Read: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 3:15-4:22
It took Solomon 7 years to build the temple and 13 to build his palace. This provided work for many laborers. Both structures proclaimed the glory of God. One of his buildings was called the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. It was a wondrous display of cedar. I wonder if this represented the people. Another building was called the Hall of Pillars. It was not as large as the first building and I wonder if this represents the saints - the pillars of faith. The next building we read that is named is the Hall of Justice. This was where the throne sat and legal matters where settled. This had to represent the throne of God’s judgement. The last building mentioned was the living quarters for Pharoah’s daughter - his bride. This bride was a Gentile bride from Egypt the place of slavery. Is this not a picture of the bride of Christ? She will be a foreigner that Jesus bought with the price of his blood and drew out of slavery and set her free. Jesus will be her kinsman redeemer like Boaz was for Ruth.
Solomon took a man whose mother is from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father is from Tyre and used his gifts to decorate these buildings with his talents. Naphtali means “my wrestling” and Tyre means “distress”. His name was Huram-abi which means “father of paleness”. I wonder if he wasn’t albino. This is a beautiful picture of how God chooses the least likely, most undesirable, humble people to hide his talents in. The work he did was unbelievably ornate and breathtaking. I marvel as I read the description of it. The enormity of the task would have made me distressed! But Huram was made for the challenge and he did it.
Many of us have talents that seem hidden and passed over but there will come a time when we will be called on to use our talent and it will be used for God’s glory. In the mean time, we delight in the Lord and hone our gifts.
Lord, help us to make every moment count, knowing that some of those moments are just still moments with you.
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