HR90

THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES

Banner777
TSL9

<< 1 Kings 5; 8: Building the Temple >>

Buidingtemple_500_663 The time had come for Solomon to build the temple of the Lord. David had wished to build it, but he was not permitted to do so, because he was a man of war. Hiram king  of Tyre was a good friend and helped Solomon in the work. On the map you find Tyre on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and the sister city Zidon, or Sidon, a little further to the north. Tyre is a small town to-day, but there are stone columns lying partly under water which remind us that it once had fine buildings. The city in the old days was partly on the main land and partly on an island lying a little off the shore, which gave shelter for the ships.

The people of Tyre and Sidon were famous sailors, and traded with far off countries; ad they were skilful workmen in wood and stone. Also there grew in their mountains groves of the noble cedars of Lebanon. These were fine evergreen trees, the branches reaching out in flat floors one above another. The "fir" wood which grew there also probably means cypress, a tall spire-like tree, and perhaps other evergreens.

Hiram furnished lumber for Solomon. It was cut in in the mountains, brought down to the sea, and made into rafts and floated down the coast to Joppa, and was carried from there to Jerusalem. Hiram sent men to the work, and Solomon gave in payment a supply of wheat and oil. Also Solomon raised a levy of men from the tribes of Israel. There were thirty thousand, ten thousand working at a time. There were besides, bearers of burdens and hewers in the mountains who were not Israelites, but of the native people of the land. Remember how it was said of some of the old inhabitants who were not destroyed, that they should be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of the Lord.

Great stones too were quarried and brought, made ready before they were brought thither, so that no tool was heard while the bouse was building. The work was going on through seven years.

The place of the temple was Moriah, the eastern hill of Jerusalem. Here had been a threshing-floor which David had bought as a place to offer sacrifice. And it was probably here that Abraham long before was about to offer Isaac. The top of the hill is not large, and it was probably at this time made larger by building up great walls from the hillsides below, and filling in with earth and stone-work.

The mosque of Omar, a Mohammedan temple, now stands where Solomon's temple stood, but if we go inside the mosque we can still see the rough old rock that forms the top of the hill. There were courts about the temple. There were the same two rooms as in the tabernacle, but twice as long and wide; for the general plan of the temple was the same as that of the tabernacle. Before the door, which was to the east, was a porch across the front of the building. The walls of the temple were of stone, sheathed inside with cedar and carved with cherubim and palm trees and open flowers. The walls and floor of both chambers were overlaid with gold. The doors between the chambers were of olive wood, the outer doors of "fir," carved like the walls and overlaid with gold.

If we rightly understand the description, outside the temple on the two sides and the back were chambers in three stories one above another, the timbers of the chamber-floors and roof resting on ledges in the wall of the temple. Above the highest row of chambers there seem to have been narrow windows in the holy place. The most holy place was perhaps quite dark.

In the inmost room was the place for the ark; and two large cherubim of olive wood and overlaid with gold stretched out their wings, two wings touching the wall on either side, and two meeting over the ark.

In the outer room was a gold-covered altar of incense, a golden table of shewbread, and golden lamps. It appears that new sacred furniture was made for the temple, in addition to the sacred vessels of the tabernacle which were still preserved.

In the court was a large brazen altar, and in place of the laver of the tabernacle a brazen sea resting on twelve oxen. Also at the porch were two beautiful brazen pillars. So everything was finished, even to the golden hinges for the doors.

We have now some idea of the holy temple that was built of stone and wood and gold, and we can keep the picture in mind while wo read about its building and about bringing in the ark when everything was linislied. For we shall read how in the bright autumn weather king Solomon called together to Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel, and a great company of the people, to bring in the ark and to dedicate the temple— to make it sacred to the Lord.

The ark was brought from the tent on Mount Zion, where it  had been put by David, the vessels of tabernacle brought too;and probably the sacred curtains themselves were brought and laid away in some chamber of the temple. Priests carried the ark by its staves upon their shoulders up the hill into the courts, where sacrifices were offered, and so through the porch and the holy chamber to the most holy place. There they set it down, and the wings of the large cherubim stretched out above it. The staves were never to be taken from their rings, but they were drawn so far out that the ends could  be seen from the holy place,  but not  from the porch.    Then a sign of the Lord's presence filled the temple, the same which filled the tabernacle when it was finished.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 5:3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name. Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians. And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.---1 Kings V.; VIII. 1-11.


Author: William L. Worcester 1904

 Spiritual Correspondences

      Temple >> Lord's dwelling place >> Heaven >> Person of Heavenly character >> Divine Humanity

      Most holy place, holy place, court >> Celestial, Spiritual, Natural Heaven >> Loving Consciousness, Intelligent thought,  life of duties and uses

      Laver, altar >> Repentance, usefulness

      Stones >> True facts

      Timber of cedar >> Intelligent understanding and principles of life

      Gold >> Love within every thought and deed of Heavenly life

      Hiram's league >> The gathering of knowledge that may be useful for building heavenly character

 Spiritual Meaning

1 KINGS V

1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
 
1. The interior knowledges or truth, with the affection thereof are submissive to celestial love: for these knowledges teach, that the celestial church or state should succeed the spiritual church or state, by the conjunction of truth with (food the love of interior knowledges being harmonious with spiritual truth.
 
 2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
 
2. And consequently celestial good flows into the love of interior knowledges, giving the perception,
 
 3Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
 
3· That it is not possible for man to be fully established in good, so as to have the quality of good from the Lord during the spiritual state, on account of spiritual conflicts or temptations , continally prevailing, for evils must thus be entirely subdued.
 
 4But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
 
4· But the celestial state is a state of rest for every faculty, since neither falsity nor evil any longer oppose themselves;
 
 5And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
 

5. And it is the function of celestial good, by means of truth from good, to form to itself a habitation, as indeed is perceived even by truth leading to good, which dictates, that truth from good shall finally rule, and form a dwelling for good according to Divine Truth.
 
 6Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
 

6. Wherefore there is influx from celestial good into the love of knowledges, stimulating that love to acquire internal spiritual truths meritoriously, as if from self; for internal and external truths are, in this, united by correspondence, and the lower love enjoys its legitimate satisfaction; and interior knowledges teach that celestial and spiritual good cannot perform the functions which belong properly to those in the love of exterior knowledges.
 
 7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
 
7. The effect of which influx from celestial good is, to produce joy in the interiors of the mind, conjunction with the Lord, and the acknowledgment that a state of spiritual life is succeeded by a state of celestial life governing the church by filling all truths with good,
 
 8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
 
8. While there is reciprocation on the part of interior knowledges, attended with reflection and a determination to cooperate with celestial love in providing celestial-spiritual, and celestial-natural things for the habitation of celestial love.
 
 9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
 
9. In this way, exterior knowledges become the vessels of interior things, and are also dependent on things external, while they are adapted to particular states, as love determines, since love governs their disposal; and the affection of interior knowledges is satisfied with the provision which love makes for the adequate support of its functions.
 
 10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
 
10. Thus the love of interior knowledges contributes, to the support of celestial love, celestial-spiritual and celestial-natural things, exactly in proportion to the requirements of celestial love.
 
 11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

 11. While celestial love flows into the interior love of knowledges with an abundant supply of goods external and internal, and this supply is constant according to every particular state.

 12And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
 
12. Because the celestial man is conscious that wisdom comes from the Lord according to Divine Order; that there is harmony between the regenerated love of interior knowledges and celestial good;  and also that there is reciprocal love by which conjunction is effected.

 13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
 
13. The celestial principle also conjoins to itself all spiritual natural truths,
 
 14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
 
14. Which are the vessels of spiritual truths, in full abundance, according to the state of faith reciprocally; and thus there is a state of intellectual thought and of voluntary thought alternately, the former being (as it were) a state of truth separate frorn the will, and the latter being a state of truth conjoined with the will; and it is the office of the exterior understanding to minister to celestial and spiritual changes of state.
 
 15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
 
15. Besides which, even the ultimate powers of the natural man are in a holy state of subjection to celestial good, and this both as to the understanding, which is delighted in acquiring truths, and as to the will which meritoriously cultivates natural good,

  16Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
 
16. These powers being also in subordination to interior spiritual truths, of which there is a full supply, these being the intermediate between celestial good and natural good for the making perfect of the character.
 
 17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
 
17. And it is of Divine Order that the superstructure of the church and of the fully regenerated man should be established on the ultimate general truths of the Word in their threefold order---namely, celestial, spiritual, and natural;
 
 18And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
 
18. While the same threefold powers of the mind should be devoted to the application of those truths to the formation of the will and the understanding of the perfect man.

1 KINGS VIII

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
 
I. The Lord, or celestial love from Him, arranges together into one the whole church, or the universal principles in the regenerate man---namely, principles of good, of truth; and of duty, in subordination to celestial love and the spiritual truth thence derived, in order that love may be the central principle in man, that by which he has conjunction with the Lord, and that from which is the whole doctrine of the spiritual and celestial churches.
 
2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
 
2. And the man of the church, as to all his powers, reciprocally conjoins himself with the Lord by the appropriation of celestial good, when the state of faith is full, when truths are in abundance with him, and when he attains to the conjunction of good and truth.
 
3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
 
3. And thus he is introduced, by the wisdom in which is innocence and by the, love which elevates to itself all Divine Truths.
 
4And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
 
4. And thus also celestial love, which constitutes the inmost heaven, becomes his governing life, to which are subordinated all spiritual truths, and all natural truths, which appertain to the celestial and spiritual states;
 
5And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
 
5. Besides which, man then, from celestial love, to which all spiritual truths are united, worships the Lord, devoting to His service all spiritual affections, and all natural affections, the quality of which cannot be known, or adequately estimated.
 
6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
 
6. So that from good, man acknowledges and rejoices that celestial love is his inmost life, whence is all wisdom, and all holiness, and therefore all activity, which is of the Divine Providence protecting him from evil, preserving him in good, and guarding him from profanation.
 
7For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
 
7. For Divine Providence is active from inmost things by spiritual truths, protecting alike the inmost heaven, and thence the middle and ultimate heavens by the power of Divine Truths
proceeding from the Lord;
 
8And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
 
8. When Divine Truths, in their power, are perceived in the middle heaven, or by the rational mind of the spiritual man, and are acknowledged to be from Divine Wisdom in the inmost heaven; but it is not given to those in the ultimate heaven to discern the truths of the spiritual and celestial heavens. Also the Divine Sphere of good and truth conjoined protects the heavens and the man or the church perpetually,
 
9There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
 
9. Because the Divine Truth or the Word alone is the life of the angels of the inmost heaven (being inscribed on their hearts), which Word, in ultimates, is the Divine Lawalso for of the heavens, giving conjunction with the Lord, when He delivers man from the life merely natural, from the fallacies of mere science, and thus from the slavery of self and the world.
 
10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
 10. But when man is in external or natural good, the Lord as the Word manifests Himself obscurely,
 
11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
 
11. Nor can he worship the Lord from interior truths, because of the obscurity of the letter of the Word; nevertheless the presence of the Lord is felt even in that obscurity.

Author: Rev. HENRY MACLAGAN (1905)

site search by freefind advanced
 

[Home] [DICTIONARY] [HEAVEN] [EARTH] [DIVINE HUMAN] [THE WORD] [PLACES] [PERSONS] [ANIMALS] [PLANTS] [MINERALS] [NUMBERS]

Copyright © 2007-2013 A. J. Coriat All rights reserved.