IN the last lecture we were occupied with David’s provision for the Temple of God.
We now come to Solomon’s preparation. While David was the type of the Lord Jesus in humiliation, we have in Solomon the type of Him in His exaltation and ascension glory.
In Matthew 16. Christ says, “On this rock I will build My Church.” But whatever previous provision was made, the time of the actual commencement was after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus and the coming of the Holy Ghost. I believe we have reached that period in type in the chapter before us. We have seen the foundation fixed on, the provision made, and now Solomon takes up the work; and, for the first time, we get the Gentiles associated. That which characterizes the Church is, Jew and Gentile, one body in Christ by the Holy Ghost sent down from Christ in glory. We find the Jew and the Gentile associated in this chapter in building a house for God. Hiram, King of Tyre, sends his servants to Solomon:
“He had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father; for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
“And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
“Thou knowest how that David my father could not build a house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
“But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
“And, behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build a house unto My name.
“Now, therefore, command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants, and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.”
Then, in the 7th verse:
“And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
“And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
“My servants shall bring them down unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”
I have been very much struck (I just throw it out by the way) with the coincidence between this chapter and the l0th of the Acts―the scene in the commencement of the bringing in of the Gentiles into the Church of God. It is a remarkable fact that a period of full seven years elapsed after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ before the Gentiles were associated with the Jews in the fellowship of the Church. And Peter needed to have his heart and mind prepared for co-operation with God in this work by a vision; and then we get Cornelius sending to that very place where Solomon appointed Hiram should send, that is Joppa.
From the 10th verse of the 5th chapter of Kings we read:
“So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
“And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil. Thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
“And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as He promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together.”
“And King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men,” &c.
Jew and Gentile are associated together in the work―Solomon’s levy from among the Jews― Solomon’s league with Hiram to supply Gentile work.