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CHAPTER 6 : The building of Solomon’s temple — preparations for it —
plan and structure of the temple, internal fittings — history of the temple
— jewish traditions. 1 KINGS 5, 6, 7:13-51, 8:6-9; 2 CHRONICLES 2, 3, 4,
5:7-10
WHILE Solomon thus wisely and in the fear of God ordered his government, and the
country enjoyed a measure of prosperity, wealth, and power never before or afterwards
attained, the grand work of his reign yet remained to be done. This was the building of
an "house unto the Name of Jehovah God." We have already seen how earnestly David
had this at heart; how fully it corresponded with the Divine promise; and how fitly its
execution was assigned to Solomon as the great task of his reign, viewing it as typical
of that of "David's greater Son." As might be expected, all outward circumstances
contributed to further the work. Israel, as a nation, was not intended to attain pre-
eminence either in art or science. If we may venture to pronounce on such a matter, this
was the part assigned, in the Providence of God, to the Gentile world. To Israel was
specially entrusted the guardianship of that spiritual truth, which in the course of ages
would develop in all its proportions, until finally it became the common property of the
whole world. On the other hand, it was the task assigned to that world, to develop
knowledge and thought so as to prepare a fitting reception for the truth, that thus it
might be presented in all its aspects, and carried from land to land in a form adapted to
every nation, meeting every want and aspiration. This was symbolically indicated even
in the building of Solomon's Temple. For, if that Temple had been exclusively the
workmanship of Jewish hands, both the materials for it and their artistic preparation
would have been sadly defective, as compared with what it actually became. But it was
not so; and, while in the co-operation of Gentiles with Israel in the rearing of the
Temple we see a symbol of their higher union in the glorious architecture of that
"spiritual house built up" of "lively stones," we also recognize the gracious Providence
of God, which rendered it possible to employ in that work the best materials and the
best artificers of the ancient world.
For it was in the good Providence of God that the throne of Tyre was at the time
occupied by Hiram,^92 who had not only been a friend and ally of David, but to whom
the latter had communicated his plans of the projected Temple-buildings. Indeed,
Hiram had already furnished David with a certain proportion of the necessary materials
for the work (1 Chronicles 22:4). The extraordinary mechanical skill of the
Phoenicians -especially of the Sidonians - was universally famed in the ancient
world.^93 Similarly, the best materials were at their command. On the slopes of
Lebanon, which belonged to their territory, grew those world-famed cedars with which
the palaces of Assyria were adorned, and, close by, at Gebal (the ancient Byblos, the
modern Jebeil) were the most skilled workmen^94 (Ezekiel 27:9).
(^)