2 Chronicles 2:1 "And Solomon determined
to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom."
2 Chronicles 2:5-6 "And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. (6) But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?"
When the Scripture says that Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, we know that God chose Solomon to build the house instead of his father David. David had a great desire to build the Lord's temple, but God would not allow David to build it. So Solomon's determination was originated in the Lord God Almighty. When we have desires within us to do something for the name of the Lord, we can know for certain that the desire originated with God and was placed within us.
I did not include verses 2-4, but we are told the number of men that were separated to the cause of building the temple. He set apart 70,000 men to be laborers. He set apart 80,000 men as skilled laborers who would cut timbers and hew out stones to be used in building the temple. And he set apart 3600 men to oversee the work. We can see from the sheer numbers that the task of building the temple would be a great work. The stones were to be cut in the fields and brought to the site and placed together. That in itself is a tremendous task and achievement that the stones would fit together perfectly when brought to the building site.
Solomon understood this building to be dedicated for a reason far greater than himself. This place would be the site where worship would be conducted for centuries to come. We can see the humility of Solomon as he began this task, understanding somewhat of the greatness of the Lord whose name would be placed in the temple.
Now I go from 2 Chronicles to 1 Corinthians. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are a building of God, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ and fashioned by the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. We are properly fit together by the work of the Lord. The temple of Solomon was built to the glory of the Lord. You and I have been made that we might be to the glory of the Lord. May we ever see the Lord as He truly is: "the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods."
2 Chronicles 2:5-6 "And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. (6) But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?"
When the Scripture says that Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, we know that God chose Solomon to build the house instead of his father David. David had a great desire to build the Lord's temple, but God would not allow David to build it. So Solomon's determination was originated in the Lord God Almighty. When we have desires within us to do something for the name of the Lord, we can know for certain that the desire originated with God and was placed within us.
I did not include verses 2-4, but we are told the number of men that were separated to the cause of building the temple. He set apart 70,000 men to be laborers. He set apart 80,000 men as skilled laborers who would cut timbers and hew out stones to be used in building the temple. And he set apart 3600 men to oversee the work. We can see from the sheer numbers that the task of building the temple would be a great work. The stones were to be cut in the fields and brought to the site and placed together. That in itself is a tremendous task and achievement that the stones would fit together perfectly when brought to the building site.
Solomon understood this building to be dedicated for a reason far greater than himself. This place would be the site where worship would be conducted for centuries to come. We can see the humility of Solomon as he began this task, understanding somewhat of the greatness of the Lord whose name would be placed in the temple.
Now I go from 2 Chronicles to 1 Corinthians. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are a building of God, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ and fashioned by the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. We are properly fit together by the work of the Lord. The temple of Solomon was built to the glory of the Lord. You and I have been made that we might be to the glory of the Lord. May we ever see the Lord as He truly is: "the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods."