God Dwells with Us
Today's Scripture: 1 Kings 6
1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
5And 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:
6The 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.
7And 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.
8The 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.
9So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
10And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
11And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
12Concerning 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:
13And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
14So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
15And 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.
16And 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.
17And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
18And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
19And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
20And 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.
21So 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.
22And 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.
23And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
24And 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.
25And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
27And 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.
28And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
29And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
30And the floors of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
31And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
32The 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.
33So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.
34And 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.
35And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
36And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
38And 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.
Today's Scripture Meaning:
The building of Solomon's temple. (1-10) Promise given concerning the temple. (11-14) Particulars respecting the temple. (15-38)
Verses 1-10: The temple is called the house of the Lord, because it was directed and modelled by him, and was to be employed in his service. This gave it the beauty of holiness, that it was the house of the Lord, which was far beyond all other beauties. It was to be the temple of the God of peace, therefore no iron tool must be heard; quietness and silence suit and help religious exercises. God's work should be done with much care and little noise. Clamour and violence often hinder, but never further the work of God. Thus the kingdom of God in the heart of man grows up in silence, (Mr 5:27).
Verses 11-14: None employ themselves for God, without having his eye upon them. But God plainly let Solomon know that all the charge for building this temple, would neither excuse from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter from his judgments, in case of disobedience.
Verses 15-38: See what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true Temple. In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead; in him meet all God's spiritual Israel; through him we have access with confidence to God. 2. Every believer is a living temple, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, (1Co 3:16). This living temple is built upon Christ as its Foundation, and will be perfect in due time. 3. The gospel church is the mystical temple. It grows to a holy temple in the Lord, enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit. This temple is built firm, upon a Rock. 4. Heaven is the everlasting temple. There the church will be fixed. All that shall be stones in that building, must, in the present state of preparation, be fitted and made ready for it. Let sinners come to Jesus as the living Foundation, that they may be built on him, a part of this spiritual house, consecrated in body and soul to the glory of God.
Today's Scripture Application
Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of 1 Kings with Chapter 6. In our text today we see Solomon beginning to build the temple with great care and detail. I believe the passage was not given for how we are to build a Church but rather to show us how God dwells with us and how God will not leave us. In making application we see this principle still with us today. God says He will never leave us nor forsakes us. This does not mean we will not go through the valley or through a storm but rather that the Lord goes with us through the valley and through the storm. I have seen this 1st hand as the Lord has been with been with me every since I received Him as Lord. Through sickness and famine to health and plenty - my Lord has been with me every step of the way. How about you? Do you realize the Lord has not left you nor forsaken you? Let us learn from our text today and the building of the temple to see how God dwells with us