May 19-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:1, He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.
Observe what it is saying.
The furnishings of the temple were necessary for the priests to be able to do their ministry to please the Lord. As you approached the temple from the east, you came to the entrance to the inner courtyard of the priests. It was here the people brought their sacrifices and offerings to be presented to the Lord. On the right, toward the north, stood the altar of brass, thirty feet square and fifteen feet high, where the fire was kept burning and the priests offered the sacrifices. The height of the altar suggests steps must have been there to lead up to a ledge on which the priests could stand and minister. This was the centerpiece of their sacrificial system. The placement of the altar in the courtyard in front of the temple suggests that God can be approached only once atonement has been made. This atonement would one day be accomplished once and for all through the substitutionary death of Christ where no more sacrifices would be required giving us full entrance into God’s presence.
Relate it to your life
I have a full access pass to God because Jesus made the once for all sacrifice for my sins.
Do something.
Father, forgive me when I forget what a great cost it was to be able to come to You. Thank You for removing the barrier so that I can enjoy intimate fellowship with You. Amen.
May 20-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:2-5, He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. 3 Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea. 4 The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 5 It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.
Observe what it is saying.
The Sea was a huge reservoir of water that measured 15 feet in diameter and held over 17,000 gallons. It was well-made, approximately, three inches thick. It was used by the priests for their ceremonial washing and taught the necessity for purity on the part of those approaching God. The 12 bulls were likely symbolic of the 12 tribes, which also encamped three on each side of the tabernacle during the wilderness journeys. The theme of the sea or large bodies of water is found throughout the Old Testament and includes the imagery of God sitting enthroned as eternal king over the flood (Psalm 29:10) and underscores God’s greatness over his majestic creation as represented by powerful oceans (Psalm 93). The New Testament views these rituals as foreshadowing the cleansing provided by Christ as found in Titus 3:5, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” All the rituals of cleansing have been replaced by the One who cleansed us once and for all!
Relate it to your life.
Outward cleansing is good for my body, but Christ’s internal cleansing is a necessity for my soul.
Do something.
Father, by the cleansing blood of Jesus I can experience what King David asked, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Amen.
May 21-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:6-8, He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing. 7 He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8 He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.
Observe what it is saying.
The ten basins were mounted on wheels and adorned with various images including cherubim (1 Kings 7:27 – 39). Each basin held approximately 240 gallons and were used for ceremonial cleansing of the utensils used for sacrifices emphasizing the importance of purity when approaching their holy God. The light from these golden lampstands within a room coated in gold would create a stunning reflection that would remind one of the beauty and brilliance of God. Although we are not told if there was any symbolic significance besides providing needed light, the lampstands could easily display the presence of God. The tables were used to display the bread, as it was set out fresh every Sabbath, to symbolize Israel's communion with God and their life in His Presence. The sprinkling bowls seem to have been used for collecting the blood of sacrifices, which was then sprinkled about the altar in the temple services of atonement. Every detail was planned to illuminate God’s holiness and their need for purity in worship.
Relate it to your life.
Jesus took all of these symbols and rituals upon Himself to make us pure in the holy presence of God.
Do something.
Father, help me to see how holy You are and how costly it is to be able to enjoy Your Presence. Amen.
May 22-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:9-10, He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.
Observe what it is saying.
Moses' tabernacle only had one court. The permanence and ritual of the temple led to a division with the inner courtyard of the priests also called the upper court, because it was elevated, so that the priests would be more visible as they performed their sacred duties. The large outer court was for everyone else to gather for worship. A later separation of the court of women arose between the time of the Old and New Testaments. By the time Jesus was going to the temple, there was another court for the God-fearing Gentiles to be able to worship. This outer court was where they had set up their market which crowded the Gentiles out of a place at His Father’s house of prayer and was the reason Jesus overturned their tables. We discover with the layout and extension of courts outside the temple how they viewed who had accessibility to God. The common worshiper could never enter the doors of the temple. This reveals how radical Jesus’ redemption was that opened the way for men, women, and Gentiles to bypass every court barrier, enter into the temple, and then, go all the way behind the curtain into the most holy presence of God. Paul wrote this in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Relate it to your life.
Jesus has leveled the playing field for all of us to equally enter into the family of God.
Do something.
Father, help me to see my worth through Jesus and accept my place in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.
May 23-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:11-18, And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God: 12 the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; 13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); 14 the stands with their basins; 15 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it; 16 the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles. All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 18 All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.
Observe what it is saying.
The polished bronze utensils would have been used for the proper collection and cleanup of ashes, blood, and other items following a sacrifice, reflecting the importance of ceremonial purity but also the fact that offering sacrifices was dirty work. Such utensils are commonly found in archaeological digs. This text tells us that metalworking for the bronze objects of the temple took place on the east side of the Jordan Valley about midway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. That was quite a distance from Jerusalem. Excavations at the Edomite Feinan mines to the east of the Arabah Valley have revealed numerous copper mines and a large number of copper-production slags dating to the time the temple was built. The large-scale production of these mines implies a considerable degree of organization and hard work as would be expected in an operation for a major project like the temple.
Relate it to your life.
Building, serving, and worshiping are not always easy acts when it comes to obedience to the Lord.
Do something.
Father, may I not be unwilling to get dirty in my loving service to You. Amen.
May 24-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:19-22, Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; 20 the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; 21 the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold); 22 the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.
Observe what it is saying.
In this summary of the temple furnishings, we find a few more details that we did not see earlier. The "gold floral work" refers to the ornamentation on the lampstands. The "gold doors" were made of carved olive wood, which was in turn overlaid with gold. The "doors of the main hall" or the Holy Place opened onto the portico and the courts. We discover in addition to the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, there were wooden doors covered in gold. No one could accidentally enter either sacred place for each was heavily secured. Besides the dirty, hard work of sacrifice in the courts, worship in the Temple was filled with much activity among the glorious beauty, detailed designs, and ornate structures. All of this would evolve into mere ritualism rather than moving Spirit-filled worship.
Relate it to your life.
Regardless of the many acts of worship, God asks us to do so in spirit and truth.
Do something.
Father, may my worship be an authentic reflection of my faith and love for You. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:1, He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.
Observe what it is saying.
The furnishings of the temple were necessary for the priests to be able to do their ministry to please the Lord. As you approached the temple from the east, you came to the entrance to the inner courtyard of the priests. It was here the people brought their sacrifices and offerings to be presented to the Lord. On the right, toward the north, stood the altar of brass, thirty feet square and fifteen feet high, where the fire was kept burning and the priests offered the sacrifices. The height of the altar suggests steps must have been there to lead up to a ledge on which the priests could stand and minister. This was the centerpiece of their sacrificial system. The placement of the altar in the courtyard in front of the temple suggests that God can be approached only once atonement has been made. This atonement would one day be accomplished once and for all through the substitutionary death of Christ where no more sacrifices would be required giving us full entrance into God’s presence.
Relate it to your life
I have a full access pass to God because Jesus made the once for all sacrifice for my sins.
Do something.
Father, forgive me when I forget what a great cost it was to be able to come to You. Thank You for removing the barrier so that I can enjoy intimate fellowship with You. Amen.
May 20-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:2-5, He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. 3 Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea. 4 The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 5 It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.
Observe what it is saying.
The Sea was a huge reservoir of water that measured 15 feet in diameter and held over 17,000 gallons. It was well-made, approximately, three inches thick. It was used by the priests for their ceremonial washing and taught the necessity for purity on the part of those approaching God. The 12 bulls were likely symbolic of the 12 tribes, which also encamped three on each side of the tabernacle during the wilderness journeys. The theme of the sea or large bodies of water is found throughout the Old Testament and includes the imagery of God sitting enthroned as eternal king over the flood (Psalm 29:10) and underscores God’s greatness over his majestic creation as represented by powerful oceans (Psalm 93). The New Testament views these rituals as foreshadowing the cleansing provided by Christ as found in Titus 3:5, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” All the rituals of cleansing have been replaced by the One who cleansed us once and for all!
Relate it to your life.
Outward cleansing is good for my body, but Christ’s internal cleansing is a necessity for my soul.
Do something.
Father, by the cleansing blood of Jesus I can experience what King David asked, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Amen.
May 21-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:6-8, He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing. 7 He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8 He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.
Observe what it is saying.
The ten basins were mounted on wheels and adorned with various images including cherubim (1 Kings 7:27 – 39). Each basin held approximately 240 gallons and were used for ceremonial cleansing of the utensils used for sacrifices emphasizing the importance of purity when approaching their holy God. The light from these golden lampstands within a room coated in gold would create a stunning reflection that would remind one of the beauty and brilliance of God. Although we are not told if there was any symbolic significance besides providing needed light, the lampstands could easily display the presence of God. The tables were used to display the bread, as it was set out fresh every Sabbath, to symbolize Israel's communion with God and their life in His Presence. The sprinkling bowls seem to have been used for collecting the blood of sacrifices, which was then sprinkled about the altar in the temple services of atonement. Every detail was planned to illuminate God’s holiness and their need for purity in worship.
Relate it to your life.
Jesus took all of these symbols and rituals upon Himself to make us pure in the holy presence of God.
Do something.
Father, help me to see how holy You are and how costly it is to be able to enjoy Your Presence. Amen.
May 22-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:9-10, He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.
Observe what it is saying.
Moses' tabernacle only had one court. The permanence and ritual of the temple led to a division with the inner courtyard of the priests also called the upper court, because it was elevated, so that the priests would be more visible as they performed their sacred duties. The large outer court was for everyone else to gather for worship. A later separation of the court of women arose between the time of the Old and New Testaments. By the time Jesus was going to the temple, there was another court for the God-fearing Gentiles to be able to worship. This outer court was where they had set up their market which crowded the Gentiles out of a place at His Father’s house of prayer and was the reason Jesus overturned their tables. We discover with the layout and extension of courts outside the temple how they viewed who had accessibility to God. The common worshiper could never enter the doors of the temple. This reveals how radical Jesus’ redemption was that opened the way for men, women, and Gentiles to bypass every court barrier, enter into the temple, and then, go all the way behind the curtain into the most holy presence of God. Paul wrote this in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Relate it to your life.
Jesus has leveled the playing field for all of us to equally enter into the family of God.
Do something.
Father, help me to see my worth through Jesus and accept my place in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.
May 23-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:11-18, And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God: 12 the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; 13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); 14 the stands with their basins; 15 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it; 16 the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles. All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 18 All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.
Observe what it is saying.
The polished bronze utensils would have been used for the proper collection and cleanup of ashes, blood, and other items following a sacrifice, reflecting the importance of ceremonial purity but also the fact that offering sacrifices was dirty work. Such utensils are commonly found in archaeological digs. This text tells us that metalworking for the bronze objects of the temple took place on the east side of the Jordan Valley about midway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. That was quite a distance from Jerusalem. Excavations at the Edomite Feinan mines to the east of the Arabah Valley have revealed numerous copper mines and a large number of copper-production slags dating to the time the temple was built. The large-scale production of these mines implies a considerable degree of organization and hard work as would be expected in an operation for a major project like the temple.
Relate it to your life.
Building, serving, and worshiping are not always easy acts when it comes to obedience to the Lord.
Do something.
Father, may I not be unwilling to get dirty in my loving service to You. Amen.
May 24-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 4:19-22, Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; 20 the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; 21 the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold); 22 the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.
Observe what it is saying.
In this summary of the temple furnishings, we find a few more details that we did not see earlier. The "gold floral work" refers to the ornamentation on the lampstands. The "gold doors" were made of carved olive wood, which was in turn overlaid with gold. The "doors of the main hall" or the Holy Place opened onto the portico and the courts. We discover in addition to the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, there were wooden doors covered in gold. No one could accidentally enter either sacred place for each was heavily secured. Besides the dirty, hard work of sacrifice in the courts, worship in the Temple was filled with much activity among the glorious beauty, detailed designs, and ornate structures. All of this would evolve into mere ritualism rather than moving Spirit-filled worship.
Relate it to your life.
Regardless of the many acts of worship, God asks us to do so in spirit and truth.
Do something.
Father, may my worship be an authentic reflection of my faith and love for You. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals