Topical Bible: Temple: Solomon's: Also Called Temple of the Lord

◄ Temple: Solomon's: Also Called Temple of the Lord ►

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The Temple of Solomon, often referred to as the Temple of the Lord, holds a significant place in biblical history as the first permanent structure built for the worship of Yahweh by the Israelites. It was constructed under the reign of King Solomon, the son of King David, and served as the central place of worship and sacrifice for the nation of Israel.

Biblical Foundation and Construction

The concept of a permanent temple was first envisioned by King David, who desired to build a house for the Ark of the Covenant. However, God revealed to David through the prophet Nathan that his son Solomon would be the one to construct the temple (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Solomon's Temple was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, a site of profound historical and spiritual significance, where Abraham had been willing to sacrifice Isaac (2 Chronicles 3:1).

The construction of the temple is detailed in 1 Kings 6-7 and 2 Chronicles 3-4. Solomon employed skilled laborers and craftsmen, including Hiram of Tyre, to ensure the temple's magnificence. The temple took seven years to complete, and its design was a reflection of divine instructions, featuring the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was housed.

Dimensions and Design

The temple's dimensions and design were grand and intricate. According to 1 Kings 6:2, "The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high." The interior was adorned with gold, cedar, and precious stones, symbolizing the glory and majesty of God. The temple's furnishings included the altar of incense, the table for the showbread, and the golden lampstands, all crafted according to divine specifications.

Dedication and Significance

The dedication of Solomon's Temple is a pivotal event recorded in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7. Solomon's prayer of dedication emphasized the temple as a place of prayer, repentance, and divine presence. In 1 Kings 8:27-30, Solomon acknowledges, "But will God indeed dwell on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built. Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You today."

The temple served as the focal point for Israel's religious life, where sacrifices were offered, and festivals were celebrated. It was a symbol of God's covenant with Israel and His dwelling among His people.

Destruction and Legacy

Despite its splendor, Solomon's Temple was not immune to the consequences of Israel's disobedience. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC as a result of the nation's idolatry and sin, fulfilling the warnings given by the prophets. The destruction marked a significant moment in Israel's history, leading to the Babylonian exile.

The legacy of Solomon's Temple endures in its theological and historical significance. It foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, who referred to Himself as the true temple (John 2:19-21), and it serves as a reminder of God's desire to dwell with His people. The temple's themes of holiness, sacrifice, and divine presence continue to resonate throughout Scripture and Christian theology.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Kings 11:10
And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Story of Solomon and his Temple
... This house was to be called "The Temple"; and it was ... great store of precious things
for the temple; also stone and ... And David said to Solomon, his son: "God has ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of solomon and.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... For when David gave to Solomon his son a charge to build the temple of God, with
that charge he gave him also the pattern of all in writing; even a ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

The Temple Spoken of by Christ is the Church. Application to the ...
... We also have a strong conviction that in such matters ... of Tyre, cooperates in the
building of the temple, and gives his own sons to the sons of Solomon, to hew ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/23 the temple spoken of.htm

The Rebuilding of the Temple.
... to the old, who had seen Solomon's Temple in its ... their own houses instead of the
Temple, and soon ... was dead, and his son, Cambyses, (called also Ahasuerus) who ...
/.../yonge/the chosen people/lesson xiii the rebuilding of.htm

The Founder and Finisher of the Temple
... house that might represent the vanished glories of Solomon's Temple. ... may be perfectly
sure that the Temple which He ... fellowship of His Son,' and He also will do ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the founder and finisher of.htm

Altar and Temple
... yet laid.7. They gave money also unto the ... of the Exodus, and from the dedication
of Solomon's Temple. ... their ancestral fields before they were called to leave ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

The Building of the Golden House.
... David gave Solomon all the plans and patterns for the house ... He also told the people,
when he had called them ... had stored for the work of the temple, and asked ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the building of.htm

The Promised King and Temple-Builder
... Also the Lord telleth thee that He will make thee ... promises were in part directed
to, and fulfilled in, Solomon. ... the Branch,' who 'shall build the Temple of the ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/the promised king and temple-builder.htm

Teaching in the Temple on the Octave of the Feast of Tabernacles.
... was the opposite in the Temple of Solomon, because the ... and His return with the
restoration of the Temple. ... very passage the Messiah is also specially designated ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter viii teaching in the.htm

Great Preparations for a Great Work
... of God, whether it is busied in temple-building or ... We note also the grateful recognition
of benefits received, and ... my God,' who had made this ease for Solomon. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/great preparations for a great.htm