayer for all nations (1 Kings 8:22-53).

Significance

The construction of the Temple marks a significant moment in Israel's history, establishing Jerusalem as the spiritual center of the nation. It serves as a tangible representation of God's covenant with Israel and His desire to dwell among His people. The Temple becomes the focal point of Jewish worship and sacrifice, playing a central role in the religious life of Israel.

Legacy

Solomon's Temple stands as a testament to his wisdom and dedication to the Lord. Although it is later destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, the memory of the Temple endures, influencing subsequent Jewish thought and practice. The Temple's construction and dedication underscore the themes of divine presence, covenant faithfulness, and the centrality of worship in the life of God's people.

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1 Kings 5:1
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
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1 Kings 6:1
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
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1 Kings 9:10
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
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1 Chronicles 6:10
And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)
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2 Chronicles 2:1
And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
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2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
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2 Chronicles 4:1
Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
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2 Chronicles 7:11
Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
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Jeremiah 52:20
The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
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Acts 7:1
Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
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Library

The Temple Spoken of by Christ is the Church. Application to the ...
... of profound peace has arrived; he builds the temple for ... the truth of each statement
made about the temple. ... Christ will be Solomon, which means "Peaceful," [5121 ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/23 the temple spoken of.htm

David's Charge to Solomon
... Jesus builds the true Temple. ... that the throne belongs to David and his descendants
by real 'divine right,' and that God's choice is Solomon, who is to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/davids charge to solomon.htm

Altar and Temple
... peace, and builds the Temple. Zerubbabel ('Sown in Babylon') belonged to a collateral
branch of the royal family. The direct Davidic line through Solomon died ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

The Priest of the World and King of Men
... Christ builds on through all the ages, and the prophecy ... Beware lest God's grand temple
should be built up ... house which the King greater than Solomon is building ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the priest of the world.htm

Christ Glorified as the Builder of his Church
... Ah! but herein Solomon fails to be a type of Christ. Christ builds the
temple himself. There stand the cedars of Lebanon that the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/christ glorified as the builder.htm

It Follows in the Creed, "And in the Holy Ghost. ...
... Of which blessed Stephen says, "Solomon built Him an house ... God that builds our bodies,
God that builds our members, and our bodies are the temple of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on the creeds/section 13 it follows in.htm

A Greater than Solomon
... But Jesus builds for eternity, an everlasting temple, and, when all visible things
pass away, and the very ruins of Solomon's temple and Solomon's aqueduct are ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/a greater than solomon.htm

Of the Three-Fold Meaning of the Prophecies, which are to be ...
... Jerusalem, and that it is prophesied the house of God shall be in it; and this prophecy
seems to be fulfilled when king Solomon builds that most noble temple. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 3 of the three-fold meaning.htm

The Founder and Finisher of the Temple
... house that might represent the vanished glories of Solomon's Temple. ... may be perfectly
sure that the Temple which He ... Though He builds all Himself, yet He will ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the founder and finisher of.htm

The Desire of all Nations
... with the lifting of his finger have outdone the glory of Solomon's temple, but in ...
have, come at last out of the quarry, and he builds them up into a temple. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/the desire of all nations.htm