Evening star., 1920-09-04
SCHOOL LESSON
THE BUILDING OF THE TEN
PLE.-1 Kings, 5.1-S.66.
Golden Text.-My house shall
be called a house of prayer for
all peoples.-Isaiah, 56.7.
by REv. HUGH +. STEVENSON.


instruction and Inspiration to the
builders of all ages. 1t was a great
double type-frst. of our Lord Jesus.
in whom Jehovah came and lived
among men in order that He might
araw all men unto Him. and second. of
ourselves, teaching that we are the
temple of God, a habitation for Him
to dwell in by His spirit; this is true
of US individually. then it is true Of
US collectively.
David had planned to make Jerusalem
not only a political capital. but the
center of the nations religious life
He had made unheard-of preparations
for the erection of the temple that
he longed to have built. but could not
because he was unfit. as his hands
were stained with blood. In his Anal
charge to the king he had urged upon
solomon to carry out the proposed
building along the lines which he
building material of priceless value:
David had set apart the spoiis of
war. which he had captured in his
numerous wars for that purpose
Americans who have accumulated
wealth and riches in the recent war
wealth toward building the temple
OF brotherhood among the nations OF
the earth. so that all men should know
that God is mo longer housed in ny
great temples. pdt lHdt IiS Sdii ~ 90
preached in spirit and truth at any.
blace or time by all true worshipers-
The construction of the temple was
marked not only by the co-operative
efforts of father and son. but atSo
through national and international
cooperation In the national work
there was subscription of labor.
which Solomon may have learned
from Pharaoh. his father -in-law. SO
that he supplied every month resl-
tsn We n
wood. officers and rulers. who were
given sympathetic and competent CO.
operation by the skilled workers sup
piled BY Hiram of Tyre. solomon
,had sought the assistance of this
skilled leader and master builder, i'm
mediately after his public coronation,
in reply to the congratulations which
ne received from Hiram. who shared
his fathers enthusiasm for the erec-
ton Of the temple. The Phoenicians
were the leading builders of the east,
and it is probable that the great tenn
Piles at Baalbeck may have furnished
the models for the Jerusalem house
of worship.
One to thoroughly understand the
building of Solomon's temple ought
to study the accounts given In enron
icles as we'll as in Kings. without
surveying the records given in all the
historical books, many false views
may be formed concerning the details
OF the building. The two dineren.
accounts suppliment one another and
furnish facts which are lacking IN
each other. One account was record
ed probably for the official records.
while the other was for distribution
among the people.
Mount Moriah was selected as the
site because it had been hallowed by
the tradition that it was the site OF
Abraham's sacrifice and of David's
vision Of the angel of the pestilence
- hA h.
ing floor Of the Jebusite Prince Arau-
nah. To utilize this site called for al
most superhuman ef1ort, which couid
have been avoided if the Mount OF
Olives had been selected. The rug
ged summit had to be enlarged to
space of five hundred yards square.
and this level was supported by Cyclic
pean walls. which have been the Won
der OF the world for centuries. He
commenced by building this founda,
out In the quarry under the city,
which one enters from the Damascus
road. Some of these great costly
stones are still visible. The magnif-
the Jews watlins place. is without
doubt part Of the foundations walls
laid by the artisans employed by Solo |
mon under the direction of Hiram, the |
son Of q woman of Naphtali by Ty-
rian father. who was the master
workman Of the temple building.
The general arrangements of the
temple followed those of the Taber-
nacle. The dimensions were exactly
double those of the Tabernacle IF a
was 1e0 feet long and 50 feet wide.
The porch was Is feet wide and ex-
tended across the front Of the build
ing go feet). The main building con-
sisted Of the holy place ts0 by so
feet) and the holy Of holies. which
was 80 by 80 feet-a perfect cube"
Extending full length down either
side and across the rear were three
storfed chambers Is feet wide that
were for the use of the priests and
closing the Temple was the court of
the priests and beyond this was
larger outer court open to the people.
where forums were held and prophets
preached.
Billions must have been spent dur
ing the seven and a half years it was
being built The assembling of the
woods from Tyre. the paying of the
10000 workingmen who were en-
ployed in the construction of the
Temple. the furnishings, which were
Of the very best material. the cutting
of the stones. the masonry, the carv-
fngs In wood, silver and gold as well
as the molding of the brass makes
sum even in these days of millionaire
and military extravagances that it
would be dimcult to comprehend. Da-
vid's contribution of gold and silver
has been estimated to have amounted
to fully $2,450 200. 900. Some one has
estimated the Temple cost. with its fur
ers. to have been $52. III. .034 .S67.46
The dedication service was one of
the greatest events in Solomon's ca
reer as king. Some of the features
Of the ceremonies connected with the
consecration services may jar upon
our esthetic tastes and modern views
in reference to the use Of sacrifices.
The 6dof Of the burning flesh, the
sight Of the blood upon the priests
garments. due to the Offering of thou
the feast of the tabernacles. which in
point Of attendance and offerings
were unparalleled in Jewish history
would be offensive to many persons.
The Mosaic Tabernacle was brought
from Gieon and given its final resting
brought from Zion. which was an
other part of the city. where David
had given 1t temporary resting
place 1t was great day in the his
tory Of the nation. for it marked the
renewal Of the nation and the indi-
yiduafs conservation to the service OF
Jehovah. whose greatness and glory
were symbolized by the temple and
its worship The presence of the ark.
whose slaves had been removed, con-
its permanent resting place, suggest
ed the presence of God with His peo-
pie. The ark's sacredness was due to
the fact that 1t contained the stone
tablets with the Ten Commandments
written upon them. The smoral law
was revelation of Gods will. Its
presence in the heart of the temple
taught that no religion could be of
permanent value that did not teach
obedience to Gods law.
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