I.

History of Solomon’s Temple, briefly drafted from the Holy Scripture.

The Almighty and Eternal GOD truly has no need of a temple or a house in which to dwell. He fills heaven and earth with His presence. The largest walls of the most magnificent building cannot enclose the divine essence. All the heavens of heavens may not encompass GOD. And yet, it pleased the all-wise GOD to give the command that a Tabernacle Stifts-Hütte: The portable sanctuary or "Tent of Meeting" used by the Israelites during the Exodus. should be built for Him by Moses as a dwelling, and a Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon as His sanctuary. Both, however, had to be built not according to human discretion, but according to a pattern original: "Fürbilde," meaning a prototype, model, or divine blueprint. which the LORD GOD Himself had given. To Moses, the entire construction of the Tabernacle was shown on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:9), and King David likewise received the pattern of the Temple in Jerusalem from the hand of the LORD, which he gave to his son, Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11).

He [David] had indeed intended to build a temple for the LORD himself, and revealed this intention to the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 7:1–3). But because the LORD GOD would not permit him to do so—since he had led many wars during his reign and still had to contend with many enemies (v. 4, 11; 1 Chronicles 22:8)—he nevertheless made full preparations for the intended Temple construction during his lifetime. He designated the place, namely Mount Moriah, where the Temple was to stand (1 Chronicles 22:1, 17); there, according to the command of GOD through the prophet Gad, he erected an altar at the very spot where later the great Altar of Burnt Offering Brandt-Opfer-Altar: The primary altar for animal sacrifices in the Temple's outer court. was to be placed in the Temple, and when he sacrificed upon it, fire fell from heaven and consumed the burnt offering (v. 18, 30). After this, he gathered all the princes and leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel and publicly commissioned the Temple construction to his son, Solomon, in the presence of them all (1 Chronicles 28:1, 10). He gave him the pattern or the floor plan of all the buildings (v. 11, 12), the order of the priests and Levites (v. 13), and a sketch of the Cherubim Cherubim: Celestial winged beings; in the Temple, large gold-covered figures that stood in the Holy of Holies. (v. 18). He commanded the royal servants, however, that they [should help] his son, So-