- 2166 Birth of Abram
- 1876 Jacob's descent to Egypt (1845 Israel enslaved)
- 1446 Israel leaves Egypt after 400 years of bondage
- 1395 Conquest of Caanan complete (essentially)
- 1375-1043 Period of the Judges ("Israel had no King")
- 1051-1011 Saul's reign (40 years)
- 1011-971 David's reign (7 years over Judah & 33 years over Israel)
- 991 Birth of Solomon
- 973 Solomon's Co-Regency with David
- 971 David's death
- 931 Solomon's death
- 722 Israel to Assyria
- 586 Judah to Babylon
- 538 Return to Jerusalem
- 2/7 Birth of Jesus
- What do we learn about Solomon's wisdom from this passage?
- While David did much preparation, he did not do all of it. There is still the identification of resources (people and certain other materials)
- Solomon steps out on the task. The building starts in the fourth year. The first few years are spent in preparation and in securing the power base
- Solomon's speech is kind. As a leader, he encourages work from others, rather than demanding their support
1 Kings 5:13-16 (NIV) King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel — thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen.
- What do we learn from Solomon's wisdom from this passage?
- He didn't try to do it all his self. He established leaders and foremen
- They did use forced labor, non-Israelites, but they did not abuse the people. One month on, two months off is a very reasonable work strategy
- Clearly, a lot of planning goes into the venture before the actual construction ever gets started
1 Kings 6:37-7:1 (NIV) The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.
7 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
- How long does it take Solomon to complete the building of the temple?
- 11th years, 8th months minus 4th year, 2nd month equals 7.5 years
- Why does the palace take longer than the temple?
- It could be the palace was more intricate (not, more discussion give to the temple) or bigger (Pillared hall alone was double in size -- 100x50x30 versus 60x20x30)
- Solomon could have diverted the work for to get the palace done sooner
- Most likely, Solomon put priority on the temple
1 Kings 8:1-9 (NIV) Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord's covenant from Zion, the City of David. 2 All the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.
3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.
6 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
- We do get some insight into when this piece of scripture was written (verse 8:8)?
- It was written prior to the destruction of the temple, 586 BC
- Suggests that various authors may have been involved in recording the events
- What is missing in the ark?
- The jar of manna and Aaron's budding rod
- Heb 9:4 seems to contradict this verse. Hebrews may refer to the original tabernacle. The other possibility is that the other objects were there but they were not placed within the ark as was the law
- What is another aspect of Solomon's wisdom that we see in these verses?
- The involvement of all people who are directly or indirectly affected by the work
- A time of celebration when a major project is constructed
1 Kings 8:10-21 (NIV) When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
12 Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."
14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 15 Then he said:
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 'Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'
17 "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood — he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.'
20 "The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of Egypt."
- What immediately happens to the temple?
- The shekinah glory fills the temple. This is symbolic of God's presence dwelling among the people
- What does Solomon say is the purpose of the temple?
- He calls it a temple for the Name of the Lord (3 times)
- What else do we learn from Solomon's wisdom?
- He sees a teaching opportunity and takes advantage. He could have continued to stare at and admire God's glory, but instead he turns to the people and reiterates truths about God's faithfulness, God's sovereignty, God's fulfillment of promise, and Israel's history with God
- What are the teaching opportunities that we receive? Do we just stand and stare, or do we teach those God has placed in our sphere of influence?
1 Kings 8:27-30 (NIV)
27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
- Solomon teaches some good theology here. He explains the reason for calling the temple a place for the Name of the Lord. What is Solomon's reason?
- God is too big and great to be contained in even the universe itself
- The temple is only a symbol -- God does not live in the temple
- Solomon makes an unusual request. He identifies seven reasons for people to turn to the temple and pray. Lets read them and then discuss what is unusual in the request
- 1 Kings 8:31 (NIV) "When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple,
- Doubtfulness regarding an injustice
- 1 Kings 8:33 (NIV) "When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,
- Defeat in battle
- 1 Kings 8:35 (NIV) "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,
- Drought
- 1 Kings 8:37-38 (NIV) "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel — each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
- Famine, plagues, disease
- 1 Kings 8:41-42 (NIV) "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when he comes and prays toward this temple,
- Pagans coming to faith
- 1 Kings 8:44 (NIV) "When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,
- Going into battle
- 1 Kings 8:46-48 (NIV) "When they sin against you — for there is no one who does not sin — and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;
- Captivity (which is where 1,2 Kings will end)
- 1 Kings 8:31 (NIV) "When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple,
- The unusual thing is that you don't need a temple to pray to God, so why include the temple as part of the prayer?
- The temple was both a symbol and a reminder of the covenant
- The book of the law was placed in the ark
- Much of the law concerns the operation of the tabernacle
- Therefore, turning to the temple reminds the people of the conditions of the OT covenant and the requirements of the law to which they have agreed
- The NT covenant, founded on grace, has no such requirement, such as building
- The NT covenant does institute the Lord's Supper as a reminder of the covenant
1 Kings 8:65-66 (NIV) So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him — a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
- Apparently, Solomon dedicated the temple during the feast of tabernacles. The feast commemorates God's faithfulness to Israel during the wanderings in the wilderness
Timeline:
1 Kings 5:6-7 (NIV) "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians."
7 When Hiram heard Solomon's message, he was greatly pleased and said, "Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation."
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