1 Kings 6-7 Deep Diving Bible Study

GOOD MORNING! What a great day to start out in the Word of our father!
Today’s readings are 1 Kings 6 and 7

Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.

Rabbit Trails

All this cedar, anyone else smelling it in their mind as you read this? Man, I bet it smelled so good!

Today, Solomon begins the temple. We won’t read where it is located in Kings but in 2 Chronicles 3:1 we see

“Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”

Other interesting notes about the temple:

• Estimates are that this temple was constructed approximately 500 years after the Wilderness Tabernacle was built.
• The measurements are all double – and the same proportions – as those of the Wilderness Tabernacle.
  • From Exodus 26 we see that the Tabernacle was 30 x 10 cubits.
  • The Temple was 60 x 20.
  • The Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle was 10×10, in the temple it was 20×20
  • The tabernacle’s outer room was 20×10 and the temples was 40×20.

Now keep in mind that the Tabernacle was essentially a grand tent that was designed and built to be taken apart and put together countless times, while able to travel as well. With the temple being a permanent structure we can understand how it can be considerably larger, since they don’t have to worry about traveling, taking it apart, etc.

Where did Solomon get the idea to double the size of the temple? Did he just come up with this on his own? We aren’t told in Kings, but in 1 Chronicles 28 we see that the plans did come directly from God, through his father, David, assuming that Solomon followed his father’s instructions.

11 David gave Solomon the plans for all the Temple buildings, for the storerooms and all the other rooms, and for the Most Holy Place, where sins are forgiven. 12 He also gave him the plans for all he had in mind for the courtyards and the rooms around them, and for the storerooms for the Temple equipment and the gifts dedicated to the Lord. 13 David also gave him the plans for organizing the priests and Levites to perform their duties, to do the work of the Temple, and to take care of all the Temple utensils. 14 He gave instructions as to how much silver and gold was to be used for making the utensils, 15 for each lamp and lampstand, 16 for the silver tables, and for each gold table on which were placed the loaves of bread offered to God. 17 He also gave instructions as to how much pure gold was to be used in making forks, bowls, and jars, how much silver and gold in making dishes, 18 and how much pure gold in making the altar on which incense was burned and in making the chariot for the winged creatures that spread their wings over the Lord’s Covenant Box. 19 King David said, “All this is contained in the plan written according to the instructions which the Lord himself gave me to carry out.” 1 Chronicles 28:11-19

Sidenote on the Cheribum in 1 Kings 6:23 – as I see mention of cheribums, I’m reminded of some Biblical truths.
In these crazy times, people will worship and pray to anything they think might turn the tide in their favor and as a result, angel worship has become a real thing.
People pray to “their” angels, ask them for help, guidance, etc. We need to be mindful of angel worship, because it is not of YHWH.
True angels of YHWH are messengers, sent to do His bidding at His command. They are not intercessors on our behalf. They are sent from YHWH with a message for us, not to then be sent from us with a message for YHWH.

When it comes to intercessors, the Word tells us we have Messiah and the Holy Spirit.

“He himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors” -Isaiah 53:12

“I am the way, the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me” -John 14:6

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
Romans 8:26 ESV

Also, the Messiah teaches us to pray to the Father alone.

“This then is how you should pray, Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9

We see a true example of how an angel sent from YHWH would respond in Rev 22:9, when an angel revealed itself to John and he immediately fell down to worship the angel.

“But he said to me Don’t do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, Worship God!”

At this point in our reading, I usually get a lot of questions as to why Solomon didn’t immediately tear down the high places, the altars to other gods.

We have to look at things like this in our lives ask ourselves the same thing. Do we let these high places and altars remain or do we tear them down?

1 Kings 6:12 – We suddenly see an interruption in talk of the temple preparations as YHWH interjects and reminds Solomon of something very important – His focus should be on following YHWH and obeying His commandments.

“This concerns the temple you are building: If you live by my laws, follow my rules, and keep my commands, I will fulfill the promise I made about you to your father David.”  2 Kings 6:12

As if to say, ok, this is impressive and I know you’re working hard on it but take care not to rely on a fine temple as a symbol of devotion to me.
But, the real devotion is in obedience.

• The fancy building does not please God.
• Crowd numbers don’t please God.
• Best selling books don’t please God.
• Anything that can be described with the word “mega” is trivial compared to him.

These things honor the builders.

But they can honor YHWH provided one thing: That the people are obedient to Him and are taught to walk in His truth.

Is it hard to be obedient to YHWH? The world tells us it is and most people believe it.

Personally, I believe what YHWH Himself – and our Messiah – say.

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ~ Deuteronomy 30:11

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ~1 John 5:3

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
~Matthew 11:28-30

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of YHWH who keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Rev 14:12

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.
~James 1:25

May we set our hearts on Him! Wholehearted all the way!

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