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Commentary
1 Kings 7
Solomon Built His House
I remember in chapter 6, Solomon built the temple for the Lord, and it took 7 years to build it. In this chapter, Solomon built his own house, and it took 11 years to build it. Solomon is indulgent. This is the first recorded sign of it. There will be many things that Solomon will take in excess, as we learn more about him. This is a time of peace. There is no war to busy with, so Solomon turns to "home improvements". This is the very first church. The very first building that was ever built for God, to worship Him and to burn sacrifices to Him. There have been many "tents" for this purpose, and countless "thrown-together" altars, but a dwelling place for God, never was there recorded to be one before now.
In this chapter, detail is given about how Solomon's house was built. There was fine brass, so much so that it was not known how much weight was used. Between building the temple and building this house, there will have been 18 years of construction. This is a long time of building. It is finished. The architect is the best in the world, designed by the wisest man on earth. All who come to pay homage to the king will be fully in awe of this most splendid work.
It is worth pointing out that Solomon built the house of the Lord before he built his own. This is often not the case today. Many people think that they should have their own house in order before they can take care of the Lord's house. In this context, I think that God needs to be made the highest priority, and that we should not put ourselves first. God has His own unique way of working out the details of our own lives when we fully devote our attention to His will. We don't need to tend to our own affairs directly. It is the will of the Father to take care of our every need, and even beyond that, while we focus completely on Him, to do exactly as He leads us.
This is the wisdom of Solomon. He is but a man, but he has supernatural wisdom. In that wisdom, he understands things in a depth that sometimes takes us much longer to conceive. Still, he is only a man. He will do things that show his "human" nature, as will we all. No matter the gift that God has magnified in your life, you are human. This is not a "cop-out" or excuse for you. This is only to assure you that when you make a "human error", do not think of yourself as unworthy. It is more important to think of yourself as God's child, and that He will not leave you comfortless. He will not withdraw His mercy from you. He will nurture you and protect you. He will raise you up in royalty.
The building of the temple and the house was only a result of what God had given Solomon. God didn't give Solomon a house or a temple. God gave him wisdom and wealth. The skills that we have are for producing something for God. Something that will aide in service to God, or to honor God. What will bring Him the most glory? Do that.
Monday, November 15, 2010 - 7:41 AM
