Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 5:1-18
When Solomon became king, he built a temple as a permanent dwelling for God’s Presence. The temple was spectacular. It was a 2,700-square-foot structure that took seven years to build. Solomon drafted tens of thousands of men to assist with the construction of this magnificent edifice. They shipped in cedar from Lebanon, hand-carved the wood, and over-laid most of the building with gold. Considering the tons of precious metals that were used, today’s estimated value of Solomon’s temple would be in the billions of dollars.
Now the people had a central location where they could meet and worship. The portable ark of the covenant had found a home in the inner sanctum. Except, now a veil separated them from the most holy of holies, and only the priest could enter as a representative of the people.
When you think about it, the veil probably wasn’t the only thing separating the people from the Lord’s Presence. Although many of the Jews approached the temple with pure intent to recognize and worship God, some turned worship into a ritual, bringing lip-service while their hearts were far from God. Sadly, others—including King Solomon—invited other gods that crowded the Lord from His rightful place. A few may have even worshipped the building itself instead of its Inhabitant—the Lord.
Even as I write this, I’m reminded that God is constant. We are the ones who show inconsistency. If only the Israelites had kept their worship pure and focused on the Lord, Jewish history would be completely rewritten. The same applies to each of us. Every day we live is one more recording of our story. Let’s be sure our history—and future—are full of God.
- When it comes to true worship to God, what are you doing today that you might regret years from now? How can you assure your “history” is full of God?