Episode 22: 1 Kings 7:1-12 The Importance of Justice and Life

Living Water Community Church

time we looked at the beginning of chapter 7. In the first 12 verses we have the description of Solomon’s building of his house and how long it took him. It is interesting because the writer inserts this section right in the middle of two sections describing the building of the temple and all of its furnishings. It is also clearly inserted here as a contrast to the building of the temple. The first verse starts with a conjunction in Hebrew. It is only recorded this way in a handful of english translations. The verse in Hebrew would start with the equivalent “and” or “but”. This is important because the last verse in chapter six ends with the statement about the temple that “He was seven years in building it.” the next verse then becomes, “But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years.” This opening verse is then followed with 11 verses describing in broad brush strokes the 5 buildings which made up Solomon’s house. The comparison becomes pretty striking. Solomon spent twice as much time building his own house as he did God’s house but the writer of Kings is emphasizing the importance of God’s house over Solomon’s house by the very brief mention and description he gives. When you think about the people in exile which Kings was written to you see the lesson the writer is teaching. The worship of God and the focus on Him is far more important then the pursuit of our own things even if those things are good things. This is how the people came to be in exile. They did not value the word of God as they should have. They did not do the things which mattered to God. They did the things which mattered to them, and ultimately this is what caused them to be exiled. This really raises questions which are relevant to us today. How important is the worship of God to us. What kind of priority does it receive.