A group of Chicago architects estimate that, if Solomon's temple were built today, it would cost more than 87 billion dollars. Without a doubt, the temple was the most elaborately expensive building of that day and probably of all time. The story of how this temple is built is contained in 1 Kings. David died without being permitted to build a house for God because of his bloody war years. However, he had gathered materials for the structure; and when his son Solomon took over the kingdom, Solomon completed the house of worship.
Hiring artisans and craftsmen from neighboring nations, Solomon began the vast project. The temple was to represent the worthiness and importance of worship in Israel. It was rich in spiritual symbolism, and on dedication day, God's presence so filled the place that the priests could not minister. Ironically, although Solomon built this great structure, he ignored God in later years and died in spiritual disgrace. Solomon's sins spilled over on his son and caused a split in the kingdom. Solomon would have been wiser had he built a godly life as well as a temple.
No man can escape his personal spiritual responsibility. Although he gives all he has to the poor and his body in martyrdom, if he does not have a deep personal love for God, it is for nothing. This premise forms the basis of 1 Corinthians 13 and shows the tragedy of Solomon's life. He had spent all his time building a temple and not a life. Temples and memorials are nice. However, God's Word tells us that we must never neglect the temple of our personal lives because it is there that God dwells. A billion-dollar life is far better than a billion-dollar church.
“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.”
1 Kings 8:10-11 KJV
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