Read 1 Kings 5-6
Verse chosen for meditation: 1 Kings 6: 38 ESV
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.
Reflect
What can we learn from Solomon's building of the temple?
What are the important things needed for the building of the temple?
What do you think is the most important of all?
Relate
Is it any coincidence that the wisest man in the bible should undertake the building of the temple? I believe no one would refute that building the temple was a wise thing although it was David who first came up with the idea. However, knowing that he couldn't do it during his time, he had made it possible for the succeeding generation to see to its construction, demonstrating yet another case of a smooth handover of duties. Just as we have seen earlier the smooth transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua.
We’re given the impression here that the entire building of the temple went well because everything was in the right place at the right time. For there was not only divine guidance courtesy of the God given wisdom upon Solomon, but also superb alignment with the detailed and specific measurements, including even the blueprint of God. Hence, in the perfect timing of seven years, the whole building of the temple was completed.
For the purpose of our meditation, the things needed for building the temple could be simply classified under 3 Ts: Talent, Treasure, Time.
Talent could be seen in Solomon's wisdom, the skills of the Sidonian timber fellers, and also the craftsmen and architects of the day. We see treasure, on the other hand, in the prized Lebanon timber and precious gold as well as the close friendship between Hiram and Solomon that enabled the undertaking, not forgetting the huge available manpower, the thousands and thousands of workers that were mobilised, without whom the mammoth project could not have taken off. While as for time, we see it in the timing, the peaceful time of Solomon's reign that allowed the dream of his father David to materialise, and the actual time taken, the whole seven years that it took to build the temple.
Of the three, I'd say that time is the most important. For nothing shows our devotion better than the time spent. And time should not be taken for granted as well. For those who think that they can actually buy time, they're believing in a fallacy. Time has no surrogate.
This is true for all things important in life: relationships and commitments.
In the three years that Christ spent on this earth, he gave his time most of all, the culmination of which is the sacrifice of his life. Yes, God took his precious time off to live among us and to show us himself.
Time is also a treasure. But unlike other treasures, it has to be spent wisely, not kept. For then it loses its value. To quote William Penn (English writer and religious thinker of the 17th century): Time is what we want most but what we use worst.
It's no coincidence then that the responsibility of building the temple should fall upon the wisest man in the bible, Solomon.
And seven years is indeed a perfect time.
Rest
Lord, to build your kingdom here on earth requires our talent, treasure and time. So, as you provide, may we use them wisely and faithfully for your kingdom work. For the building of your kingdom here on earth is the culmination of all the years of our wise and committed use of time, talent and treasure. And this we do trusting that in your perfect time, you make all things that matter turn out just the way you want them, beautiful and perfect.
Naville Chia
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