I Kings 6:23-38
“And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.” (I Kings 6:23-26)
Inside the oracle or as Hebrews 9 calls it, the holiest of all, Solomon had two cherubim carved of olive wood. Each cherub was fifteen feet tall with a fifteen foot wingspan.
“And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.” (I Kings 6:27-28)
The two cherubim were place facing each other with one wing of each touching the wall and the other wing touching the wing of the other cherub, about halfway back in the oracle.. The carved cherubs were then overlaid with gold
“And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.” (I Kings 6:29-30)
Outside the oracle, the cedar paneling was carved with cherubs, palm trees and flowers. This motif was used on th paneling both inside and outside. Everything including the floor was overlaid with gold.
“And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall. The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.” (I Kings 6:31-32)
A six foot tall double door was made from olive wood for the entry to the oracle. It was carved with the same motif as that of the paneling outside the oracle, then overlaid with gold.
“So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall. And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.” (I Kings 6:33-35)
The entry of the temple was almost eight feet wide. It was closed with two folding doors made of fir wood, because it is lighter and would not be as hard to support in such large doors. The doorposts and lintel were of olive wood because it is stronger. Making each a folding door also relieved the stress on the hinges. They were carved with the same motif and overlaid with gold.
“And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.” (I Kings 6:36)
Around the temple a courtyard similar to that surrounding the tabernacle was built, although the fence around it was made of three courses of cut stone, capped with beams of cedar. Later an outer court was built to keep other things further away. The outer court would be known as the court of the Gentiles.
“In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif: And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.” (I Kings 6:37-38)
Solomon began construction of the temple the fourth year of his reign and spent seven and a half years completing it. It was a huge and very expensive project, built for the Lord.
Remember how God reminded Solomon that his covenant with God was dependent on his obedience to God? Although Solomon loved the Lord, his priorities were changing. While he spent seven years building the temple, the next verse, I Kings 7:1 tells us, “But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.” He spent nearly twice as much effort on his own house as on the temple. God was no longer his first love. Leaving his first love would eventually lead to his turning away from God.
The warning to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 is about this very serious danger, that is so easy to ignore. We seldom realize we have put other things ahead of the one we are supposed to love until it is too late, either in our Christian life or in our marriage.
“And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.” (I Kings 6:23-26)
Inside the oracle or as Hebrews 9 calls it, the holiest of all, Solomon had two cherubim carved of olive wood. Each cherub was fifteen feet tall with a fifteen foot wingspan.
“And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.” (I Kings 6:27-28)
The two cherubim were place facing each other with one wing of each touching the wall and the other wing touching the wing of the other cherub, about halfway back in the oracle.. The carved cherubs were then overlaid with gold
“And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.” (I Kings 6:29-30)
Outside the oracle, the cedar paneling was carved with cherubs, palm trees and flowers. This motif was used on th paneling both inside and outside. Everything including the floor was overlaid with gold.
“And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall. The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.” (I Kings 6:31-32)
A six foot tall double door was made from olive wood for the entry to the oracle. It was carved with the same motif as that of the paneling outside the oracle, then overlaid with gold.
“So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall. And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.” (I Kings 6:33-35)
The entry of the temple was almost eight feet wide. It was closed with two folding doors made of fir wood, because it is lighter and would not be as hard to support in such large doors. The doorposts and lintel were of olive wood because it is stronger. Making each a folding door also relieved the stress on the hinges. They were carved with the same motif and overlaid with gold.
“And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.” (I Kings 6:36)
Around the temple a courtyard similar to that surrounding the tabernacle was built, although the fence around it was made of three courses of cut stone, capped with beams of cedar. Later an outer court was built to keep other things further away. The outer court would be known as the court of the Gentiles.
“In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif: And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.” (I Kings 6:37-38)
Solomon began construction of the temple the fourth year of his reign and spent seven and a half years completing it. It was a huge and very expensive project, built for the Lord.
Remember how God reminded Solomon that his covenant with God was dependent on his obedience to God? Although Solomon loved the Lord, his priorities were changing. While he spent seven years building the temple, the next verse, I Kings 7:1 tells us, “But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.” He spent nearly twice as much effort on his own house as on the temple. God was no longer his first love. Leaving his first love would eventually lead to his turning away from God.
The warning to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 is about this very serious danger, that is so easy to ignore. We seldom realize we have put other things ahead of the one we are supposed to love until it is too late, either in our Christian life or in our marriage.
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