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Introduction
Tonight we're looking at four whole chapters of Scripture - around the building of the Temple by King Solomon. Unlike many parts of the Bible where I wish we had more details, when the Old Testament talks about the Tabernacle or Temple, we get an abundance of detail. Tonight we'll wade through those details to see this main idea:
These chapters represent the peak of Israel's greatness and glory - and also show us the seeds of Israel's undoing.
PART I: THE PINNACLE
The Glory of Solomon's Achievement
Opening Reading: 1 Kings 6:1-2, 37-38
[!bible] 1 Kings 6:1-2 - KJV
- 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.
- 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.
[!bible] 1 Kings 6:37-38 - KJV 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.
This represents the absolute pinnacle of Israel's earthly glory. Never again would Israel command such resources, international respect, or divine blessing made visible.
Lesson 1: God is Worthy of Our Very Best
Reading: 1 Kings 5:13-18; 7:13-14
[!bible] 1 Kings 5:13-18 - KJV 13. And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14. And he sent them to Lebanon ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. 15. And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 16. Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 17. And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 18. And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
[!bible] 1 Kings 7:13-14 - KJV 13. And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14. He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
The Evidence:
- 30,000 Israelite workers in rotating shifts
- 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stone quarriers
- 3,300 supervisors managing the operation
- The finest cedar from Lebanon
- A master craftsman imported from Tyre
- No expense spared on materials or workmanship
The Point: Solomon didn't cut corners or offer God his leftovers. The temple received the absolute best Israel could offer.
Application: What does this say about how we approach worship, giving, and service? Are we offering God our best time, talent, and treasure - or our leftovers?
Lesson 2: God is Too Big for Any House
[!bible] 1 Kings 8:27 - KJV 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
The Paradox: Solomon built this magnificent temple, then immediately acknowledged that God couldn't be contained by it.
The Balance:
- The temple was necessary and good (God commanded it)
- But it was never meant to limit or box God in
- Even at the height of temple worship, Solomon knew God was bigger
Application: How do we avoid making our church buildings, traditions, or religious systems into boxes that we think contain God? God uses these things, but He's not limited to them.
Lesson 3: God Will Establish His Work in His Own Strength
[!bible] 1 Kings 7:21 - KJV 21. And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and he called the name thereof Boaz.
The Names:
- Jachin = "He will establish"
- Boaz = "In Him is strength"
- Together: "God will establish His work in His own strength"
The Message: Every time someone entered the temple, they walked between these reminders that:
- This wasn't Solomon's achievement - it was God's
- The temple would stand not by human effort but divine power
- God's promises are both established and strengthened by Him alone
Application: What "pillars" do we need in our lives to remind us that our spiritual lives, our churches, our ministries succeed not by our strength but by God's?
Lesson 4: God Wants All the Earth to Know and Worship Him
[!bible] 1 Kings 8:41-43 - KJV 41. Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; 42. (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; 43. Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
[!bible] 1 Kings 8:60 - KJV 60. That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
Solomon's Vision: The temple wasn't just for Israel - it was meant to be a light to the nations.
The Global Heart of God: Even in the Old Testament, God's heart was for the whole world to know Him.
Application:
- How does our work for God represent His greatness to a lost world?
- How does this challenge our tendency towards tribalism (us four and no more)?
- What is more important to us? God's name being hallowed and God being obeyed "on earth as it is in heaven" or our comfort?
- Is our church, our faith, designed to draw others in or keep others out?
PART II: THE SEEDS OF UNDOING
The Compromises That Led to Collapse
Transition Reading: 1 Kings 9:6-9
[!bible] 1 Kings 9:6-9 - KJV 6. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: 7. Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: 8. And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? 9. And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
Right at the pinnacle, God issues a warning. The very moment of greatest blessing contains the seeds of future judgment.
Lesson 5: God is More Interested in Our Obedience Than in a Building
[!bible] 1 Kings 6:11-13 - KJV 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.
The Condition: The temple's blessing was conditional on continued obedience.
The Priority: God cared more about Solomon's heart than Solomon's building project.
The Pattern: Throughout Scripture, God values obedience over sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
[!bible] 1 Samuel 15:22 - KJV 22. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Application: How do we avoid thinking that religious activity substitutes for genuine obedience? Building programs, worship services, and ministry activities are good - but they never replace the call to personal holiness.
Lesson 6: It Doesn't Matter How Great a House You Build for God if You're Building a House for Idols Next Door
[!bible] 1 Kings 7:8 - KJV 8. And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
[!bible] 1 Kings 9:24 - KJV 9. But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
The Compromise: Solomon built a separate palace for his foreign wife - acknowledging that her pagan presence couldn't coexist with the holy temple, yet refusing to give up the marriage.
The Contradiction: Solomon knew it was wrong (that's why he separated them) but did it anyway.
The Pattern: This was just the beginning - Solomon would eventually build high places for all his foreign wives' gods (1 Kings 11:7-8).
[!bible] 1 Kings 11:7-8 - KJV 7. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
Application: What compromises do we make where we know something is wrong, so we try to compartmentalize it rather than eliminate it? Half-measures in dealing with sin never work.
Lesson 7: Solomon Prioritized His Own Comfort Over God's House
[!bible] 1 Kings 6:38 - KJV 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.
[!bible] 1 Kings 7:1 - KJV
- But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
The Math:
- God's house: 7 years
- Solomon's house: 13 years (almost twice as long)
The Priority: Where you spend your time and resources reveals what you value most.
The Progression: It started with taking longer to build his own palace, but it revealed a heart that was gradually shifting toward self-focus.
Application: How do we evaluate whether we're putting more effort into our comfort, our image, our success than we are into God's kingdom? What does our calendar and our checkbook say about our priorities?
Lesson 8: Solomon Prayed a Prayer of Dedication, Then Built a House for Pharaoh's Daughter
[!bible] 1 Kings 8:61 - KJV 61. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
[!bible] 1 Kings 9:24 - KJV 24. But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
The Irony: Solomon preached perfect devotion to God, then immediately acted in compromise.
The Danger: Public spiritual leadership without private spiritual integrity.
The Warning: This shows how quickly even the most spiritually successful people can fall into hypocrisy.
Application: How do we guard against the disconnect between what we say publicly about God and how we live privately? How do we avoid using our spiritual knowledge to impress others while neglecting our own souls?
CONCLUSION
The Paradox of Human Achievement
Solomon's temple represents both the highest human achievement in service to God and the beginning of spiritual decline. The same man who built God's house also laid the foundation for its destruction.
The Timeless Lessons
- For the Pinnacle: God deserves our absolute best, but He's never limited by what we offer Him
- For the Seeds: Compromise always starts small, but it grows until it destroys what God has built
The Ultimate Temple
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). The ultimate temple isn't a building - it's a Person. And unlike Solomon's temple, this one can never be destroyed by human compromise or failure.
Final Application
Each of us is called to be a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Are we building our lives with the excellence and devotion Solomon showed at his best? And are we avoiding the compromises that led to his downfall?
The question isn't whether we'll face the choice between pinnacle and peril - it's which path we'll choose when that moment comes.
