Week 84, Day 5: Seven Years
Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 6:1-38
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Solomon began the work on the Temple in his fourth year of reigning. It took only seven years to complete the temple. Seven seems like an appropriate number since it is so commonly used in scripture to indicate completeness or perfection. We are given some details about the work inside the temple. Once completed this would be the only way most Israelites would be able to “see” what is inside. I have never been inside a room overlaid with gold. The sight of the holy place and holy of holies must have been very awe inspiring. While reading this account and being struck by the grandeur of the temple, I couldn’t help thinking about how many kings of Judah would use the temple as their personal piggy bank. When a time of desperation would come, instead of turning to God and imploring Him for aid they would strip the temple of its treasures. I do not know if this included stripping away the gold on the walls or just the vessels and money inside the treasury. Asa, Jehoash, Ahaz and Hezekiah would do such. It is hard to imagine how someone would go into the temple and remove anything simply to pay off their enemies – unless they did not have confidence in Jehovah.
Question: What are Cherubim? Why are they depicted inside the temple?
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