1 Kings 7 Bible Study (Solomon Builds His Palace/The Temple Furnishings) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

First Kings Chapter 7. Does anyone remember how First

1 Kings 7 · chapter mention 1 Kings 6 · chapter mention

Kings Chapter 6 concluded? Well, it's right there.

So you remember now, don't you? First Kings Chapter 6 concluded

1 Kings 6 · chapter mention

with the summation of the time that it took to build the

temple. And it was how many years?

Seven years? It took Seven.

Years to complete the Temple of Solomon and right at the outset

of Chapter 7 we are given another summary, not concerning

the temple but concerning a different structure, and that is

the building that Solomon built for his own house.

And in verse one reread Solomon was building his own house 13

years and he finished his entire house now.

There is some debate about what this might mean, because right

next to this verse, the preceding verse, we're told

about how long it took to build the temple, and immediately

we're told how long it took to build Solomon's own abode.

How many here believe that it was a bad thing?

That it took Solomon longer to build his own house?

No one. Wow.

How many believe that it was a neutral thing?

It didn't indicate really anything concerning Solomon's

priorities or his heart posture. Wow.

No one as well, All right. Well, here's what the debate is.

This perhaps is. Not a good thing, because it

speaks about misplaced priorities.

Here you have a man who seems to be much more invested, much more

dedicated in terms of his time, his resources, perhaps even his

attention to something that was personal, somebody that belonged

to himself, something that was not necessarily.

Connected to the work of God and they would just make that

conclusion based on the amount of time that Solomon gave to

this structure. And they would also maybe point

to the Book of Haggai, where Haggai tells us of a generation

of Israelites that neglected the House of God all together for

the sake of beautifying their own homes and bringing upgrades

and renovations to their own places.

And the prophet comes on the scene.

He says. You have misplaced your

priorities in life. You've put your home, your

little empire, your own comfort and pleasure, while the House of

God lies in ruins. Change things up.

Consider your ways. Others would say that's not

necessarily so, primarily because the scripture doesn't

really give commentary on Solomon's heart behind this.

And you can also make the case, well, yeah, as much as it took

him time to build his own house, which house did he built first?

The House of God. And you can also make the case

that the fact that it took him seven years means that he put

extra urgency and dedication to completing the House of God, and

he was not so urgent concerning his own home.

And so it's not clear we can't be exactly dogmatic about

Solomon's spiritual condition at this point, or his mindset

behind building his own house. But there is a lesson.

There is an overarching truth with Solomon's house, and we

have to just be patient to wait at the end of the section to see

what it is. It also helps to know that

Solomon's house is not the only thing that he built.

It's not the only thing that we're told about here in this

chapter. Look here at verse 2 and let's

read down to verse eight. He built the House of the Forest

of Lebanon. Its length was 100 cubits and

its breadth 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits.

And it was built on 4 rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams

of the pillars. And it was covered with cedar

above the chambers that were on the 45 pillars, 15 in each row.

There were window frames in three rows and windows opposite

window in three tiers. All the doorways in the windows

had square frames and window was opposite window in three tiers.

So you don't just have Solomon's house.

Now you're told about this different house called the House

of what? Of the Forest of Lebanon.

Keep that in mind. So we have another structure,

structure #2. Then we have something else in

verse 6. And he made the hall of pillars.

Its length was 50 cubits and it's Bret 30 cubits.

There was a porch in front with pillars and a canopy in front of

them. So #3 you have the Hall of

Pillars, so there's another structure.

Then you have a fourth structure.

Look at verse 7. And he made the hall of the

throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the hall of

judgment. It was finished with cedar from

floor to rafters. Then we come to verse 8 and yet

another structure, his own house, where he was to dwell in

the other court, back of the hall.

It was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like

this hall for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken in

marriage. And then it goes on at the end

of this section about the materials concerning these

houses. We don't know if these homes, of

these buildings, of these halls and palaces, were significantly

separate from one another. Or if they were closely

connected in some kind of a compound or complex.

That detail is not given to us. What is clear, though, is that

we have information concerning each of these structures, and

the details that we are given are in the mind of God, enough

for us to draw some truths out of for our own sanctification.

And so I want us to, for a moment, look at verse 2 again

and look at the House of the Force of Lebanon.

We aren't told what the purpose of this place was, but the name

kind of gives you the impression of what the experience was like

when you walked into this place. The pillars were surrounded and

covered with Cedars, and the impression that you might have

had when you stood in that awesome place was that you were

in a forest. You can just imagine the smells,

you can imagine the sights, you can imagine the detail and the

rows of Cedars. It was like as though you were

in some kind of a field with long and tall trees.

But it's not until you go to Chapter 10 so you can turn

there. Look at Chapter 10 for a moment.

And when you go to verse 16 and 17, you'll see here that Solomon

added some things to this house. He added some things.

And what did he add? He added beautiful Shields and

other weaponry. There King Solomon made 200

large Shields of beaten gold. 600 shekels of gold went into

each shield. And then we read and he made 300

Shields of beaten gold. 3 menas of gold went to each shield and

the king put them in where the House of the force of Lebanon.

And so there there are these these Shields that are there.

And it could be that the purpose of this place was that it was an

Armory, and that is inferred at an in another place.

And I I want you to see this because this is where we're

going to get some actual insight for our own walk with the Lord.

If you go to Isaiah 22/8, this is confirmed.

So go to Isaiah the prophet Isaiah Chapter 22 and verse 8.

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

What's happening in chapter 22, the Lord is describing the siege

that was encroaching upon Jerusalem, the enemy coming and

surrounding this holy city. And what the Lord is doing there

through an Oracle, is he's describing the response of the

people of Jerusalem as a reaction to the enemy now coming

in and coming closer to their own safety, to the livelihood,

to their families, to the House of worship.

And here's one of the responses that the Lord highlights of the

people in Isaiah 22 verse 8. It says here he has taken away

Isaiah 22:8

the covering of Judah. In that day you look to the

weapons of the House of the forest.

So there were more than just Shields, there were actual

weapons there. Again just confirming that this

is very much likely an Armory that held and contained weapons

for the people of Judah. Now God making this an

observation about how they look to.

The House of the Forest, in a time where they were being

surrounded by their enemies, was this a good thing or a bad thing

for them to look to? That good thing or bad thing?

Bad. And that's.

Confirmed. You're still there, right?

Look at verse 11 of Isaiah, chapter 22.

Isaiah 22 · chapter mention

You've made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of

the old pool. Now look at the wording here.

But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned

it long ago. So as you, using mirroring

language here, right? You look to the House of the

forest in times of trouble. You didn't look to me.

You didn't turn your attention to me.

You didn't come desperately to me.

You didn't come broken and contract to me.

You look to yourself. You look to yourself to rescue

yourself, to solve this, to escape this.

And so this is not commendation. This is condemnation.

But we have to be careful. God is not condemning the idea

here that you and I should not utilize human resources or

humans in times of distress. What the Lord is highlighting

here is something you're very familiar with.

This is not nothing new for you that ultimately, where is your

trust, huh? Ultimately, where do you put

your faith? Who is the one who you

ultimately put all your hope in? And here's the lesson about the

House of the force of Lebanon. You know what the lesson is?

Be careful making an idol of something that you made.

Be careful of putting too much hope, too much glory, too much

trust, too much of your identity.

And something that you created, something that you purchased,

something that you've accumulated over the years.

And that can be material, that can be knowledge, that can be

information. Who is primary as your source of

help? Who is primary and your source

of times of need? Who is the one that you draw

from. And the Lord saying, despite the

fact that you have these things, these things that I've even I I

recognize and and I didn't condemn you for.

You've misplaced your trust, ultimately and you failed to

look to me as your reaction. You failed to see me in all of

this. And that's something for you and

I to consider. God longs for your heart and

mind. To cling to him above

everything. And unfortunately that wasn't

the case for the nation of Israel.

Now we come back to first Kings 7:00.

So we dealt with the House of the Force of Lebanon.

Now we come here and verse six and seven where we're told of

one hall of pillars, but then we're told of this hall of the

throne or hall of judgement. This is pretty self-explanatory,

is it not? This is where Solomon would sit

and hear and receive cases, and would pronounce judgements upon

those cases. Nothing else is added here,

unless again, you go to 1st Kings 10 and you're told of one

added detail that's assumed to be part of the Hall of Judgment.

Look at it in verse 18 of First Kings chapter 10.

1 Kings 10 · chapter mention

The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the

finest gold. The throne had six steps and the

throne had a Round Top, and on each side of the seat were

armrest. And two lions standing beside

the armrest, while 12 lions stood there, one on each end of

a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in

any Kingdom. You could just imagine the

splendor and the dazzling beauty, even the sense of

authority and reverence, just by the side of the throne.

Yet 2 lions. As armrests you had these lines

sitting on the steps leading up to the throne, and this is where

Solomon would sit as people would come to receive his wisdom

and 1st Kings. 10 The description of the throne that

was most likely in the Hall of Judgment.

Hall of the Throne is where the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon,

and she saw the different artifacts and she saw the

organization and she saw the ambassadors and she saw the

house. That he built.

And she saw the place of worship.

And what are we told about a reaction?

What happened to her? It took her breath away.

She was absolutely spellbound by what she had just perceived.

She heard about it, but now that she saw it, she was just swept

off her feet. And it's so sad to read the

glory of this man's throne and everything else around it,

because in a very short amount of time, it's all going to be

buried that that throne will be vacant, it will be destroyed,

and it will be forgotten. Why?

Because the character of the man who sat on this throne did not

match the glory of that throne. At least his character did not

last when it came to the end of his life.

He betrayed God, He turned his back on God.

And Solomon's failure would be the trigger that would cause the

downward spiral of the Davidic dynasty.

And this is heartbreaking, right?

You see all this blessing, You see all this adornment, all

these things that point to the glory of God.

And it's as you read in Jeremiah, destroyed by the

enemy. And it's not until you come to

the early books of the New Testament where the.

Student of the Hebrew scriptures would be revived by another

promise, a promise that was made long ago in the days of David,

but then has reintroduced the people who had lost hope, lost

all that glory for centuries. And it was through an Angel who

came to a Jewish young lady. Let me read this to you.

The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and she tells him about He tells

him about this baby in her womb, gives the name of the baby.

But he also says what will be given to this son.

Does anybody remember one of the details of what will be given to

the son of David? Name Jesus.

Well, let me read it to you and Luke 1.

If you want to write it down for notes for later, you can.

Luke 131 just listen. Just listen though.

Just pay attention to this. Imagine being visited by this

creature from heaven and being told this Luke 131 And behold,

you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall

call his name Jesus. There's just something about

that name. You know that song?

You. Shall call his name Jesus, He

will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High,

And the Lord God will give to him the what?

The throne of his Father David. He will be given the throne of

his father David, and he will reign over the House of Jacob

Forever. And of his Kingdom there will be

no end. There is this boy who would be

born, and he was born. His name is Jesus.

He's the son of David, but he's also the son of the Most High,

and he would be given the throne of his father David.

That throne that was beautified by Solomon, that was eventually

destroyed because of unfaithfulness and apostasy, but

then would be resurfaced again. And Jesus will sit on it and no

one will take it from him. Nothing will ever, ever change

the fate of the authority of this son of David, the Promised

One. And here's the thing, as

infinitely beautiful as that throne will be far more majestic

than the throne of Solomon, right?

The one who sits on it will be the object of our amazement more

than anything else. It's not going to be the

material of that throne, the design of that throne.

It's going to be the one who occupies that throne.

That will. Keep our gaze uninterrupted,

forever and ever and ever. Christ will be the center of our

amazement. Christ on that throne will be

the one who will draw out our affections and our adorations.

Christ will be the one that when you and I see him.

Because we will see. Him.

You know what's going to happen. I'm.

Sure, he'll take our breath away.

He will take our breath away. You know there's some people who

have different personalities when it comes to worship, right?

Some are more quiet and reserved.

And that's fine as long as your heart is worshipping, I guess.

But I can't wait to see the day where we all see him.

I have a feeling that no matter what your personality is,

there's going to be a lot of expression of amazement in that

moment. And so we see this throne, we

see this hall of judgement. We see that Jesus was given this

throne and he will realize that when he comes back again

physically. So we have the hall of Judgment.

But this is probably the most concerning project in verse

eight of First Kings Chapter 7. I don't want to believe belabor

1 Kings 7 · chapter mention

this point, but it's worth mentioning still, even briefly,

says his own house, where he has to dwell in the other court back

of the hall, was like. Was of like workmanship.

Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's

daughter. What are you doing?

So in this complex of these magnificent architectural

designs and buildings, you have this one hall dedicated to a

Pagan This. Hall would not even be conceived

in the mind of Solomon if he had not entered into an illegitimate

relationship with her to begin with.

Is that not true? And already you're seeing

something. Here's the principle.

You ready? You're already seeing the cost

of compromise in Solomon's life here very early on, the cost of

compromise, at least in one area.

So he marries this woman, tries to build this marriage alliance,

and then somewhere along the line, it became more than just a

marriage now. Perhaps out of her desire, or

out of the overflow of his affection, he wants to create

this hall just for her. And you can imagine what maybe

went through Solomon's mind justifying this price tag.

Well, it's not so significant. We have all this material

anyway. We're told that silver was like

stone in the days of Solomon. And so we can add to this.

We can, we can, we can make space for this.

It's not a problem. Sure, we could have preserved

more time and more resources for other things, but what's the big

deal? And that's how people think when

they live in compromise sometimes.

But is that where it ends for Pharaoh's daughter?

Is that where it ends for Solomon?

Is it? No, no, no.

Come back to here. First Kings Chapter 11.

1 Kings 11 · chapter mention

This is where it ends. First Kings 11, verse seven.

And Solomon built, so he's building.

He didn't end. Building King of First Kings

1 Kings 7 · chapter mention

Chapter 7. He's going to build something

near the end of his life. Then Solomon built a high place

for Hamas, the abomination of Moab, and for Moloch, the

abomination of the Ammonites on the mountain east of Jerusalem.

And so he did for all his foreign wives who made offerings

and sacrificed to their gods. So check out this progression or

digression. Solomon sought to build a

political alliance through marriage with Pharaoh's

daughter, and then from there he builds a hall for Pharaoh's

daughter and then he builds Pagan temples for not just

Pharaoh's daughter, but for many of his foreign wives.

So start with building a relationship with Egypt and went

to building a place for Pharaoh's daughter and.

Then it came to a place where he built a series of sanctuaries

for them to worship at. It's very difficult to pump the

brakes when you're justifying sin in your life.

Very difficult. And you think you can build

something and maintain it and hover and say you're not going

to go any further than this, but something happens with sin.

It's so powerful that the fangs of it dig so deep in it and it

creates a havoc in your life that you'd never anticipated.

You went from building this relationship, justifying it.

Well, this is good for us. God told me that we're going to

be a nation of peace. Then maybe I got to help him

out. To now you joyfully and

completely, without any concern, building a place where God alone

is supposed to be worshipped for other gods to be worshipped.

So we see that in verse 8. Now look at this in verse nine.

Are you there in First Kings 7? Here's really a summary of all

these structures. We're told all these were made

of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws back

and forth even from the foundation to the coping and

from the outside to the Great Court.

The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of

eight and 10 cubits and above, where costly stones cut

according to measurement and cedar.

The Great Court had three courses of cut stones, and we're

told here all around in the course of cedar beams.

So had the inner court of the House of the Lord and the

vestibule. Of the house?

What phrase repeats itself? Costly stones.

Costly stones. Costly stones.

So this is no small feat. This is a great accomplishment.

This took a lot of wisdom and engineering and time and effort

and it's completed. And all the things that went

into it made even royalty, like the Queen of Sheba breathless.

And I'm sure if you and I stood in the midst of all of these

things, we also would be very much in awe, very much impressed

with the mind of this architect who put all these things

together. So you get one idea from the

reaction of the Queen of Sheba. Do you know how Solomon felt

about all of this, though, Do you?

Oh, very good, my friend. Yes.

You know your Bible. Well, if you want to know how

Solomon felt about his accomplishments, at least at a

certain point in his life, go to.

Ecclesiastes 2. Look at verse four.

He actually talks about this. He's talking about the very

thing that you and I just covered.

And notice what he says in Ecclesiastes 2 Four.

It's kind of a journal entry. Though it's not, he knew it

wasn't meant for himself. But he says this as an entry

into this amazing piece of literature.

Holy Scripture, Ecclesiastes 24I made great works.

I built houses. I built houses and planted

vineyards for myself. And then he goes on to give a

catalog about the things that he has done.

I built houses. First, Kings Chapter 7.

You saw some of those houses, and then you go down to verse 11

and here's his heart. In reflection of those

accomplishments. Then I concerted all that my

hands had done and the toil I had expended and doing it.

And behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there

was nothing to be gained under the sun.

That's pretty depressing. You spent 13 years of your life

putting these things together, and when you reflect on it, you

thought, what a waste of time. Now that is not to say.

And I don't believe Solomon is even saying here that he

believed there is no fulfillment or sense of satisfaction that

comes with crossing a line where you see the desired outcome of

your great effort and your great sacrifice.

That's not what Solomon is speaking about here.

What he is speaking about here is that as you shake off the

adrenaline and as you, you feel those sense of rushing,

accomplishing fulfillments occupying your bosom right.

It fizzles out. It fizzles out.

And what he is essentially saying in Ecclesiastes, and he

says throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, there is no

lasting pleasure in all of this. There is pleasure.

It's not lasting. It evaporates.

You and I know what that's like because you, most of us in here

have reached certain milestones in life and it's exciting and

you have celebrations around it. And then what happens?

It's just old news. And then you look for the next

thing, and then you get to that milestone.

And then what? You get accustomed to it and you

realize, OK, this is life. Then you go for the next thing.

And this is how people enter into crises in their lives

because they see the pattern of life.

You gain this, you win this, you get there.

And then what? There's still a vacuum in your

soul. And then what?

It didn't bring you further enough.

Now you're searching and looking for the next thing.

And there are people who live like that.

There are people who have so made their life about just

making one thing done after another, building one thing

after another, accomplishing one thing, opening one thing after

the other, and they're just trying to get the next rush in

life. And Solomon does us a favor.

He goes, you're wasting your time because it's not going to

help. Let me tell you what will bring

lasting pleasure. Let me tell you something that

through all your activities and responsibilities, even your

hobbies and your desires, something that must be as a

foundation of your existence. What does he say at the end of

the Book of Ecclesiastes? Fear God and keep his

commandments. You want to live a vain, free

life? Fear God.

Who would have thought? Yeah, fear God.

Why? Because let me tell you

something about the fear of God. Scripture says the fear of the

Lord. It gives you many things, and

one of the things that it gives you is friendship with the Lord.

And it opens up a fountain of other blessings.

Fear God and keep His commandments.

Live consciously wanting to please the Lord, and you will

know the greatest, most lasting, undisturbed satisfaction.

And so Solomon says, I did all this stuff and I just kicked

back and looked at it all and thought.

Vanity. Vanity.

I wish some of you young people here who have your life ahead of

you would believe that ahead of time, life will get so much

better once I get married. OK, Then you get married.

OK. Life will get so much more

excited once I have a baby, OK? Life will get so much better if

I have more than one baby, OK? Life will get much of A better

if I have my forever home. OK.

Did you Did you not catch on yet?

They did not click yet. To be honest, if you ask my

testimony, I had a midlife crisis at 20.

Seriously, tell myself I'm in a rat race.

This is what. And I just as though I can

predict the future, see the future.

And it's not predicting. I just.

I looked around me said this is the this is the way of all

mankind. By God's grace rescued me from a

vain life. And so this is what Solomon is

expressing here. And this is the conclusion that

we make at this section. But now we revisit the temple,

so we come back to First Kings chapter seven.

Look at verse 13. We come to the temple

furnishings. This is the.

Last touch on the Temple before Kings chapter eight First Kings

8, where we have the dedication of the temple.

But interestingly we're introduced to a new character in

our study and it's found here in verse 13 of Chapter 7.

And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram Hiram from Tyre.

And look at the description of this man, because this is not

the same Hiram that he had an alliance with.

This is not the king of Tyre. How do we know that?

Verse 14, He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali,

and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he

was full of wisdom, understanding and skill for

making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did

all his work. You have another prophetic

picture here, one that's built upon the relationship that King

Hiram had with David. Because King Hiram from Tyre is

Tyre a place in Israel? No, it's what the place in

Lebanon, right? And now you have a Lebanese, at

least half Lebanese, half Lebanese, half Jew.

That's being sent from Hiram Solomon accepted his workmanship

to work on the House of God. Here's the prophetic picture yet

again. We're receiving a foreshadowing

of a temple to come where Jew and Gentile will be part of you,

me, the Church of Jesus Christ. Not to work on this temple

necessarily, but to actually make up the Temple, Jew and

Gentile. I mean, think about this.

Think about the relationship the Jews had with the Gentiles.

And in the crowning glory work of the nation of Israel, you

have a Gentile participating in it.

That can't be about anything but a nudge for the future of what's

going to be realized in the New Covenant.

But with this prophetic picture, you got a practical lesson here.

I read this and I thought to myself, why do I need to know

this? Why do I need to know that here

I'm from Tyre was the son of a widow.

OK, Jew Gentile. I get it.

That's exciting. I'm.

I'm reading the Old Testament. I understand what Jesus is doing

today, what he promised he would do in building his church and

keeping his church. But we're told here that he was

the son of a widow. It's very simple I think.

Just get get a little. Insight into this man's history.

Being in a family where you didn't have a father, would it

be easy or hard at this time? Very hard, very challenging.

It would be challenging today if you lost a loved one, if you

lost a parent. And yet, with the difficulty and

the challenges that this young man must have faced in life,

we're also told that he was a very dedicated, hard working,

accomplished man. He was full of wisdom, full of

wisdom, understanding skill, of making any work in bronze.

So this man didn't allow the challenges, the disappointments

in life, to distract him to the degree that he did not identify

his gifting. What he believed his purpose was

he. Was what he was full of wisdom

that's given by somebody. It's given by God.

And here's this individual who knew pain, but he didn't allow

that pain to paralyze him. Unfortunately, you have some,

and I'm not discrediting or nor am I diminishing the pain that

some of us have felt in life, the loss of someone, the loss of

something. But there are some people who

are wallowing in their past, wallowing in their past, and

they have literally gone virtually nowhere since that

significant event in life. They're in the same place and

they wallow and they reflect on that.

And they're triggered by certain things, certain times of the

year, and they just relapse, whether that be in sin or in

depression or whatever the case be.

And again, I don't want to sound insensitive here, but I want you

to look at an example from this man.

Here was somebody who did not allow a tragedy in his life to

suck the hope out of him or to crush the zest in life.

Because here's the point out of this.

When you look at this and you read this, you have to

understand that whatever suffering you and I endure, it

does not disqualify us from the Lord using US.

Isn't this God still has a purpose for you.

He still has something ahead for you.

Yes, things happen in your life that perhaps you would wish

would be different. But you have to understand here

that if you're not careful, you can buy into the line the

temptation that life is over. There's no point of existing.

I'm just going to cruise along. And that would be wrong.

You have to be careful with that because you can miss out on so

much more what you have believed was taken from you or that you

lost. This man was a hard worker.

This man had a gift. This man exercised that gift.

And what I love about his story is that he clearly had a

reputation because he ROM recommended him.

King Huron recommended him and sent him to Solomon.

Think about this. This is so exciting.

You have this man who is half Jew, have Gentile living away

from Israel and he's just, he's just doing his thing.

He's creating, he's putting things together and he's working

in obscurity and all of a sudden a knock comes to his door.

King Solomon requires you. They are building a house for

the God of Israel and they are asking for you to be the project

manager. So I believe this man was

faithful. I believe this man in Hiddenness

was. Excellent in his work.

And the Lord called for him. That's amazing to me, that that

blesses my heart. So yes, this man had a painful

past, perhaps a difficult life maybe, but he was someone who

was focused, who was someone who understood that he still had a

purpose in life. And God saw this man, recruited

this man, promoted this man, and use this man to be part of one

of the most fascinating projects in human history.

Don't be paralyzed in your pain yet.

Don't be. Don't reflect on the past so

much where it's like driving and looking in the rear of your

mirror. You're bound to get into some

accident at some point. And if you're a Christ follower,

keep. Your eyes on him realize that

you're still here means he still has something for you.

And more than that, he's able to recycle that pain and that

suffering and utilize it for his glory.

So now we're introduced to this man and then we're told in great

length what projects he was a part of works of bronze.

And so you're there, right? You're looking at it and you're

just like this is a, this is a lot to take in and it is.

But what helps in my personal study is I tried to look for

separation of thoughts. And then I remove those sections

in my Bible and I separate them, maybe even mark it sometimes.

And I say, OK, this is one section, this is another part.

So they're they're more digestible.

And So what you have here in the beginning is Hiram building 2

pillars. The there are two pillars of

bronze. And then in verse 23 he builds

the sea of cast metal. And then in verse 27 you read

that he makes these ten stands of bronze.

And then in verse 38 you read that he builds these bases of

bronze that would be on these stands.

So really, all these verses summarized 4 projects in

essence, and then at the end you get a summary of the other

things that he's accomplished. But let's look here from verse

15 down to verse 22. I won't read all of it, but

let's summarize it. In verse 21, he builds these two

bronze pillars. He set up the pillars at the

vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the

South and called its name Yaquin.

That's the Hebrew pronunciation. And he set up the pillar on the

north and called its name Boaz. And on the tops of the pillars

was Lilywork. Thus the work of the pillars was

finished. Now we're told that these

pillars again were placed at the front, the entrance of the

structure that the House of God. They weren't necessarily

supporting anything, they were more decorative.

Again, everything that was built in the temple was designed and

blueprinted from heaven. This is not left to subjective

artistic interpretation. God asked for every single

detail to be done the way he desired, including these

pillars. So God desire that these pillars

would be named. You heard this at the

conference. If you're at the conference a

few months ago, I wonder if anybody remembers the names, the

meaning of the names of Jakin or Yakin and Boaz.

Very good, he will establish. Jack Kane means he will

establish. And Boaz, yes, he is.

Swift is a definition of it, and many people believe that.

Another way of understanding Boaz is in him is strength.

So you're not wrong there, Anna as well.

So many believe that. One of the ways I understand the

name Boaz, especially in this context, is in him, is strength.

And with that you have his partner, his twin, in him or he

shall establish. So that is kind of the message

of these billboards, these towering pillars.

When you would come to the House of God, you would notice, oh,

there's He will establish, and there is in him his.

Strength. That's what you're confronted

with right? As you stand in the shadow of

these awesome objects, and they were meant to say something

about the temple. The temple was established by

God, and the temple will be sustained by God.

Not just the temple, but the Davidic dynasty.

Remember those that promise for generational authority and rule

and reign, He will establish and he will.

In him there is strength. That's what you would see.

But there's also a personal application to this.

You know, many times in scriptures, certain individuals

were referred to as pillars. Even in Jeremiah chapter one, to

comfort this young prophet, the Lord tells him, I'm going to

make you an iron pillar. And all these people that try to

oppose you, they're going to deal with somebody as stubborn

and as strong as an iron pillar. You read even in Revelation that

the Lord promises that those who overcome will be pillars in the

House of God. And so there's something even

about these pillars that's supposed to.

Convey a personal message, and I believe the message is this,

that as you would come to the House of God, at least at this

time in history, you would realize in the House of God, I

will know establishment, I will know God's strength.

If those resources of those spiritual blessings were true in

the old covenant isn't not more true in the better covenant, the

covenant that you and I are enjoying, that I I know you're

spiritual. I know and I know you're so

strong. You're so wonderful.

The Lord speaks to you all the time, and you can you can just

coast through this life and float.

And everybody's blessed when they just get a touch of the

fringe of your garment. I get it.

But you will not know a level of establishing.

You will not know a level of grace and strength unless you

know a relationship with the House of God.

You won't. No matter how high you think you

are, no matter what you know, no matter what you discover, no

matter how great your personal walk with the Lord is.

There is a blessing reserved within the sphere of God's

house. Every time I walk in here on a

Wednesday night, every time I come here like tonight on a

Friday, every time I walk here on a Sunday without anything

even, but just the presence of God's people, I know strength.

Now here's my family. I'm not alone in this walk.

Yeah, in this crazy world, there are other people here who love

God. And then we sing together.

And there I am standing in the front, just having your voices

cascading. And I hear the truths being

proclaimed in song. And we're fulfilling Colossians

teaching one another the things of Christ.

The things are the gospel. Are you not strengthened in the

House of God? I hope so.

I hope that this place provides that kind of sense of fortitude.

It should. That's the design of the House

of God. And it's a it's it's a counter

work when the House of God becomes a place where our

strength is. Depleted and there's lack of

stability and reliability on one another.

When the pulpit is no longer faithful with the word of God

that then things get get crazy. But that's the message of these

pillars. That's what you would see when

you would walk in And then you come here and you read something

else. This is quite amazing.

You read here in verse 23 of this sea of cast of metal.

Let's read it together. Then he made the sea of cast

metal it was. Round 10 cubits from brim to

brim and five cubits high and a line of 30 cubits measured in

circumference. Under its brim were gourds for

10 cubits, compassing the sea all around.

The gourds were in two rows cast with it.

When it was cast it stood on 12 oxen, 3 facing north, three

facing West, three facing South and three facing east.

The sea was set on them and all their rear parts were inward.

Its thickness was a hand breath, and its brim was made like the

brim of a cup, like the flower of a Lily.

It held 2000 baths. You know what that measurement

is? Most people estimate around

12,000 gallons of water. That's a lot of water.

And so it was built. You saw the image.

If you remember taking snapshots with your memory, it's like this

pool. It's like this giant bowl.

It had a lip and it had these. These bulls, right.

That is sat on three facing each direction.

We won't talk about the bulls. But here's my question to you.

What do you think the purpose of this was?

Was it decorative? Merely?

I wasn't like the pillars. There was a functional purpose

behind them. Any idea?

Ceremonial cleansing? Yes, actually.

Here's a key verse and understand.

This Bible studies. We come to a close at a moment.

It's in Second Chronicles Chapter 4, verse 6 where you're

2 Chronicles 4:6

told the exact reason why this thing was made.

And not just this thing, but the bases that we're going to read

about in a moment. So here's why This sea

appropriate word of cast metal was created by the Lord and

through His servants. It says here in Second

Chronicles 46A. Parallel count to this.

He also made 10 bases in which to watch.

That's what we're going to. Read in a moment.

And set five on the South side and five on the north side.

And these they were to rinse off what was used for the burnt

offering. Now here's what's the purpose of

this cast metal of the sea. And the sea was for the priest

to wash in. So this pool of water was

dedicated for the cleansing, the outward cleansing of the

priesthood minister in the House of God.

How that was done practically, I'm not sure.

We're not told of a ladder. I'm not sure if there was little

things there. Maybe some even believe that out

of the mouth of the the, the bulls there, they were able to

rinse off. We're not told exactly why, but

we just know that they were to wash here regularly, daily.

And you look at this and you think to yourself, OK, well

that's the purpose of it, but what's the significance for me?

Well, here's what it gets really interesting.

Is this sea of cast metal? Is this unique to the temple?

Think of some of the artifacts, the structures of the

Tabernacle. Was there anything that served

the same purpose in the Tabernacle, the basin?

Right. So there was a Laver that was

available to wash. So you would walk into the

Tabernacle, not the temple, and you see this altar.

And then behind the altar you would see this Laver.

And it was also intended to wash in.

And now you come to the temple and you have something that's

serving the same purpose, the much more grand, much more

spectacular. This is the temple, right?

And they were also to wash in this as well.

And when you think about this even further, you wonder, well,

what were they supposed to wash? Anybody.

Anybody know what they were supposed to wash here when they

would come to this place? Well, if you want the reference,

you can turn there in your own time.

It's an Exodus 30, verse 18 and 19.

Exodus 30:18

This is about the purpose of the Laver in the Tabernacle, the

former structure, not the new one.

In the labor, they would, the Bible says very specifically,

they would wash their what? They would wash their hands.

They would wash their hands and their feet.

That's in verse 19. So they would wash their hands

and their feet. This is what the priest had to

do regularly whenever they would enter into their service.

But this was not the only washing that the priest

experienced as priests, as ministers.

This was the regular ongoing washing that they would have to

participate in. But there was an initial

washing. There was a one time washing

that any priest who entered into service in the House of God had

to undergo. And it's not here.

It's an Exodus 29 verse four. We're told there that upon the

ordination of the priest, they were to be washed.

And this washing is not like the washing of the Laver and of the

sea of cast metal. This was a shower, so you were

washed from head to toe. You were washed from head to toe

when you entered into service. When you're consecrated to the

Lord, you were cleansed from top to bottom.

But that was a one time thing. The regular washing was that of

your hands and feet. Does this language sound

familiar? No.

Yes, there was a one time washing and then the priests

have to go through a regular washing.

What did Jesus tell the disciples in the upper room in

John 13 when he began to wash their feet?

Peter, like Peter would. Oh, don't wash me, Lord, you

can't do it. If you don't let me wash, you

have no part of me. Then he goes on to say in John

1310 that you've all been cleansed.

You've all been washed, except for your what?

Your feet? What is he?

Speaking about that, he's speaking about the one washing

that you and I experience upon salvation.

It's the washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

That's a language that Paul uses.

In Titus 3/5, you and I, when we got saved, we experienced the

washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

Do you need that more than once? I hope not.

You don't need to be saved more than once.

You don't need to be washed by that regenerating power more

than once. That's an initial thing.

That's the thing that consecrates you.

That's the thing that takes you. From a revel.

To what? A chosen people?

Our royal priesthood, right? But Jesus tells the disciples in

the upper room. But you still need to be washed.

You still need to be washed. You need to allow me to wash

your feet. As you walk in this world,

you're going to accumulate dust and dirt and little pebbles and

your toes, So you need to be washed.

And that's speaking about sanctification.

And I see that beautifully here in the picture of the priests.

They were washed when they were consecrated unto the Lord, but

when they walked into the service of the Lord regularly.

They needed to undergo washing. At that time it was through the

sea of the cast Meadow. What's the object of washing in

your life and mine now? The Word of God.

The word of God. Ephesians 5 uses the language of

being washed with the word, wash with the word.

And like the priest may suggest to you that that's a daily

washing. Yeah, that's a daily washing.

You know why it's important? Because if the priest didn't

wash, eventually they would disqualify themselves.

They would disqualify themselves from service.

The one means that God provided for the priest was this sea of

cast metal that was the only thing that was designed and

ordained by God for them to be cleansed, preparing them for

service. The one means by which you and I

are washed and made ready as vessels for the masters use is

the word of God. You can't afford to not allow

the word to wash you. Yes, you had a one time washing.

That's not enough. You don't need any more for

salvation, but you do need it for service.

You want to be used by God. You need a close relationship

with the word of God. Listen, this is so important.

It's not just the pastor's job to know the word of God.

Worship leaders, worshippers. You need to know the word of

God. You need to know the word of

God. Sunday school teachers, those

who volunteer in any capacity. You as a Christian, you need the

word of God. All of us as priests have the

same demand placed upon us that we have to come and allow the

word to rinse our hands and our feet as we walk through this

world. There is no other way for you to

be cleansed and made ready for the masters use.

No, no, no sitting down in your room for 15 minutes and plugging

in emotional worship. Music is not the same as letting

the Word to cleanse you. Get in the Bible.

Let it renew you. You may not even get it, but

understand that apart from it you're not going to be cleansed.

You will understand it, but understand the supernatural

force of the scriptures. God has designed this thing for

you and I to know a renewing and on top of that renewing a

preparing. For the work of the Lord, I got

that out of my system and so this is what it was used for,

correct? But now notice this in verse 27.

He also made ten stands of bronze.

Each stand was 4 cubits long, 4 cubits wide, and three cubits

high. Pause.

Do you remember the image? Did you see it?

They were like these little carts.

They're on the South side and the north side.

Let's continue reading. This was the construction of the

stands. They had panels, and the panels

were set in frames, in the frames.

And on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen,

and cherubim. On the frames both above and

below the lines and the oxygen, there were wreaths and beveled

work. Moreover, each stand had four

bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners

were supports for a basin. The.

Supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each.

Its opening was within a crown that projected upward 1 cubit.

Its opening was round as a pedestal is made a cubit and a

half deep at its opening. There were crave carvings or

yes, carvings and it's panels were square not round and the

four wheels were underneath the panels.

The axles of the wheels were on one piece with the stands and

the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.

The wheels were made like a chariot wheel.

Their axles, their rims, their spokes and their hubs were all

cast. There were four supports at the

four corners of each stand. The supports were one piece with

the stands and on top of the stand there was a round band

half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand it stays and

it's panels were one piece with it and on the surfaces of it

stays it stays and on its panels he carved cherubim, lions and

palm trees according to the space of each with wreaths all

around. After this manner he made ten

stands. All of them were cast alike of

the same measure and the same for God loves details.

That was a mouthful, wasn't it? It's a lot of information about

these stands that have no relevance to our immediate

context. And every time I come to a text

like this that demands a lot of attention and reading into these

little details, I just remind myself this one truth.

God, you care about the details of that which reflects you that

that has been consecrated until you care about every detail,

every time, whether it's a Tabernacle or the temple.

I I come to this truth. If you care about these things

in the House of Worship, then. I am your House of worship

today. I am the temple of the Holy

Spirit, so to speak. You care about every detail

here. Every detail.

God cares more than just you making sure you don't sleep in

on Sunday and get here and stay awake during the sermon.

That's not your Christian existence.

Every single detail of you and I ought to be consecrated and

beautified to reflect. Him verse 38.

And he made 10 basins of bronze. So now these basins were to be

placed on these stands and they were portable, right?

They can be moved around. Now, what's the purpose of these

basins? Each basin held 40 baths.

Each basin measured 4 cubits, and there was a basin for each

of the 10 stands. So I asked you the question,

what was the function of the sea of cast metal?

We concluded it was to what? To wash the priest regularly.

Now my question is this, what was the purpose of these 10

basins? I'll give you a hint.

It was in the same verse. That we were told about the

purpose of the sea of cast metal.

Very good. So you if you need to see it for

yourself, it's in Second Chronicles 46 again and we can

read it again just so make sure we're saying the truth here.

It says here in that verse, he also made 10 bases in which to

wash, OK, wash what? And set five on the South side

and five on the north side. In these they were to rinse off

what was used for the burnt offering.

Specific sacrifice. A glorious sacrifice.

The sacrifice that required every single piece of that beast

to be placed on the altar and for it to be swallowed up by

flames and to create an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

OK, so the the burnt offerings were supposed to be.

Washed in preparation before they were sacrificed.

How were they washed? And is that question even

important? How were the burnt offerings

washed? Well, it is important if you see

the prophetic significance of sacrifices in the Old Testament,

Who is the ultimate picture of the sacrifices?

Jesus Christ. So it is important if there is

answers to these questions, I want to know them because I want

to see how it points to my Lord. I don't want just a history

lesson, I want to know what this says about Christ.

So does anybody have any idea? And if you.

Can get this I will give you an imaginary medal.

How were the burnt offerings washed or what?

Details are we given concerning how the animals in preparation

for the burnt offerings, were washed.

OK, let me let me add it. Add this detail or add this

question rather. Out of all the books of the Old

Testament, what book would describe how these sacrifices

were to be washed? It's OK.

OK, that's a good guess. Not necessarily so, but that

would make sense in some, in a way of imagination.

Because you think, OK, the whole thing is being sacrificed, maybe

the whole thing needs to be watched.

Yes, it's not Joshua, it is Leviticus.

And in Leviticus chapter one, the introduction of the whole

book, you're being told about how to give a burnt offering.

And you're even told in Leviticus One how a burnt

offering was to be repaired in washing before it was

sacrificed. And that's where you're going to

get the insight about why and how these things were used.

OK, so Leviticus One people already turning there.

I love that. Yes, go there.

You don't need permission. Go ahead.

Leviticus, Chapter one. And if you want the verse, look

at verse nine. Oh, we can begin in verse 8.

Let's go to verse. Eight And Aaron's sons, the

priest shall arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood

that is on the fire on the altar.

This is about the burnt offering, and in verse 9.

But it's entrails and it's legs he shall wash with water, and

the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt

offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

So the two components of that animal that were to be washed

with water entrails the stuff inside.

And the legs? The process is not told, but we

trust that the Lord gave them the insight about how they were

to be cleansed. I think about that, OK.

Out of all the things of the burnt offering, which ultimately

points to the person of Jesus Christ who became a pleasing

aroma to the Lord, The two things that were to be cleansed,

so to speak, that were to be purified, that were to symbolize

cleanness, so that it can be without spot or blemish in its

totality, are what? The entrails.

Where are those things found? They're inside.

Are they hidden? Yeah.

Before you cut it open, they're hidden, The entrails.

And then the what? The legs.

Are those internal? No, they're external.

Right. And So what you have here is a

picture of a purification that took place from the inside and

from the outside. And when you think about how

these sacrifices point to the Lord Jesus Christ, you get a

truth concerning the extent and the totality of his purity.

The Lord was not just pure in the way He.

Walked The Lord was not just pure in the way he.

Lived. The Lord was pure.

From the inside out. He did not send in his thoughts.

He did not send in his affections.

He did not send in his ambitions.

He did not send in his reactions.

He did not send in his meditations.

He did not send in his motives. He was completely pure inside

and outside. Because of that total inward and

outward cleansing, he was indeed a pleasing aroma to the Father

and a complete and worthy sacrifice for all time.

So who would have thought that in First Kings Chapter 7 and

1 Kings 7 · chapter mention

Leviticus chapter one you would get a gospel truth?

That's the glory of the Bible study of the Old Testament.

And so these basins would be used to cleanse these parts of

the burnt offering. And then we come.

Here to this next part. We'll skip a few verses and go

to verse 40 as we get a summary of Hiram's work.

We're told Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the

basins. So Hiram finished all the work

that he did for King Solomon on the House of the Lord.

And here's the description of what he did.

The two pillars. The two bowls of the capitals

that are on top of the pillars. And the two latest works to

cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on top of the

pillars and the 400 pomegranates in the 200 latest works. 2 rows

of pomegranates for each latest work to cover the two bowls of

the capitals that were on the pillars.

The 10 stands and the 10 basins on the stands and the 1C in the

12 oxen underneath the C And then it goes on to speak about

different things that he had built and how he built.

It. Verse 46 tells us where he built

it. Verse 48 tells us what Solomon

also made. So Solomon made all the vessels

that were in the House of the Lord, the golden altar, the

golden table for the bread of the presents, the lamp stands of

pure gold, 5 on the South side, 5 on the north before the inner

sanctuary, the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold.

The cup snuffers bases, dishes of incest, and fire, pans of the

pure gold, and the sockets of gold for the doors of the

innermost part of the house the most.

Holy place. And for the doors of the nave of

the temple. And here's the exciting part.

Here's where we're ending. I'm just going to read it Thus.

All the work that King Solomon did on the House of the Lord was

finished. Solomon brought in the things

that David, his father, had dedicated, the silver, the gold

and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the House

of the Lord. I love how David is mentioned

here at the end of this chapter. He could not participate in the

direct construction of this place, His heart so long to be

somewhat involved, and so he dedicated things and prepared

things, and his heart's desire to honor the Lord outlived him.

He's gone. David is long gone.

David was buried, but we see what he did in his life went

beyond his life and in some sense touched another generation

and blessed another generation. That could be true of you and I.

We can serve the Lord and we are not in control of that.

But our prayers can outlive us. Our efforts here can outlive us

with our children and that the lives that we touch here, the

younger disciples in this house, younger brothers and sisters,

you never know what your heart forgot today will affect

tomorrow. You never know that and you

can't determine that. Oftentimes God will not show

that and he has many reasons for that.

But I just love how David is mentioned here.

And what we're going to enter into now is though everything

was put into place, though everything was awesome.

There was something that was needed and that was the presence

of God. Let's pray we do thank you Lord,

that with a lengthy and heavy text like this we can sense the

tender voice of the shepherd. And we thank you, Lord, for this

house on Friday nights that is filled with students who are

eager to understand the whole council of God.

And we thank you, Lord, that you're.

Word is for all time, and the grass will wither, the flower of

fade, but the word of the Lord will endure forever.

We thank you that in our hands we have the complete and

necessary revelation of who you are.

And we thank you, Lord, that through these times together,

not only are they in our hands, they get into our hearts and we

pray that they would be lived out.

And we pray that we would reflect the master who was pure

inwardly and outwardly. Lord, we want to be completely

holy. And Lord, we know that holiness

is not a scary word. It is a blessing to live a holy

life. And we know that the desire for

holiness comes from you, because before that we did not want it.

Lord, for those who might be paralyzed in their suffering, be

paralyzed from their past, and they see this example in Hiram

as an inspiration to believe that you have a future for them.

For those here who might be flirting with compromise and

they don't see the price tag yet, may they not have to see

the price tag before they repent and know from your word that

they are not mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

Renounce their sin and turn to you and live for your glory.

May those who might understand the truth of the word, but not

convinced that it satisfies and are consumed with personal

projects and dreams and ideas that are temporal.

Lord, may they see that although those things are not necessarily

wrong, Lord, to participate in anything apart you of being the

priority is an idol. Help us, Lord, Guide us Lord, We

seek you now as we worship You. In Jesus name.

Amen. Amen.