Great
and long preparation had been making for the building of the temple, and
here, at length, comes an account of the building of it; a noble piece of
work it was, one of the wonders of the world, and taking in its spiritual
significancy, one of the glories of the church. Here is, I. The time when it
was built (ver. 1), and how long it was in the building, ver. 37, 38. II.
The silence with which it was build, ver. 7. III. The dimensions of it, ver.
2, 3. IV. The message God sent to Solomon, when it was in the building, ver.
11-13. V. The particulars: windows (ver. 4), chambers (ver. 5, 6, 8-10), the
walls and flooring (ver. 15-18), the oracle (ver. 19-22), the cherubim (ver.
23-30), the doors (ver. 31-35), and the inner court, ver. 36. Many learned
men have well bestowed their pains in expounding the description here given
of the temple according to the rules of architecture, and solving the
difficulties which, upon search, they find in it; but in that matter, having
nothing new to offer, we will not be particular or curious; it was then well
understood, and every man's eyes that saw this glorious structure furnished
him with the best critical exposition of this chapter.
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The
Building of the
Temple
.
|
B.
C. 1011.
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1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and
eightieth year after the children of
Israel
were come out of the land
of
Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over
Israel, in the month Zif, which is the
second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
2 And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD,
the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof
twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits. 3
And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the
length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits
was the breadth thereof before the house. 4 And for the
house he made windows of narrow lights. 5 And against the wall
of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the
house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made
chambers round about: 6 The nethermost chamber was five
cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was
seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made
narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in
the walls of the house. 7 And the house, when it was in
building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so
that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in
the house, while it was in building. 8 The door for the middle
chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with
winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into
the third. 9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered
the house with beams and boards of cedar. 10 And then he
built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on
the house with timber of cedar.
Here, I. The temple is called the house of the Lord (v. 1),
because it was, 1. Directed and modelled by him. Infinite Wisdom was the
architect, and gave David the plan or pattern by the Spirit, not by word of
mouth only, but, for the greater certainty and exactness, in writing (1
Chron. xxviii. 11, 12), as he had given to Moses in the mouth a draught of
the tabernacle. 2. Dedicated and devoted to him and to his honour, to be
employed in his service, so his as never any other house was, for he
manifested his glory in it (so as never in any other) in a way agreeable to
that dispensation; for, when there were carnal ordinances, there was a worldly
sanctuary, Heb. ix. 1, 10. This gave it its beauty of holiness,
that it was the house of the Lord, which far transcended all its
other beauties.
II. The time when it began to be built is exactly set down. 1. It was just
480 years after the bringing of the children of
Israel
out of
Egypt
. Allowing forty years to Moses, seventeen to Joshua, 299 to the Judges,
forty to Eli, forty to Samuel and Saul, forty to David, and four to Solomon
before he began the work, we have just the sum of 480. So long it was after
that holy state was founded before that holy house was built, which, in less
than 430 years, was burnt by Nebuchadnezzar. It was thus deferred because
Israel
had, by their sins, rendered themselves unworthy of this honour, and because
God would show how little he values external pomp and splendour in his
service: he was in no haste for a temple. David's tent, which was clean and
convenient, though it was neither stately nor rich, nor, for aught that
appears, ever consecrated, is called the house of the Lord (2 Sam.
xii. 20), and served as well as Solomon's temple; yet, when God gave Solomon
great wealth, he put it into his heart thus to employ it, and graciously
accepted him, chiefly because it was to be a shadow of good things to come,
Heb. ix. 9. 2. It was in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, the first three
years being taken up in settling the affairs of his kingdom, that he might
not find any embarrassment from them in this work. It is not time lost which
is spent in composing ourselves for the work of God, and disentangling
ourselves from every thing which might distract or divert us. During this
time he was adding to the preparations which his father had made (1 Chron.
xxii. 14), hewing the stone, squaring the timber, and getting every thing
ready, so that he is not to be blamed for slackness in deferring it so long.
We are truly serving God when we are preparing for his service and
furnishing ourselves for it.
III. The materials are brought in, ready for their place (v. 7), so
ready that there was neither hammer nor ax heard in the house while it
was in building. In all building Solomon prescribes it as a rule of
prudence to prepare the work in the field, and afterwards build,
Prov. xxiv. 27. But here, it seems, the preparation was more than ordinarily
full and exact, to such a degree that, when the several parts came to be put
together, there was nothing defective to be added, nothing amiss to be
amended. It was to be the
temple
of
God
of peace, and therefore no iron tool must be heard in it. Quietness and
silence both become and befriend religious exercises: God's work should be
done with as much care and as little noise as may be. The temple was thrown
down with axes and hammers, and those that threw it down roared in the
midst of the congregation (Ps. lxxiv. 4, 6); but it was built up in
silence. Clamour and violence often hinder the work of God, but never
further it.
IV. The dimensions are laid down (v. 2, 3) according to the rules of
proportion. Some observe that the length and breadth were just double to
that of the tabernacle. Now that
Israel
had grown more numerous the place of their meeting needed to be enlarged (Isa.
liv. 1, 2), and now that they had grown richer they were the better able to
enlarge it. Where God sows plentifully he expects to reap so.
V. An account of the windows (v. 4): They were broad within, and
narrow without, Marg. Such should the eyes of our mind be, reflecting
nearer on ourselves than on other people, looking much within, to judge
ourselves, but little without, to censure our brethren. The narrowness of
the lights intimated the darkness of that dispensation, in comparison with
the gospel day.
VI. The chambers are described (v. 5, 6), which served as vestries,
in which the utensils of the tabernacle were carefully laid up, and where
the priests dressed and undressed themselves and left the clothes in which
they ministered: probably in some of these chambers they feasted upon the
holy things. Solomon was not so intent upon the magnificence of the house as
to neglect the conveniences that were requisite for the offices thereof,
that every thing might be done decently and in order. Care was taken that
the beams should not be fastened in the walls to weaken them, v. 6.
Let not the church's strength be impaired under pretence of adding to its
beauty or convenience.
11 And the word of the LORD
came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which
thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my
judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform
my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I
will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people
Israel. 14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
Here is, I. The word God sent to Solomon, when he was engaged in building
the temple. God let him know that he took notice of what he was doing, the
house he was now building, v. 12. None employ themselves for God
without having his eye upon them. "I know thy works, thy good
works." He assured him that if he would proceed and persevere in
obedience to the divine law, and keep in the way of duty and the true
worship of God, the divine loving-kindness should be drawn out both to
himself (I will perform my word with thee) and to his kingdom:
"Israel shall be ever owned as my people; I will dwell among them,
and not forsake them." This word God sent him probably by a
prophet, 1. That by the promise he might be encouraged and comforted in his
work. Perhaps sometimes the great care, expense, and fatigue of it, made him
ready to wish he had never begun it; but this would help him through the
difficulties of it, that the promised establishment of his family and
kingdom would abundantly recompense all his pains. An eye to the promise
will carry us cheerfully through our work; and those who wish well to the
public will think nothing too much that they can do to secure and perpetuate
to it the tokens of God's presence. 2. That, by the condition annexed, he
might be awakened to consider that though he built the temple ever so strong
the glory of it would soon depart, unless he and his people continued to
walk in God's statutes. God plainly let him know that all this charge
which he and his people were at, in erecting this temple, would neither
excuse them from obedience to the law of God nor shelter them from his
judgments in case of disobedience. Keeping God's commandments is better, and
more pleasing to him, than building churches.
II. The work Solomon did for God: So he built the house (v.
14), so animated by the message God had sent him, so
admonished not to expect that God should own his building unless he were
obedient to his laws: "Lord, I proceed upon these terms, being firmly
resolved to walk in thy statutes." The strictness of God's government
will never drive a good man from his service, but quicken him in it. Solomon
built and finished, he went on with the work, and God went along with him
till it was completed. It is spoken both to God's praise and his: he grew
not weary of the work, met not with any obstructions (as Ezra iv. 24), did
not out-build his property, nor do it by halves, but, having begun to build,
was both able and willing to finish; for he was a wise builder.
15 And he built the walls of the house within
with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the
ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and
covered the floor of the house with planks of fir. 16 And he
built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls
with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even
for the oracle, even for the most holy place. 17
And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
18 And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open
flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen. 19 And
the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the
covenant of the LORD.
20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and
twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he
overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of
cedar. 21 So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold:
and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he
overlaid it with gold. 22 And the whole house he overlaid with
gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was
by the oracle he overlaid with gold. 23 And within the oracle he
made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
24 And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits
the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto
the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. 25 And
the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of
one measure and one size. 26 The height of the one cherub was
ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. 27 And he
set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings
of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall,
and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings
touched one another in the midst of the house. 28 And he
overlaid the cherubims with gold. 29 And he carved all the walls
of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and
open flowers, within and without. 30 And the floor of the house
he overlaid with gold, within and without. 31 And for the
entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and
side posts were a fifth part of the wall. 32 The
two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings
of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with
gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
33 So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a
fourth part of the wall. 34 And the two doors were of
fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two
leaves of the other door were folding. 35 And he carved thereon
cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold
fitted upon the carved work. 36 And he built the inner court
with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams. 37 In
the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD
laid, in the month Zif: 38 And in the eleventh year, in the
month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished
throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So
was he seven years in building it.
Here, I. We have a particular account of the details of the building.
1. The wainscot of the temple. It was of cedar (v. 15), which was
strong and durable, and of a very sweet smell. The wainscot was curiously
carved with knops (like eggs or apples) and flowers, no doubt as the fashion
then was, v. 18.
2. The gilding. It was not like ours, washed over, but the whole house,
all the inside of the temple (v. 22), even the floor (v. 30),
he overlaid with gold, and the most holy place with pure gold,
v. 21. Solomon would spare no expense necessary to make it every way
sumptuous. Gold was under foot there, as it should be in all the living
temples: the abundance of it lessened its worth.
3. The oracle, or speaking-place (for so the word signifies), the
holy of holies, so called because thence God spoke to Moses, and perhaps
to the high priest, when he consulted with the breast-plate of judgment. In
this place the ark of the covenant was to be set, v. 19.
Solomon made every thing new, and more magnificent than it had been, except
the ark, which was still the same that Moses made, with its mercy-seat and
cherubim; that was the token of God's presence, which is always the same
with his people whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with
their condition.
4. The cherubim. Besides those at the ends of the mercy-seat, which covered
the ark, (1.) Solomon set up two more, very large ones, images of young men
(as some think), with wings made of olive-wood, and all overlaid with gold, v.
23, &c. This most holy place was much larger than that in the
tabernacle, and therefore the ark would have seemed lost in it, and the dead
wall would have been unsightly, if it had not been thus adorned. (2.) He
carved cherubim upon all the walls of the house, v. 29. The heathen
set up images of their gods and worshipped them; but these were designed to
represent the servants and attendants of the God of Israel, the holy angels,
not to be themselves worshipped (see thou do it not), but to show how
great he is whom we are to worship.
5. The doors. The folding doors that led into the oracle were but a fifth
part of the wall (v. 31), those into the temple were a fourth part (v.
33); but both were beautified with cherubim engraven on them, v. 32,
35.
6. The inner court, in which the brazen altar was at which the priests
ministered. This was separated from the court where the people were by a low
wall, three rows of hewn stone tipped with a cornice of cedar (v.
36), that over it the people might see what was done and hear what the
priests said to them; for, even under that dispensation, they were not kept
wholly either in the dark or at a distance.
7. The time spent in this building. It was but seven years and a half from
the founding to the finishing of it, v. 38. Considering the vastness
and elegance of the building, and the many appurtenances to it which were
necessary to fit it for use, it was soon done. Solomon was in earnest in it,
had money enough, had nothing to divert him from it, and many hands made
quick work. He finished it (as the margin reads it) with all the
appurtenances thereof, and with all the ordinances thereof, not only built
the place, but set forward the work for which it was built.
II. Let us now see what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true
temple; he himself spoke of the temple of his body, John ii. 21. God himself
prepared him his body, Heb. x. 5. In him dwelt the fulness of the
Godhead, as the Shechinah in the temple. In him meet all God's
spiritual Israel. Through him we have access with confidence to God. All the
angels of God, those blessed cherubim, have a charge to worship him. 2.
Every believer is a living temple, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, 1 Cor.
iii. 16. Even the body is such by virtue of its union with the soul, 1 Cor.
vi. 19. We are not only wonderfully made by the divine providence, but more
wonderfully made anew by the divine grace. This living temple is built upon
Christ as its foundation and will be perfected in due time. 3. The gospel
church is the mystical temple; it grows to a holy temple in the Lord
(Eph. ii. 21), enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the
Spirit, as Solomon's temple with gold and precious stones. Only Jews built
the tabernacle, but Gentiles joined with them in building the temple. Even
strangers and foreigners are built up a habitation of God, Eph. ii.
19, 22. The temple was divided into the holy place and the most holy, the
courts of it into the outer and inner; so there are the visible and the
invisible church. The door into the temple was wider than that into the
oracle. Many enter into profession that come short of salvation. This temple
is built firm, upon a rock, not to be taken down as the tabernacle of the
Old Testament was. The temple was long in preparing, but was built at last.
The top-stone of the gospel church will, at length, be brought forth with
shoutings, and it is a pity that there should be the clashing of axes and
hammers in the building of it. Angels are ministering spirits, attending the
church on all sides and all the members of it. 4. Heaven is the everlasting
temple. There the church will be fixed, and no longer movable. The streets
of the new Jerusalem, in allusion to the flooring of the temple, are said to
be of pure gold, Rev. xxi. 21. The cherubim there always attend the
throne of glory. The temple was uniform, and in heaven there is the
perfection of beauty and harmony. In Solomon's temple there was no noise of
axes and hammers. Every thing is quiet and serene in heaven; all that shall
be stones in that building must in the present sate of probation and
preparation be fitted and made ready for it, must be hewn and squared by
divine grace, and so made meet for a place there.
