King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Chapters: I Kings 5-7
Message: I Kings: The First Temple
Hello My Friend,
As we return to the reading of I Kings, we learn that natural evil occurs from time to time, and sometimes moral evil does, but after we have endured the evil through our faith in Christ we will find rest. We also learn that everything that we go through is part of God’s plan to mold and shape us into someone who resembles His Son, [2 Timothy 2:19-21 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.]
I do not know about you, but it does seem like we are constantly facing trials and tribulations that do not want to go away. Now, there are some things that we bring upon ourselves because we get impatient and try to handle these things on our own, but God will even use our mishaps to prove His point, that we can do nothing apart from Him, [John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.]
When Jesus said that He was referring to both our salvation and what we do in this time of our lives after we are saved. Believe it or not there are some things that may seem like God wants us to do, but He has other plans for us. David’s, desire was to build the very first permanent building of worship for God, but since he was a man of war, God, did not want him to build it, He did however tell him that Solomon would build one for Him. I Kings, also gives the account of Solomon building the temple and seeking Hiram’s help.
[1 Kings 5:1-5 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. 5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.]
Do you realize that natural evil in itself has a season? Famine, poverty, storms, sickness, death, these are all things that naturally occur for a short time. Granted, when facing them it does feel like a lifetime, but once we endure them we are given rest and are better fit for our master’s use, [1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.]
Did you take note of that? We who are saved and born again are partakers of Christ’s suffering, meaning if He suffered with both natural and moral evils, then we are going to suffer them as well. With that said, we certainly cannot live the life that God wants us to live on our own, and as much as we do not want to get other people involved we need to let some people in. Solomon, knew that there was no way that he could get God’s house built with just them and also needed some skilled master craftsmen. Tyre, was perfect because not only was Hiram good friends with David, they also needed help. So, when Solomon went to Hiram with his proposal, he jumped at the opportunity.
[1 Kings 5:7-9 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.]
Boy, it sure would be nice if we could live by just bread alone, which reminds me of what Jesus said, [Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.] Do you realize how much better off we will be if we lived by every word that proceeded from the mouth of God? This is why Jesus also said, [Luke 12:29-31 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.]
Do you see the key factor in obtaining what we have need of from God? No doubts! I was watching a movie the other day in which a person was asked, “What are you afraid of that is holding you back?” I felt like that question was directed at me. Doubts and fears also are often what hold us back from God’s blessings, and if we are not careful we could lose out on the things He has waiting for us on the other side of that rest, [James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.]
Solomon, was in the forth year of his reign when the building of the temple began and incredibly every piece was fashioned precisely to connect together without the use of one tool, and was crafted away from the property as to minimize noise.
[1 Kings 6:1,7-9 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. 7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. 8 The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. 9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.]
Four hundred and eighty years, that is how long Israel had stepped foot off Egypt and headed toward the promised land. That means that it literally took them four hundred and forty years to get where and had not really had any rest since Joshua led the pack. God, never said that He works quickly, and yet to Him one day is as a thousand, [2 Peter 3:8-9 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.]
There is another key factor in receiving God’s blessings, repentance. Sometimes repentance has more to do than repenting of sin, it often comes in the form of trying to handle things on our own and yes, we do need to repent or rather have a change of mind when it comes to receiving things from God. Quite often we lack patience and need to realize that everything is in God’s time, and we certainly cannot force it. Notice, that each piece of wood, stone, and metal, all the way down to the engravings, was constructed outside of the building and fit perfectly together. And that is what you call some talent, but with all that talent, guess who was watching what was going on? It was God, and He had something to say to Solomon.
[1 Kings 6:11-15 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it. 15 And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.]
You can build a thousand worship centers for God, but that does not mean one thing to Him unless we are living by His Word, which first begins by accepting His Son as our Saviour, [Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]
Why would doing anything for God be seen as iniquity? The majority of those who “work” for God come from religion and no religion will get you to heaven. The temple itself was never built to contain God in one building, Solomon, himself said that, but it was a place for believers to go to worship, and reconcile with Him. What may have been more impressive than the fact that each piece inside the building was carved out perfectly to fit one another was the fact that it was overlaid in pure gold.
[1 Kings 6:21,30-32,37-38 So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. 30 And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. 31 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. 32 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. 37 In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif: 38 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.]
Again, this was the finest gold found in the world, purified and so pure that it was clear as crystal, all of the beams, boards, pillars, door hinges, and even the floor was overlaid in pure gold. I could only imagine what it looked like and how many people coveted over it. This may have been a foreshadow of what the temple will look like in New Jerusalem, when it comes down straight from heaven.
[Revelation 21:18-22 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.]
Wow! Can we get an understanding of why the streets, walls, and gates were made of the most expensive jewels, stones, and minerals? The most valuable possession on this earth is Jesus Christ or I should say the Holy Spirit who can only dwell in the person who accepts Christ as their Saviour. As for this temple, from the foundation to the building itself was complete in seven years. Solomon, also had his own house built as well as a few others, which took longer to build.
[1 Kings 7:1-2,7-9 But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 2 He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. 7 Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. 8 And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch. 9 All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.]
You see, Solomon might have been building this beautiful building for God, but unless the proper foundation was laid first, it would just crumble. This is where it is important to have a sure foundation, which Jesus is to every saved, born again Christian, [1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.]
This is more proof that Solomon’s marriage with the Egyptian kings daughter was due to some arrangement, and not really that he fell head over heals in love with her. There is a very good reason why we need to remain separated from those of different beliefs, and I would go as far as to say different beliefs in the Christian faith. Chapter 7, goes into more detail about the pillars and furniture inside the building, as well as the items used for the sacrifices and worship.
[1 Kings 7:13-16,21 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. 15 For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about. 16 And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits: 21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.]
What was the importance of naming the pillars? Well, these pillars were not your average beams that kept the building from caving in, these were designed and named specifically for a purpose. Jachin, meaning, he shall establish, was head over the priests during David’s reign, and Boaz, meaning fleetness or swiftness, was the kinsman redeemer who married Ruth, the Moabite, and kept the lineage of Judah from ending. He is also David’s great-grandfather, and written in the lineage from which Jesus would descend in the flesh. These pillars, believe it or not, also represent every saved, born again Christian, who stands upon the ROCK, [Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You know how much evil is taking place all over the world today, we, who are Your saved, born again believers may not understand why we are in the midst of the evil, but we do understand that You have a plan and a purpose for our pain, and we will be blessed through it. Jesus, thank You, for being my pillar, for being the one who sustains me, supports me, and keeps me from falling off the edge. Lord, Lead us and guide us, give us Your power, wisdom, and strength to stand up to this season of evil. Teach us, grow us, fill us with Your mercies, grace, and love toward one another, open each and every heart to come together so that we can release Your power to be the pillar that You need us to be that gives support to the lost, those lost in their way, and those who need to renew their faith. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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