1 Kings 7-8

1 Kings 7-8

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 7: Solomon Builds Himself a House

                Solomon builds himself a house that takes him 13 years to complete! The construction of the palace or house of Solomon was very similar in design and elegance as the Temple of the Lord was. I won't go into detail about all the sizes of the house or the way it was built... but imagine very nice... with gold and fine carved timber throughout.

                King Solomon hired a man by the name of Huram who was very skilled with Bronze work. He came to work for the king and complete all the tasks assigned to him. Huram cast two bronze pillars with a network of interwoven chains on the tops, one was called Jakin in the south and the other was Boaz in the north. He also made a molten sea with (baptismal font) that had a radius of 7.5 feet, this "sea" is rested upon the backs of 12 oxen; 3 facing north, 3 facing east, 3 facing west, and 3 facing south. Huram also made 10 stands (carts) with wheels that had basins of water in them, and some pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls to do all of the ordinances.

                King Solomon had everything made or overlaid with Gold and once the house portion of the Temple was completed he put the rest of the Gold, Silver and other treasures his father had dedicated into the treasuries of the Temple.

Chapter 8: The Ark of the Temple

                The Ark and the two tablets of stone that are placed inside of the Ark are moved into the "holy of holies" inside the Temple. The glory of the Lord fills the Temple, like a cloud throughout the Temple, so much that the priests are unable to stand up.

                Solomon offers a dedicatory prayer and asks for temporal and spiritual blessing upon all of Israel, especially those who are repentant and follow the commandments. The people of Israel sacrifice and worship for 14 days straight.

                One verse that really caught my eye was the following;

                "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?" (1 Kings 8:27) -There is more than just "one" heaven... something that latter-day revelation has revealed about where we go when we die. This is all part of the Plan of Salvation... and the 3 degrees of glory that exist in what most people commonly refer to as "heaven".