Good morning, everyone. This morning, we are in 1 Kings, chapter 6. You know, I was where I am right now. It's for
38 am and Sitting in a in a bed. I'm out of town right now and I'm sitting up and Going through the word of God. It's very quiet in the house right now And I just got this overwhelming sense that you know when we are in the word of the Lord like this that God is pleased that He left us behind His Holy Spirit inspired word and that when we take it in he's pleased
As I was turning the pages studying God I just felt like the Lord is pleased and I want to say I hope When you take in the Lord you realize that he is he is smiling upon you He is pleased when you are seeking to know him and follow him hallelujah All right chapter 6 verse 1 now it happened in the 480th year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt
in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel in the month of Ziv, which is in the second month that he began to build the house of Yahweh.
Now that is really interesting. I want you to think about God's people for a moment back in Egypt and crying out for freedom. They were slaves to the Egyptian Pharaoh and God heard their cry and threw a series of plagues and then the final one, the Passover, God set his people free. And they were going to be able to have a Theocracy and follow God and have their own
people who were together and following God and that was 480 years earlier and now 480 years later they have a country they have peace on all sides and They're about to build a house for God You know wasn't long after that they were in the desert that God had them built their own
First house for God, which was a traveling tent, a tabernacle, where God's presence dwelt. And now they are building a permanent temple in Jerusalem for God's presence to dwell. But it took 480 years. Think about that. Now, we are beyond the era of say, Adam and, you know, the early
people of the Bible who lived really long life spans. You know, at this point, the people are on life spans like we are. And I want you to think about that for a moment. It took 480 years. How many generations of people have their been in order to get from Egypt to now the promised land with peace and security?
You know, if we want to consider a lifespan about 80 years, what we'd have to put, what, six times eight, is that what I mean? So we'd have six generations of people. I want you to think about that. Think of all the people that have died.
prior to this that never got to see the peace and prosperity of the Promised Land and even to see this temple that's going to be built but yet they were all part of God's family and God was real the whole time and God was with His people moving them forward to this date where the now they would be here and could build this temple and
I think sometimes we have to have a broader view of God and of history. It's very easy for us to make life about ourselves and to think about, well, you know, kind of like, what has God done for me lately? And based on how God is treating me now or how I feel like I'm blessed now or not, we place our faith in that versus what God has done all throughout history.
And I think we're kind of mistaken when we do that because it's not all about me. God's working out his plan. And as we now are wait for the return of Christ, you know,
Maybe it'll happen soon. Maybe it'll be a ways off. But yet God is going to come through just as He came through with the birth of Christ, which He comes in this same family line of David and Solomon. He's going to come again. But while we wait and while at times,
in our world things may not make sense. I mean think of the the book of judges or think about the times when Israel was even defeated by their enemies for a period of time before they would regain victory. God was still God the whole time. So I think that's really important to know 480 years and about six generations later. Here we are.
Verse two, ask for the house which King Solomon built for Yahweh. It's linked with 60 cubits and it's with 20 cubits and it's height, 30 cubits. Now, if you look into the cubits, it may have been 18 inches a cubit. There is another measurement, sometimes it was 21 inches, but if we go by the standard measure of 18 inches,
that would mean that the temple was 90 by 30, so 2,700 square feet. It's not a massive structure. Now, we are going to see the glory of it, and well, the glory of it is that God's going to reside in it. But, you know, there's going to be many things overlaid with gold, and it's going to be quite a beautiful place, but it's not massive, you know? And one of the things some people are thinking about is that
In the time of tribulation to come, there is going to be a temple in Jerusalem. And right now there is no temple in Jerusalem. So in theory, the temple needs to be rebuilt. Now how long would it take to build a 2700 square foot temple? And to even think about that for a moment,
Prior to this temple the tabernacle was a tent. So, you know, how do we even know exactly what the future temple will look like? It may be that they put something together that you know Isn't overlaid with gold that they could do in a short period of time now as we'll see it's gonna take seven years for Solomon In that day to build this temple
But how long would it take to build the 2700 square foot temple today? You know, I mean, shoot, you see some of those, you know, TV shows where they build a house like in a month. I mean, if you really wanted to build a 20, it's kind of a boxy building, by the way. So if you wanted to build this thing and do it quickly, it could be done. So be looking for a temple one day to be built or hopefully we won't be here to see that temple be built.
Anyways, moving on, verse 3, and the porch in front of the nave of the house was 20 cubits in length corresponding to the width of the house, and it's dapped along the front of the house was 10 cubits, also for the house he made windows with artistic frames, and he built against the wall of the house stories encompassing the walls of the house
around both the nave and the inner sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all around. The lower story was five qubits wide. So there was a building attached to the temple that had three stories, not the actual temple structure itself. The lowest story was five qubits wide and the middle was six qubits wide and the third was seven qubits wide. For the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house
all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house. The house while it was being built was built of stone prepared at the quarry and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any wood iron tool heard in the house while it was being built. That's very interesting. It appears, you know, that there was a significant plan to build this temple and exactly how it was going to be and that
It was prepared off site. And then when they brought it to the temple area, they simply assembled together the parts, which they had carefully planned to fit together off site. Very interesting. All right, the doorway of the
Lois side chamber was on the right side of the house and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story and from the middle to the third. So he built the house and completed it and he paneled the house with beams and planks of cedar. He also built the stories against the whole house each five qubits high and they were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar.
Now we're going to spend a little time here. It's quite a beautiful word. And the word of Yahweh came to Solomon saying concerning this house, which you are building. If you will walk in my statutes and do my judgments and keep all my commandments by walking in them, then I will establish my word, which I spoke to David, your father. And I will dwell among the sons of Israel.
and will not forsake my people Israel. So again, Solomon's hearing a word from God that he needs to continue to follow God and that in order for God to be with them, they were going to have to continue to follow him. And if not, God would allow this
Kingdom to be taken now wouldn't be taken for into perpetual meaning You know one day God's restoring the kingdom and he's already beginning to spiritually restore that now through Jesus and he's gonna restore it in Completion when Jesus returns, but it meant that if they did not follow God in this season of history that their temple and their country could be taken from them and Solomon's being commanded by God to follow God and follow his commandments and
And there was a very if clause there that if you will walk in my statutes and it's very interesting, you know, there's a
I guess maybe the best way to summarize it is there are people who are called Reformed Christians, who typically are more Calvinistic, and they will focus on the fact that we're saved by grace alone through faith alone, by Christ alone, which
I love it. And it's all good. And you know, it comes from many areas in the Bible, predestination, election, the fact that God's going to be faithful to keep us faithful to the end as in Philippians 1, 6. It comes from Ephesians 2, 8, 9, for we even say, by grace through faith, and this knot of yourselves is a gift of God and knot of work so that no man should boast. And so it is a belief in that through
our faith and God's grace, we're going to be saved and that's just the way it is. God shows it and, you know, has elect really nothing can happen to them because their God's elect. Now, there's a whole nother camp that is what I guess you could call more Arminian and they believe that it's really important that you
continue in your faith. They are not as focused on predestination and election. And they put a little bit more responsibility on the person to be faithful, although they still believe in God's grace. And many faithful Bible people, even if they lean more Arminian, still believe in election and predestination and eternal security.
but also believe that there's a responsibility on mankind. No.
I Am kind of in the middle of that debate and what I do and here's why I want to tell you why I am in the middle of that debate because I think that we need to take in all of Scripture and I don't there's nowhere where God said elevate certain scripture over other scripture He didn't say man Focus on these but then overlook these, you know, like I kind of sometimes will
identified as though it's like, you know, we get to a certain scripture that doesn't fit our doctrine. We cover up one eye as though we don't see it. And I don't think we should look at the Bible through a lens of man-made doctrine or man-made summaries. I think what we need to do is we need to take a look at every word. God's holy word, revere the whole word.
and take in the whole word. And sometimes what that will do is it leaves us with a little bit of a beautiful mystery, meaning there is a responsibility. Well, meaning predestination, election, being saved by grace through faith through Christ is all real, but we can't just dismiss all these passages about the responsibility of mankind.
continue in their faith because it's not only in the Old Testament, but it's in the New Testament. So I'm not giving you an opinion here.
I'm just going to read to you from scripture Listen, you know, we've we've talked about these a lot, but the parable of the Sawyer Soar, right? Which is in several of the gospels, but the seed and the goods So these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart and hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance And is there a responsibility to bear fruit? Is there a responsibility to hold fast the word that we've been given? Jesus
What saints is John 831 was saying to those Jews who had believed in him, if you abide in my word, then you are truly my disciples. Well, there's an if there. What about John 15, four through 10? Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine. So neither can you unless you abide in me. I in the vine and you are the branches. He abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up, and they gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, there's the if again over and over, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it'll be done for you. Let's keep going.
Look at 1 Corinthians 15, 2, by which you are saved, referring to the gospel, if you hold fast the word, which I will claim to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing.
First Thessalonians 3, 5, and 8, for this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to know about your faith, lest somehow the tempter has tempted you and our labor be in vain, for now we really live if you stand firm in the faith.
Hebrews 3, 6 and 14, but Christ was faithful as a son over his house whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence in the boast of our hope. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm to the end. And I'll just do one more.
Hebrews 10, 23, and then also 35 and 39. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful, and then verse 35 of chapter 10, therefore do not throw away that confidence of yours, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
for yet in a very little while he who is coming will come talking about Jesus return and will not delay but my righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrinks back my soul has no pleasure in him but we are not of those who shrink back to destruction
but of those who have faith to the persevering of the soul. Now, I'm only giving a fraction. I mean, we didn't even get into Romans 11. Read Romans 11 sometimes if you want to read more about the responsibility to continue in the faith.
So, what am I trying to say? I'm trying to say that, you know what? I feel extremely secure in my salvation because God died to save me because I believe in Him. I have faith in Him. He's given me grace and He continues to give me grace and it's through Jesus Christ and that's how I'm saying it. Hallelujah. However, I also
Don't take that for granted. And because of all these scriptures that I've shared with you today, I see it as, you know what, God wants me to continue in the faith. This is one of the reasons why I'm doing what I'm doing right now. Why I'm in the Word. Why I think God is pleased when we're in the Word and why I'm trying to instill in everyone else. Because you know what, I want to be faithful to the end.
I don't want to become complacent. I don't want to be watered down. I don't want to be fruitless. I want to be a mature, fruitful tree that's bearing fruit. And I want to continue in my faith to the end. And I actually think having a little bit of fear of God that you know what?
I don't want to go there. I don't want to get distant from my Lord. I don't want to turn away from Him and shrink back and then all of a sudden find myself doing things that I shouldn't be doing and not living and serving God. So I have this healthy reverence and awe
that says, God, thank you for protecting me. Thank you for promising me eternal life. But God, you know what? I know human waywardness. I know that people can be wayward. I don't want to be that God. I want to be faithful to you to the end. So just as he said to Solomon, he said, if you will walk in my statutes and do my judgments and I want to do that, I want to walk with God. And when I don't, I say, God, get me back on track. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for forgiveness now.
I don't think I need to explain it anymore than that. I mean that's already explaining enough. But some people want to like pin you down and start using phrases that aren't even in the Bible to talk about this issue. And all I'm saying is I gave you scripture. I gave you lots of scripture. And I just believe what it all says. And I don't cover up one eye.
I take in the whole council of God's Word. And I think that's one of the reasons that I believe what I believe about the Bible is because I take in the whole thing, not just what someone taught me, not just some summary statement, not some just doctrinal position in which I ignore other scripture. I wholly revere the whole entire thing. And Hallelujah, I think that's what makes for a good Christian. And I'll tell you what,
I believe that what I believe about the Bible, what the Bible has said has helped me to be a man of God and to be solid in my faith and I believe
when I'm teaching and sharing with you from the Bible will help you be solid in your faith as well. All right, verse 14. So Solomon built the house and completed it. Then he built the walls of, that's verse 14, of the house on the inside with Borges cedar from the floor of the house to the ceiling. He overlaid the walls on the inside with wood and he overlaid the floor of the house with Borges cypress.
And he built 20 qubits on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from floor to the ceiling. And he built them for it on the inside as an inter sanctuary as the holy of holies. And the house that is the nave in front of the inter sanctuary was 40 qubits long. And there was cedar on the house within carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers. Solomon really liked plants and nature, by the way, always cedar. There was no stone scene.
Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, the most holy place is what they're gonna put that thing. Now the inner sanctuary was 20 cubits in length and 20 cubits in width and 20 cubits in height, so square. And he overlaid it with pure gold, can you imagine? And he also overlaid the altar with cedar, so solemn and overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold.
And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary and he overlaid it with gold. So he overlaid the whole house with gold until all the house was finished. And the whole altar, which was by the inner sanctuary, he overlaid with gold. I can't even imagine I've never seen so much gold. Also, in the inner sanctuary, he made
two cherubim of olive wood each 10 cubits high and five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits that's five times 18 inches so think about that. These are long wings and the five cubits the other wing of the cherub from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were 10 cubits.
So 10 times 18 inches, that'd be 15 feet of wing going across between the two cherub and their wings touching each other. The other cherub was also 10 qubits. Both the cherubium were of the same measure and the same form.
The height of the one cherub was 10 cubits, so also the other. And he put the cherubim in the midst of the inner house and the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that the wings of one was touching the one wall and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other walls. And the rings were touching each other in the center of the house.
He also overlaid the cherubim with gold. Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers from within the inner and outer sanctuaries. And he overlaid the floor of the house with gold in the inner and outer sanctuaries. Can you imagine that? For the entrance of the inner sanctuary, he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and the five sided doorposts. He made two doors of olive wood.
and he carved on them carvings of cherubim palm trees and open flowers and overlaid them with gold. And he spread the gold of the cherubim and and on the palm trees. So I also made for the entrance of the nave, four sided door posts of olive wood and two doors of cypress wood and two leaves of the one door turned on pivots and the two leaves of the other door turned on pivots.
and he carved on it cherubun palm trees and opened flowers and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work and he built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams
Alright, so there we have it, and then it's going to end in this way. In the fourth year, the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid, and the month of Ziv, now in the eleventh year, the month of Bull, which is in the eighth month, the house was completed throughout all its parts, and according to all its plans, so he built it in seven years.
I just think it's incredible how detailed this was and took seven years to build and it says according to all its plans. So, you know what, they made a plan. I mean, they had a plan. In fact, they crafted it off site as we've talked about and then brought it together on site so that it would fit all according to plan. It shows the organization not only of some, but even the organization of God
in instilling in them to make a plan for this temple. You know what, one of our people at our church read this chapter and made comment on it. And I thought I enjoyed her comment where she said, you know, this beautiful as this temple is, I'm not trying to quote her exactly, but as beautiful as this temple is,
And how cool it is that they built it in Jerusalem. God's finally got a home in Jerusalem where he's going to dwell among them and have the holy place that we no longer have that today because now God dwells inside of us. So isn't that incredible? And look at all the plans that were made to build that tabernacle. Think of all the plans that God has made in making you.
and me and all the different people and God can reside in every one of us who believe Hallelujah and what a blessing that is that now we are the tabernacle that God's Spirit lives in us and you know I read something the other day and it just talked about you know what in every revival that's taking place it's been because of the fact that the Holy Spirit was
moving powerfully in a blaze in God's people and man that hit me and I was like man may that be us God have your Holy Spirit move in us in such a way that it brings more people to you God let us never forget that this beautiful temple now is us God has chosen to reside in us what an amazing gift may we never forget
and may we continue in faith in honor of our Lord till the end. God bless you all.