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Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Drake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it? Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
published at http://www.theseason.org/

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

The Construction of the Temple [1-38]."
"Exterior of the Temple [2-14]."
"Interior of the Temple [15-36]."
"Date of Completion [37-38]."

I Kings 6:1 "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord."

The number "four hundred and eightieth years" is "Ordinal" (not Cardinal): meaning that it is a time frame accepted which may not be true and correct. It is the 480 years that are accepted, from a longer time frame. From the Exodus to the building of the Temple was 490 years, excluding The five periods of time during the time of the judges where Israel was not a nation, but absorbed with other nations. The difference in the years is because of the seven years of building the Temple, and the three years to the time of it's dedication.

This actual time was from 1490 B.C. to 917 B.C., a time period of 573 years. The five periods of time that Israel was not a national entity, were recorded in the book of the Judges: Eighty years from Judges 3:8; eighteen years from Judges 3:14; twenty years from Judges 4:3; seven years from Judges 6:1; and forty years from Judges 13:1. The summation of these five time periods again were the 93 years, the time required to be taken away from the 573 to make up the 480 years from the going out of Egypt, to the start of the building of the Temple.

The House of the Lord called the Temple is similar in floor plan only double in size to the tent structure of the Tabernacle [temple]. At the close of the prior chapter on page 46 is a sketch of the old Tabernacle that was at Gibeon.

I Kings 6:2 "And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was three score cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits."

According to Appendix 51 in the Companion Bible, a "Cubit" is a disputed length by today's standards. In the Hebrew tongue it is called " 'ammah" and ranges between 21 and 25 inches. However in Judges 3:16, the Cubit in the Hebrew text is called "yomed".

So this Temple that Solomon is building will be about 120 feet long, 40 feet wide and 60 feet high. This is the main sanctuary of the worship area.

I Kings 6:3 "And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house."

This is the front porch or entrance into the worship area. This porch went the length of the front of the building, about forty feet, and was twenty feet wide. The porch was enclosed with long slits in the walls for windows to let the light in.

I Kings 6:5 "And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:"

The word "Oracle" means "Word", for this chamber is where God spoke to the High priest, for it is called the "Holy of holies". Solomon also made five other chambers also attached to the main sanctuary. A layout of the Holy of holies is at the end of the prior chapter.

I Kings 6:6 "The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house."

Each of these chamber rooms that were attached to the main sanctuary differed in size, the northern chamber was about ten feet square, to about fifteen feet square on the third chamber, or room.

I Kings 6:7 "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool heard in the house, while it was in building."

All parts were cut and brought to the sight and fitted into place without the use of an hammer, axe or any took used to shape the stone or wood. There was no sounds of any tool being used at the building site.

I Kings 6:8 "The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third."

I Kings 6:9 "So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar."

I Kings 6:10 "And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

I Kings 6:12 " "Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in My statutes, and execute My judgments, and keep all My commandments to walk in them; then will I perform My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:"

I Kings 6:13 "And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel." "

This is the same promise and commitment that God gave to David in II Samuel 7:13-16, that his son Solomon would build his Temple and provided that he execute all God's Judgments, Commandments and stay within them, God would continue to bless Solomon, and his kingdom.

I Kings 6:15 "And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir."

I Kings 6:16 "And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place."

Remember that the "Oracle" is the place where God would speak to the high priest, and is called the "Holy of holies". It is the place where the high priest would enter once a year, and at the time of Jesus Christ's death on the cross, the heavy vale that closed off this area of the "Holy of holies" was rent in two. We no longer had to petition God through the high priest, but in Jesus name, in repentance we can now go directly to the Father in prayer. When we say "In Jesus name", in our prayers, we are acknowledging that we believe that Jesus was the Son of God, born in the flesh as a baby, lifted in the flesh and died at the hand of the Kenite Jews on the Roman Cross; and that Jesus Christ's blood was sufficient for all blood sacrifices for sins of any one that would call upon The Father in Jesus Name. Yes that oracle room of the Holy of holies is no longer needed, for the price has been paid.

When someone tells you that salvation is free, watch out, for there was a heavy price that was paid for your sins, it took the blood of the creator of all things to pay the price so that you could approach the throne of God in repentance. It was a dear price, and That sacrifice of the Lamb of God, was made and given to you as a gift. Watch out how you handle that gift, for it is eternal life.

I Kings 6:17 "And the house that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long."

I Kings 6:18 "And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen."

I Kings 6:19 "And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord."

Inside that Holy of holies, was placed the "ark of the covenant of the Lord." This is the final resting place of the ark of the Covenant, here on earth. Today many are looking for the hiding place of the ark of the Covenant, however John tells us where it is, until Jesus Christ coming to earth.

Revelation 11:19 "And the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His Temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightning's, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

This eleventh chapter was written about the three and one half days just prior to the end of this earth age, for in those days, the two witness were slain and laid in the place in Jerusalem for that three and half days. Then life came into those dead bodies, and the arose into heaven while all the world watch.

Then instantly, immediately, The seventh trumpet sounded here on earth; however at that same instant in time, John takes us to heaven to witness the events that are taking place there in heaven, while the earth is witnessing those thundering, earthquakes and great hail, that we are told of in Ezekiel 39. There in the presence of the Almighty Father, and in His temple the "ark of the covenant" is present. So is it here on earth today? Of course not. At some time in the past God took it, just like he took Elijah, Enoch, and what ever else He desire not to be here on earth.

I Kings 6:20 "And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar."

I Kings 6:21 "So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold."

I Kings 6:22 "And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold."

I Kings 6:23 "And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high."

I Kings 6:24 "And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits."

I Kings 6:25 "And the other was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size."

I Kings 6:26 "The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub."

I Kings 6:27 "And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house."

I Kings 6:29 "And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without."

I Kings 6:30 "And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without."

I Kings 6:31 "And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall."

We see that within the house of God, three different types of wood are used. They are the Cedar tree, the olive tree and the fir tree. Each of these trees stand for something, for the cedar tree in its ability to repel insects and give a long life. In the olive tree, the oil of our people is produced, that is symbolic of truth. The olive oil is used in the anointing of our home, or lives and our loved ones, for protection from evil. We anoint with olive oil in obedience to God's instructions, for when we are obedient to Him, His Spirit protects us from evil. The fir tree represents a long life, standing through all the seasons.

I Kings 6:32 "The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees."

I Kings 6:33 "So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a forth part of the wall."

I Kings 6:34 "And the two doors were of fir tree: and the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

At Christmas time we bring fir trees into our homes, and decorate them in a symbolic gesture of Christ. God has told is in Hosea 14: at that "...I am like a green fir tree. From Me is thy fruit found." God goes on to say:

Hosea 14:9 "Who is wise, and he shall understand those things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."

No, we don't worship any tree, but to the wise person, we take those symbolic things that are precious to the Lord, and He opens our minds to the instructions that God would have us learn from them. We don't worship anything that God created, but we worship the creator. We walk in His ways and Give Him all the honor and praise.

Revelation 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."

I Kings 6:35 "And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work."

I Kings 6:36 "And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams."

The construction of the Temple is completed, however it will be three years from this date that the dedication of the Temple will take place, and the worship to be transferred from the Tabernacle at Gibeon to the Temple at Jerusalem.

I Kings 6:37 "In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif:"

I Kings 6:38 "And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it."

A picture is better than a thousand words so there are several sketches in the next few pages.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals. We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

doctrine of many of our Christian churches, (The Man on a White Horse)
political direction of our country, (The Man on a Red Horse)
economic direction our country has taken, (The Man on a Black Horse)
and teaching of our schools and media, (The Man on a Pale Horse)

The Four Hidden Dynasties of the New World Order Revelation 6:1-8
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
Did you know all four are being ridden by Satan?