Temple Mount: Solomon’s Temple

 

Welcome to the Holy Land and the biblical site of the temple mount where the original temple Solomon built was dedicated. See the Bible come to life as we take a look at this key event from Scripture that took place here.

 

The location of the temple was the same place where Abraham was to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to God.

Gen. 22:1: “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

 

King David then purchased the original Temple Mount when it was a threshing floor. He purchased it to build an altar to the Lord.

1 Chron. 21:18: “Now the angel of the LORD had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”

 

King Solomon then built the Temple in this exact location.

2 Chron. 3:1: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."

 

Construction on Solomon’s temple began in 960 BC.

1 Kings 6:1: “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came 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, he began to build the house of the LORD.”

 

It took 7 years to build the first temple.

1 Kings 6:37-38:, “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 parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.”

 

When the Temple was dedicated, and the Ark of the Covenant put in it, God filled it with such brilliant glory that the priests had to suspend their dedication activities until it subsided.

1 Kings 8:1-10: “Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to 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 to 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, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.  And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a 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 filled the house of the LORD.

 

During the dedication of the temple, Solomon prays a prayer of dedication.

1 Kings 8:22-24: “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day.

 

The temple was to be a House of Prayer for all nations, not just for Israel.

Mark 11:15-17: "And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

                 

What can we observe and learn from these events that happened at this significant place?

• As we can see, the temple has played a key role as the center of God’s dwelling place and ministry on this earth.

• It will play a key part during the Millennial Reign of Christ on the earth as well.

• God has chosen to focus His presence and attention here like a laser beam from heaven like no other place.

 

What about us?

• In the Old Testament, the temple was the center place where God dwelt, in the New Testament we are now the temple of God as He dwells in our hearts by faith.

• 1 Cor. 3:16, 17, says, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

• What kind of temple am I?