King David had wanted to build a house for God, but wasn't permitted
because he had been a warring man. 1Chr22. However, he did make
preparations by assembling the materials for use by his son Solomon who
would be given rest from fighting his enemies.
 The Lord had told David: "Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who
shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies
round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and
quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name;
and he shall be my son, and I will be his father ; and I will establish the throne
of his kingdom over Israel forever." 1Chr22:9,10.
It took Solomon seven (7) years to build the famous Temple, 1Kings 6:38, followed by thirteen
years to build his own personal house. 20 years all told, if arithmetic serves.
The time Solomon took to build the Lord's House fits the pattern of the 7 years of feeding on the
bread stored by Joseph, as well as the 7 years of Leah (the unloved but "fruitful" wife). When the 13 years
are added, the 'twenty' fits the pattern of the 20 centuries for the times of the Gentiles.
David laid up the materials for Solomon, just as the Scripture has been laid up for us to study -- like a blueprint
for building our own house upon the Rock.
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"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." (60 X 20 X 30).
"And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length
thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth
thereof before the house". 1Kings 6:2,3.
Notwithstanding the building height of 30 cubits, the most holy place, the
oracle, was a perfect cube of 20 x 20 x 20 cubits. 1Kings 6:20.
By way of contrast, Noah's Ark was 100 cubits long, by 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Curiously, King Solomon used these very same dimensions
in building the House of the Forest of Lebanon! 1K7:2.
The New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 is probably another perfect cube, although it could be
a pyramid like the "Pillar of Enoch", and the dimensions are debatable: "The city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he
measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal." Rev21:16, KJV.(Other versions insist LWH each equal 12K). If the 12K refers to the perimeter; the sides and height would be 3K, and the cube volume 27K.
However, if each side equals 12K then the cube volume would be 1728K. Furlongs, that is. (Not that the volume is necessarily relevant -- it wouldn't change the skyline!)
Thirty-nine (39) books in the Old Testament and twenty seven (27) in the New -- 3 and 3 squared and 3 cubed all together. Just a reminder.
The temple vision of Ezekiel from the River Chebar in Babylon has different parameters though the Most Holy Place is still 20x20 cubits: Ezek41:4. Why the difference? Nobody seems to know, but personally I ascribe it to the "twoosies" of scripture which emphasizes both the contrast and comparison of various subjects.
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There were two (2) holy places, divided by a veil, and it was the 'holiest', or Most Holy Place where
the ark of the covenant (or testimony) was located, with the mercy seat and the two cherubims. The other 'holy place', where the priests ministered daily, contained the wooden altar of incense, the candlestick (menorah),
and the table with the shewbread: it was called the tabernacle of the congregation.
"And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation". Ex29:32.
The brazen altar and laver of water were in the courtyard leading to this 'less holy place' called the tabernacle of the congregation. Can't help thinking of this brazen altar as a 'barbeque' where they
cooked the meat, and can't help remembering that the priests were required to wash hands AND FEET(!) in the laver of water. Since no instructions for carrying out this procedure were given, I suppose they had no
alternative but to develop their own as best they could.
Two pillars named Jachin (right) and Boaz (left) were located on the porch. 1Kings7:21. From the pillar of salt, Gen19:26, to the pillar in God's Temple, Rev 3:12, and not forgetting
those that Samson pulled down, it's a Biblical subject worthy of study and meditation. Remember how they were led in the wilderness by a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud, Ex13:21, and note this similar pattern (fire and water)
leading to the temple.
The name Jachin means 'God will establish, or founding', and Boaz means 'God is strength'. Jachin was the 4th son of Simeon, but nothing is written of him personally. The only Boaz we know of, is from the Book of Ruth.
Prior to the time of Solomon the Israeli's used portable fittings for their services, and the Ark of the
Testimony (or Covenant) was carried on the shoulders of the Levites. "...the veil shall divide
unto you between the holy place and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the
ark of the testimony in the MOST holy place".Ex26:33,34.
Absolutely nothing is written in scripture concerning a Temple of Herod or any structure called Herod's Temple! Zounds! The fallacy has served as a red herring (not to be confused with 'red heifer') to deter us
from realizing the accuracy of the Word. It was King Cyrus of Persia who was directed to rebuild Solomon's Temple after its destruction at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
2Chr36:22 and Ezra 1:1 both testify to this truth. These are the two physical temples to God: the Old of Solomon's and the New of Cyrus',
in addition to ourselves as personal "temples of the holy ghost", 2Cor6:16.
Solomon was Jewish, and Cyrus a Gentile, so they are a type of the Two (2)
Covenants: for the Jew first, and then the Gentile. Gal 4:24, Rom2:9,10.
"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace". Haggai 2:9.
Jesus personally cleansed this latter house (Cyrus' Temple) by driving out the money changers. All of us are 'building a house' whether we think so or not -- wouldn't you like
to have it cleaned out by Jesus?
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God wants to dwell in your Body!
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From tent and tabernacle, to house and temple, Scripture
teaches us concerning the 'born-again' believer who invites God to dwell within the Holy Sanctuary of his body.
Have you asked Him to be LORD of your life? Has your 'Temple' been cleansed by Jesus?
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