In 1 Kings 7 it describes the incredible grandeur of Solomon’s temple. Reading this passing in the NLT really made these objects come to life. I was blown away by how big the Temple furnishing were. Here’s a couple examples:
- 1 Kings 7:23, 26 Then Hiram cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7½ feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference. The walls of the Sea were about three inches thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 11,000 gallons of water.
- 2 Chron 4:1-2 Solomon also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.
The round basin was as large as my living room. And the bronze altar was larger than my whole house here in PNG! That is massive! 1 Kings 7:47 says they used so much bronze that they couldn’t even weigh it all!
Then there are all the instruments. Everything was made out of the purest gold. 2 Chron 4:19-22
“Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables for the bread of the Presence, 20 the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of purest gold; 22 the snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold, and the sockets of the temple, for the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and for the doors of the nave of the temple were of gold.”
What incredible lengths Solomon went to make the temple spectacular. I can’t imagine what it would have looked like. It must have been absolutely breath taking!
After reading those chapters, my reading plan took me to Hebrews 8. Listen to this from Hebrews 8:4-5
“Now if Jesus were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.
That whole system was merely a copy, and a shadow! It was a pretty incredible shadow, if it was a shadow. Incredible the connotation though. In comparison to Christ, that temple was just a shadow! How much more greater is what we have in Christ! Christ is a better sacrifice, a better covenant, and it’s based on better promises (Heb 8:6)
The author of Hebrews continues in verse 13, “In speaking of the new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb 8:13)
The temple in all it’s glory and splendor was the old covenant. It was replaced by Jesus, and it has become obsolete! Our identity in Christ, our position of being declared righteous through our identity in Christ, is so much better than anything the old sacrificial system had to offer. That system has become obsolete. That system is ready to vanish away, when we put our complete faith and trust in Christ’s finished work on our behalf!
What an amazing God. What an incredible savior. “Amazing love, how can it be, that you my God should die for me! May his love thrill your heart as you reflect on these truths.