Wednesday,  June 18
Reading for today:   2 Chronicles 2-3 and 1 Kings 5-6

Today we read the account of the building of the Temple.   This is the first temple ever built to house the presence of God.   Israel has been in existence for about 480 years at this point.   This temple was later demolished when the nation was taken over by the Babylonians.   It was then rebuilt in a smaller form by Ezra, and then increased in size and splendor by Herod the Great.   Some 70 years after the ascension of Jesus, the temple is destroyed a second time, this time by the Romans.   It has never been rebuilt.   However, the visitor to Israel today can still see the stones presumably from the original temple at the site.  They have been re-purposed to build the "Dome of the Rock" and the Muslim palace that is connected to the temple site.

All of this is important because Israel's history is broken into "temple periods".   Solomon's temple marks the beginning of the first temple period, and Ezra's temple marks the beginning of the second.   Today we are still in the second temple period, since a third temple hasn't been built.   Some people say that a third temple must be built before the Lord returns at the End of Days.

The temple Solomon built is ornate to say the least.  There would be no other building in all the world like it.   It's design is similar in some respects to other temples, but it is unique in furnishings and treasure.   Upon entering, you would see nothing but glittering gold, decorated and designed by the worlds best craftsmen.  Precious stones would sparkle from all areas, and the ceilings would rise high above you, inspiring awe.   It would truly be a one of a kind place, that would impress even the most stalwart unbeliever.

I read that there are three levels to the temple, and that piques my interest.   I don't see any stairs on different levels of the temple...so they must refer to the stairs from the porch to the portico?     In Herod's design there is a basement underneath the temple.  It's still in use today...the Muslims use it for teaching, even though the Israelites are in control of the temple mount.    Herod's design was larger, and made use of arches to build up the surrounding area, and make the base larger.   The basement is located inside the arches.   I don't see any arches needed in Solomon's design.  It was much smaller by comparison, and could have been built on the existing rock.   I think I will do a little research to see where these different levels of the temple could have been.


PR