September 27, 2009: Solomon Builds the Temple
The text for this lesson is 1 Kings 5:1–6:38.
Key Points
- Though He was hidden, God resided within the Old Testament temple; Jesus is the unveiled, human Most Holy Place and is truly accessible to all, enfolding believers in the arms of His Word and Sacraments.
- Law: In my sin, I want to keep God at a distance; I don’t want Him to see who I really am.
- Gospel: God, in His love, draws me near to Him; in Jesus, He tabernacles (dwells) among all believers through Word and Sacrament.
Context
David desired to build a “house of cedar” for God, to replace the tent in which his Lord had been residing (2 Samuel 7:1–29). But the Lord declared it would be Solomon who would build such a house. Work on the temple was begun 480 years after Israel left Egypt, around 967 BC (1 Kings 6:1), and was completed seven years later (1 Kings 6:38). It consisted of two main parts: the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) and the Holy Place. It was a sight so dazzlingly beautiful that it was deemed an “exalted house” for the King of kings (1 Kings8:13). Yet it was only temporary. The Babylonians bulldozed it in 587 BC.
Discussion Points
- All people who believe in a higher power invent some form of worship by which they show reverence to their deity. What makes Christian worship (along with the now obsolete Old Testament temple worship) unique among all religions? See Psalm 50:7–15; Matthew 18:20; and 20:28. Why have Lutherans traditionally called their worship Divine Service?
- Compare 1 Kings 5:3–7 with 1 Chronicles 22:6–10. Why was David prohibited from building “a house for the name of the LORD”? Who is the main actor in these passages?
- The Bible calls the temple by many different names, but one of the most intriguing is “a house for the name of the LORD [Hebrew: YHWH]” (1 Kings 5:3). It seems odd that the Lord would need a house for His name. But according to Exodus 34:4–9, what was so significant about His name? Who is given this name in the New Testament?
- Solomon built “the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah” (2 Chronicles 3:1). What else happened on that mountain? See Genesis 22:1–2, 9–14. Why is this location so appropriate for the temple?
- What instructions and promises did the Lord give Israel concerning the tabernacle and later the temple? See Exodus 20:24; 29:38–46; Numbers 6:22–27; and 2 Chronicles 7:15.
- Solomon’s temple would not last forever. Because of Israel and Judah’s stubborn unbelief, God used the Babylonians in 587 BC to destroy much of Judah and take the people into exile. The temple was completely razed. But the Lord was not finished with Judah or the temple. According to Ezra 1:1–3 and 6:14–18, what would the future hold? What does Haggai 2:9 predict about the temple? How does Jesus fulfill this, according to John 2:18–22?
- At the temple and tabernacle, Israelites had access to God, where He blessed them. Where is God accessible for us today? See Matthew 1:23; 18:20; 26:26–28; and 28:20. In what way is God’s presence with us both individually and corporately? See 1 Corinthians 3:16–17 and Ephesians 2:18–22.
- The Bible certainly has much to say about how we are to live today, but eternal life always is kept in view. In 2 Corinthians 5:1 and Revelation 7:13–17, what comfort does God give us about our eternal residence?
- What is the difference between the promises given in 1 Kings 6:11–14 and those in Hebrews 13:5–6? What ensured this difference for us? See Matthew 27:45–51.
- One of the most striking features of 1 Kings 5–6 is the enormous quantity of time and resources devoted to constructing the “house of the LORD” (6:1). What could this example suggest to the Christian churches today? Also consult Matthew 26:6–13.
