You can turn in your Bibles to First Kings, Chapter 6. First Kings, Chapter 6. Last time, two weeks ago, we looked at chapter 5, the preparation to build the temple. Tonight, we'll actually see the building of the temple.

The larger context, 1 Kings chapter 1 and 2 is the rise of Solomon. Chapters 3 to 11 is the reign of Solomon. And specifically here in chapters 5 to 7, Solomon builds the temple. And then in chapter 8, Solomon dedicates the temple.

So I'll just begin reading in chapter 6 at verse 1. And it came to pass in the four hundredth and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month that he began to build the house of the Lord. Now the house which King Solomon built for the Lord, its length was 60 cubits, its width 20, and its height 30 cubits. The vestibule in front of the sanctuary of the house was 20 cubits long across the width of the house, and the width of the vestibule extended 10 cubits from the front of the house.

And he made for the house windows with beveled frames. Against the wall of the temple he built chambers all around, against the walls of the temple, all around the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all around it. The lowest chamber was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide.

For he made narrow ledges around the outside of the temple, so that the support beams would not be fastened into the walls of the temple. And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built. The doorway for the middle story was on the right side of the temple. They went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third.

So he built the temple and finished it, and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar. And he built side chambers against the entire temple, each five cubits high. They were attached to the temple with cedar beams. Then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in my statutes, execute my judgments, keep all my commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform my word with you, which I spoke to your father David, and I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

So Solomon built the temple and finished it. And he built the inside walls of the temple with cedar boards. From the floor of the temple to the ceiling, he paneled the inside with wood. And he covered the floor of the temple with planks of cypress.

Then he built the 20-cubit room at the rear of the temple from floor to ceiling with cedar boards. He built it inside as the inner sanctuary, as the most holy place. And in front of it, the temple sanctuary was 40 cubits long. The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with ornamental buds and open flowers.

All was cedar. There was no stone to be seen. And he prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple to set the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord there. The inner sanctuary was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 20 cubits high.

He overlaid it with pure gold and overlaid the altar of cedar. So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold. He stretched gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary and overlaid it with gold. The whole temple he overlaid with gold until he had finished all the temple.

Also he overlaid with gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary. Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each 10 cubits high. One wing of the cherub was five cubits and the other wing of the cherub five cubits, 10 cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. The other cherub was 10 cubits.

Both cherubim were of the same size and shape. The height of one cherub was 10 cubits, and so was the other cherub. Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room, and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. Also, he overlaid the cherubim with gold.

Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. And the floor of the temple he overlaid with gold, both the inner and outer sanctuaries. For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood. The lintel and doorposts were one-fifth of the wall.

The two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them figures of cherubim. palm trees and open flowers and overlaid them with gold. And he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees. So for the door of the sanctuary, he also made doorposts of olive wood, one-fourth of the wall. And the two doors were of cypress wood.

Two panels comprised one folding door, and two panels comprised the other folding door. Then he carved cherubim, palm trees, and opened flowers on them, and overlaid them with gold applied evenly on the carved work. And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams. In the fourth year, the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid in the month of Ziv.

And in the 11th year, in the month of Bul, which is in the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it. Amen.

Introduction

Now certainly this is a passage I would believe Doug Lutain would be interested in. The architecture, the design, the makeup, the various articles that went into the building of the temple. Some of us or some persons might read through this and think it's just a bunch of sort of mundane details that aren't very interesting to other than the architecturally minded. It's kind of like those home shows.

For whatever reason, people like to watch those and see the details and see all the ins and outs and all of the particulars that go into the building or construction of a particular home. And that's what's going on here. I think that as Solomon is building the temple, obviously he's using builders, but as the author is relating this to us, it is to display God's glory It is to display His worth, His majesty, and His excellence. And I think we'll see that as we move through the passage tonight.

As well, most of the Israelites would never get a peek inside the temple. They would never be allowed into the holy place of the Holy of Holies. And so this description would speak to the Israelites. They would be able, in a sense, to have an understanding of the layout and the construction and what was going on with reference to the worship of the God of Israel.

Well, as we look at this particular chapter, we're not going to go through all of the particular parts. and all of the details concerning the construction. Some of it is a bit ambiguous to those of us who are far removed, but I think we can learn certain lessons. And I think there's three things or three ways that the chapter breaks down.

Exterior of the Temple

In the first place, we have the construction of the exterior of the temple in verses 1 to 10. Secondly, the emphasis on obedience to the law of God in verses 11 to 13, and then the construction of the interior of the temple in verses 14 to 38. But note in the first place, with reference to the exterior, before The author gets into the description in verses 2 to 10.

Historical and Covenantal Context

He sets it in its historical context. He sets it in the covenantal context, I think, to highlight God's faithfulness. Notice in verse 1, it came to pass in the 480th year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt. in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel in the month of Ziv, which is the second month that he began to build the house of the Lord. This is an obvious reference to the exodus that occurred when God delivered the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt.

There's connection between that event and this event. They're two mighty acts of God. In the first place, God provides deliverance. He provides freedom to the people of Israel.

In this instance, God provides stability. God provides permanence. They move from that place of wandering with a tabernacle that was very transient to their own land, their own place in the land, and now this central sanctuary. Now Solomon began his reign in 971 BC.

So he started construction on the temple in 966 BC. If we subtract 480 years, that puts us back at the Exodus. 1446 BC. Look at Exodus chapter 12 for just a moment to see something of a historical summary concerning the Exodus itself. Similar to what we find here concerning the temple.

In Exodus chapter 12 at verse 40, now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was 430 years. And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, on that very same day, it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. I think it's interesting for us to understand or at least observe God's timing. This is a long period of time that Israel was in bondage.

They were 430 years. And they were then 480 years until they had this temple, until they had this permanent place. God is faithful to his promises. Remember back in Genesis chapter 12, he promises Abraham that he would have a land.

In 2 Samuel 7, God promised that a son of God, a son of David, would build a house for the Lord. Now, a lot of time transpires, but God's faithfulness is realized. And we need to understand that His ways are sure, but they're not always instant. Whether you are in the bondage in Egypt, or you're wandering around through the wilderness, worshiping at a temporary shrine, you can realize and know of a truth that God is faithful.

He will make good on His promises. And that's so much of what the Old Testament communicates to us. Obviously, the New does as well because it fulfills what was promised concerning the Lord Jesus, and in the fullness of the time, God sent forth His Son. I think one of the temptations or the tendencies of God's people is to want to rush God.

We want to put Him on our time clock. We want Him to perform or to answer our prayers in a suitable manner, suitable to us and not necessarily to Him. So for 480 years these people were wanderers, now they have permanence, now they have stability.

God Delivers and Settles Israel

Davis says that one could say, here, the exodus was now complete. Yahweh had not only intended to save Israel, but to settle Israel. It's a beautiful thing. He shows himself as the God who both delivers and establishes.

Promise to David Fulfilled

Now go back to 2 Samuel 7. You'll see this stated by God and fleshed out here in the building of the temple. Notice that in chapter 7, I know we refer to this often because it's so crucial and fundamental and foundational to all of these narratives, but notice in 2 Samuel chapter 7, God rehearses the fact that he himself was transient along with his pilgrim people. Notice in verse 6, well, the context.

David, sitting in David's palace, is musing on the fact that he dwells in a house full of cedar, but the Ark of God dwells inside tent curtains. And so David wants to build a house for God. He asks Nathan, Nathan approves it. When Nathan goes to God, God says, no, it's not going to be David.

And so God now communicates to Nathan his plan, his purpose, his procedure with reference to this temple building exercise. Verse 6, For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? It's a blessed thing concerning our God.

He comes to dwell with His people. If they are not permanent, if they are not stable in the land, then He neither will be either. He will be transient alongside of His people. He will be in that tabernacle where His people are.

Notice he continues, verses 7 and 8, the call of David to make sure that that stability in the land was provided so that Solomon could build the house for God. Verse 7, wherever I have moved about, about with all the children of Israel, excuse me, verse 8. Now therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the sheep fold, from following the sheep to be ruler over my people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you and have made you a great name like the name of the great men who are on the earth.

So you see, God used David to go about and to fight the wars for Israel, to render ineffective and to render useless the enemies of Israel so that Solomon his son could rise up and build this house. Verse 10, Moreover, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more, nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them any more as previously, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies, And the Lord tells you that He will make you a house. So God says, once I have settled Israel in the land, once they have that stability, then you can build the house for me. It's truly a beautiful thing that God is doing here.

When he says that he'll build a house for David, this is a reference to the dynasty. It is a reference to the kingdom of priests that would come from David. And then it's at that point, verse 12, when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seat after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

So in 1 Kings 6, verse 1, while it is simply a passing reference to the specific timing involved concerning the building of the temple relative to the exodus of Israel out of Egypt, it is a testimony to the covenant faithfulness of our God. We need to pay attention to such things. He not only delivers Israel, but he settles Israel. He not only provides freedom for them, but he also provides permanence to them.

And then from that point on, in verses 2 to 10, we are given the particulars concerning the exterior of the temple.

Description of the Exterior

Now the dimensions, according to an 18-inch cubit, this would be 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. And then the particular things that are mentioned. Vestibule is a difficult word for me tonight. I think other translations have porch or portico.

That's a lot easier to pronounce than vestibule. I'm getting it now. But that's the thing highlighted in verse 3, the windows in verse 4, and then the chambers in verses 5 and 6. Notice as well in verse 7, there's a reference to an absence of tools being used.

That harkens back to Exodus chapter 20, when God said, do not use tools with reference to the construction of the altar. There's also a reference in Deuteronomy 27 and verses 5 and 6. And then verse 8 indicates the stories of the temple. There are three stories.

And G.K. Beale has done a very excellent book. I highly recommend it. It's a bit of a technical read.

It takes some brainpower to stick with it, but it's called The Temple and the Church's Mission, and it's just a phenomenal study on the whole doctrine of temple, how it begins in Eden and it ends in the New Jerusalem. And what we find is that Eden was a garden temple. But oftentimes, temples were three-story structures, and what they did was basically encapsulate the entire cosmos. You have Earth, you have heaven, and then you have the heaven where God is.

It's a cosmos. It's the entirety of creation. And you see that sort of thing as you move through the various study with reference to temple. Noah's Ark, Beal argues, was a temple.

It was a dwelling place of God with his people. It was a three-story structure that does reflect the entire cosmos. Even the dress or the garments that the priest wore was representative of the same sorts of things. Very fascinating study concerning temple.

But when we look at this particular situation, as I said, we see the description of the exterior. Verses 9 and 10 finish the exterior with reference to the paneling and the chambers. So basically, you have a rectangular building. I was going to draw it on there today. just forgot or got sidetracked and didn't draw it.

Probably a good thing because you don't want to see my drawing, but it's basically just a rectangle. One room was the main sanctuary and then you had the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies. Now that Holy of Holies is a square. Right?

It's very definitive. Verse 20. The inner sanctuary was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, 20 cubits high. Do you know when New Jerusalem is described having come down from heaven?

In Revelation 21, it's described how? It's a square. It's a cube. It's that structure.

It's what God or what Adam forfeited in the garden. It's recovered by the Lord Jesus Christ. Temple is a primary concept in the Bible because it's God dwelling with his people. That's the significance of temple, and that's the significance of the narrative here.

So that's the exterior of the temple.

Obedience to God's Law

Notice, secondly, the emphasis on obedience to the law of God. If you were to read this particular chapter, and you went from verse 10 to verse 15, you would not miss a beat. It would just flow exterior of the temple, interior of the temple. But there's this intrusion.

That's what Davis calls it. It's an intrusion or it's a disruption in the text. There's this building program going on as readers. We are seeing, we are studying, and let's just suppose for a moment we're all architecturally inclined and we want to hear every detail.

I just think about people that are into that sort of thing, they're chomping at the bit, now what goes where and how did it go there, and they're really excited. But we want to interrupt this construction project for a word from God, is basically what verses 11 to 13 are. Notice, then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in my statutes, execute my judgments, keep all my commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform my word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

When verse 14 says, So Solomon built the temple and finished it, this is Hebrew narrative. It's no contradiction. He says here in verse 14, it's finished, but later on it's finished. When was it actually finished?

This is a technique in Hebrew narrative. He's building, we get this word from the Lord, he's building, and it just encapsulates the entire thing. So don't think there's contradictions. The author forgot he wrote that he finished it, and then he wrote it again.

But it's very intriguing. When we see this particular intrusion, it ought to indicate to us something very important. It ought to indicate to us something very crucial. And this disruption or intrusion emphasizes the importance of God's law to the king and to Israel as a whole.

And I think this is very significant for a whole host of reasons, not least of which is the necessity of obedience. In other words, as God's people, we are called upon to obey God. Now, in this particular covenantal context, it was a bit different than what we find in the New Covenant, as our Lord Jesus perfectly obeyed and perfectly fulfilled all the demands placed upon Him, and by virtue of God's grace and faith in Him, all of His obedience becomes our obedience, but as Christians, as justified by faith believers, we must obey God, we must follow the Lord, we must keep His commandments. Jesus says so in John 14, 15, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

In this particular context, in this particular covenant, there was a conditional element. In other words, if you do not obey, you will be cut off. Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26, the curse is associated with violating the covenant. And so God says we are building this temple, this is the dwelling place with God and men, but obedience is absolutely crucial.

You cannot have God in your midst and go after harlots. You cannot have God in your midst and go after Baal. You cannot have God in your midst and worship at the feet of Molech. You need to be faithful.

You need to be obedient. And this is what is highlighted in this particular instance. It's not the first time. Go back to chapter 2, verses 1 to 4.

When David exhorts Solomon on how he is to secure the kingdom, the first necessity is obedience to God's law. Notice in 1 Kings 2.1, Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, He said, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel." Again, chapter 3, verses 10 to 15. After Solomon asks of God for wisdom, this pleased the Lord.

And in verse 11, God said to him, because you have asked this thing and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.

So you see, when we see this interruption, this intrusion, this disruption in 1 Kings 6, 11 to 13, it ought not to surprise us. This is a constant refrain for the kings of Israel. This is a constant refrain for the children of Israel. Obey God.

Do not think for a moment that you're going to dwell in the midst of a holy God when you're engaged in unholy conduct. Don't think for a moment that you can become idolaters, and blasphemers, and Sabbath breakers, and insubordinate to authority, and murderers, and adulterers, and thieves, and liars, and covetous, and somehow have this communion with a God who is absolutely, positively, without spot, holy. You must obey. That's why it is emphasized in this particular instance.

You are going to have this temple. You have permanence. You have stability. Don't mess it up.

Don't forfeit it. Don't lose it.

Old Covenant as Heart Religion

Another thing I think verses 11 to 13 do is highlight for us, New Covenant Christians, how internalized Old Covenant religion was. I think there's this common misconception that the old covenant was simply about temples, and altars, and sacrifices, and as long as you did the right thing, or as long as you showed up in the right place, or as long as you did those things that were part of Israel's religious life, everything was okay. No, it was always a heart religion. It always required obedience from the heart.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Micah 6, verse 8, He has shown you, O man, and what does the Lord require? That you simply show up at the temple? That you simply bring your sheep or your goat?

No, that you do justly, that you show mercy, and that you walk humbly before your God. This is a very important aspect of Old Covenant religion. The theological reminder that Israel's relationship with God was not only connected to the temple. You see, this is how they would ultimately interpret it.

We spent time developing this in our studies in Matthew 23 and 24. I attempted to show that when Jesus says that your house is left to you desolate, that carried with it a lot of background, a lot of old covenant situations where the same sorts of things happen. The children of Israel forgot verses 11 to 13. Instead of obeying God, instead of approaching God with a heart of faith, they thought, or they concluded, that as long as the temple was standing, everything was okay.

That's Jeremiah's first temple sermon in Jeremiah chapter 7. He goes to upbraid and indict the nation of Israel. And in the prophet Micah as well, they thought or they reckoned that as long as that temple was standing, everything was all right in terms of God and Israel. They missed verses 11 to 13 in 1 Kings chapter 6.

They missed Solomon's prayer of dedication in 1 Kings chapter 8. Old covenant religion was never simply about externals. Certainly there are externals, and I'll argue later that structure and formality does not kill worship, but actually facilitates worship. I mean, there's this sense where today spontaneity is the only way to worship God.

Well, you can worship spontaneously, but God is not against liturgy. God is not against order. God is not against discipline. In fact, He commands it.

Paul says he's not a god of confusion, but he is a god of order. But it's not simply the structure. It's not simply the facility. It's not simply the externals.

You need to have the heart. Now, I tread with caution here because I didn't see this in any of the commentators, but it certainly jumped out at me that there's some sort of a trajectory or movement in the passage. We have the exterior and then the interior. But it's almost as if the author is saying, before you move from the exterior to the interior, you better make sure your heart is right.

You better make sure that your life is faithful. You better make sure that you esteem the God of heaven and earth, that you are entering in to meet in worship and in praise and in adoration. There's a structural order here, exterior, heart, interior. Now, it doesn't mean you could be a wretch and hang out, you know, on the exterior, but there does seem to be a bit of a movement, and at least in my mind, in terms of the structure of the narrative, it indicates or it highlights or it accents the place of this internal heart religion.

We move from exterior to interior with reference to the temple, and we must make sure that the heart is right.

Interior of the Temple

Now note, thirdly, the construction of the interior of the temple. As I mentioned, there's a layout. Particularly, you've got a portico, or a porch, or a vestibule, and then you've got that main room, that main sanctuary, and then you have the inner sanctuary, that holy of holies. So we call this the holy place, and this would be the holy of holies.

Now, remember, the holy of holies was only accessed one time out of the year. Leviticus chapter 16 deals with that. It was the day of atonement. One time a year, the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation of Israel.

But in terms of the layout that we find in this particular chapter, there's a lot of references to botany. Notice the sorts of decor that are indicated. Verse 18. The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with ornamental buds and open flowers.

All was cedar. There was no stone to be seen. Notice as well, verse 29. Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

And then in verse 32. The two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them the figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. And he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees." A lot of shrubbery, a lot of trees, a lot of plant life or botany.

Botanical Decor and Eden's Garden Temple

Now one commentator suggests that this would indicate to the Israelite worshipper that God was sovereign over the land. God was sovereign over fertility. Remember one of the competing gods in Canaan was Baal and they thought Baal was the storm god and the god who brought fertility to the land. So this commentator suggests that what we have is the reality that God is sovereign over growth and over fertility and over those sorts of things.

I like what Beal does. Beal says that this is reminiscent of the Garden Temple in Eden. And he also makes this link. Notice in 1 Kings chapter 4, specifically verse 33.

Also, he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon, even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. Beal says that this sets Solomon out as an atom. He's an atom-like figure with this knowledge of the land, with this knowledge of the animals.

He's an atom-like figure that's building a temple for God, And all of the botanical decor is reflective of or reminiscent of that garden temple in Eden. So hopefully at least tonight you'll want to go out and buy G.K. Beale's book, The Temple and the Church's Mission. But it's very fascinating stuff.

He shows the connections throughout scripture. It's truly mind-blowing. If you never really studied the temple or thought about temple, it's really a good thing to think about or study. But the bulk of the emphasis in verses 14 to 36 is on the inner sanctuary.

It's on the Holy of Holies. Certainly the main sanctuary, the main room is spoken about or spoken of, but the focus is upon that Holy of Holies. It indicates its separation from the main hall in verse 16. Then he built the 20-cubit room at the rear of the temple from floor to ceiling with cedar boards.

He built it inside as the inner sanctuary, as the most holy place. The measurements I've already mentioned are given in verse 20, and it's a square. Its decor is described in verses 20 and then again in verses 29 to 30. The doors are described in verses 31 to 32.

The altar is described in verses 20 and 22. And then the attendants are described, these cherubim. And there's probably several reasons why they had these cherubim in there. Some suggest they were guardians. over the Ark of the Covenant.

They could have been the chariot of God Most High. He rides upon the cherubim. There's a whole host of things or a whole host of suggestions with reference to these cherubim. But the emphasis falls in this latter description concerning the interior of the temple. on that most holy place.

Remember that for Israel, the temple wasn't simply a shrine to their God, but it was a place where they met with their God. And the way that they met with their God was through sacrifice. That inner sanctuary, or that Holy of Holies, was basically the backbone of Israelite religion.

The Holy of Holies and Atonement

That Day of Atonement, that Leviticus 16 ceremony, certainly typological of the atonement that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, but for Old Covenant Israel, it was effectual. It was, you know, because of the virtue of Jesus Christ and its retrospective benefit upon those worshipers, this was the real deal. And without that inner sanctuary and without that altar, there was no sacrifice and therefore no access to God. You got to Baal through copulation.

You got to Baal through fornication. You got to Baal through orgies. You didn't get to Yahweh that way. You got to Yahweh through a bloody knife and a smoking altar.

You got to Yahweh through atonement. You got to Yahweh because your sins were forgiven. not winked at, not applauded, not celebrated, nor rewarded, for that is precisely what happened in Baalism. When they wanted Baal to fertilize the land, they would fornicate. The idea being that Baal would look down and see them fornicating, and then Baal and his girlfriends would fornicate as well, and that would result in storms and the fertilization of the ground.

You see, that's not how you worship Yahweh. You come to Him as a holy, holy, holy God. And without that inner sanctuary, without that altar, without the sacrifice on the altar, there was no access to God Almighty. That's why the emphasis falls on the description of the inner sanctuary with reference to the interior of the temple.

And then in verses 37 and 38, we get the completion of the temple. It took seven years and six months. Looking at the particular months that are referenced here, it was seven years and six months that it took to build it.

Application

Now, what do we learn from this brief survey of the construction of the temple? In the first place, as I said, the fulfillment of God's promises. God promised Abraham that there would be a land. Joshua and David secured that land for Israel.

As well, there was a promise of God to David regarding a son of God who would build a house for God. That is realized here in 1 Kings chapter 6. Solomon is a son of David, a son of God, who builds a house for God. And then thirdly, the promise of stability in the land with a central sanctuary for worship.

This whole idea of a central sanctuary goes back to Deuteronomy chapter 12. And one of the primary reasons for a central sanctuary was to prohibit idolatry. God knows the human heart well. If we worship wherever we hanker to worship, we're going to end up worshiping the wrong thing.

And so God mandated, God said or stipulated in Deuteronomy 12 that when you get to the land, there will be a central sanctuary, and that would not remove, unfortunately, the idolatry out of the hearts of Israel, but it would certainly help to centralize and stabilize the worship of Israel. House says, he's a commentator, Solomon starts building the temple 480 years after the Exodus. This reference reminds readers that the permanent worship center is one more proof that God has given Israel the promised land. The tabernacle was a portable shrine, but the temple reflects permanence.

See, I don't know that we get this because we have permanence. We grow up in permanence. We're not wanderers. We're not warriors.

We're not watching combat on a daily basis. I don't know that we always appreciate the sorts of things that go on in the Middle East. Rockets being launched. from neighborhood to neighborhood. I mean, that's completely foreign and contrary to us, isn't it?

I've never seen a rocket in my neighborhood. I was woken up on New Year's Eve, or New Year's whatever it was, when they were lighting fireworks outside of my window. I couldn't imagine if RPGs were flying around. You see, brethren, we don't understand what it is to be transient and to be wanderers and to continue to hear promises from our God that we're going to have permanence and we're going to have stability.

They got permanence and they got stability. Probably every description of every piece of every furniture that was within this temple was just wonderful news to these people. No longer a tent. You mean we don't have to take it down?

We don't have to put the poles in it? We don't have to carry it across the Jordan? We get to stay in the land? We get to stay with our God?

And even more so, our God is going to stay with us? This is blessed for the people of God. As well, not only the fulfillment of God's promises, we need to see in this the faithfulness of God. I think this is a lesson.

I've said we need to understand it again. God's timing is not our timing. We are too often too impatient. We pray and we, you know, I prayed and I didn't get what I wanted.

It's almost like asking for, you know, Christmas gifts. I wanted a new bike and I didn't get it. And Christians conduct themselves that way. I prayed and it just didn't work.

Have you ever heard that? Has it just been my experience? You know, I tried prayer, but nothing happened. It's the slot machine mentality.

Put the quarter in, pull the handle down, and out pop the blessings. Again, that has more in common with Baal. You could manipulate Baal. When you had your orgies, then you would hopefully see Baal rain upon the earth.

You don't manipulate Yahweh. You don't manipulate God. Just because you pray for something doesn't mean you're going to get it right away. You are to persevere.

What does Jesus teach us in Luke chapter 18? He teaches us that parable concerning the importunate widow. She comes to the unjust judge. She asks for a verdict rendered to her.

And she wearies him by her continuing prayer. And this man who does not fear God nor regard men says, I'm going to go ahead and answer her request, lest she drives me nuts. That's the Jim Butler version. And what does Jesus conclude from that?

And shall not God avenge his own elect who cry to him day and night? You see, brethren, we need to believe that what God says is true. And I think more often than not, the proof is in the pudding with reference to our prayer life. We can be those people who say, I've tried. and it didn't work.

Or we can be those people who faithfully persevere in the secret place and in the corporate place, realizing that God is faithful. Do you remember Teacher Zhang? It sounds familiar to me. I'm sure we've been following Chris since he's been in China.

If he's mentioned Teacher Zhang before, we've prayed for him before, either in this room or in Denbo Transport or wherever it was when we heard of that man. God saved him. You see, we cannot put God to our specific demands. It's the other way around.

We are His creature. He is not our creature. And I think this is absolutely crucial. As well, with reference to God's faithfulness, there is an expected faithfulness on the part of God's people.

Again, our situation is not one-for-one with reference to the Old Covenant situation Israel faced. But the same things are upon us in our New Covenant relationship. We are justified freely by grace, but we are justified so that we may live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. We must obey God.

I don't know where antinomianism ever came from. I mean, I get it. I know it. I mean, in terms of every sin we commit is antinomian in essence.

There's an actual doctrine of antinomianism, that God does not call us to obey his law. It's all fulfilled by Jesus. Yeah, but that doesn't mean we can go out and murder people. It means we need to follow what God has commanded to us, and insofar as we do, we will know the nearness of God.

Now, I'm not saying that when we obey God, we're manipulating Him and He'll draw near to us, but I think all of us can testify those times when we are closest with God are typically those times when we're walking with God in obedience to Him, right? I don't think it's magic. What do you mean? If I obey God, I'm going to, you know, sense his presence more?

Typically, it can be the case. You take a Paul, for instance, or you take a Job, for instance, or you take our Lord Jesus, for instance. Jesus, who obeyed absolutely perfectly, nevertheless cried, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? You see, it's not formulaic.

It's not manipulative. But as a general rule, when the people of God walk with their God in obedience, They know more of the nearness of God than they otherwise would. And then finally, we see the worship of God, the worship of God. And there's just a few things we ought to point out.

First of all, God is transcendent. That means he is wholly other. He is removed from us. The word holy has the concept or the connotation of moral purity, but its first referent is separation.

God is holy. He is separate from us, but he's also imminent. And imminent means that he is near us, he is present with us. And you see this in the concept of temple.

Temple doesn't house God. When we get to 1 Kings 8 and Solomon's prayer, he says as much. Heaven can't contain God, let alone an earthly temple. We don't think for a moment that once these walls were constructed and once the gold was laid, well, God moved from heaven and now He dwelt.

No, it was the visible representation of God's presence among His people. But nevertheless, it was a visible representation of God's presence among his people. Yahweh draws near to his people. God is to be found in the midst of his people.

God realizes the covenantal promise, I will be their God, they shall be my people. As well, we ought to appreciate the importance of a central sanctuary. Now, this differs from our situation today. You know, there's no need for us to board a plane and fly to Jerusalem and visit the church there.

No, there's local churches to be sure. But in this Old Covenant situation, with the context that they found themselves in, God knew what was best and he provided for them this one place where they could centralize their worship and find stability. As well, mentioned before, structure does not kill but rather facilitates worship. I like the way House says it, that the centralizing of worship in this one place is intended to bring order and uniformity to Israel's religion without suppressing love and devotion to God.

See, that's just faulty to say, well, all that structure and all that discipline and all that just, you know, squeezes God right out. You should just, you know, let go and let God. Again, I think that has more in common with Baal. The religion of Yahweh was one of the mind.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You let go and let bail. That's not the way you worship Yahweh. You think, you know, you come near, you draw nigh.

We don't see him, we hear the word, we respond to the word. And then this, as I mentioned earlier, demonstrates the glory of God. I want to read an extended quote by Dale Ralph Davis, because there's a lot of gold in this passage, isn't there? There's a lot of gold.

Everything's covered with gold. Again, Revelation 21 is reminiscent of this, right? What are the streets paved with in heaven? Well, it's a temple.

It ought to be paved with gold, brethren. I mean, there's consistency between what we find in Revelation 21 and what we find right here. But with reference to the gold, Davis says, what should we make of all this gold? Someone always bellyaches about such needless extravagance.

Their question is always, why this waste? And then he refers to Matthew 26. Remember that instance, the woman takes all of that costly perfume and pours it upon Jesus, and Judas says, oh, but this could be sold and the money given to the poor. Judas was the prototypical social justice warrior, the prototypical social gospeler.

Imagine, this is Davis again, they say, what social services could have done with all that revenue? But why must we gag on the gold? There is no negative tone in the text about it. If anything, a sense of wonder pervades the passage.

Moreover, we must remember that many an ancient temple functioned as a national treasury, as a repository of national assets. Why should such assets be stashed away in a dark room when they could be part of a splendid decor? He says, above all, I suggest that the splendor of the temple is meant to reflect the splendor of Israel's God. that the temple's gold points to Yahweh's glory. It was a world in which kings built or refurbished lavish temples as appropriate tributes to their gods and goddesses.

That's correct. It wasn't just Israel that was building shrines to their gods. What Israel does in 1 Kings 6 is not outlandish compared to what others were doing. It pretty much was consistent in the ancient world.

He says, in such a world, why should Yahweh look like a discount store deity with a government loan house? If there is an indulgence that is sinful, there is an extravagance that is godly. And perhaps the message of the temple gold is that nothing cheap should be offered to Yahweh, but only what is a tribute commensurate with his splendor. whether, for example, in formal worship, biblical scholarship, or quality of daily work." I love that. It's beautiful.

He does have a footnote that says, now, church building committees should not go to 1 Kings 6 and manipulate the people of God to try to have them give deep or give big. What the church has more in common with is the synagogue. Church worship is more akin to the synagogue worship than temple worship. Temple worship had sacrifice.

You don't do that in the church. Temple worship had incense. We don't do that in the church. Temple worship had instruments.

I know we still do that in the church. Temple worship had things that were unique to the old covenant situation that do not carry over into the new covenant situation. So hopefully you'll never hear Pastor Porter or myself ask for, you know, gold so that we can cover the pulpit. It's not going to happen.

So Davis makes that observation, but I think what he says concerning the temple is absolutely appropriate. The splendor of the temple is meant to reflect the splendor of Israel's God, that the temple's gold points to Yahweh's glory. And then I said finally with that, just look at Matthew 16. We'll close here.

Remember the promise of 2 Samuel 7. David would have a son that would be a son of God that would build a temple for God. Solomon was a son of David, a son of God, who built a temple for God. But Solomon functioned typologically.

He pointed forward to the Lord Jesus. Notice these concepts in Matthew 16 at verse 13. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, who do men say that I the son of man am? So they said, some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

He said to them, but who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. Now, we know from other places in Matthew's gospel that Jesus has been identified as son of David. In fact, Matthew 1.1, he's son of David, son of Abraham.

We already know he's son of David, but he's also son of God, according to Peter here in verse 16, and elsewhere in Matthew. Now notice verse 17, Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. You see what we have, a son of David, a son of God, building the temple for God.

Isn't the church the temple of God? Aren't we the living stones in the temple of God, 1 Peter chapter 2? You see how Solomon functions to point us to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, slash Son of God, who builds a temple for God. Jesus comes, He's the Son of David, He's the Son of God, and He builds the temple for God.

It's a beautiful thing, the consistency of Scripture itself.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for the temple. We thank you, God, for what it represented in the Old Covenant, what it has become in the New Covenant, and what it will become in the new heavens and the new earth. There is no temple there because God and the Lamb are the temple.

We thank you that you dwell with your people. We thank you that in the church, in this new covenant setting, you are accessed in the church. We come to the Father through the Son by the Spirit. We thank you for these privileges.

We thank you for these blessings. We thank you that you are our God and that we are your people. We ask that you would go with us now, grant us safety as we travel home, and bring us together on the Lord's Day, that we may worship you. And may this temple, and may this quote by Davis, cause us to reflect upon your splendor and your glory, and may it affect the way that we approach you on the Lord's Day when it comes to the worship of our great God.

We ask these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 12:1
• Exodus 12:40; 20
• Leviticus 16; 26
• Deuteronomy 12; 27:5-6; 28
• 1 Kings 2:1; 3:10-15; 4:33; 6:1; 6:11-13; 6:16; 6:18; 6:20-22; 6:29-30; 6:31-32; 6:37-38; 8
• 2 Samuel 7:6; 7:7-8; 7:10; 7:12
• Jeremiah 7
• Micah 6:8
• Matthew 1:1; 16:13; 16:16-17; 23-24; 26
• Luke 18
• John 14:15
• Revelation 21
• 1 Peter 2