1 Kings 6 and 7
You remember about the large Tent made at Mt. Sinai, which the people of Israel carried about with them, and where they offered their gifts and sacrifices to God. Some tents would not last long, but this had coverings of skins and was all very strong and lasted ever so many years. Perhaps it was sometimes repaired, but God kept it from being destroyed.
At last, instead of the Tent, a fine house of stone and wood, called the Temple, was built on one of the high hills at Jerusalem. The material had all been made ready first,—great stones from the mountains nearby, strong cedars and other woods from the forests; iron and ever so much brass (or copper), gold and silver, and also precious stones.
We cannot tell you just how the Temple looked, but if you read one of the chapters about it, you will know it must have been very beautiful. There was a porch across the front with two big brass pillars, each about 35 ft. high and about 18 ft. around; there was a large court where the people could gather, with rooms around; there were two special rooms for the gold furniture, as in the Tent of God, only made twice as large; winding stairs covered with gold led to rooms above. The wood of the walls and the doors was carved and covered with gold, decorated with gold leaves, fruit, and other designs; even the floors were covered with gold!
The length of the Temple was 60 cubits, the width, 20 cubits and it was 30 cubits high. (A cubit is about 1 1/2 ft.) The windows are said to have been small, perhaps for air, more than for light, as the light was to be within.
Perhaps what makes us wonder most about this great house is to read that while it was being built there was no sound of a hammer or ax to be heard! Did you ever watch men working on a new building, and not hear a sound of tools? Instead, there is often so much noise, the workmen cannot hear one another. But this building was all done by a plan given by God and written down, and He had given the skill to the workers, so they cut and smoothed the great stones and the wood to the right measures, before they were brought to the place, although men cannot now tell how it could be clone. (Read 1 Chronicles 28:19; 1 Kings 6:7, and 7:14).
All this grand temple was meant to teach the people of the Lord’s holiness, power and goodness, and stood there very many years. But at last, because the kings and the people worshiped idols, God let an enemy come to spoil His House. But, even yet, there are huge stones on that hill, as large as 14 ft. long, which are supposed to have been a part of this temple, and men who see them wonder how they were set in place.
Who was king when the Temple was built? and how long was it since the first people of Israel came from Egypt? (1 Kings 6:1).
From what forest was the wood of the Temple cut? (1 Kings 5:6-10).
Near what river was the brass taken? (1 Kings 7:15,46).
How many years were they building the Temple? (1 Kings 6:38).
ML 01/08/1939