"AND Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew
[them], and the stonesquarers: so [and] they prepared timber and stones to
build the house" (1 Kings 5., 18). "And the house, when it was
building, was built of stone made ready [perfect] before it was brought
thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard
in the house, while it was in building" (1 Kings vi., 7). Stone placed
upon stone, each fitted into its appointed place, and all these white marble
stones were polished after the similitude of a palace -
"Like some tall palm the noiseless fabric sprung."
In 1 Chron. 29., 2, we read that David provided "marble stones in
abundance." The Hebrew word employed shows that the marble was WHITE.
These stones were doubtless used for the paving of the court, for the structure
of the wall, and for the building of the Temple, "according to the
measures of hewed stones" (1 Kings 7., 9, 11). The Spirit of God
interprets in one portion of the Scriptures the figures He uses in another. The
Apostle Peter says, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual
house" I Peter 2., 5). Each stone represents the individual believer, once
dead in trespasses and sins, but now quickened by the Spirit of the living God;
hence we are called upon to "look unto the rock whence ye are hewn "
(Isaiah 2., 1).
The EVANGELIST is God's quarryman, used by Him to detach these stones from the
world in which they are embedded according to nature. This is often hard work,
requiring great skill.
Then follows the work of the PASTOR, leading them to a deeper experience of
Divine truth, bringing them into the communion of saints below, preparatory to
their being built by the true Solomon in resurrection glory into an everlasting
habitation for God.
Then these stones must be "polished after the similitude of a
palace." This is the work of the TEACHER, who unfolds the mysteries of
God, and leads souls upward, onward, Godward, into closer conformity to Christ.
The present world is God's workyard, in which there is fellowship of labour.
The Lord Jesus is not only making use of the gifts of the Spirit, but also of
the trials and temptations which come upon Christians, for all things are under
His skilful hand, therefore "all things work together for good to them
that love God."
Well may the Apostle Paul write that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed, that "our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4., 17). Being thus
polished and MADE READY, the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12.,
23) are waiting for the time when they shall be presented faultless before the
presence of His glory." There the sound of the hammer shall no more be
heard, for there shall be no sorrow nor sighing, only the sound of thanksgiving
and blessing; glory, honour, praise, and power unto Him that sitteth on the
throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
THE ROOFS.
So he built the house and finished it; and covered [cielled] the house with
beams [vault-beams] and boards [ceiling boards] of cedar " (1 Kings vi.,
9). "And the greater house he ceiled with [covered above with] fir
[cypress] tree" (2 Chron. 3., 5). These vault-beams, as the Hebrew word
informs us (geibirn. from gab, an arch), were semi-circular, thus forming a
DOME for the covering. The vault-beams and the ceiling boards (probably the
internal rafters) were of cedar, both for the Holy and Most Holy house; while
the greater house, constituting the Holy Place and side-chambers, was covered
again externally with fir (or cypress, as Gesenius considers, as being
exceedingly firm and durable, and employed where strength and durability were
especially required). These domed roofs covered with cedar and cypress, in
contrast with the shittim wood and the badgers'-skin covering of the
Tabernacle, are in keeping with the heavenly character of the Temple - the
Tabernacle in the Wilderness being the type of the Church of God on earth, the
Temple the type of the redeemed, as called with a
heavenly calling and perfected in heavenly glory.
THE WOODWORK OF THE TEMPLE.
The whole of the Temple was covered within and without with wood. The walls
within were wainscotted with cedar, and all the exterior was covered with cedar
or cypress, including the galleries (see 1 Kings vi., 15, 16, 18; Ezek. 41.,
16, 17, 25, 26); the floor of the Holy Place with planks of cypress; and cedar
covered the whole of the Most HOLY Place.
Four kinds of wood are mentioned in the Word in connection with Jehovah's
dwelling-places : - Shittim Wood, of which the Ark of the Covenant was
constructed, an emblem of humanity. In the Ark it sets forth the sinless
humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
CEDAR, being from its incorruptible nature an emblem of the incorruptible
resurrection body. A piece of worm-eaten cedar was never seen. The sap of the
cedar is death to the worm; so that, instead of the worm destroying the cedar,
the cedar destroys the worm.
FIR or CYPRESS, employed where strength and durability were required, typical
of resurrection strength.
OLIVE, or oily wood, is emblematic of resurrection spirituality, or the
"spiritual body." All these seem to be dealt with in that wonderful
passage, 1 Cor. 15., 42, 44, 53, where the resurrection bodies of the saints
are so fully described. "it is sown a natural body (the shittim wood), it
is raised a spiritual body (the olive or oily wood); it is sown in corruption,
it is raised in incorruption (the cedar); it is sown in weakness, it is raised
in power" (the cypress). " For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
THE CARVINGS.
The cedar was carved with knops [gourds] and open flowers, cherubim and palm
trees, similar to the carving on the doors (1 Kings vi., 18, 29; Ezek. 41.,
18-20). Christ says of Himself, "I am the Door." The cedar boards,
being carved in conformity with the doors, represents the bodies of saints
conformed in resurrection glory to the glorified body of the great Redeemer;
for, "as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the
image of the heavenly" (1 Cor. 15., 49). He shall change the body of our
humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto the body of His glory (Phil.
4., 21). "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him" (1 John 3., 2).
As melted wax takes the impress of the seal, so, the moment the saints are
caught up to meet the Lord in the air, these bodies will take the impress of
His glorious body; thus we shall be conformed to the glorious pattern of the
Divine Redeemer. Capacities for service may be typified by the CHERUBIM;
dignity, fruitfulness, and triumph by the PALM TREES; the germs and unfoldings
of every spiritual grace by the SEED VESSELS and OPEN FLOWERS. All these were
seen in their beauty and excellency in Jesus, and the risen saints will be
conformed to Him in resurrection glory.
THE OVERLAYING WITH SILVER AND GOLD.
The reason given for David's contribution of silver, in 1 Chron. 29., 4, was to
overlay - literally, to PLASTER - the walls of the house. It would appear that
the stone walls were first plastered with SILVER, then covered with CEDAR, and
afterwards overlaid with GOLD - the whole house within and without, including
the roof, walls, floor, doors (1 Kings vi., 20-22, 30, 32, 35; 2 Chron. 3.,
5-9) - not gilded, but covered with gold, fitted upon the carved work, bringing
the whole into surpassing splendour. SILVER is the emblem of atonement, for the
typical redemption price was paid in silver (Ex. 30., 11-16). Gold, the most
precious of metals, appears to be the emblem of that which is Divine - divinely
excellent and glorious, a faint foreshadowing of the glory of God which the
redeemed will for ever share. So also the Holy City, New Jerusalem, the emblem
of the Church as the Bride of the Lamb (Rev. 21., 11, 18), was seen of John in
vision as "pure gold," "having the glory of God." "The
glory which Thou hast given Me," says Jesus, "I have given them"
(John 17., 22). The bodies of the saints, sown in dishonour, will be raised in
glory (1 Cor. 15., 43). As the gold fitted on the carved work did not
obliterate, but added perfection to the carvings of the cedar, so the Divine
glory put upon the redeemed will display more fully those excellencies of the
Redeemer which they will reflect, into whose image they will have been
transformed. The weight of gold is enormous, reminding us of that expression,
our light affliction which is but for a moment," these chisellings and
carvings so painful now, "worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4., 17). Not only will glory given to them press
upon the spirits of the redeemed, constraining to gratitude and praise, but
redemption wrought for them will press with still heavier burden. Oh, for more
of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for in eternity, to bring
the pressure of these obligations to bear on our hearts in time! These
afflictions will soon be past, these clouds shall give place to one unclouded
day, encircling with perpetual spring the everlasting year.
THE PRECIOUS STONES.
David provided for the house of his God "onyx stones and stones to be set,
glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious
stones" (1 Chron. 29., 2, 8). Solomon "garnished the house with
precious stones for beauty" (2 Chron. 3., 6). So also the light of the
Holy Jerusalem, seen of John in vision, "was like unto a stone most
precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal" [crystallising}
(Rev. 21., 11). Paul appears to have had these things in his mind when he
wrote, "If any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones." For he is speaking of believers as being God's Temple, in which
the Spirit of God dwelt (1 Cor. 3., 12, 16, 17). These precious stones aptly
set forth those spiritual excellencies and perfections which will be
conspicuous in the redeemed in glory, the workmanship of the ETERNAL SPIRIT,
those GRACES of the Spirit of God which will be there in full bloom - "
open flowers," not simply graces in the bud and embryo, but in growth and
perfection, which shall there appear in the clear radiance of the Divine
presence in all their spiritual beauty.