Chapter 155. 1 Kings 6. 2 Chron. 3. The Building of the Temple.
IN the fourth year of his reign, Solomon began the building of the temple. God told him to build it on Mount Moriah. where David offered the burnt offerings to stay the plague after he had numbered the people. The Lord accepted the sacrifices and His judgment was stayed. What a fit place for such a building, even as the cross of Christ is the place, and the foundation upon which every sinner must stand in order to be saved from the wrath of God.
David had collected a very great amount of gold, silver, brass and iron, also timber and stones, marble and all manner of precious stones. Solomon, out of his own wealth, had added fully as much as his father.
The stones for the building were very large and costly, and each one was made ready before it was brought to be placed in the house, for God had commanded that neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron should be heard in the house while they were building.
How beautifully this reminds us that every believer has been foreknown of God, and that the building of the present great spiritual house for God to dwell in was planned, and shaped, as it were, before time began. This house is spoken of in Eph. 2:20-22, “Jesus Christ Himself being the corner stone; in whom all the building fitly f rained together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit.” And in 1 Peter 2:5, “Ye also as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
In this, God the Father, and Christ the Son both had a part. As David gave his son the materials with which to build the temple, so God has given Jesus His own to build the present dwelling place of God. “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out!” Jno. 6:37.
The inside of the house was built with boards of cedar wood, so that no stone was seen. The cedar was beautifully carved with knops and flowers, and this in turn was overlaid with pure gold, so that nothing was seen but the gold.
We read in Rom. 3:22, “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe.” Then every saved sinner—everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus as his Saviour stands before God covered with His righteousness, for “Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Cor. 1:30.
When God looks at us, He sees us in Christ, and we are hid in Him; therefore can we be otherwise, than “accepted in the Beloved?”
What peace the knowledge of this precious truth gives to the soul! It does not come of anything we can do; it is all done for us. God planned our salvation; Christ accomplished it, and we with adoring hearts receive it.
It must have been a beautiful house, indeed, with its floor, walls and ceiling resplendent with gold. Also its cherubim graven on the walls, and the whole house garnished with precious stones! Yet this is but a picture of the glory that belongs to every believer in Christ—every stone in this great spiritual house, the temple of the living God. His righteousness upon them, so fully hiding the sinner, that even God’s all-searching eye cannot find a flaw in him. And if God is so fully satisfied with us as Christ’s workmanship, can, we do anything to make our salvation more secure?
ML 03/26/1916