Inside of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6 & 7)

In the midst of building God’s House, the Lord sent word to Solomon: IF you will walk in My statues, and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will…dwell among the sons of Israel and will not forsake My people; this is a reiteration of 1 Kings 2:4; 3:14. God actually dwelled in this magnificent structure Solomon built.

Again I have included below a color version of Solomon's Temple found on page 25 of your book, Walking Faithfully with God:

The Temple’s dimensions (given in 1 Kings 6:2-3) were 60 cubits (L) X 20 cubits (W) X 30 cubits (H) [1 cubit = 18-20 inches]; therefore, it was 90 feet (L) X 30 feet (W) X 45 feet (H). It had a “porch” on the front (1 Kings 6:3 and 2 Chron 3:4) that was 20 cubits X 20 cubits (or 30 feet X 30 feet). The windows had artistic frames (1 Kings 6: 4)

• It was built of stone that was prepared at the quarry; no hammering took place in it (1 Kings 6:7). Wood covered stone; then the wood was carved in the shapes of gourds and flowers (1 Kings 6:18) and overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:21) and precious stones (2 Chron 3: 6). Why Wood and Gold...Gold represents deity while Wood represents humanity, this is the place where humanity met deity.
• The doorway was on the right side (1 Kings 6:8); this was the east side. Again there was significance for an east reference: The Garden of Eden had an eastern entrance (Gen 3:24), Jesus will come from the East (Is. 41:1-2), the eastern star led the men to the baby Jesus (Mt. 2:2, 9). God may have had countless reasons for choosing the east as the entrance to His presence, but surely not the least of this is that His perfect light interrupts the darkness every morning from the east.

The Main Room as referred to in 2 Chron. 3:5 & 1 Kings 6:17 was 40 (L) X 20 (W) OR 60 feet X (L) 30 feet (W). It was the first room after passing through the 2 pillars one on each side of the entrance that were 35 cubits or 52 ½ feet tall. They each had a name the one of the left was Boaz – which means “in it is strength” the one on the right Jachin – which means “He shall establish” (2 Chron. 3:17). It had 4-sided doorposts made of olive wood and 2 doors of cypress with carvings of cherubim, palm trees and flowers then covered in gold (1 Kings 6:33-35) and walls of cedar with carvings of cherubim, palm trees and flowers then covered in gold (1 Kings 6:29)

• In the Main Room was the Golden Altar (1 Kings 7: 48) was near the entry to the Holy of Holies, used to burn incense. It was covered by cedar and overlaid in gold (1 Kings 6:22)
• Also in the Main room were 10 Golden Tables, 5 on the left and 5 on the right (2 Chron 4:8) on which the bread of presence was (1 Kings 7: 48). The bread was a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and Israel (Lev. 24:8). In Luke 22:14-20, Jesus compares Himself to bread.
• On the 10 Tables were 10 Lampstands, 5 on the left and 5 on the right (2 Chron 4:7) of pure gold to burn in front of the Holy of Holies (2 Chron 4:20). They were made as described in Ex. 25: 31-38, note the flowers were almond blossoms – almond trees were the first to bloom in the spring, the flowers appeared before the leaves. In Numbers 17 Aaron’s staff spouted, budded and produced almond fruit. There were 7 lamps on each lampstand; this is the number of God, the sevenfold attributes of the Spirit of God are described in Is 11:1-2: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might/power, knowledge , fear and the Spirit of the Lord.

The Inner Sanctuary (1 Kings 6:16) or the Holy of Holies (2 Chron. 3:8) was 20 (L) X 20 (W) OR 30 foot cube (30X30X30) had chains of gold across the front of it (1 Kings 6:21) and a veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen with cherubim on it (2 Chron. 3:14). These colors signified royalty (violet/purple), sacrifice (crimson) and purity (fine linen). There were 2 doors made of olive wood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers overlaid in gold (1 Kings 6:31-32). The walls had carvings of cherubim, palm trees and flowers then covered in gold (1 Kings 6:29).
The Ark of the Covenant would be placed in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 6:20) – this was the only thing that was transferred from the tabernacle everything else was built by Solomon. Over the Ark , in the midst of the Holy of Holies were 2 cherubim 10 cubits or 15 feet tall; they were made of olive wood and covered in gold(1 Kings 6:27-28). Each had (2) wings 5 cubit or 7 ½ feet wide; the wings of each attached and they sat facing the main room (2 Chron. 3:12) and covered the entire entrance to the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 6:27).

Question to Ponder: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states that our bodies are God’s temple. It is our responsibility of the believer is to glorify God in his body. Solomon wanted the house of God’s to be great and wonderful because God is great and wonderful. Because of Jesus, God sees us just as magnificent as Solomon’s Temple. Do you view yourself that way or are you always looking at your faults? How can we glorify God with our body (His Temple)?