1 Reis 6

1 Reis 6

Barnes on Ziv - The later (and current) Hebrew names for the months of the year are Babylonian in origin; only occasionally do we find the earlier (Canaanite or Phoenician) names as is the case here (see also the references to the months of "Bul" in 6:38 and "Ethanim" in 8:2). The Hebrew calendar, like most ancient calendars, was based on lunar months, always starting with the new moon, with the full moon always occurring on the 14th day of the month (cf. the beginning of Passover on the 14th day of the 1st month, Exod 12:6). The term "Ziv" probably means "bloom" or "blossom" (HALOT 265-266). (See 1-2 Kings - Page 68) God’s Temple Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 Solomon built one. Zerubbabel built one. You are one—a living temple fashioned and crafted by God Himself. Ancient temples used gold, silver, and precious metals as symbols of purity and holiness; they were places people believed their gods lived. Solomon’s magnificent temple (read about it in 1 Kings 6) and Zerubbabel’s temple (a rebuilding of Solomon’s temple after its destruction by the Babylonians—see 2 Kings 25 and Ezra 3) were places for God’s presence among His people. However, with Christ came a new living temple made of people who believe in Him and who are made beautiful by the presence of the Holy Spirit within each one. Maybe this morning you don’t feel like a beautiful temple of God. The past casts shadows around every nook and cranny—whether from bad choices, poor decisions, or costly mistakes. Seasons of neglect or strife have caused crumbling walls or a cracking foundation. No matter what you have built in your life before, today is a new day! A day to be renewed and encouraged, knowing that the Holy Spirit is there with you, beside you, in you. He is ready and waiting to be your source of strength and hope this day, especially in the middle of your challenges. Choose today to be a living temple founded on Christ and transformed by the Holy Spirit—a place of character where God resides, a place of beauty where God is reflected, a place of sanctuary where God is welcomed. A Little Piece Of Heaven By Marvin Williams Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? —1 Corinthians 3:16 A couple of weeks ago my wife met a woman who needed a ride. She sensed that this could be from God, so she agreed to take her to her destination. During the ride, the woman revealed to my wife that she was a believer but she struggled with drug addiction. My wife listened to and talked with this hurting woman. As she gave her hope for a better tomorrow, I believe that the woman experienced in some small way a little piece of heaven on earth. When God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle according to His specifications, it was so that God’s people would sense His presence. I like to think of it as a little piece of heaven on earth. The temple was a physical example of God’s presence on earth also (1 Kings 5–8). The purpose of these holy places was for God to dwell among His people. This was God’s plan when Jesus, the perfect temple, “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14). When Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers (John 14:16-17), so that we would be God’s tabernacles and temples in the world (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). As God’s representatives of His presence, let’s find ways to bring the peace and hope of heaven to others on earth. For Further Thought Ask God to use you in the lives of others and to show you some ways to apply this devotional at work, in your home, and in your neighborhood. A Christian who is willing to do little things for others can do great things for the Lord. BODY LANGUAGE DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? —1 Corinthians 6:19 There is a dramatic shift from Old Testament worship to the worship we express today. In the Old Testament, God’s people worshiped in a place—the place where God dwelt. It was filled with somber, purified priests; vessels that had been set aside; and rituals of cleansing. In the new covenant, however, God now dwells in our bodies (1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 6:19). Second Timothy 2:21 says that our bodies are the vessels purified for use in worship and God’s service. We have become His temple! And we are the priests who manage the system of worship (1 Peter 2:9). Worship for us is both internal and intimate. And given the fact that we are His temple, worship is an everyday expression, not just something that happens on Sunday morning. This is why Paul wrote, “Therefore . . . present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice” (Romans 12:1 NASB). Don’t miss the fact that Paul called for a living and holy sacrifice. The sacrifice Paul refers to in this verse is the total surrender and purification of all that we are, from the inside out, as a daily expression of the worth and worthiness of our God. Placing our bodies on the altar means giving ourselves to Him totally, without reservation, in the place of the lambs, doves, and goats of the Old Testament. God wants us, not just our gifts and possessions. That is a great compliment. And it goes without saying that if He has all of us, He will also have all that we have. Why would we do this? Because God has reached down and touched helpless, hopeless persons such as us, cleansed us of our sin, and made us His own. For this we live to worship Him with all of our being—with our actions, our attitudes, and our possessions. The only issue remaining is, are we purified sacrifices? He not only wants us, but He want us to come with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3–4). I have a friend who says, “The trouble with living sacrifices is that they tend to crawl off the altar!” Does this apply to your life? Adrian Rogers - Some people misunderstand what we mean by being filled with the Spirit. It is not as if you are some sort of vessel that the Holy Spirit is being poured into, or that He is pouring some "thing" into you, like love or power. No, you are a temple, and He is a Person. Think of Him as a living entity, a living being—yes, a Person, though of course, much more than a person. He is the Spirit of God—alive, aware, animated, and animating. Think of the Spirit as a Person who wants to come and take control of your body—His temple—to transform you for His holy, glorious purposes. A Temple Divine Do you not know, O heart, O soul, Your body’s a temple, a sacred whole? Not built with hands, but by God’s decree, A dwelling place for His Spirit to be. Bought at a price, the cost was great, Through Christ’s own blood, He sealed your fate. No longer your own, you belong to Him, Redeemed from darkness, cleansed of sin. So honor God with every breath, In life, in work, in rest, in death. Let purity reign, let love be your guide, For His Spirit within cannot be denied. Glorify Him, both body and soul, For His is the kingdom, the power, the goal. A temple divine, reflect His grace, And in your heart, let Him find His place. C T Lacey - It is all too easy to become engrossed in the details of the construction of the temple and to lose its overall significance. It is important therefore that some consideration is given to what God is teaching His people by this sanctuary before embarking upon an examination of its various parts. The following are some of the major themes. God’s Presence - The temple was the visible sign of God’s presence in the midst of His redeemed people. It was the home of the ark of the covenant, where He dwelt between the two cherubims. It points forward therefore to the words of Paul in the New Testament concerning the local assembly: “Know ye not that ye are the temple (naos-inner sanctuary) of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor 3:16). Later on, in the context of not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers, he writes to them in a similar vein: “And what agreement hath the temple (naos) of God with idols? for ye are the temple (naos) of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Cor 6:16). It brings both a sense of privilege and responsibility to know that the redeemed are God’s temple in which He dwells: “In whom (Jesus Christ) all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph 2:21-22). (What the Bible Teaches: 1 and 2 Kings) Bob Utley on MORIAH, SALEM, JEBUS, ZION, JERUSALEM This term (Moriah, BDB 599, KB 635) has been translated many ways. the Vulgate and the Samaritan Pentateuch have "visions" the Targums translate it as "worship" the Septuagint has "high" the Peshitta has "of the Amonites" some scholars translate it as "shown of YHWH" others "the chosen" still others "the place of appearing" It seems that "the place of appearing" might be the best possible translation based on the other use of this term in 2 Chr. 3:1, which mentions that the temple was built on Mt. Moriah, the place where God appeared to David. This can either refer to 2 Sam. 24:16 or more probably, 1 Chr. 21:18-30. The mention of Abraham offering Isaac in that context is either omitted because it was so well known or it was unknown to the author of 1 Chronicles. Also, Moriah seems to relate to the city of Melchizedek, Salem (Gen. 14:18), later called Jebus, which became Jerusalem. "Moriah" is linked to Abraham's offering of Isaac in Gen. 22:2, which later became the site of the temple (cf. 2 Chr. 3:1). "Salem" (BDB 1024 II, KB 1539, cf. Gen. 14:18; Ps. 76:2; Heb. 7:1,2), the site of a Canaanite city of Melchizedek. Later it became the Canaanite city of "Jebus" (BDB 101, KB 382, from "Jebusites," cf. Gen. 10:16; 15:21; Exod. 3:8,17; Jos. 18:16,18; Jdgs. 19:10-11), which was captured by David (cf. 1 Chr. 11:4-5). The name was changed to "Jerusalem" (BDB 436, KB 437), probably after David's capture. It is difficult to be certain because the name is used in Joshua 10; 12; 15. The name "Jerusalem" has an uncertain etymology, possibly "possession of peace" or "foundation of peace." Often the capital is designated "Zion" (BDB 851, KB 816), which was the name of one of the seven hills on which Jerusalem was built. The title is used often in Psalms and Isaiah. It became a way of referring to the Jewish people. The term's meaning is uncertain but the suggestions are (AB, vol. 6, p. 1096): Hebrew root – "to erect" Hebrew root – "to be dry" Hurrian root – "brook," "stream," "wadi" Arabic root – "hill crest," "ridge" hypothetical root from Hebrew "shield" – "fortress" QUESTION - What is the significance of Mount Moriah in the Bible? ANSWER - Mount Moriah in Old City Jerusalem is the site of numerous biblical acts of faith. It is also one of the most valuable pieces of real estate and one of the most hotly contested pieces of real estate on earth. This is a profoundly sacred area to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Sitting atop Mount Moriah today is the Temple Mount, a 37-acre tract of land where the Jewish temple once stood. Several important Islamic holy sites are there now, including the Dome of the Rock – a Muslim shrine built thirteen hundred years ago – and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Mount Moriah’s history begins in Genesis. In the twenty-second chapter, God commands Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you” (Genesis 22:2). The place God led Abraham was Mount Moriah. Abraham didn’t fully understand what God was asking him to do in light of God’s previous promise to establish an everlasting covenant with Isaac (Genesis 17:19); nonetheless, he trusted God and by faith offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Of course, God intervened and spared Isaac’s life by providing a ram instead. Abraham thereafter called this place “The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:14). Because of Abraham’s obedience on Mount Moriah, God told Abraham that his “descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me” (vv. 17, 18). About a thousand years later at this very location, King David bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and built an altar to the Lord so that a “plague may be held back from the people” (2 Samuel 24:18, 21). After David’s death, his son King Solomon built a glorious temple on the same site. Solomon’s temple lasted for over four hundred years until it was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar’s armies in 587/586 B.C. Seventy years later the temple was rebuilt on the same site by the Jews who returned to Jerusalem following their Babylon captivity. Around the first century, King Herod made a significant addition to this structure, which then became known as Herod’s Temple. It was this temple that Jesus cleansed (John 2:15). However, in A.D. 70, the Roman armies led by Titus, son of the Emperor Vespasian, once again destroyed the temple. All that remains of the Temple Mount of that era is a portion of a retaining wall known as the “Western Wall” or the “Wailing Wall.” It has been a destination for pilgrims and a site of prayer for Jews for many centuries. The God who first called Abraham to Mount Moriah still has plans for that place. The Bible indicates that a third temple will be built on or near the site of Solomon’s temple (Daniel 9:27). This would seem to present a problem given the political obstacles that stand in the way: the religious activities on the Temple Mount are currently controlled by the Supreme Muslim Council (the Waqf). Yet nothing can put a wrinkle in God’s sovereign plans. Thus, Muslim control of this area simply fulfills the prophecy of Luke 21:24 that “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” GotQuestions.org Related Resources: How old was Isaac when Abraham almost sacrificed him? | GotQuestions.org Who was Araunah the Jebusite? | GotQuestions.org) SPECIAL TOPIC: Ancient Near East CALENDARS QUESTION - What is the structure of the Jewish calendar? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar month, which is a bit longer than 29 ½ days. Because of this, the months in the Jewish calendar are 29 or 30 days long. Twelve lunar months usually amounts to 354 days, 11 days short of a solar year. In order for the festivals to stay in the correct season in relation to the solar year, an extra month is added every few years. The Jewish calendar is dated from what is supposed to have been the Creation of the earth: 3,760 years and three months before the Christian era. So, to find the current year in the Jewish calendar, one must add 3,759 to the date in the Gregorian calendar. What we call 2015 is, in the Jewish calendar, the year 5775. This system, however, will not work to the exact month, since the Jewish year (running on the civil calendar) begins in autumn rather than in midwinter. A Hebrew month begins in the middle of a month on our calendar today. Crops were planted in what we would call November and December and harvested in March and April. The Jewish Calendar Month 1 Nisan (Abib) 2 lyyar (Ziv) 3 Sivan 4 Tammuz 5 Av 6 Elul 7 Tishri (Ethanim) 8 Marcheshvan (Bui) 9 Kislev 10 Tebeth 11 Shebat 12 Adar Gregorian Calendar March-April April-May May-June June-July July-August August-September September-October October-November November-December December-January January-February February-March Biblical Reference 1 Kings 6:1, 37 The Jewish calendar, being lunar-based, invariably began with the new moon. To make up for the shorter year (compared to solar-based calendars), an extra month was periodically inserted between the months Adar and Nisan. That month, sometimes called Veader (“second Adar”), was added seven times within a 19-year cycle (at which time the month Adar received an extra half day). The names of the months in the Jewish calendar originated in the period following the return from Babylonia to Israel. Before the Babylonian exile, at least four months had other names: Abib (Exodus 13:4), Ziv (1 Kings 6:1, 37), Ethanim ( 1 Kings 8:2), and Bul (1 Kings 6:38). After the Captivity, these months were renamed Nisan, lyyar, Tishri, and Heshvan (originally Marcheshvan), respectively. The pre-exilic names carried agricultural connotations. For example, Abib (“ear of grain”) signified the month in which grain became ripe; Ziv (“radiance”) was the month for desert flowers to bloom. An agricultural orientation is apparent in what is evidently the oldest Hebrew calendar, found at Gezer (southeast of Tel Aviv) in 1908 and dating from the 10th century BC. The calendar divides the year according to agricultural activities such as sowing, reaping, pruning, and storage. Primarily, however, the months of the Jewish calendar had religious significance for the Jews and enabled them to commemorate the important events of their history. Each month’s beginning was considered holy. To ancient Israel, the moon became a symbol of the nation itself; the sun eventually became symbolic of the Messiah (Malachi 4:2). Since the moon produces no light of its own, the symbolism is especially appropriate: Israel was supposed to reflect the Messiah’s light to the world. The Jewish calendar remained unchanged during the period between the Old Testament and New Testaments (approximately 400 years), despite an attempt by Hellenistic rulers to introduce a modified lunar-month system, presumably of Macedonian origin. According to that calendar, five days were added to the final month of the year, with each of the 12 months containing 30 days. Even then, it only approximated the solar year. Usually, the ancient Hebrews did not record dates by citing the month and day of an event. Rather, dates were computed by reference to some significant event such as the accession year of the reigning king (2 Kings 15:17) or a patriarch’s birth (Genesis 7:11). In New Testament times, the Jews continued the Old Testament method of dating events by synchronizing them with events either in their religious calendar or within the secular sphere of the Roman world. Writers of the New Testament followed the same practice (Luke 1:5; John 12:1; Acts 18:12). It was only as the calendar reforms of Julius Caesar became embedded in the culture that people changed from that long-standing method to a more standardized system. Temple of the Believer When the Lamb of God (Isa. 53:7; John 1:29; 1Pe. 1:19; Rev. 5:6+) was offered on the cross, the veil of the Second Temple was torn from top to bottom (Mat. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). This was a divine indication that the previous separation between God and man which required elaborate liturgical procedures by a special priesthood was done away with by Christ. Instead of recognizing a special day once a year when the high priest could enter through the veil into the Holy of Holies to represent the people before the presence of God, a new and living way was consecrated for believers through Christ’s body and blood offered on our behalf. The writer of Hebrews expressed it this way: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb. 10:19-22) [emphasis added] Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16) [emphasis added] There are numerous benefits which were won for believers by Christ’s sacrifice, but perhaps the most important aspect of the work of Christ is the restoration of fellowship where man can approach God with a conscience having been cleansed by Jesus’ one-time sacrifice. Here again we touch on the theme of the Temple which we’ve been pointing to all along—the meeting place between God and man. Christ’s flesh and blood give the believer, by faith, full access to God: To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Eph. 3:10-12) [emphasis added] Many things changed in the moment of the crucifixion when the veil of the Temple was torn, but perhaps none more significant to our subject at hand than the glorification of Jesus which led the way to the giving of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (John 7:38-39) to form a new type of spiritual Temple within the body of those who believe on Jesus. A short summary of this important transition, so essential to understanding the book of Acts, will be helpful.44 The significance of the coming of the Holy Spirit can be seen in several passages from John’s Gospel: On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39) [emphasis added] Jesus states that rivers of living water (see Garden of Eden) will flow out of the heart of those who believe in Him. John explains to the reader that Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, but that the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Spirit could not come to take up His new ministry until Jesus had been glorified. Something about the crucifixion was necessary before the Spirit could take up permanent residence within sinful flesh.Later, in Jesus’ intimate time with His disciples on the night of His betrayal, He provides further insight into the new ministry of the Spirit: And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16-18) [emphasis added] Jesus is about to die on the cross and encourages His disciples by telling them that He will send another (αλλος [allos], another of the same kind) of Helper. When this helper comes, He will abide with them forever. Jesus also relates that the Helper already dwells with them, but will be in them. He goes on to identify Himself with the Helper: I will come to you. These are remarkable statements pregnant in their theology and hope! Although the Holy Spirit has ministered on earth since the beginning (e.g., Gen. 1:2), He would come in a new way, in a permanent way, in a way which emphasized indwelling, and in the identity of Christ (Rom. 8:9; Php. 1:19). Although the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, had ministered in the times preceding the crucifixion (1Pe. 1:11), there was not a permanence to this indwelling (1Sa. 16:14; Ps. 51:11; Eze. 2:2; 3:24). But this could not happen prior to the cross: Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7) [emphasis added] Can you imagine sitting at the feet of the Master and hearing words more puzzling than these? How could He claim it was to their advantage that He would leave? But note that the Helper “will not come” unless Jesus departs. This is connected with the explanation which John gave earlier: “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39).To summarize: The Holy Spirit would not just be with the disciples, but permanently in them. The Holy Spirit could not come in the way Jesus promised until Jesus was glorified. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. With the indwelling Spirit would be the indwelling Christ. The Holy Spirit would reside within each believer in much the same way as the Shekinah glory dwelt within the Tabernacle and Temple. (See The Abiding Presence of God.) All of this was fulfilled in the events of the Day of Pentecost, often called “the birthday of the Church” (Acts 1:4-8; 2:4; cf. 8:14; 10:45; 11:16; 15:8; 19:6; 1Cor. 12:13). With the coming of the Spirit, the body of the believer became the Temple of God and God’s Spirit resided permanently within.45 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1Cor. 6:19) [emphasis added] And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2Cor. 6:16) [emphasis added] Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22) [emphasis added] SHEKINAH GLORY OVER TENT OF MEETING These passages emphasize that the body of the believer is a Temple of God in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit Who resides permanently within every believer is functioning in an analogous way as the Shekinah dwelt between the cherubim over the Ark in the Holy of Holies, but with one extremely important difference: the Holy Spirit will never depart from the Temple of the believer as the Shekinah departed from the Temple (see The Abiding Presence of God). This is why believers are said to be sealed with the Holy Spirit (2Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). Believers may grieve or quench Him (Eph. 4:30; 1Th. 5:19), but He will never leave them!How can God Himself dwell within the sinful flesh of the believer permanently when the sin of the people during Ezekiel’s day caused the glory of the Lord to depart the Temple? The answer lies in the completed sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In the same way that the righteous dead were held in Abraham’s bosom46 but could not enter heaven until the crucifixion was accomplished (Luke 16:22 cf. Luke 23:43; 2Cor. 5:6; Php. 1:21-23), prior to the cross the Holy Spirit could enter individuals for specific purposes and times but could not permanently reside (1S. 16:14; Ps. 51:11; Eze. 2:2; Eze. 3:24)47 within sinful flesh as He now does (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). See The Coming of the Spirit. 1 Kings 6:2 As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits. NET 1 Kings 6:2 The temple King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. CSB 1 Kings 6:2 The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. the house: Eze 40:1-41:26 threescore: Ezr 6:3,4 Eze 41:1-15 Rev 21:16,17 Related Passages: 1 Chronicles 28:11-19 (GOD HAD GIVE DAVID THE PLAN FOR THE TEMPLE WHICH DAVID PASSED ON TO SOLOMON) Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; 12 and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things; 13 also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the utensils of service in the house of the LORD; 14 for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; 15 and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand; 16 and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; 17 and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; 18 and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 19 “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.” 1 Chronicles 28:19 “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.” EAST Solomon's Temple Source: ESV Global Study Bible As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits (90 feet) and its width twenty cubits (30 feet) and its height thirty cubits - While the overall plan of the Temple was identical to the Tabernacle, the Temple's length and breadth were twice those of the tabernacle. Note that, as with the Tabernacle, the Temple faces to the East, toward the Mount of Olives. The building site was Mount Moriah, north of the ancient City of David as shown on map above (note) and was built according to plans that David had received from the LORD and passed on to Solomon (1Ch 28:11-13,19). The Temple was to be 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high with 2,700 square feet of floor space. The division into a sanctuary and inner sanctuary corresponds to the division of the tabernacle into the holy place and Most Holy Place. The Tabernacle Dimensions were 45 feet long , 15 feet wide and 15 feet high with identical division in the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) (See illustration for comparison). Thus the length and width of the temple were twice that of the tabernacle, with the height being three times greater. Ancient pagan temples were often larger, but the significance of the Temple was not in the size but in the glory (and Glorious One) Who would dwell in the Temple. The Ulam, or porch, acted as an entrance before the Temple on the east (1 Kings 6:3; 2 Chr. 3:4; 9:7). This was 20 cubits long (corresponding to the width of the Temple) and 10 cubits deep (1 Kings 6:3). (ESV 2 Chr. 3:4) notes that this porch was 120 cubits high. The description does not specify whether a wall separated it from the next chamber. In the porch stood the two pillars Jachin and Boaz (1 Kings 7:21; 2 Kings 11:14; 23:3), which were 18 cubits in height. Cubit: Heb. 'ammah; i.e., "mother of the arm," the forearm, is a word derived from the Latin cubitus, the lower arm. Thus cubit is a unit of measurement based on the length of the human forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (usually considered to be about 18 in or 45 cm); the so-called "long cubit" mentioned in the book of Ezekiel consisted of a cubit and a handbreadth (a total of about 21 in or 52.5 cm) See also SPECIAL TOPIC: CUBIT. See excellent 8 page discussion of the Temple at Jerusalem in Ancient Israel: its life and institutions by Roland de Vaux, Roland, Volume 2, page 312 (BORROW) DE VAUX, ROLAND GUERIN (1903–1971) Archaeologist and biblical scholar - Born in Paris, de Vaux received his doctorate in theology and was ordained to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church in 1929. Thereafter he became a member of the Dominican Order of Friars. In 1934 he was assigned to teach Old Testament at the École Biblique of Jerusalem; in 1945 he became the director of this school, a position he held for two decades. During his active years he became associated with studies in the patriarchal period of Israelite history and discoveries in the Judean desert, and he headed an international team of scholars working on the Dead Sea Scrolls. His archaeological expeditions included those at Tel-el-Farah (1946–1960), Qumran and the scroll caves (1949–1958), and the joint expedition in Jerusalem with the British School of Archaeology (1961–1963). Besides works on archaeology, such as Archaeology and the Dead Sea Scrolls (1961 and 1973), de Vaux published a skillful survey of Israel’s life and institutions, which appeared in English in 1961 under the title Ancient Israel. In recognition of his fruitful researches, he was made a member of the French Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres in 1941. Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727), the noted English scientist, mathematician and theologian, studied and wrote extensively upon the Temple of Solomon. He dedicated an entire chapter of The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms to his observations regarding the temple. Newton was intrigued by the temple's sacred geometry and believed that it was designed by King Solomon (ED: IT WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED BY GOD, GIVEN TO DAVID AND THEN TO SOLOMON) with privileged eyes and divine guidance. 1 Kings 6:3 The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits in length, corresponding to the width of the house, and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits. CSB 1 Kings 6:3 The portico in front of the temple sanctuary was 30 feet long extending across the temple's width, and 15 feet deep in front of the temple. ESV 1 Kings 6:3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. NIV 1 Kings 6:3 The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, and projected ten cubits from the front of the temple. NLT 1 Kings 6:3 The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple. 1Ch 28:11 2Ch 3:3-4 Eze 41:15 Mt 4:5 Joh 10:23 Ac 3:10,11 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 3:3-4+ Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. 4 The porch which was in front of the house was as long as the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height 120; and inside he overlaid it with pure gold. GOD'S FRONT PORCH The porch (portico, vestibule) in front of the nave (temple sanctuary, main hall) of the house was twenty cubits (30 feet) in length, corresponding to the width of the house (30 feet), and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits (15 feet) The porch or portico was an open area. QUESTION - What was Solomon’s Porch? ANSWER - Solomon’s Porch was the name of two porches associated with the temple in Jerusalem. The original temple, constructed by King Solomon, is described in 1 Kings: “As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits [90 feet] and its width twenty cubits [30 feet] and its height thirty cubits [45 feet]. The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits [30 feet] in length, corresponding to the width of the house, and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits [15 feet]” (1 Kings 6:2–3NASB). The reconstructed temple was later modified by King Herod, and it included an area also known as Solomon’s Porch (Acts 5:12, KJV), Solomon’s Portico (ESV), or Solomon’s Colonnade (NIV). This structure was on the east side of the temple and was covered with a roof, thus providing more protection from the weather than the temple courtyards. Passing west through Solomon’s Porch (toward the temple) would place one in the Court of the Gentiles. The Jewish historian Josephus describes Solomon’s Porch this way: “There was a porch without the temple, overlooking a deep valley, supported by walls of four hundred cubits, made of four square stone, very white; the length of each stone was twenty cubits, and the breadth six; the work of king Solomon, who first founded the whole temple” (Antiquities l. 20. c. 8. sect. 7). One winter, at the Festival of Dedication (or Hanukkah), Jesus was in Jerusalem, and John describes Him as “in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade” (John 10:23). The KJV says, “Solomon’s porch.” In Acts 5:12, Solomon’s Porch was the gathering place for believers in Jerusalem before the Diaspora. Earlier, in Acts 3:11, Peter and John had healed a lame man at Solomon’s Porch and preached to a large crowd that had gathered there. Solomon’s Porch, along with the rest of Herod’s temple, was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. GotQuestions.org 1 Kings 6:4 Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames. NET 1 Kings 6:4 He made framed windows for the temple. CSB 1 Kings 6:4 He also made windows with beveled frames for the temple. ESV 1 Kings 6:4 And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. NIV 1 Kings 6:4 He made narrow clerestory windows in the temple. NLT 1 Kings 6:4 Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple. NRS 1 Kings 6:4 For the house he made windows with recessed frames. NJB 1 Kings 6:4 He made windows for the Temple with frames and latticework. NAB 1 Kings 6:4 Splayed windows with trellises were made for the temple, he made windows with artistic frames 1Ki 6:4 Song 2:9 Eze 40:16 41:26 WINDOWS IN THE TEMPLE Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames - windows with beveled frames, framed window, windows with recessed frames. The Tabernacle had no windows. But let's be honest that the exact design and structure of the windows is uncertain. Compare description of Millennial Temple in Ezekiel 40:16; 41:16. 1 Kings 6:5 Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary; thus he made side chambers all around. NET 1 Kings 6:5 He built an extension all around the walls of the temple's main hall and holy place and constructed side rooms in it. CSB 1 Kings 6:5 He then built a chambered structure along the temple wall, encircling the walls of the temple, that is, the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. ESV 1 Kings 6:5 He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. NIV 1 Kings 6:5 Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms. NLT 1 Kings 6:5 He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. NRS 1 Kings 6:5 He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary; and he made side chambers all around. NAB 1 Kings 6:5 and adjoining the wall of the temple, which enclosed the nave and the sanctuary, an annex of several stories was built. ICB - 1 Kings 6:5 Then Solomon built some side rooms against the walls of the main room of the Temple. These rooms were built on top of each other. built: 1Ch 9:26 23:28 28:11 2Ch 31:11 Ne 10:37 12:44 13:5-9 Song 1:4 Jer 35:4 Eze 40:44 41:5-11 42:3-12 the inner sanctuary: 1Ki 6:16,19-21,31 Ex 25:22 Lev 16:2 Nu 7:89 2Ch 4:20 5:7,9 Ps 28:2 EAST See Cut Out for Three Stories of Side Rooms on North, South and West Sides Source: ESV Global Study Bible SIDE ROOMS AROUND NORTH, SOUTH & WEST SIDES OF TEMPLE Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary (Holy of holies); thus he made side chambers all around - The nave was a cubical room, which took up one-third of the space of the Temple and housed the ark of the covenant (1 Ki. 6:16, 19-23). The side chambers all around can be visualized in the cut-out above, surrounding the Temple on the North, South and West sides. The entrance to the Temple faced East as shown on the diagram above. Chambers - Chambers were built about the Temple on the southern, western and northern sides (1 Kings 6:5–10). These formed a part of the building and were used for storage. They were probably one story high at first; two more may have been added later.12 1 Kings 6:6 The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house. NET 1 Kings 6:6 The bottom floor of the extension was seven and a half feet wide, the middle floor nine feet wide, and the third floor ten and a half feet wide. He made ledges on the temple's outer walls so the beams would not have to be inserted into the walls. CSB 1 Kings 6:6 The lowest chamber was 7 1/2 feet wide, the middle was nine feet wide, and the third was 10 1/2 feet wide. He also provided offset ledges for the temple all around the outside so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls. ESV 1 Kings 6:6 The lowest story was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house. NIV 1 Kings 6:6 The lowest floor was five cubits wide, the middle floor six cubits and the third floor seven. He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls. NLT 1 Kings 6:6 The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7-1/2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10-1/2 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves. offsets in the wall of the house all around, 1Ki 6:6 Cross-section of Three Story Side Rooms DETAIL OF THE SIDE ROOMS The lowest story was five cubits wide (7.5 feet), and the middle was six cubits wide (9 feet),, and the third was seven cubits wide (10.5 feet),; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house. The three storied side chambers all around were 7 feet high on the inside and were used by priests for service and storage. The lowest story was five cubits wide (7.5 feet) and also contained winding stairs up to the second story with the stairs continuing to the third story. 1 Kings 6:7 The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built. NET 1 Kings 6:7 As the temple was being built, only stones shaped at the quarry were used; the sound of hammers, pickaxes, or any other iron tool was not heard at the temple while it was being built. CSB 1 Kings 6:7 The temple's construction used finished stones cut at the quarry so that no hammer, chisel, or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built. ESV 1 Kings 6:7 When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built. NIV 1 Kings 6:7 In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. NLT 1 Kings 6:7 The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site. NRS 1 Kings 6:7 The house was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron was heard in the temple while it was being built. built of stone: 1Ki 5:17,18 De 27:5,6 Pr 24:27 Ro 9:23 2Co 5:5 Col 1:12 1Pe 2:5 neither hammer: Isa 42:2 Ac 9:31 Jas 1:20 3:17,18 Related Passages: 1 Peter 2:5+ you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Kings 5:17+ Then the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. STONE QUARRIED OFFSITE & SILENTLY FITTED TOGETHER ONSITE The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built - The Temple stones were cut and finished off site with no further work on the stones on site except to fit them in place. And keep in mind some of these stones weighed in the range of 20,000 pounds, so all of this work was done with heavy construction equipment we have today. It was an amazing feat! David