1 Kings 5-6

A House for God’s name!

If I were to ask you what is your Career – how would you respond? – Easy question

A) I am an Engineer / Teacher / Coach / Mom / Social worker!

B) But how would you respond if I asked – What is your calling? – Harder question to answer.

1) But it really shouldn’t be – Christians are a people with a CALLING - 

C) Ephesians 2:10 – His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works – God prepared …..

1) We have not only been called to Christ – but we have been called by Christ – further his purposes

D) You have a purpose to play in the kingdom!

1) You have a role to play in the body of Christ that is significant – Significant – God’s role for you!

Solomon had a Career – He was the king that the nation needed to be developed and Stabilized

A) But Solomon also had a CALLING – a God given mission – not just to rule His people

B) But to make them a nation centered on the Living God! –

1) Israel was like no other nation on the earth. Unique relationship with God.

C) When Solomon lived out his calling the nation flourished.

1) But when he just carried out his career, he made poor choices and the people suffered!

D) The Chapters we are looking at tonight show Solomon at his best.

1) A major part of his story is dedicated to the construction of the temple.

E) But behind the construction project stands a calling to center his nation on the worship of the living God.

RD V.1-6

Noted in 2 Samuel – David wanted to build a house for the Lord – God said – no man of war

A) David did what he could: Some of the arrangements we read about here – David set up!

B) The Building of a House for the Lord was no small task!

1) Here we see some insight into what would go into the construction.

1) Best Motive: A House for the name of the Lord

C) God does not dwell in Houses made w/ Hands

1) But the house would represent Him! – God’s reputation would be connected to this building!

D) It is just the way the culture was at that time –

The temple has a three-fold significance.

1.) It speaks of the body of Jesus Christ.

John 2:19- Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

v.21 reveals speaking of his body!

2.) It speaks of the body of the individual believer

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

3.) It speaks of the body of believers corporately

Ephesians 2:20-22

“Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

1 Peter 2:5-6

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Today God has chosen to connect Himself with His People – We are the temple of the HS

A) God’s reputation is connected to the saints

B) “God has been the victim of a lot of bad PR most of it has come from His Friends”

So when you read about the temple we need to

Realize that it is by type talking about:

1) the body of Jesus,

2) your individual life

3) or the Church.

Let the context of the Scriptures tell you which it is pointing to.

Solomon determined to build a house for the name of the LORD

A) There is a lot of ministry where people are building a house for the Lord in THEIR name.

B) BEWARE when ministries are built on a man’s name.... a man’s picture.

C) Best Motive: God’s name would be exalted

1) Not Calvary Chapel – not a Pastor – God’s name exalted praised – connected to.

2) Best Materials - The cedar trees of Lebanon were legendary for their excellent timber.

A) V. 17: Large stones Costly stones! – Finest of quality!

B) Difficult today: In the eyes of so many people today – Abuse of word faith name it claim it

1) Big grandiose buildings – TURN OFF – waste when there are so many needs.

C) Balance in this: Over and over again the Bible commends expensive offerings

1) Passages like this – The Lord takes the time to point out in positive way – Best materials were used

D) Mary took her dowry broke it open and poured it on the Lord – rebuked by the Disciples

1) Commended by Jesus – What she did would go down in History – example – offering.

E) Swindol – Don’t be afraid to break a Vase!

1) Do something extravagant for God!

Personally: The word encourages us to give God our Best – Best of our time! / Resources / talents

A) But how often does the Lord only get our leftovers

B) Corporately as a Church – Our Building is going to be very nice – But simple

1) But Pray don’t want to be too cheap – God deserves our Best!        So they used the best materials

3)  Best Craftsmen- "The Sidonians were noted as timber craftsmen in the ancient world.

A) The skill of the Sidonians was expressed in their ability to pick the most suitable trees, know the right time to cut them, and then properly treat the logs."

A HUGE LABOR FORCE WAS ASSEMBLED

RD V.7-18

A) Divided into4 Groups –

1) 30,000 in the labor force! – worked in shifts of 10,000 – 1 month in Lebanon 2 months at home

2) 70,000 who carried burdens – Picture of Prayer

A) Those who carried burdens are a great picture of an

intercessor....

B) One who bears burdens to the Lord in prayer?

   1) Are YOU an intercessor? I pray that the Lord would raise up an ARMY of them.

C) As we move forward in our building Project – we need those who will be committed to Pray!

1) Carry the burdens of this fellowship in Prayer!

3) 80,000 who quarried stone – Skilled workers who knew how to shape the stones

4) 3,300 Overseers

What we have pictured here is a team effort was involved.

A) Many pitched in and did their share!

B) That is what every significant endeavor for the Lord involves – TEAM EFFORT

1) Missions – Planting a Church

C) Children’s ministry. / Building a Building!

1) Everyone pitching in!

D) Everyone making sacrifices –

RD Ch.6:1-10

The Marking point of 480yrs from the time that Israel left Egypt shows how long they lived in the Promised Land without a temple.

A) Key Phrase end of v.1 He began to build the house of the Lord!

1) Repeated 6 times Solomon Built / he made / he built

B) Saw in Ch.5:5 Purposed to Build –

Now He began to build

Alexander the Great was asked HOW he conquered the world by the age of 33. He answered - “By not delaying”

C) He PURPOSED and he BEGAN

You must PURPOSE and BEGIN that which God has spoken to you

A) What is it that God has spoken to YOU tonight? Has He in any way stimulated your heart?

B) When you are sitting in a Bible study, it should be a CONTINUAL time of prayer - “Lord I don’t understand that.. Lord, give me application for that”

C) But that which God speaks to your heart – needs to be carried out – acted out –

1) There must be follow thru if Growth is going to happen.

D) There must be follow thru if there is going to be fruit!

1) There must be Follow thru if God is going to be glorified.

V.7 Is interesting there was no chiseling or hammering that took place of the temple MT.

A) The Stones were fashioned and formed in the quarry and then shipped up to the Temple

B) Perfect fit –

C) Picture of the Christian life

Here is the answer to why life on this earth is sometimes so painful.{This world is the Rock Quarry

A) But When Jesus comes back for us the chiseling and cutting will be done.

B) THIS is the quarry right here and now.

1) We get pounded on and chiseled on right here so that when He comes we will fit properly BECAUSE there will not be the sound of any hammers in heaven.

C) APP: When I realize that this world is just one great big rock quarry it makes life a lot easier.

1) It makes sense of MY discomfort.

2) It makes sense of why others can be so out of sorts.

D) And when we enter His eternal kingdom the hammering will be done.

Verse 11-13 an interruption in the Story RD VS

A) Now at this point – I would expect the Lord coming to Solomon – w/ a word – Good Job

B) Word that He was blessed and impressed by the efforts

1) Expect the Lord to say something about the temple itself

C) The words are not about the temple but they are about Solomon.

1) Commission to keep the ways of the Lord.

Here is the point: Important one!

A) The temple was a magnificent project – that was taken up as a desire to honor God

B) However noble it was – it was not a Substitute for OBEDIENCE!

C) God’s fulfillment of his promise had nothing to do with the construction of the temple.

1) In one sense the temple had changed nothing!

D) No amount of money, time, effort or achievement can earn God’s favor!

1) or be a substitute for living in Obedience to the Lord.

E) It is better to Obey than to Sacrifice! – Key!

RD V.14-38 Details of the Temple

A) Stone on the outside – Cedar Cypress and Olive wood on the inside – Overlaid with Gold

B) According to 1 Chronicles 22:14, 100,000 talents of gold went into the Temple.

1) That’s equal to 10 million pounds of gold.

C) At today’s prices, the Temple would’ve cost at least $30 billion.

D) And understand it was a small building – a total of 14,000 square feet – including its outer court.

1) That’s $2 million per square foot.

D) Solomon’s Temple may’ve been the most costly building ever erected.

1) Took 7 yrs to Build and was considered one of the 7 wonders of the World.

1 Kings 6:2 tells us the Temple’s dimensions: 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 30 cubits high.

A) If a cubit is 18”, the Temple was 90’ long, by 30’ wide, by 45’ high.

B) The outside of the Temple was stone, but the inner walls were all paneled with wood overlaid with gold

C) The inner sanctum where God literally dwelt was a 20 cubit cube – 30’ by 30’ by 30’.

D) In the Holy of Holies Solomon placed two 15 foot tall angels, or cherubim, made of wood, overlaid

with gold.

E) They represented the angels in heaven that surround the throne of God.

C) When it was finished – 7yrs it was considered one of the 7 wonders of the World!

Principles:

#1 Every follower of Christ has a divine calling that links his or her gifts and skills to the furtherance of God’s Kingdom.

APP

Think beyond your career to your calling, to your God given mission in life.

#2 Planning and preparation are an indispensable part of doing a work for God.

APP We need to embrace that calling with conviction and commitment!

#3 God is worthy of our best. His glory must be reflected in all that we do.

APP Our actions need to reflect a passion to exalt the Lord seeking his glory in all we do.

#4 There is no priority or effort more important than maintaining a right heart before God in worship and obedience.

APP We need to regularly evaluate our focus to make sure that we are keeping a God centered focus.