Temple Intricacies

Devotion | 1 Kings Chapter 6 AMP

”Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (April-May) which is the second month, that he began to build the Lord’s house (temple).“

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1 Kings chapter 6 outlines and examines Solomon’s divine instructions to build the Lord’s house (temple) scripturally history, denotes that this was a divine charge from God that did not fall upon Solomon’s father David.

As you study and meditate upon this chapter with emphasis on verse 1, we see the Lord give Solomon very explicit instructions regarding how the Lord’s house was to be built according to the will of God!

As I was in prayer in the early hours of the morning, the Lord redirected me to this very chapter and its important application to our lives.

Over the next 37 verses Solomon closely heeded God‘s divine order to bring forth the establishment of a physical temple erected to the Lord.

On the surface, this chapter presents itself as very cut and dry, however, when examined from a prophetic lens and an Apostolic perspective, we can take away a far greater interpretation of this chapter.

Let’s review verse 7,

”While it was being built, the house was built of stone prepared and finished (precut) at the quarry, and no hammer, axe, or iron tool of any kind was heard in the house while it was under construction.”

Here it says no hammer, axe, or iron tool of any kind was heard in the house while it was under construction.  If we think of this practically for a moment, the very act of construction is loud yet this sound was not worthy in the house!

Now let’s examine versus 11-13.

”Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, “Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My precepts and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word (promises) with you which I made to David your father. I will dwell among the sons (descendants) of Israel, and will not abandon My people Israel.”

Here the Lord is establishing a conditional covenant with Solomon not at the start of this divine commission but as a reminder to him amid the building process. In agreement with the terms and conditions, Solomon willingly continued his commission with understanding.

From the perspective of a builder and even an interior designer, the level of detail and quality that Solomon used during this great assignment spoke volumes about Solomon's conscientiousness.

Noticed that very specifically Solomon’s detail and quality selection was not based upon his liking but that which pleased the Lord!  The use of cedar, cypress, open flowers, the ark of the covenant, the Holy of Holies, pure gold, the incense altar, sculpted cherubim, palm-shaped decorations, olive wood, and, cut stones all of which present themselves throughout scripture, allowing us to take away their value in the mind of God.

So how does Solomon’s building of the Lord's temple apply to our lives today? I’m glad that you asked!

This account of scriptural and biblical history raises the question of how was your temple built.

1 Corinthians 3:16 says,  “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Kings 6 reveals that the choicest of things were selected for the erecting of this holy place, can I tell you that your temple is just as holy?

The building material used to establish and maintain this earthly tent which has been declared in scripture as the temple of God and His Spirit should be carefully considered.

What kind of noise is going on during your construction and maintenance? Are you selecting the choicest building tools and following the exact specifications outlined in scripture? or are some of your foundational components man-made or man-influenced?

How can one daily erect themselves as a temple of God without following Solomon's blueprint? Solomon left none of the foundation or decorative decisions to his own will, but rather he subjected them to the will of God that it be pleasing to Him.

I want to circle back to a point made earlier reflecting on versus 11-13 and I ask you why begin building the Lord’s temple within you without stopping to be in frequent remembrance that while the specifications and decorations were great and pleasing to God, it however profits you nothing to establish such a grandeur exterior without the interior interwoven by the covenant to walk in and execute the precept of God and to keep his commandments by walking in them…

The condition has been revealed. The latter part of verse 12 says of the Lord, “and then I will carry out my word promises with you, which I made to David your father”.

So I end with this, examine the intricacies of your temple. Don’t just adorn yourself with church and worship services, Bible studies and small groups, podcasts, and the pursuit of spiritual education without the confidence that it’s first pleasing to God and your covenantal agreement is intact without breach or violation.

Until next read

Waiting well,

Apostle Natasha