Temple

Day 79:  2 Chronicles 1–6; Amos 1–3; James 4–5

1 Chronicles 3:1 tells us that the site where the temple was built was on Mount Moriah was the same place that David sacrificed on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite,  But Mount Moriah is also the place where Abraham bound Isaac his son in obedience to God's command for him to sacrifice his son. Of course a ram life was exchanged fro Isaac's.  Today the Muslim's have an eight century mosque over the same site (traditionally speaking), the Dome of the Rock.


 The two pillars at the entrance to the temple were named Jachin (He will establish) and Boaz (Fleetness or "Strength is in Him") for God had established Israel in His promised land and established Solomon as king over them  and strengthening him with wisdom to govern.

The Rock Where Abraham Bound Isaac and God Spared him

 It is interesting to note that Solomon's political alliance with Hiram, king of Sidon, was instrumental in the construction of the temple.  Hiram sent at Solomon's request the cedar and the stone cutters and the chief architect. Huram-abi (or simply Huram) was the son of a Danite woman and a Sidonian father.  This points to the hope for gentiles, but it also points to some unconscionable. A man of mixed blood, and a gentile built the temple of the Holy God.  According to 1st Kings 6:7 Solomon took pains to keep the work on the temple holy.  The chiseling of the stone was carried out at the quarries so that the sound of hammers would not desecrate the holy place.  So why would Solomon agree to a Sidonian in such an instrumental position?  God is silent on the issue.  Perhaps it's no issue at all, but didn't the Spirit of the Lord enable Bezalel to do all the ornate work on the original tabernacle at Mt. Sinai?  Is the Lord no less able to empower a pure blooded Israelite to carry out this work? Of course! So why does Solomon entreat the Sidonians for this skilled work?  It is because Solomon sees their fine work in their temples and public works and wants to have the same look and feel of grandeur they inspire in him. It reveals to us the weakness in Solomon to go after other gods which will lead to Israel's eventual downfall.

And yet the glory of the Lord fills the temple in mysterious cloud so thick the priests can no longer minister before the Lord with singing and musical instruments.  This is hope for gentiles for even the Holy God will accept the work of gentile hands on His holy place and choose to dwell there.  It can be argued that a man is seen as an Israelite if his mother is a Jew which would make my points here mute.

In any case, whether pure Jew or mixed bloodlines handled the building of the temple, Solomon recognizes God's holy nature and condescension.  

 

"But will God indeed live on earth with man?

    Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You,
    much less this temple I have built (2 Chr. 6:18)."

This temple of Yahweh is not only for His chosen people Israel. It is also a place for the foreigner to came and pray because of the great Name of Yahweh (2 Chr. 6:32-33).


God so identifies with His people Israel that an attack or a dishonoring of Israel is an attack or dishonoring of Yahweh.  God sends the prophet Amos to speak an oracles decrying the attacks and abuses of Aram in Damascus, Philistines in Gaza, Sidonians in Tyre, Edomites in Teman, Ammonites in Rabbah, and Moabites in Kerioth.  There are six surrounding nations accused and warned of destruction. But God's wrath is also pronounced upon Judah and Israel, His sons.  His word to His chosen is exactly the same as His word to the gentile nations, "I will not relent from punishing..."

Judah' sin is not keeping his covenant and following the lies of their ancestors into idolatry (Amo. 2:4). Israel's sin includes idolatry, but they are also guilty of oppressing the poor, greed and sexual immorality (Amo. 2:6-8).  Because of these sins only a remnant will survive the coming destruction like a shepherd only rescues two sheep's legs and part of an ear from the mouth of a lion (Amo. 3:12).

God will demolish the altar at Bethel where Jeroboam placed a golden calf calling it the God who brought you out of Egypt.  God's temple is in Jerusalem where there is to be no graven image.

James writes at time when the temple is understood by Christians to be within themselves.  God has moved from high heaven to Mt. Sinai to the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle to the temple into exile with Judah and back into the second and third temples and now into the hearts of those who trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

And just as the Spirit of the Lord is jealous of His people worshiping false gods, the Spirit that lives in the church is jealous of a love for worldly things.  The temple is to be kept holy and undefiled by the common and profane.  James says it so clearly,

"Adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. Or do you think it's without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit He has caused to live in us yearns jealously (Jms. 4:4-5)?" 

Jms. 4:9). He calls for humility and the practice of justice (Jms. 5:4-5).  Rather than being greedy for wealth, the Christian should wait patiently on the goodness of the Lord.  

This righteous community will be heard by God in prayer when they repent of their sins and walk in humility before Him and each other.  Just as Solomon prayed that the Lord would hear from heaven the prayers of the people at His temple and act, James promises that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (Jms 5:16b).  

Lord, if Elijah the great prophet, who worked amazing miracles, was a human like us, perhaps You might also work miracles in our ministries.  Fill Your church, the hearts of Your believers, with Your Holy Spirit that we might be enabled to live righteous lives that please You. Then when we pray, You will hear and act by Your mighty hand to bring glory to Your name. In Christ I pray, Amen!