Bible 101 - 2 Chronicles Chapters 1-7

Presented May 9, 2005 by Phyllis Gilbert

Review: Before he died, in preparation for a peaceful succession, David prepared Solomon to run the government and build a Temple. (According to the Chronicler the succession was peaceful, but in II Samuel and I Kings, we read of Absalom and Adonijah's rebellions; neither is mentioned in I Chronicles 23:1 which states: "When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.") David's plans for the Temple included drawings; materials gathered and stored, all earmarked for the Temple; enlistment of the elders' and people's cooperation in helping Solomon; and perhaps most important from the Chronicler's point of view (remember, he's concerned with worship and obedience of God) David organized the priests and Levites into distinct job categories. And now Solomon will carry out the plans having been given both his father's blessing, and God's blessing.

II Chronicles 1: There's peace in Israel, and God has given Solomon and the people rest from war. He therefore "establishes himself firmly over his kingdom," and we're told it's because "God was with him." We'll see evidence of that all through the first seven chapters which encompass the Temple's construction and dedication. Solomon's first recorded act is to take all the people, great and small, to Gibeon where the old Tabernacle still stands, and there offer burnt offerings on the original bronze altar which Bezalel had made according to God's specifications. (Ex. 25-30 details all the plans God gave to Moses, including naming Bezalel and Oholiab as craftsmen to fashion all the Tabernacle's furnishings and the tent itself.) Solomon spoke to the people, but because his words are not recorded, we can only speculate that he asked for their continuing loyalty to God and to his family. That night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream asking what he wanted as a gift on his reign, and Solomon answered: "Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead this people." And God, pleased with Solomon's request, granted him what he asked for, as well as honor and wealth. Remember when Solomon was born, the second child of David and Bathsheba (the first died), God told David to call him Jedidiah, meaning "loved by the Lord." It was confirmation of God's forgiveness for David's sins against Uriah and Bathsheba. Now Jedidiah, whom we know as Solomon, is king over Israel in his father's place. Solomon also asks God to confirm the promise he made to David, and God does.

II Chronicles 1:13: Solomon returns to Jerusalem and begins to reign with the wealth and honor, wisdom and knowledge God had promised. An example of his wealth is the number of horses and chariots and his horse-breeding program which is described in vv. 14-17. Notice that Chronicles records no examples of his wisdom as judge as I Kings does with the narrative about the 2 prostitutes and their sons. Instead his wisdom is pictured as administrative and diplomatic skill in this account.

II Chronicles 2: "Solomon gave orders to build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself." The work begins, and it is, as we read in I Kings, done by conscripted labor in great numbers. And we read of Solomon's letter to his father's friend, Hiram, king of Tyre, asking for cedar and pine, along with a skilled metal worker. In exchange for the materials, Solomon will send food (grain, oil and wine) to Tyre. Hiram happily consents, and sends Huram-Abi, the craftsman Solomon requested along with the lumber. The conscripts for the construction of the Temple are then identified. In the last few verses of this chapter we read that Solomon counted well over 150,000 foreigners living within the borders of Israel, and he makes them stonecutters, carriers and supervisors of the work.

II Chronicles 3: In this chapter, the dimensions and the materials of the temple itself are enumerated. We're told that it was built on the site David had purchased from Araunah (where David offered burnt offerings following the sin of the census). And we're also told that this site David had purchased is on Mount Moriah, the spot where Abraham built an altar and prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. And Solomon began on the 2nd day of the 2nd month (Ziv; April/May following Passover) in the 4th year of his reign. In the first three years, he'd apparently been working on family and political matters. In I Kings 3, we're told he marries an Egyptian princess and forms alliances like that with other nations. He was also amassing horses and chariots as we read in ch. 1. Nevertheless, he now is ready to build. The temple was constructed on the same plan as the Tabernacle, only larger. The Tabernacle was 15' x 45' inside a fenced courtyard of 75' by 150'. The tabernacle itself was in two sections: the back square of 15' by 15' was called the Holy of Holies, and the front part, 15' by 30' known as the Holy Place - and only priests could enter the Holy Place to keep the lamp and incense burning; only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies containing the ark, and then only once a year on Yom Kippur. The Temple, built with the same two chambers, was 30' x 90' or approximately twice as large as the Tabernacle. It was built of stone lined with pine or cedar, all of which was covered with gold. Precious stones, carving and ornate tapestries further decorated the space. The ark will eventually be placed in the Holy of Holies, but in preparation for its coming, two large cherubim were sculpted and overlaid with gold. They appear to be symbolic guards for this sacred place. And as in the Tabernacle, a thick curtain separated the two parts of the Temple from each other. Two tall bronze pillars stood outside and to either side of the front door, one called Jakin (he establishes) and the other Boaz (in strength). They were approximately 27 feet tall (from I Kings 7:15) and given embellishments on the top. Since each was named, we can be sure they were immense.

II Chronicles 4: Temple furnishings are now crafted both for the outside and inside of the Temple. For example, a bronze altar of sacrifice was made. If it was actually 30' by 30' square and 15 feet high, it was enormous, and the priests would have had a difficult time keeping a fire going in it day and night. They'd have needed a ramp or ladders and very long hooks for putting sacrifices onto and removing them from the altar. However, judging from the numbers of sacrifices offered (hundreds each day), perhaps it was this big. (By contrast, the Tabernacle's original bronze altar was 7.5' square by 4.5' high.) Other furnishings include the bronze sea which stood on 12 bulls; 10 wash basins on carts, 10 gold lampstands (5 on each side of the temple's interior); 10 tables (for the bread of the presence); 100 gold sprinkling bowls (to catch the blood of sacrificed animals which would be sprinkled against the altar). Many implements for the altar were fashioned, and we're given a summary of the major pieces, the work done by Huram-Abi, the craftsman sent by Hiram, king of Tyre.

II Chronicles 5: Now the ark is brought to the Temple. David and the Levites had brought it to Jerusalem years before and placed it in a temporary tent. Now in a joyful procession, much like that David organized for the transfer, the ark is taken to the Temple with music and sacrifices - so many animals were offered they couldn't be numbered. And God blesses this day; the glory of the Lord, the Shekinah glory, so filled the Temple that the priests were obliged to leave. God's glory is now in Jerusalem.

II Chronicles 6: In a lovely speech followed by a prayer of dedication, Solomon praises God and reminds the people of God's promise to them as a nation and to David, Solomon's father (vv. 4-11). Then he prays, and in echoes of his father's psalms and prayers, we hear his praise of God with thanksgiving for his promises to Israel faithfully kept. This is a theme that David frequently applied to his prayers and music, and it was begun by Moses and Joshua who reminded the people over and over of what God had done for them. And all because God chose them and loved them. In several sections, here's Solomon's prayer:

II Chronicles 7: The temple's dedication ceremony continues and God's glory once again envelopes the people and the temple. The altar is inaugurated with great sacrifices, both burnt and fellowship offerings, in recognition of total dedication to God and communion with him and his people. For 14 days the people celebrated (the Temple was dedicated during the Feast of Tabernacles).

II Chronicles 7:11-22: God answers Solomon's prayer with an appearance much as he had at Gibeon when he began his reign. It's now 7 years after the temple was begun, thus the 11th year of his reign. God promises to hear the prayers of his people, saying "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land." The "if-then" nature of this promise shows that the people must confess humbly and sincerely repent (turn away from) their sins in order for God to answer with forgiveness and blessings. And God tells Solomon specifically to keep the law; he's the king, a spiritual leader as well as a political one. It's up to him to maintain faithfulness to the law. And God says "if you don't. . ." all the curses of Lev. 28 will be fulfilled. And indeed they are. God warns Solomon to be faithful. Perhaps he's on a mountain top now with the Temple's dedication and the people's happiness at the celebration, their unity and support, but it requires that Solomon take seriously his obligation to obey the law and to put God first.

Next week, we continue with Solomon and then his successors.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.