How long did it take to finish the temple in Jerusalem? If the temple pictures us, could it also picture the temple in heaven? Let’s look at 1 Kings 6.
What were the dimensions of the Temple that Solomon built? A cubit is roughly half a meter or half a yard. So the Temple was roughly 30x10x15 meters or yards.
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord. Now the house which King Solomon built for the Lord, its length was sixty cubits, its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits. The vestibule in front of the sanctuary of the house was twenty cubits long across the width of the house, and the width of the vestibule extended ten cubits from the front of the house. And he made for the house windows with beveled frames. (1 Kings 6:1-4 NKJV)
What were the dimensions of the rooms surrounding the Temple?
He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1⁄2 feet (2.3m) wide, the second floor 9 feet (2.7m) wide, and the top floor 10 1⁄2 feet (3.2m) wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves. The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site. The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors. After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks. As already stated, he built a complex of rooms along the sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 1⁄2 feet (2.3m) high. (1 Kings 6:5-10 NLT)
What did God promise if Solomon would continue to obey Him? An advantage of the King James Bible is that “thou” is singular, “ye” is plural. The Hebrew for “you” here is second person masculine singular, meaning Solomon is being addressed. Did Solomon remain faithful in later life?
Yahweh’s word came to Solomon, saying, “Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:11-13 WEB)
What did the interior of the Temple look like? Were the winged creatures idols or reminders? Were they bowed down to or mere decoration?
So Solomon constructed the temple and completed it. He built the walls within the temple with cedar planks, paneled from the floor to the ceiling. He overlaid the floor of the temple with pine planks. At the back of the temple he built thirty feet of cedar panels from the floor to the ceiling. Solomon built the inner sanctuary, the most holy place. In front of this, the main hall was sixty feet. The cedar inside the temple was carved with gourds and blossoming flowers. The whole thing was cedar. No stone was seen. He set up the inner sanctuary inside the temple so that he could put the chest containing the Lord’s covenant there. The inner sanctuary was thirty feet in length, width, and height. Solomon overlaid it with pure gold and covered the altar with cedar. Solomon covered the temple’s interior with pure gold. He placed gold chains in front of the inner sanctuary and covered it with gold. He overlaid the whole temple inside with gold until the temple was completely covered. He covered the whole altar that was in the inner sanctuary with gold. He made two winged creatures of olive wood for the inner sanctuary, each fifteen feet high. The wings of the first winged creature were each seven and a half feet long. It was fifteen feet from the end of one wing to the end of the other. The second winged creature also measured fifteen feet. Both winged creatures had identical measurements and form. The height of both winged creatures was fifteen feet. Solomon placed the winged creatures inside the temple. Their wings spread out so that the wing of the one touched one wall and the wing of the other touched the other wall. In the middle of the temple, the wings of the two winged creatures touched each other. He covered the winged creatures with gold. (1 Kings 6:14-28 CEB)
Were there also carvings on the walls and doors? Were they idols or mere decoration?
The walls of the two rooms were decorated with carvings of palm trees, flowers, and winged creatures. Even the floor was covered with gold. The two doors to the most holy place were made out of olive wood and were decorated with carvings of palm trees, flowers, and winged creatures. The doors and the carvings were covered with gold. The door frame came to a point at the top. The two doors to the main room of the temple were made out of pine, and each one had two sections so they could fold open. The door frame was shaped like a rectangle and was made out of olive wood. The doors were covered with gold and were decorated with carvings of palm trees, flowers, and winged creatures. The inner courtyard of the temple had walls made out of three layers of cut stones with one layer of cedar beams. (1 Kings 6:29-36 CEV)
When was the entire Temple finished and how long did it take to build?
In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it. (1 Kings 6:37-38 ESV)
Did the tabernacle and later temple picture not only us as the temple of the Holy Spirit, but also something in heaven?
These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. (Hebrews 8:5 HCSB)
Is the Temple in heaven also described as the tabernacle or tent of testimony?
After these things, I looked, and the Temple, which is the Tent of Testimony in heaven, was open! (Revelation 15:5 ISV)
How long did it take to finish the temple in Jerusalem? If the temple pictures us, could it also picture the temple in heaven? You decide!
