2Ch 3-4:5
Sophy. Did Solomon build the house of God on the same Mount Moriah where Abraham offered up Isaac?
Mamma. It is supposed to be the same place, though the Bible does not say so. But the truth is the same for those who find that spot. It is the place where God has found Himself a Lamb. In the Mount of the Lord it should be seen that He was Jehovah Jireh, which means, The Lord shall provide. And in the place where—because He would provide a Lamb—His mercy would rejoice over judgment; there He would put His name and He would choose that spot for His dwelling-place among His people.
S. Why did Solomon call it the house of his kingdom?
M. Because it was the Lord's kingdom, and the house was connected with the glory of His name.
It took some time to collect the beautiful cedar wood from Lebanon, and the gold and silver and precious stones; but he began to build in the fourth year of his reign, on the second day of the second month. The house inside was overlaid everywhere with fine gold. And the cherubim, with their wings stretched out, reached from one side of the house to the other, and their faces looked outward to bless the people. Then Solomon put up the vail which shut in the most holy place, where the ark and the cherubim were. And at the door of the temple were two pillars: one was called Jachin, which means, He will establish; and the other Boaz, In Him is strength.
S. Why were they called by those names?
M. Because the Lord will establish His kingdom, and its strength shall be in Himself. The story of Chronicles, as I tried to shew you before, is intended to point us to the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He will come to reign on the earth, as the true Son of David, in glory far greater than Solomon's; great though that was, it was only a figure of the Lord's. And as we study this book, we learn what God's purpose is, as to His chosen people by-and-by on the earth.
S. When will that be?
M. In the thousand years of blessing, or the Millennium, as it is generally called; when Satan will be bound, so that he cannot tempt people to be wicked; and Jesus will reign in righteousness, and keep everything in order and blessing by His own glory.
S. What a happy time that will be!
M. It will be a happy time for those who love Him; but it will not be a perfect time, because it will come to an end, and after the thousand years, Satan will be let loose again, and men's wicked minds will be acted upon by Satan; so that they will even join together to fight against the Lord. But He, who is the Lamb of God, shall overcome them, because He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
S. Where will all the Christians be when Jesus is reigning as a King?
M. They will be reigning too, they shall reign with Him. All those sinners saved by grace, who confess the name of Jesus now, while He is not here, He will take up to heaven to be with Himself before He comes to reign. They will be the bride, the Lamb's wife, they will sit with Him in His throne; where He goes they will go, for they are united to Him eternally by the Holy Spirit. Nothing can ever separate Him, unto the ages and ages, from those who are now made members of His body, the church of the Firstborn.
S. Then is it a greater thing to be a member of Christ's body than to be blessed for a thousand years?
M. Far, far greater! we cannot conceive how infinitely great it is. It is the fullest blessing possible. God has revealed to us nothing else so blessed, or so wonderful, as that His own Son should pass through death because He loved the church, and gave Himself for it. The apostle Paul holds out this prospect to those who suffer-for the sake of Jesus now: If you suffer with Him, he says, you shall also reign with Him. And he counted the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. While Jesus is not here His people must expect to suffer—till He comes.
S. What is glory?
M. The glory of God is the expression of what He is; it is that which shines out from Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ always had a glory of His own; but He gained another glory by becoming a Man—the glory of the Son of man. That was the glory that the Father gave Him, because He did all His will so perfectly. But man, driven out of the garden of Eden, could have nothing to do with glory, until the God of glory had accepted an offering for him. And so here, the moment we get outside the temple, the first thing that meets us is the altar of brass; where the burnt-offering was offered for a sweet savor to the Lord. The next thing to the altar was a very wonderful thing—twelve great oxen of brass held up an enormous basin of brass which was always full of water, like a great lake or sea, and this was for the priests to wash in. The oxen were set in rows of three; three had their faces to the north, and three looked toward the west, three toward the south, and three to the east.
S. Could any one wash there but the priests?
M. No. There were also ten lavers, which were smaller basins, placed five on the right hand and five on the left; for them to wash the parts of the burnt-offering in.
Oh what a bright and blessed world
This groaning earth of ours will be,
When from its throne the tempter hurl'd,
Shall leave it all, O Lord, to Thee!
But brighter far that world above,
Where we, as we are known, shall know;
And, in the sweet embrace of love,
Reign o'er this ransom'd earth below.
Oh, blessed Lord! with weeping eyes,
That blissful hour we wait to see;
While every worm or leaf that dies
Tells of the curse, and calls for Thee.
Come, Savior, then, o'er all below
Shine brightly from Thy throne above;
Bid heaven and earth Thy glory know,
And all creation feel Thy love.