The word of the Lord came to Solomon: “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”
1 Kings 6:11-13 (NIV)

Along my life journey, I have worshipped in many different places. From opulent and ornate sanctuaries filled with bright sunlight through stained-glass to plain white meeting rooms. From giant modern auditoriums to a rustic shack with a dirt floor. I’ve always found it fascinating to listen to pastors with an edifice complex justifying their multi-million dollar building projects by pointing their flock in the direction of Solomon’s Temple. And I get it. Solomon’s Temple was definitely impressive.

Today’s chapter tells of the construction of Solomon’s famous Temple, which history lists as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. As with the past few chapters, it reads on the surface like the boring recitation of a contractor’s plans. Yet, once again, there are some important spiritual truths flowing beneath the blueprints.

Jewish thought has long seen Solomon’s Temple as an ode to the Garden of Eden. There were seven days in creation. The temple took seven years to build. And the decorative details: gourds, flowers, palm trees, cedar, and olive wood. Sounds a lot like a garden. And just as God placed an angel at the entrance to Eden after the fall, Solomon places giant cherubim in the temple. And, he places the Temple facing east, which means that worshippers must head west towards it – as if returning to Eden – the place where God dwells. Rabbinical thought saw the Temple as representing creation restored to communion with its Creator.

What’s fascinating, however, is that right in the middle of the chapter, God interrupts the construction plans and tells Solomon that the building isn’t the point. Covenant faithfulness is. This isn’t the Field of Dreams, ala “if you build it, I will come.” God’s presence hinges not on a beautiful gold building but on hearts that are faithful and lives that are obedient to God’s ways.

And for followers of Jesus, the Temple is significant because Jesus famously told His followers that it would be torn down and transformed. “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” He said. John explains that the new Temple was Jesus’ body – and the bodies of all believers in whom Holy Spirit will dwell. Paul would write to the believers in Corinth, “You yourselves are God’s temple and… God’s Spirit dwells in your midst.”

The Temple isn’t about bricks-and-mortar, but flesh-and-blood.

Which brings me back to some of the things I’ve observed along this life journey. Human beings love building things for God. We measure square footage, attendance, revenue, downloads, followers, accomplishments, and influence. We polish the cedar and overlay everything with gold. And none of those things are inherently wrong.

Solomon was commanded to build the Temple.

But right in the middle of Solomon’s construction project God interrupts the architectural specifications and essentially says: “Don’t confuse what you’re building for me with your relationship with me.” And that’s the spiritual heartbeat beneath the blueprints.

There are really two temples being constructed. One is being built from stone, cedar, and gold. The other is being built in Solomon’s heart. Only one of them ultimately determines the story.

And that becomes haunting when I know what’s coming. Solomon will successfully finish the former. He will struggle mightily with the latter.

The question this ancient construction report whispers into my heart from across three thousand years is: Am I building things that look impressive on the outside while neglecting what God desires to build within me?

Because Scripture’s great Temple story ultimately moves away from buildings altogether. God’s great construction project is people. Living stones, hearts that listen, and lives in which heaven and earth meet.

O Lord, build something beautiful and meaningful in me today.

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