Thursday – I Kings 6 – The Temple is Built

For almost 500 years the Jews had been worshipping God in tents (Tabernacles). But, Solomon replaced the Tabernacle with a Temple. It was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet tall.  It had a porch at the front entrance and chambers on the outside. It was made of stone with the inside entirely lined with wood. The figures of Cherubim, palm trees and open flowers were carved into the face of that entire wooden surface. It must have been exquisitely ornate. However, if you had walked into that Temple on the day that it was completed, you would have seen neither wood nor stone. The inside was plated entirely with gold.  No wonder it took 7 ½ years to finish building it.

The Holy of Holies took up the back 1/3 of the structure and was obviously the most important part of it. Inside the Holy of Holies, Solomon had two Cherubim statues placed. Each one was 15 feet tall and they were also plated with gold.

Now, everything that I have said comprises what is really an oversimplified approach to describing what the Temple was like. But, if you pay attention carefully when you read the chapter, you will find that the most important thing in this passage is not the architectural description, it is the admonition from God found in verses 12 & 13.  Essentially God was saying, "Solomon, this is nice, but don't lose sight of what's MOST important. The condition of your heart and the faithfulness of the God who will inhabit this Temple... these things are FAR more significant than the stone, wood and gold of which this house is comprised."