«But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence (1 Kings 5:4).
Solomon was at the height of his glorious reign. He was filled with wisdom, was prosperous, victorious, and with a great project in mind. Taking advantage of the fact that his neighboring king Hiram had been a friend of his father’s, Solomon asked him for materials to build a house of God (see 1 Kings 5:2—6). David had forged good friendships with the neighboring kings, and his son benefited from these relationships. Cultivate friendships that will benefit your children in the future. Hiram was not an Israelite, but he respected the God of the Israelites (see verse 7). Do your friends respect your beliefs and your faith in God?
The agreement between the two kings consisted of exchanging the best wood from Lebanon for wheat, rye, wine, and oil from Israel. Solomon chose 30,000 builders, 70,000 men to carry materials, and 80,000 stonecutters to complete that monumental project, which was built in just seven years (see 1 Kings 6:38). When you honor God, do so with the best you have and in the best way possible.
Solomon divided the 30,000 builders into three groups, so that each group traveled to Tyre for one month then went home to enjoy time with their families for two months (see 1 Kings 5:14). The king showed his concern for the wellbeing of his workers and the importance of families being together. The strength of a nation is equal to the strength of its families.
The stone was also carefully selected. It was taken from a cave that is below the walls of the city of Jerusalem, at Herod’s Gate. It is known for its beauty and whiteness, and for its ability to reflect the sun’s rays. In the morning, the reflection of the sun gave a golden tone to the temple walls, and that is where the nickname «Jerusalem, the golden city» came from. During the day, the tone and brilliance of the walls would change. The interior of the building was even more beautiful than the exterior, because everything was covered with gold.
It was the custom to use a stone from this same quarry as the cornerstone of each building in the city. Jesus is our Cornerstone (see Isaiah 28: 16), the foundation of our faith and the basis and motivation for our actions. That temple of unsurpassable beauty was a model of the spiritual temple, which is our body and our character (see I Corinthians 6:19), whose purpose is to be the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 2:20—22).
Let us carve another stone in our spiritual temple today, to God ‘s honor glory.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
