The Temple of Solomon, often referred to as the First Temple, holds a significant place in biblical history as the central place of worship for the Israelites and the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. Commissioned by King Solomon, the son of King David, the temple was constructed in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the site where Abraham was to offer Isaac (2 Chronicles 3:1).

Construction and Design

The construction of Solomon's Temple is detailed in 1 Kings 6-7 and 2 Chronicles 3-4. Solomon began building the temple in the fourth year of his reign, around 966 BC, and it took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:37-38). The temple was designed according to divine specifications given to David by God (1 Chronicles 28:11-19).

The temple's dimensions were approximately 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high (1 Kings 6:2). It was built using the finest materials, including cedar from Lebanon, gold, silver, and precious stones. The interior was adorned with intricate carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, all overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:29-30).

The Holy of Holies

At the heart of the temple was the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, a perfect cube measuring 20 cubits on each side. This sacred space housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (1 Kings 8:6-9). The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a veil, symbolizing the separation between God and humanity due to sin.

The Dedication of the Temple

The dedication of Solomon's Temple is a pivotal event recorded in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7. Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and the heads of the tribes to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the temple. As the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the glory of the LORD filled the temple in the form of a cloud, signifying God's presence (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Solomon's prayer of dedication emphasized the temple as a place of prayer and repentance, where God's people could seek forgiveness and guidance (1 Kings 8:22-53). The king acknowledged that even the heavens could not contain God, much less the temple he had built (1 Kings 8:27).

Significance and Legacy

Solomon's Temple served as the spiritual and cultural center of Israel for nearly four centuries. It was the focal point for the major religious festivals and the sacrificial system, which foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The temple symbolized God's covenant with Israel and His desire to dwell among His people.

Despite its grandeur, the temple was not immune to the consequences of Israel's disobedience. In 586 BC, the Babylonians, under King Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Solomon's Temple, fulfilling the prophetic warnings of judgment due to the nation's idolatry and unfaithfulness (2 Kings 25:8-9).

The legacy of Solomon's Temple endures in the biblical narrative as a precursor to the Second Temple and ultimately, the spiritual temple established through Jesus Christ, where believers are described as living stones being built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5).1 Chronicles 29:3
Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of my own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.
Nave's Topical Index

The Account of the Building of Solomon's Temple Contains Serious ...
... The Account of the Building of Solomon's Temple Contains Serious Difficulties and
is to Be ... The holy house, too, was got ready in peace and was to be built for ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/24 the account of the.htm

The Temple Spoken of by Christ is the Church. Application to the ...
... of Tyre, cooperates in the building of the temple, and gives his own sons to the
sons of Solomon, to hew ... the great and precious stones for the holy place, which ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/23 the temple spoken of.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... Solomon his son a charge to build the temple of God ... his son the pattern of all; and
thus Solomon his son ... WHOSE HOSE ARE WE, doth build his holy habitation for ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

The Story of Solomon and his Temple
... So David made ready great store of precious things for the temple; also stone and
cedar to ... This was a holy place, and he hoped that there Solomon might have ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of solomon and.htm

The Building of the Golden House.
... of the law, was carried into the most holy place, and ... Then Solomon stood before all
the people and gave thanks to God and asked him to take the temple for his ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the building of.htm

Altar and Temple
... people groping amid the ruins on the Temple hill, to ... destruction, and of the glories
of Solomon's dedication, and ... the countries.' The state of the Holy Land at ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

Great Preparations for a Great Work
Expositions of Holy Scripture. ... request to Hiram, and the preparation of the material
for the Temple. Solomon's first care was to secure timber and stone. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/great preparations for a great.htm

The Promised King and Temple-Builder
Expositions of Holy Scripture. ... the relation of the two things, God's building and
Solomon's, is not ... was an essential preliminary to the rearing of the Temple. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/the promised king and temple-builder.htm

The Founder and Finisher of the Temple
Expositions of Holy Scripture. ... with small resources, to build up some humble house
that might represent the vanished glories of Solomon's Temple. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the founder and finisher of.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem.
... favor to Israel in making her holy house His dwelling ... made by divine inspiration.(
25) Solomon, the wisest of ... This temple was the most magnificent building which ...
/.../1 the destruction of jerusalem.htm

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