Thoughts on 1 Kings 6

Today’s reading: 1 Kings 6; Colossians 3

This is pure musing on my part, but I can’t help but wonder how God felt about the temple Solomon built. 

Comparing Solomon’s temple with the tabernacle that God instructed Moses to make, the differences are pretty extreme. The tabernacle, while made of nice materials, was a relatively plain tent with nothing particularly well-adorned other than the altar of incense and the ark of the covenant. Solomon’s temple, on the other hand, was massive, ornate, filled with carvings covered in gold, etc. The temple was clearly built in reverence to God, but some of how that reverence is displayed seems more reminiscent of other ancient worship practices than anything commanded by Yahweh. No cutting tools being heard at the construction site, for example, isn’t instructed by God. The closest we could find to that would be that when they built an altar of stone, it was to be from uncut stones, but even that does not say, “Stones that were cut somewhere else and brought here.”

I just wonder whether this temple served to draw people closer to Yahweh or ultimately lead them astray. To be clear, like I said at the beginning, this is pure musing on my part, but reading the description I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is this was God would have wanted Solomon to spend 7 years and so much wealth focused on?” On the one hand, I can see an argument for walking into the temple and being astounded by the scope and majesty of it, and having that draw you to the same kind of recognition of Yahweh. That is why ancient temples were built this way. But on the other hand, was getting caught up in these earthly pictures of majesty really the point? And if so, why was the tabernacle so plain and unadorned? Yes the tabernacle was made using blue and purple and scarlet yarn, and yes, the clasps for the curtains were gold, but while the tabernacle stood out as distinct and respectful/holy, it was in no way an opulent display trying to manufacture a sense of wonder in God’s people.

When God wanted His people to feel a sense of wonder at His power and presence, He had the Israelites make a stack of 12 rocks from the bed of the Jordan river. When He wanted Israel to remember his care and provision, He had the Israelites celebrate the Passover meal. God gave His people the Sabbath as a weekly time of rest in Him and worship, trusting that He would provide despite their not working in the fields that day.

The reminders God chose for His people were very different than the gods of the nations, but the temple Solomon built is much more like a temple another nation would build to their god(s). That’s why I wonder if this was merely something God allowed, knowing it would be something of a stumbling block to His people in the future, or if He considered this kind of manufactured sense of awe a good thing. 🤷‍♂️