Tag Archives: Building the Temple

May 16 2014

Solomon Recruits Help – 2 Chronicles 2

English: Tyre, Lebanon - a view of the Christi...

English: Tyre, Lebanon – a view of the Christian quarter from the fishing harbour pier) Slovenščina: Tir, Libanon – pogled na krščansko četrt s pomola v ribiškem pristanišču (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Solomon prepares for building not only the temple, but also his own palace. The chronicler mentions that fact here, but nothing else is mentioned of its construction, which we find documented in 1 Kings 7:1-12. The king of Tyre was said to have had great love for David (1 Kings 5:1), and had sent cedars, carpenters, and masons to help build his house (2 Samuel 5:11). So Solomon sent the king a letter, asking for similar help, promising great amounts of wheat, barley, wine, and oil in return.

Hiram responded with his own letter, praising Solomon for what he was about to do, and sent a man skilled “to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design.” He would also provide the timber cutters for the cedars he would send by sea to Joppa.

Solomon then took a census of all of the resident aliens of Israel, and there were 153,600. Most of these would be descendants of the Canaanites that were never driven out of the land. He conscripted them to work on the project. Verse 18 details the division of their labor – “Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.“

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 2 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

Enhanced by Zemanta
Advertisement
May 9 2014

Solomon Anointed King – 1 Chronicles 29

The chapter opens with David addressing the assembly of all of the officials of Israel that had gathered together in Jerusalem in chapter 28. He tells them that Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the task at hand (building the temple) is formidable. It is only in 1 Chronicles 29:1 and 29:19 that the word “palace” is used to describe the temple. According to Albert Barnes, “the original word here used is the Hebrew form of a Persian word, and generally designates the residence of the Persian monarch,” as in Esther 1:5. But David makes it clear in verse 1 that it is not a house for a man, but for the Lord.

It is then that David gives one of the last examples of his leadership as a godly king. He tells the assembly of the precious metals that have been provided and also of the large amount of treasure from his own personal wealth that he has donated to the cause of building the Lord’s house. He then asks those assembled who among them will give of their own possessions for the Lord. The result is a huge unifying onslaught of reverent generosity that gives the people great joy.

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. A...

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. According to 1 Kings 1:39, Solomon was anointed by Zadok. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

David then offers a prayer to God in verses 10-19. It is a humble prayer of thanksgiving and worship for the Almighty – to whom all of these things they have given actually belong. This was followed by thousands of burnt offerings and drink offerings, and all sacrifices were accompanied by a great feast and celebration.

Solomon was then anointed king in his second coronation, and Zadok was anointed as priest. Verses 26-30 mark the death of David, who the scripture says reigned 40 years over Israel – seven at Hebron and 33 at Jerusalem. Verse 28 says “he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor.”

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 2 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

Enhanced by Zemanta
Mar 28 2014

A Big Undertaking – 1 Chronicles 22

David had been forbidden to build a “house” for the Lord (verse 8, 1 Kings 5:3) because he had “shed much blood and waged great wars.”  The point of this was not that God held David to have done wrong in waging these wars. After all, much of it was accomplished with God’s help. It makes the most sense, though, that the perception of David was that of a warrior; and by those outside the kingdom, perhaps (incorrectly) a ruthless warrior at that. A temple built by David for the Lord would remind outsiders of any other temple for a false god.

 

Michelangelo david solomon

Michelangelo david solomon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Much of the rest of this chapter in not found in the Books of Samuel. While Solomon was still too young (and before David became too old), David desired to get things prepared, so that Solomon could be ready to build it whenever he came of age. He gathered the foreigners that lived in Israel for labor. He then brought in innumerable cedar timbers, had iron made into nails and gates, and provided great quantities of bronze.

 

Then he called for Solomon, and gave him his charge concerning the temple. David emphasized to Solomon how important it was to keep to the law of Moses. Then David said “Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.” This reminds of the words Moses spoke to Joshua as he “passed the torch” to him in Deuteronomy 31:6. With God’s help, David had subdued all of the nation’s enemies and secured the land. Now Solomon could rule in peace and build the temple.

 

David told him that he provided 100, 000 talents of gold, and a million talents of silver, along with all of the bronze and iron. The measure of a talent has historically been somewhat inconsistent. But here, it is generally thought to be about 75 lbs per talent. Peace, prosperity, and preparation were David’s gifts to his son for this monumental task. But he would not be alone. David commanded all of the leaders to help his son. And of course, there was God.

 

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

 

/Bob’s boy

 

___________________

 

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

 

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

 

Enhanced by Zemanta