What Has Happened to You in the Passed Seven Years?

O. T. #767  "What Has Happened to You in the Passed Seven Years?"
June 3, 2016
1 Kings 7-Part 3
by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing.  Genesis 2:2

LET IT GLOW

What was happening in your life 7 years ago or during the passed 7 years? Hm, let's see, we had only 5 grandchildren, and the construction of our new sanctuary was not even begun yet.  During the past, my husband has had 2 heart ablations to correct its rhythm problem and I have had surgery. My sister-in law almost died. We have lived in the same house and had the same jobs. So we haven't experienced any dramatic changes. We have done several foreign mission trips. However, we have had older family members and friends pass away during that time. Basically, our life has not changed very much during the past 7 years. Others have come through serious illnesses and life adjustments, though. We have seen many saved during that time, some  marriages destroyed, and some marriages restored and new ones. How quickly 7 years do pass by, right?
We don't read of any significant activities in Israel other than the Temple Solomon had built being completed. That was the task at hand, given priority.

What elaborate, expensive, and exquisite furnishings Solomon had made or the Temple. And rightfully so. God had blessed his kingdom with the Promised Land, peace with its neighboring nations, huge wealth and blessings overflowing like the water of the huge water basin name the Sea.
With all that God provided for His children of Israel, why shouldn't He have the best of the best in His house?
I was singing a song last night as I was thinking about today's lesson:
Worthy of worship, worthy of praise, worthy of all our devotion, worthy of all the glad songs that we sing, worthy of all the offerings we bring; You are worthy, Father, Creator, You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer, You are worthy, worthy and wonderful, worthy of worship and praise.

Truly, He is worthy of our worship and praise. Without Jesus, we would be nothing, have no salvation or eternal home awaiting us, no Holy spirit to strengthen us, no faith to sustain us.
We lift up Your name today, Lord Jesus!


LET IT GROW

Previously, we read about all the bronze articles that King Solomon had Huram make. Finishing this chapter, we read of other furnishings made for the Temple, only these were made of gold, all of them:

• the gold altar;
• the gold table for the Bread of the Presence;
• the lampstands of solid gold, 5 on the south and 5 on the north in front of the Most Holy Place;
• the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs;
• the small bowls, lamp snuffers, bowls, dishes, and incense burners;
• the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of he Temleth their fronts overlaid with gold. (verses 48-50)

Falwell explains that the tabernacle was lighted by a single 7-lamp candlestick (Ex. 25:31-40). The Holy Place of the Temple was lighted by 10 candlesticks, 5 on each side.

If you have noticed, all the furnishings of the Temple corresponded with those in the Tabernacle. When Solomon put those items used in the Tabernacle, provided and consecrated by King David, in the side rooms (treasury rooms), the Temple construction was finished and ready for use. Those were made of bronze, gold, silver, and cedar and had monetary value, as well as spiritual value, so they needed to be guarded. The house for God had no equal to its magnificence.
If you can find a drawing of Solomon's Temple, it will make all of these descriptions more clearly to you. Several of my commentaries have it. Also, you can find on Google's diagrams, as well as purchase small models.

Some see the Tabernacle as a picture of Christ in His humility on the earth, and the Temple as a type of His present ministry in glory, building that "holy temple" of living stones. (Wiersbe)

Say, did you realize that God completed creation in 7 days and Solomon completed His Temple in 7 years?

*Item of Interest: A Dutch architect and archeologist, Ritmeyer, clams to have found The Solomon's Temple. However, Muslims control the Temple Mount and will not allow excavations. A specific stone is thought to be part of a platform wall built by King Hezekiah, which was on the original site. He says the Dome of the Rock stands on the spot where the Temple once did.
Ritmeyer spoke on this topic at four times at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary during November.


Whew! Seven years have passed by quickly, haven't they? I wonder what God has in store for us the next 7 years. Some of us could be in our eternal home, you know. Hmm.

LET IT GO

Give thanks for all the blessings I have experienced in the past 7 years.

Worship and praise the Lord Jesus in truth.