Solomon Begans to Build Temple II Chronicles 3

II Chronicles 3:1 "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite."

Back when David numbered the people against the Lord's will and the angel was destroying the people, it was here where David told the LORD that it was he who sinned and to please spare the people. Here on mount Moriah Solomon began to build the temple. It was to be a magnificent building.

The basic structure was 60 cubits by 20 cubits or 90 by 30 feet. 1 cubit is 18 inches.

In front of this was a porch which was 20 cubits by a height of 120 cubits. Verse 4 does not say how wide (how far out from the front of the basic structure) the porch was. It was overlaid with gold within. So upon entry, the scene was striking.

v7 "And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty and the gold was gold of Parvaim."

Everywhere the house sparkled with gold silver and precious stones. The most holy place was given special attention. Two cherubims stretched for 20 cubits (30 feet) their wings from side to side over the ark with their wings touching in the middle. They faced inward toward the altar.

v14 "And he made the veil of blue and purple and crimson and fine linen and wrought cherubims thereon."

These representing royalty and the blood. (I see nothing else the crimson could represent)

Verse 17 is interesting. The pillars were named after Boaz who married Ruth of Moab who was a stranger in Israel but was married to a Jewish man who was the husband of Naomi. They had gone down to Moab during a drought where all died but Naomi and the daughters-in-law. Ruth refused to leave Naomi and so became the wife of Boaz of whom Jesse and David and Solomon descended, as well as Jesus Christ. Jachin was the head of the twenty-first course of the priests. His name means he shall establish. Boaz means fleetness and strength.

v17 "And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin and the name of that on the left Boaz."

Psalm 97 "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil; he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."

Solomon starts work on the temple and the beauty is described in this chapter of Chronicles in our Bible Study.