Lesson: The Temple Solomon Built (No. CB107

Goal:

To review the basic concepts related to the Temple Solomon built and the symbolism that is involved in the text.

Objectives:

1. Children will be able to understand the meaning of who Solomon was.

2. Children will name the seven major pieces of furniture or areas of the Temple Solomon built.

3. Children will name what each piece of furniture symbolically represents.

4. Children will know the Temple is now a spiritual Temple.

Resources:

The Temple Solomon Built (No. CB107)

Relevant Scriptures:

1Chronicles 28:2-3

Format:

Open with prayer.

Ask the children questions about the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and list what they remember.

Then ask them how they think Solomon’s Temple is the same or different from the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.

Lesson: the Temple Solomon Built.

Conduct the activity associated with the Temple Solomon built.

Close with prayer.

Lesson:

1. Read through the paper The Temple Solomon Built (No. CB107) unless it is read as a sermonette.

2. Use the questions and answers to review the main points in lesson No. CB107.

Children’s questions are in bold followed by the answers:

Q1. Who desired or wanted to build a Temple for Eloah?

A. David (1Kgs. 5:3; 1Chr. 17:1-15; 28:3).

Q2. Who was ordained to build the Temple for Eloah?

A. Solomon (1Chr. 28:6-7; 17:12; 1Kgs. 5:5).

Q3. Would David’s kingdom be established forever?

A. Yes. God told David (1Chr. 28:6-7) that Solomon would build God’s House and the kingdom would be established forever (1Chr. 28:19-20).

Q4. When Solomon found out he was to build the Temple and lead God’s people what did he ask for?

A. When Solomon found out he was replacing his father David as king he asked God for the wisdom and knowledge to rule God’s people. God gave him wisdom and also blessed him with physical wealth (2Chr. 1:8ff.).

Q5. Did David provide things for the Temple before his death?

A. Yes, David richly gave of his possessions for the Temple (1Chr. 29:2-3).

Q6. What does God want the sacrifices to be in his spiritual Temple?

A. God desires a poor, broken and contrite heart more than sacrifice (Ps. 51:17).

Q7. Did people offer willingly as in the days of the Tabernacle?

A. Yes (1Chr. 29:6-9).

Q8. Where was the Temple located?

A. Mount Moriah; this is where the Angel of the Presence appeared to David, and the place where David prepared an altar on the threshing floor of Aranuah or Ornan the Jebusite (2Chr. 3:1). It was also the probable site where Abraham attempted to offer Isaac (Gen. 22:2ff.). We see the location had a very strong tie to the sacrifices being offered.

Q9. To whom did God give the plans to build the Temple?

A. God gave the plans for the Temple to David (1Chr. 28:19), and David gave them to Solomon (vv.11-12). This included the organisation of the priesthood and Levites for the service of the Temple (v. 13).

Q10. Who did Solomon make an agreement with for supplies for the Temple?

A. Solomon made an agreement with Hiram, king of Tyre for supplies. Hiram was half-Israelite. His father was of Tyre and his mother was a widow of the tribe of Naphtali. This showed that Gentiles were brought into the construction of the Temple due to intermarrying. It pointed to the fact of the composite nature or makeup of Israel in the Last Days and that salvation was of the Gentiles.

Q11. Were there any strangers involved in building the Temple? If so what do they represent?

A. Yes, there were 153,600 strangers in Israel that assisted with the construction of the Temple. This shows us that salvation is universal or open to all people.

Q12. What do the yearly Feasts of God show us?

A. The Plan of God.

Q13. Were the Temple stones cut on site? Why or why not?

A. The stones were worked off-site and brought to the Temple in perfect shape and fit (1Kgs. 6:7). In the same way the living stones are made ready away from Jerusalem and brought there for the establishment of the Spiritual Temple at the return of Christ. They are perfect, and require no work on-site because they are already fitly framed together (Eph. 2:21).

Q14. When did Solomon start building the Temple?

A. Solomon began to build on the Second day of the Second month of the Fourth year of his reign (2Chr. 3:2).

Q15. When was the Temple finished?

A. The Temple was completed in the eleventh year of Solomon’s reign, seven and a half years after it had been commenced. It was more beautiful than any other building of the time. For thirteen years there it stood, on the summit of Moriah, silent and unused. Solomon would have been working on the Temple for over twenty years (2Chr. 8:1). Twenty is the number of expectancy and waiting (cf. Companion Bible note to 8:1). It took seven years and seven months to build the House of God and then thirteen years for the House of the King, the Porch of Judgment, and the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

Q16. Who was one famous person that came to see the Temple?

A. The Queen of Sheba travelled a great distance to meet Solomon and see the Temple.

Q17. In relation to the time Israel left Egypt, what year did the building of the Temple start?

A. This was in the 480^th year after the children of Israel came out of Egypt. 480 represents 12 cycles of repentance (12 x 40 = 480). Twelve implies governmental perfection and the number 40 is tied to the period of repentance; therefore, we see the repentance and the establishment of governmental perfection.

Q18. From the time the construction finished on the Temple, how many years was it since Israel left Egypt?

A. It was 500 years or 10 Jubilees from the removal of Israel as God’s chosen nation from Egypt to the completion of the first physical Temple at Jerusalem, as the point of worship of Eloah. 500 or 10 x 50 also appears to have meaning. The number 10 is the number of perfection of divine order or completeness and 5 is the number of grace. So we see the 500 years is ten Jubilees and can be representative of the completeness of grace, with the Temple being dedicated in the 500^th year since the Israelites left Egypt.

Q19. What year in the future does the work begin on the Temple described in Ezekiel?

A. In 2028. That year begins the 50^th or Golden Jubilee from the restoration of the Temple as the second physical Temple. Just as we saw the Tabernacle in the Wilderness constructed and erected or put up from the second year of the Exodus, so too we see the work on the Temple in Jerusalem begin in 2028. The Millennial Temple of the House of Worship of the One True God under the rule of Messiah and saints will be finished in that Jubilee. See the paper Rule of the Kings Part III: Solomon and the Key of David (No. 282C) for more details about God’s Temples.

Q20. Where did the people gather to worship God?

A. The people assembled in the outer court. This is where they brought their sacrifices to the priests.

Q21. Where is the altar of burnt offerings?

A. The altar of burnt offerings is in the inner court area, also called the Temple courtyard. This is where the priests offered sacrifices to Eloah.

Q22. What is the brazen/molten sea?

A. The brazen/molten sea is a large basin (pool) of water that was five cubits by ten cubits (approximately 7½ ft. or 2.3 m. high and 15 ft. or 4.5 m. wide). It was located in the south-eastern corner of the inner court. The Sea was placed on the backs of twelve oxen, with three looking toward each direction of the compass. This is where the priests washed themselves before offering sacrifices.

Q23. What was on the brim of the brazen sea?

A. The sea had two rows of 300 balls in the image of a bull’s head on the top edge of the Sea.

Q24. What are the ten lavers?

A. The ten lavers are basins that were 4 x 4 x 3 cubits (approximately 6 ft. or 1.8 m. long and wide and 4½ ft or 1.4 m. high) with wheels; five lavers were in the south and five in the north of the Temple. Each laver contained 40 baths, for a total of 400 baths.

Q25. What did the Temple dimensions point to?

A. The Temple dimensions pointed to the Plan of Salvation. If we remember, the dimensions of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness were 10 x 30 x 10 cubits. 1Kings 6:3 tells us Solomon’s Temple was double and treble the dimensions of the Tabernacle at 20 x 60 x 30 cubits (approximately 30 ft. or 9.1 m. wide, 90 ft. or 27.4 m. long, and 45 ft. or 13.7 m. high). Therefore, we see the volume of Solomon’s Temple increased twelve-fold in cubic volume from the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. In the Tabernacle in the Wilderness we see the volume is 3,000 cubic cubits as compared to 36,000 cubic cubits of the Temple Solomon built. Remember, the number twelve relates to complete perfection. Again we are seeing how, with each one of the buildings God inspired, the Council of God is shown to be expanding and growing with time.

Q26. Where were the Priests’ Chambers located?

A. The Chambers were built about the southern, western and northern sides of the Temple; these chambers were part on the Temple.

Q27. Where was the porch?

A. The porch was the entrance before the Temple on the east. The porch was 120 cubits high (approx. 180 ft or 55 m.), four times the height of the Temple and had seven levels (six steps) to enter the Temple.

Q28. What were the names of the two pillars in the porch of the Temple?

A. The right pillar on the south side was called Jachin, which means God will establish. The left pillar on the north side was called Boaz, which means God is strength.

Q29. Where was the Holy Place?

A. The Holy Place was inside the Temple building. This is the area that contained the ten tables of shewbread and ten lampstands and altar of incense.

Q30. How many lampstands were in the Temple?

A. There were ten lampstands, five on the right and five on the left.

Q31. How many tables of shewbread were in the Temple?

A. There were ten tables of shewbread, five on the right and five on the left. Each table had twelve loaves of bread and the total number of loaves was 120.

Q32. Where is the altar of incense?

A. The altar of incense is located in front of the veil to the Holy of Holies.

Q33. What separated the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies?

A. Two doors and a veil of blue, purple and crimson.

Q34. What was the Most Holy Place?

A. It was the dwelling place of God’s Presence on the Earth.

Q35. What was inside the Most Holy Place?

A. Inside the Most Holy Place were the Ark of the Covenant and the Cherubim.

Q36. What was inside the Ark of the Covenant?

A. The Ark of the Covenant contained the two tablets, which had the Ten Commandments written upon them.

Q37. What is the duty of the Covering Cherubim?

A. Their duty is to protect the Throne of God. They stood inside the Most Holy Place and were on the Ark. The wings of two covered the Ark of the Covenant. They are a representation of the Cherubim of the Host.

Q38. When did the Dedication of the Temple occur?

A. Solomon dedicated the Temple on the 7^th day of the 7^th month. The number 7 indicates spiritual perfection and portrays the Plan of God as enshrined in the Calendar.

Q39. Were there musicians that served at the Temple?

A. Yes, musicians sang and played different types of instruments. King David wrote many Psalms to be sung with musical instruments in worship of the One True God.

Q40. Is there a spiritual Temple?

A. Yes, the Church, which is made up of baptised Christians, is the spiritual Temple of God.

Activity:

1. Find the pieces of the Temple

Description

The children will receive an invitation to “find the pieces of the Temple” (see attached invitation). The children arrive at the scheduled day and time of the event with their invitation. An adult allows the children to pick a card from one of the seven containers/bins. The children either mark off the number of the bin they selected from, or ask the adult to cross off the correct number and read the card to the child. The child thinks of which piece of furniture is the appropriate answer to the question and runs to that area of the yard or room. When the child arrives at the correct location an adult there asks the child questions about that piece of furniture (appropriate to his or her level of understanding). When the child correctly answers the necessary question(s) he/she is able to select a prize from the prize bag of that station. The child then runs back to the adult with the seven containers and draws a question from another bin until all seven questions have been answered.

Location

o Large indoor or outdoor area depending on the number of the children present.

o Items set up to be: outer courtyard or porch, burnt altar, molten sea, lampstand, shewbread, altar of incense and Ark of the Covenant.

Supplies

o Invitation to “find the pieces of the Temple” – one per child.

o Activity questions one per child; pre-cut and put in the correctly numbered bin.

o Adult to man the “bin selection” and adult at each one of the seven areas of the Temple.

o Prizes per each station according to the number of children participating.

o Suggested prizes are:

· Courtyard: Four blue ribbons pinned to a card with Deut. 22:12, Num. 15:37-41 on the card explaining why we wear four blue ribbons.

· Burnt altar: small stuffed animal or animal key chain, etc.

· Molten sea: water toy.

· Lampstand: glow-in-the-dark wands.

· Shewbread: some kind of edible snack, be it unleavened crackers, candy etc.

· Altar of incense: a prayer card – on the front write the child’s name and on the back write “things I need to pray for” which they fill out at a later time.

· Ark of Covenant: Ten Commandments, paper box with supplies to decorate later, crossword or word search related to the Ark of the Convent.

Where is the altar of burnt offerings?	What is the first thing you see or come upon when you enter the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?
Was the burnt altar square in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?	Did the altar of burnt offering have four horns on the corners? If so, why?
Which wood and metal was the burnt altar in the Tabernacle of the Wilderness made of?	Was the fire on the burnt altar kept burning continually?
What type of animals could be sacrificed on the burnt altar? What did they represent?	Was the burnt altar in the Temple Solomon built larger or smaller than in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?
Was the metal in the time of Solomon the same or different from the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?	Is the size of the burnt altar in the Millennial Temple larger than in the Temple Solomon built?
Will there be a burnt altar in the City of God?	Will the sacrifices happen again on the burnt altar? If so when and why?

What is the brazen/molten sea? Who uses it and why?	What was on the brim of the molten sea? Where else do we see this?
How many oxen heads were there on the brazen sea?	What are the ten lavers? What are they used for? Where are the lavers located? Are they moveable?
What did the brazen sea rest on? What do you think this represents?	Who is the fountain of living water? Where does the river of living water flow from?
Where is the brazen sea located?	Was there a brazen sea in the Tabernacle of the Wilderness?
What do the brazen sea and/or lavers seem to represent?	Is there a brazen sea in the Millennial Temple? If not what seems to replace it?
What do adults do once a year that has to do with water? What does this ceremony represent?	Is there a brazen sea in the City of God? If not, why? Is there something that seems to have replaced it?

Where was the Holy Place?	How many lampstands were in the Temple? Where were they located?
What do the 10 lampstands in the Temple Solomon built represent?	What does it mean to keep our lamp filled with oil and burning?
How many bowls are on top of each lampstand? What do they represent?	Who is the golden lampstand of Zechariah 4? Who are the 2 olive trees on each side of the golden lampstand?
What is placed in the lamp to make light? What does this represent?	Will there be a lampstand in the City of God?
Who tends to the lampstands? How often are the lampstands attended to?	Will there be the sun and moon in the City of God?
What side of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness was the lampstand located on?	Who is the light of the world?

Where was the Holy Place?	How many tables of shewbread were in the Temple? Where were they located?
Do we see a table of shewbread in the City of God? Why or why not?	Who made the shewbread? When did they make the shewbread?
How many loaves were in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?	When was the new shewbread put out? Who consumed the old showbread and when?
How many loaves were in the Temple Solomon built?	Describe how the shewbread looked on the table of showbread?
Who is the Bread of Life?	What else do you know of that was in 2 stacks?
Was the shewbread leavened?	What was on top of the shewbread?

What separated the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies?	What was the Most Holy Place? Describe how the Most Holy place looked in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the Temple Solomon built.
What was inside the Most Holy Place?	What was inside the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness? What about at the time of Solomon?
What is the duty of the two Covering Cherubim? What did they look like and how large were they?	Could anyone ever touch the Ark of the Covenant? Why or why not?
What 3 woods were used in the structure of the Holy of Holies and where were they used?	What was on top of the Ark of the Covenant?
What shape was the Holy of Holies? What else in the future is described with this shape?	Where is the Law of God to be located now? Does God’s Law ever change?
What was the size of the Holy of Holies in the following: Tabernacle in the Wilderness? Temple Solomon Built? Millennial Temple? What are your ideas about the changes or similarities?	What were the poles on the Ark of the Covenant for? Where they ever to be removed?

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

Invitation template

CB107_2 Card template: Courtyard questions

CB107_2 Card template: Burnt Altar questions

CB107_2 Card template: Brazen Sea questions

CB107_2 Card template: Lampstand questions

CB107_2 Card template: Shewbread questions

CB107_2 Card template: Ark questions

CB107_2 Card template: Altar of Incense questions

CB107_2 Card template: General questions (1)

CB107_2 Card template: General questions (2)

Where is the altar of incense located in the flowing: Tabernacle in Wilderness? The Temple Solomon built? In heaven?	Is there a golden altar before God’s Throne?
Is the altar of incense atoned for each year? If so who does that and how?	Does the altar of incense have four horns? What else can you think of that has to do with 4?
Is the altar of incense made with the same wood in the time of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the Temple Solomon built?	Who could offer incense on the altar?
Is the altar of incense always covered in gold?	Was there a special recipe for the incense? If so could they use it for other things?
What does incense smell like?	What does the altar of incense represent? Should there always be incense burning on the altar? What does this mean?
Where does the fire to light the altar of incense come from? Can we ever offer strange fire? What does that mean?	Who monitors our prayers?