THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE This chapter tells us details about the Solomon’s temple, or the new house of the Lord, in which we see: * Speaking about the temple of His body, the Grantor of resurrection, “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’. Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days? but He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2: 19-20). God the Father “prepared a body for Him” (Hebrew 10: 5). * The Lord Christ established His church a holy temple for Himself. “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2: 20- 22) * Out of every believer He made a temple where the Spirit of God dwells: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3: 16). Every believer sees in his body united with his soul by the Spirit of God, a holy temple. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are of your own?” (1 Corinthians 6: 19). Set upon the cornerstone, the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ, and its building, and the perfection of its beauty, are consummated on the great day of the https://coptic-treasures.com/ Lord. And the way Solomon adorned the temple with gold and precious stones, the Spirit of God does not cease to adorn us with His exalted gifts and rich grace; to make us carry the glory of God in us, and be qualified for the fellowship of the eternal glory. * Our heavenly life, as well, and dwelling eternally with God, are called ‘the heavenly temple’; for there, we see God in His exalted glory, surrounded by the heavenly hosts unceasingly praising Him; a temple not made by human hand, and in it no sound of an iron tool is heard, but only unceasing exultations. Solomon built the temple of the Lord which is difficult to know its exact cost, in particular the incredible quantities of gold to make several of it tools, and to cover the inside of the whole building, even the flooring. Yet that was not for the sake of the glory of Solomon, but for that of God; contrary to what the pharaohs of Egypt did when they built the pyramids, one of which needed 360,000 laborers for a period of twenty years; for the sake of the glory of the king. According to the scholar Origen, building the temple bears a symbol for setting the temple of God, in which the Lord Christ is the cornerstone, and the believers of men of both the old and the new covenants were the living stones set on His Person. Here is a quick look at what the Scholar Origen saw in the building of the temple: * No sound of engraving was heard; as it is befitting of the believer, to become a living stone in the building of the Lord, not to have inside him any disturbing sound. * The use of gold in the temple refers to the tranquility and perfection of the believer’s mind, who elaborately and wisely perceive things. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * The existence of a veil in it refers to that certain things in the depths of the temple (the most Holy place’), are not to be revealed to most of the priests and Levites. * The temple was built by Solomon; And all the bronze tools were made by ‘Hiram’ the son of a widow in Tyre, and his father of high wisdom and understanding in the craftsmanship of bronze. The former refers to the work of the Lord Christ, the Firstfruit of all creation; and the later refers to someone with wisdom and understanding. The temple, therefore is the fruit of God’s work in and with us. Building the temple in the promised land, where all the people gather together around it during the major feasts, is considered an important historical event in the history of the children of Israel; probably not less important than their exodus on the hand of the prophet Moses. If the exodus was liberation from the servitude of Pharaoh, as a symbol of the liberation from the servitude of the devil, and of the enjoyment of the eternal inheritance; Building the divine temple in the midst of the people, refers to the dwelling of God in their midst, or His descending to them to embrace them with love. The inheritance they have got (the promised land), in essence, is an encounter and dwelling with the Holy One. The building was characterized by the following: * The dimensions and form of the building bear spiritual symbols that touch the believer’s life and fellowship with God * The choice of specific valuable kinds of wood. * Use of an abundance of pure gold and silver. * The building, and particularly the ‘the most holy place’, was richly adorned. 1- Start of the building 1 2- Its dimensions and features 2 - 10 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Its dimensions 2 * The vestibule 3 * The windows 4 * The chambers 5 - 10 3- The divine promise 11 - 14 4- The inside walls and the floor 15 - 18 5- The inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies) 19 - 22 6- The two cherubim 23 - 30 7- The doors 31 - 35 8- The inner court 36 9- The duration of its building 37 – 38 1- START OF THE BUILDING: (1) “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eighteenth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord” (1) The building started in the four hundred and eighteenth year after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, including: 40 years in the wilderness with the prophet Moses 17 years wit Joshua 299 years with the judges 40 years wit Eli the priest 40 years with Samuel (under king Saul) 40 years under king David The first 4 years under the reign of Solomon ------------------------------------------------------------ Total 480 years. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The starting date was fixed by the exodus of the children from the land of Egypt; for the goal of the exodus was to set forth from the land of servitude to the promised land; which was realized with the presence of God among His people, and leading them by Himself. Now, building the house, proclaims the possibility of the true freedom, by the dwelling of the Grantor of freedom among them. The temple was built after 480 years from their exodus from the land of servitude to enjoy the holy life, the shadow of heaven. Then the temple was burnt down after 430 years by Nebuchadnezzar, when the people got back to servitude by the Babylonian captivation. The presence of the house, therefore, was a sign of the longing of God toward the liberation of His people and His believers. Building the temple started on the second month; as though starting by the spirit of the perfect love as a spiritual foundation of the house. As the figure 2 refers to the perfection of love, when the two become one; … The divine commandment of love came in two integral parts: the love of God and the love of the neighbor (See Mark 12: 30-31); … The widow offered her perfect love together with two mites (See Mark 12: 42); …The good Samaritan offered his perfect love together with two denarii (Luke 10: 35); …And the Holy Book proclaims love as its essence, in the two testaments, the old and the new. The month of ‘Ziv’, meaning (splendor) or (exultation), probably because that month which corresponds to a part of the month of April, and a part of the month of May, during which the beautiful flowers appear to pour splendor on the earth. Whereas after the captivation, its name became ‘Jyar’. It so seems that the Jews did not call their months by names, but by numbers. The foundations of the temple were laid the year 2992 of creation, or 1008 B.C.; and the work ended the year 3000 of creation, and was dedicated the year 3001, or the year 999 B.C. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The building of the temple rose high on Mount ‘Moriah’ in Jerusalem, on the threshing floor of ‘Araunah’ the Jebusite, where David built an a ltar for the Lord (2 Samuel 24: 18-25), after the land was paved, and all the pits in it were filled. It was called ‘the house of the Lord’, on account of that it was God Himself who chose it, chose the man who was to build it, and laid its plans (1 Chronicles 28: 11-12). And on another aspect, the building was dedicated to the worship of God, never to be used, nor its tools to be used for any other purpose. It was called ‘the house of the Lord’, on account of that it was a shadow of the things to come (see Hebrews 9: 9). All what preoccupied the Lord was that His house be holy, as the place where the Holy One encounters His saints. The tabernacle of David – despite its simplicity -- was called ‘the house of the Lord’ (2 Samuel 12: 20); for the sake of its dedication to the Lord, and the holiness of David’s heart. The glory of the Lord, however forsook the temple -- despite its magnificence and greatness – when the people, together with the priests persisted on corruption (Ezekiel 10: 18). Solomon did not start building the temple before the second month of the fourth year of his reign, after he established his kingdom, so as not to be preoccupied with any other issue. Those three years would be added to the years his father David spent preparing for starting the building. 2- ITS DIMENSIONS AND FEATURES: (2 -10) Its dimension: “Now the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, its length was 60 cubits, its width 20, and its height 30 cubits” (2) https://coptic-treasures.com/ According to some, the dimensions here are about double as much as those of the tabernacle of the meeting; on account of that the number of the people increased, and there was need for enlarging the place of worship, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations. Do not spare, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54: 2). The size of the temple depends upon our perception of the actual length of the old cubit compared to the modern one, which is not fully settled. According to some it was between 19 and 20 inches, called the ‘holy cubit’ (Ezekiel 40: 5; 43: 13); about the length of a human arm, a little longer than the modern cubit. * The vestibule: “The vestibule in front of the sanctuary of the house was 20 cubits long across the breadth of the house, and its width extended ten cubits from the front of the house” (3) The vestibule which extended in front of the building of the temple, as an adornment added to the huge building, its height was 4 times that of the building itself, and the scenery from its top was fantastic, revealing the Mediterranean Sea on one side, and the Dead Sea on the other, across the river Jordan, and beyond Arabia. Beside its entrance, there was a court with pillars that extended in the days of Solomon’s successors on all sides. The windows: “and he made for the house windows with beveled frames” (4) The windows were wide from the inside, and narrow on the outside, like in the ancient Egyptian buildings and the old monasteries, with their huge walls; to https://coptic-treasures.com/ facilitate the entrance of air and light, and the exit of incense and the smoke, produced by the oil lamps Those windows refer to the inner insight; as it is befitting of us to have a wider insight than an outer look; to care for the perception of our own inner depths, more than to be preoccupied with others; and to judge ourselves instead of criticizing the others. Through those windows, those inside could look easily, while those outside could not see what is going on inside. In the Tergom it so came that those windows could be opened on the inside and closed shut on the outside. The chambers: “Against the wall of the temple he built chambers all around, against the walls of the temple, all around both the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all around it” (5) Building chambers all around the walls of the house refer to the practical care for providing proper places where the accessories of the temple could be befittingly placed; and providing places where priests could put on, take off, and store their priestly attires. Together with the beauty of the building, there should also be care for its practical use, to fulfill the goal of building it to the maximum. Here, there is no mention of the number of chambers; In the temple mentioned in the vision seen by the prophet Ezekiel, the number of its chambers were thirty (Ezekiel 41: 6), which, according to Jewish authors correspond to their number in the temple built by Solomon. Chambers were on three sides of the temple, in he following way: “The lower chamber was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for https://coptic-treasures.com/ he made narrow ledges around the outside of the temple, so that the support beams would not be fastened into the walls of the temple. And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stones finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (6 – 7) The walls were built by stones brought forth from the quarries known up to this day as ‘Solomon’s quarries’, where they were completely finished before transferring them to the building site, There, would be no need for using any iron tool, like hammer or chisel, as the stones and the wood would be ready to put in place in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere; for any undue noise would distract the worshippers and deny them the proper encounter with God, and His dwelling inside them. The use of iron tools like hammers and chisels refer to the impact of conflicts among the believers, that would destroy the edification of the church, the house of God. Symbolizing the kingdom of God, namely heaven itself, we should be utterly prepared in the house of the Lord, to become living stones fit for the heavenly building. There, no sound of any iron tool would be heard: no repentance, nor cry-outs of temptations; but only of joy and exultant hearts. + God intends for that hammer, meant for the whole earth, to be understood as being ‘the devil’; By that hammer in the hand of the Lord, the holy souls are struck, to produce an echo of praises to God…. By that hammer, both the righteous and the sinner, are struck: the former as a temptation, and the latter as punishment; or at least, for the righteous to increase in virtue, and for the sinner to correct his ways. By such a hammer in the hand of the Lord, not only the humble are struck, but the proud as well. Yet the humble would be struck like gold; whereas the proud would be broken as https://coptic-treasures.com/ glass. The same stroke would make the good in glory; and would turn the proud into chaff, “which the wind drives away” (Psalm 1: 4). (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) + Let the door of your mouth, and that of your heart, be very carefully closed before the enemy, lest he would quickly and violently opens them and enters if he finds it possible. The Lord Christ, on the other hand, would knock on the door (Song 5: 3; Luke 12: 36), and not break it down; “He has strengthened the bars of your gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 147: 13); and would knock on the door to let you open it for him, whereas the enemy would break it down with axe and hammer; Hence it is written: “no hammer or chisel are to be brought into the house of the Lord” (6-7); Let pride and deception be outside and not inside its doors; “Let conflicts be outside” (2 Corinthians 7: 5); but only peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4: 7) be inside. I wish your souls not be cut by iron, lest they would be like the soul of Joseph, that “was laid in iron” (Psalm 105: 18); lest the part that controls your soul (the tabernacle of the Word), would be destroyed, at the beginning of faith, and the start of spiritual learning. (St. Ambrose) In his ninth sermon on the book of Joshua, the scholar Origen, talking about the temple of God, where Jesus Christ can offer His sacrifice to the Father; he says that it is built of perfect, unbroken stones, on which no iron tool was used (see Deuteronomy 27: 5); Those are the living pure https://coptic-treasures.com/ stones – the saintly apostles – who form an integral temple through the unity of their hearts (Acts 1: 24), souls and minds, and “continuing with one accord in prayers and supplications” (Acts 1: 14); Namely, had the true unity, founded upon the holy life, love (the unity of hearts), the fellowship of worship (one voice), and one faith (one mind). According to Origen, the sanctification of every member is the foundation of the unity of the church, as what one member commits would affect the others; One sinner who commit adultery or any other crime, would corrupt the whole congregation. “The doorway for the middle story was on the right side of the temple. They went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third” (8) There was one single entrance to the side chambers of the priests. “So he built the temple and finished it, and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar” (9) In the West, they build the roof out of ceramic or plaster; Whereas in the East, they build it of wood. Although in the old European buildings they followed the eastern way, as proved in the Westminster Hall in London. “And he built side chambers against the entire temple, each five cubits high; they were attached to the temple with cedar beams” (10) 3- THE DIVINE PROMISE: (11 – 14) https://coptic-treasures.com/ While being preoccupied with building the temple of the Lord with his whole energies and heart, the Lord spoke to him to encourage him, and to confirm to him that He will dwell among His people and will never forsake them, if they are faithful in keeping His commandment to them. We cannot present a complete portrait of what went on around Solomon, and within his own heart; more than to confirm that he, and a multitude of others, have been exultant in spirit. The work undoubtedly needed long time, effort, labor, and high expenses by Solomon and his men; Hence the Word of the Lord came to encourage them. On another aspect, God intended to confirm that building the inner temple of the Lord inside the souls by keeping His statutes, was, to Him, more important than the stone buildings. The Word of God came to Solomon, before he start the work, during it, and when it came to an end. God intends to begin with us, walk along with us, and makes us reach the end of the way; He longs to accompany us from the beginning up to the end; For He is the First and the Last; the Beginning and the End. “Then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying: ‘Concerning this temple you are building; if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David” (11, 12) No construction company would be able to start building a (skyscraper) unless after it receives the plans of construction from the architect concerned. God is the divine Architect who plans the building of His temple in the soul, and provides us with the plans to execute; namely, to walk in His statutes, to work according to https://coptic-treasures.com/ His judgments, and to keep His commandments, through practical obedience to Him. By that the building would be set in us through the work of His Holy Spirit. It was the idea of David the prophet and king, to build a house for the Lord instead of the movable tabernacle of the meeting. He gathered together the money and jewels needed, and prepared the tools and equipments (2 Samuel 7; 1 kings 5:3-5; 8: 17; 1 Chronicles 22; 28: 11-29). The Holy Book provides us with an elaborate census of the money and jewels set aside by David for that holy enterprise. “And I will dwell among the children of Israel; and will not forsake My people Israel” (13) That was fulfilled in a stronger and greater way by the coming of the Word of God Himself, and setting His temple in the hearts; and His dwelling in His church, and in the depths of His believers. What God promises here, is a confirmation of what He has previously promised in 2 Samuel 12: 12. Setting the temple is the deposit of the divine presence among the people, and a confirmation of what God promised king David; and what came in the book of Leviticus 26: 11. “So Solomon built the temple and finished it” (14) 4- THE INSIDE WALLS AND THE FLOOR: (15 – 18) “And he built the inside walls of the temple with cedar boards, from the floor of the temple to the ceiling he paneled them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the temple with planks of cypress” (15) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Inside the house, the stones of the walls were not visible, but were paneled from inside with wood, which was in turn covered with a layer of pure gold, that also paneled the floor. The inside was divided into two sections by a veil with folding doors, opened, and closed by golden chains. The inside section – the most holy place -- was a cubicle – shaped, its sides 20 cubits (30 feet) long. And the front section – the sanctuary – was 40 cubits long. The wood of the floor was carved with ornamental buds and open flowers, the cherub, and palms. All was cedar, there was no stones to be seen. “Then he built the twenty-cubit room at the rear of the temple, from to ceiling, with cedar boards; he built it inside as the inner sanctuary, as the most holy place” (16) “And in front of it the temple sanctuary was forty cubits long. The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with ornamental buds and open flowers. All was cedar, there was no stone to be seen” 17, 18) 5- THE INNER SANCTUARY (THE MOST HOLY PLACE): (19 – 22) “And he prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there” (19) The inner sanctuary, or the most holy place, or as what is meant by the Hebrew word, is (the place of talking), so called on account of that God used to talk to Moses through the chair of the throne above the ark of the covenant, or to the high priest when he puts on the breastplate and seeks His counsel. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Solomon renewed everything except the ark of the covenant with the two cherubs and the throne seat, for it represents the divine presence that never changes with time, but is realized with His people, whether through the tabernacle of the meeting or the temple of Solomon. Because the inner sanctuary, or the most holy place in the temple, was very huge compared to that in the tabernacle of the meeting; and the ark of the covenant looked very small in the midst of that vast area, that was why the two huge cherubs were set from one wall to the other, beside many ornaments, so that the sanctuary would not look empty. “The inner sanctuary as twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it with pure gold, and overlaid the altar with cedar. So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold. He stretched gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold” (20-21) It would be difficult to evaluate the gold that overlaid the whole building on the inside, beside the golden lampstand and the golden altar of incense, etc. “The whole temple he overlaid with gold, until he has finished all the temple; also he overlaid with gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary” (22) 6- THE TWO CHERUBIM: (23-30) “Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of the cherub five cubits; ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. https://coptic-treasures.com/ And the other cherub was ten cubits; both cherubim were of the same size and shape. The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub. Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room; and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim, so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. Also he overlaid the cherubim with gold” (23-28) As the cover of the ark carried two cherubs, there were also two cherubs that filled the most holy place; the tip of the wing of each one touched on one side one wall, and the other touched the other the tip of the other wing. A reference to that the place was heavenly, representing the fellowship of the heavenlies. . The two cherubim were not looking at one another, but toward the ark; (and in 2 Chronicles 3: 13, toward the house). Despite the fellowship between the heavenlies, yet their minds are not preoccupied with one another, but with God, dwelling in His holy temple. + The angelic hosts join the congregation of believers, to where the power of our Lord and Savior dwells; and where the spirits of the saints who have departed, and those who are still living; although this is not easy to explain. (The scholar Origen) The cherubim: The “cherub” is one of the important symbols in the Mosaic worship; appearing in the tabernacle of the meeting, then later on, on the walls of the https://coptic-treasures.com/ temple of Solomon, and in the vision of Ezekiel concerning the new temple. The cherubim is always connected to the tabernacle of God, the dwelling place of God among His people. Two cherubim of pure gold appear over the mercy seat, stretching out their wings above the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25: 17-22), referring to the divine glory; as according to the apostle Paul: “above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat” (Hebrew 9: 5). With reference to the cherubim, they are not called ‘angels’, for they do not act as messengers from God to carry certain messages to men; but they appear to men in visions to proclaim God’s glory, dominion, and holiness. By their appearance, they proclaim God’s dwelling place and heavenly throne; namely, they represent the divine presence. It is referred to God as dwelling between the cherubim: “You, who dwells between the cherubim, shine forth!” (Psalm 80: 1); and “The Lord reigns; Let the people tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved” (Psalm 99: 1). The name “cherubim” means (a flow of knowledge), or a flood of wisdom; Hence they refer to the power of knowledge, and to the vision of God. They meditate in the beauty of divinity in the first of its proclamations; fellows in the divine wisdom, generously flow with the fountain of their wisdom over those inferior to them. It is amazing how the cherubim are closely connected to our salvation; How, in the first of the Holy Books, a cherub appeared holding “a sword flaming and turning, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3: 24); as the fallen nature of man cannot approach the secret of life. And, in the last of the Holy Books, the cherubim appeared together with the heavenly twenty-four priests, partaking of the praise of the Lamb, the praise https://coptic-treasures.com/ of our salvation (Revelation 5: 9); as man had the right to enter into heaven itself, having his nature renewed in Jesus Christ, the true Lamb. Between the first and the last of the holy books, two Cherubs also appear over the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle of the meeting and Solomon’s temple, a sign of the divine presence; Through them, God talked to Moses. Their presence over the ark of the covenant, that represents the throne of God, refers to that God who dwells among His people, talks to them and deals with them through mercy and love. The presence of two of them refers to the role of the heavenlies toward us: praying for our sake, and ministering for those who will inherit salvation (Hebrew 1: 14). The shapes of cherub drawn on the curtains and veils of the tabernacle (Exodus 27-25), conforms to a human form, yet winged, to proclaim the closeness of the human nature to the divine presence. Man knew about the cherubim, who became no stranger to humanity, the Chaldeans in particular; although the later added to it things on their own, as the other nations did to all the facts of faith, that they received orally, or through tradition, and mixed them with their distorted thoughts. Seeing the cherubim, we recall our human nature that enjoyed the salvation through its unity with our Lord God in Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit. Following the Jewish ‘Felon’, St. Clement of Alexandria says that the word “cherub” means (knowledge); Through the spiritual knowledge, our life would become a chariot that carries God inside it. This was also accepted by St. Jerome who saw in the cherub a symbol of the store of knowledge working in our nature to raise it and set forth with it among the heavenly hosts. Like a lion, it works in our nature that prevailed upon lusts; Like an eagle, it soars in the high things; Like an oxen it strives; and like a man it works with reason. This knowledge we take from https://coptic-treasures.com/ the four gospels; as according to the same saint: [Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, are e quartet team of the Lord; the true cherubs, With their bodies full of eyes, twinkling like lightening, they are a store of knowledge; and with their feet, straight and high-up; and their winged back, they are ready to fly to all directions; each one of them holding the other, connected like wheels inside wheels, moving according to the breathes of the Holy Spirit. “Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers” (29) The presence of the cherubim in the inner sanctuary, and carving them on all the walls of the house, is not intended for worshipping the heavenly hosts, but to confirm the fellowship of the heavenlies with the earthlies in worshipping the living God. “And the floor of the temple he overlaid with gold, both the inner and the outer sanctuaries. For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintels and the doorposts were one-fifth of the wall” (30-31) 7- THE DOORS: (32-35) “The two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. And he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees. So for the door of the sanctuary he also made doorposts of olive wood, one-fourth of the wall. The two doors were of cypress wood, two panels https://coptic-treasures.com/ comprised one folding door, and two panels comprised the other folding door. Then he carved cherubim, palm trees , and open flowers on them, and overlaid them with gold applied evenly on the carved works” (32-35) According to the scholar Origen, the church is the door or righteousness, through which the Righteous Jesus Christ enters; And the doors of the church are located opposite to the doors of death. + Now, we can understand that the doors of Zion as opposite to the doors of death. There is therefore, one door of death and iniquity; whereas the door of Zion is that of self-control; which is meant by the words of the prophet, saying: “This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter” (Psalm 118: 20). ‘Cowardice’, as the door of death, whereas ‘courage’ is the door of Zion. ‘Lack of reason’ is the door of death; whereas ‘reason’ is the door of Zion. Contrary to all the doors of “what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6: 20); there is one door of true knowledge. But, if we take into consideration that “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6: 12), we can say that all power of the “rulers of the darkness of this age, and of the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6: 12), is the door of hell and death. (The scholar Origen) The walls of the tabernacle of the meeting were of precious colored fabric, on which only cherubim were drawn. Whereas in the temple the walls https://coptic-treasures.com/ were wood carved with forms of the cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. Choice of the palm trees referred to uprightness and evergreen status. Palestine was known for their palm trees; whose branches refer to peace and conquest. It is as though the house is the palace of the King, Grantor of peace and conquest; or the King of peace. The temple came like a royal palace to declare that God is the hidden King, who reigns and ordains the affairs of His people. Like the palaces of kings, it is provided with a hall; and, on the sides, with separate three-stories buildings, that give it a kind of reverence; And, on the inside, paneled with precious woods, carved, and overlaid with pure gold; on account of that it is the dwelling place of the heavenly King. The adornment of the world is the church adorned with Jesus, the Light of the world. Comparing the text to what came in the book of Ezekiel 41: 18, it appears that the palm trees were set alternately with the cherubim; a palm tree perpetually appearing between two cherubim. If the true believer flourishes like a palm tree, he is surrounded by the heavenlies on all sides. It is as though the true temple represents the reconciliation of the heavenlies with the earthlies, and the enjoyment of humanity of the fellowship with the heavenlies through the free gift of God. 8- THE INNER COURT: (36) “And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams” (36) The inner court here conforms to “The court of the priests” (2 Chronicles 4: 9) or (the great court), also called “the upper court” in Jeremiah 36: 10, on account of that it is in a higher level than the outer court. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 9- THE DURATION OF ITS BUILDING: (37-38) “In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it” (37-38) The temple was built in seven or seven and a half years, including the time of building the court of the priests and the outer court. Yet we notice that this period did not include the works preceding and important to start the actual building, as the preparation of the land, cutting the wood, and cutting the stones. Despite its huge size, beauty, and cost of building it, and the great number of those engaged in its building, yet its area was comparatively small. The importance of building the temple came in 8: 13, 27; 9: 3; 2 Chronicles 6: 2, etc. being the dwelling place of Jehovah, and the site of His throne. God, for whom the heaven of heavens are not big enough to accommodate, consented to have a house among His people (8: 27), for the dwelling of His name (8: 16, etc; 2 Chronicles 6: 5; 2 Samuel 7: 12). Comfort in the sanctuary of the holy knowledge: + Believing that I have got the true doctrine, and the perception of those things, I said to myself: “It was too painful for me” (Psalm 73: 16), until I realized that I should enter into the sanctuary of God, where the cherubim are (Exodus 25: 17-22); namely, into the depth of knowledge; and not to be preoccupied with the vain and unsure views; for “A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey” (Sirach 21: 16). https://coptic-treasures.com/ We end our talk about the building of the temple of God with the words of the scholar Origen: + O Lord Jesus Christ; make me worthy to partake of building your house. Let us build and adorn a tabernacle for the God of Jacob, our Lord Jesus Christ. God dwells where holiness is, which we are required to realize; Hence, each of us can set a tabernacle for God in his heart: Its ten curtains (Exodus 26: 1) refer to keeping the ten commandments. The fine linen thread, the blue and purple, etc. refer to the good works. The gold refers to faith (Revelations 3: 18) The silver refers to preaching (Psalm 12: 6) The bronze refers to perseverance. The durable wood refers to the knowledge acquired by the believer in the barren wilderness; and to the perpetual purity. The linen refers to virginity. The scarlet refers to martyrdom. The blue refers to the splendor of love The purple refers to the hope for the kingdom of heaven. From all these materials the tabernacle of the meeting is built. And the soul should also have an altar in the midst of the heart on which the sacrifices of prayers and the burnt offerings of mercy are offered; and the rams of pride, and the goats of luxury and lust are slain. The soul has to know how to set a perpetually lighted lampstand, on the right hand of the sanctuary in her heart. (The scholar Origen) -------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 1 KINGS 6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ YOUR HOUSE IS SET IN THE MIDST OF MY HEART FOR YOU TO DWELL FOREVER + Solomon built the whole house with all its adornments; He built it with stones finished at the quarry; No hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built; It was built with all its details, so that it lacked nothing whatsoever. You promised him if he keeps Your commandments, to set for him what you have said to his father David; That You would dwell among Your people, and would never forsake them. + Behold, Your house is set in me; In it You find the sanctuary and the Most Holy Place; The cherubim and all the heavenly hosts would rejoice by Your dwelling in it; By Your entrance, my earth would turn into heaven; By Your dwelling, all would exult; Dwell forever in my heart, and never depart.
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