Sat.’s Devo - The Building of the Temple

Read: 1 Kings 5:1-6:38; Acts 7:1-29; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 16:28-30
God made us to need each other and the gifts God has given each of us. In building the temple, David would need the help of Hiram the king of Tyre. Tyre was a Phoenician city where the commerce of the whole world was stored in their storehouses. David had made sure that he had favor with Hiram, the king of Tyre for the Lord’s purposes. Solomon used this favor to help build the temple and bless Hiram and his nation with food. This is the way of the kingdom.
Every detail about building the temple is extraordinary. The shift of working, the fact that no sound of a chisel or any iron tool was heard at the temple site. Everything was build off-site and brought there. The levels were smaller on the bottom and had three levels each getting larger as they got higher. That is the picture of how the higher we go with the Lord, the greater our capacity to hold his presence. No stone was seen in the inner part of the temple - only wood and gold. The two angels that knelt on the altar would have a wing span that spanned from one wall to the other. That gives us a great picture of being hidden under the shadow of his wings.
It took seven years to complete the temple. It was began in the month of Ziv or Ijar which is the month of flowers - our May. It ended in the month of Bul which is a month of rain.
In Acts, Stephen has been brought before the high priest to give his defense. He is accused of speaking blasphemy against the temple and the law. It was really against his testimony of his faith in Jesus as the Christ.
Stephen took the opportunity to give them a sermon teaching them their spiritual heritage starting with Abraham. He talked about the price the patriarchs had to pay to follow God’s will for them. They were misunderstood and went through great trials to follow God.
Our Psalm wraps up what we just read in both Testaments: “unless the Lord build the house, they that labor, labor in vain.”
Lord, may we build a spiritual house for you to dwell in today.