And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out. And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD. (1 Kings 7:47-51)
Solomon finished the temple then built his own house and others, all the while providing for the outfitting and furnishing of the temple. The list of furnishings and items for the temple is exhaustive but all were dedicated, many by Solomon’s father, David, unto the house of the LORD. From the foundation to the items necessary to perform the work of the LORD great care was taken in the building and fashioning of the temple and its furnishings that the LORD would be glorified in those things which were used for His house. Hiram continued his work for Solomon in preparing all the furnishings and many of the vessels for the house of the LORD.
The furnishings of the house of the LORD were not in of themselves items to be worshiped, though great care was taken to fashion them for the work of the LORD, but they were there to assist the priests and God’s people in their worship of God. He did not need a house, but He met the Israelites, through their mediator, the high priest, at the temple as they brought their sacrifices and the atoning sacrifice unto the LORD. Solomon finished the temple first and then took care of his own house and others that he had built, even as the temple was being outfitted. His focus was on the house of the LORD and his own house took longer, not because it was more grandiose or elaborate, but because Solomon put the LORD first.
God’s people today ought not to put our focus on the things and materials we use to accomplish the ministries, missions, and discipleship which the LORD has enabled, encouraged, equipped, and edified us to do, nor should we forget that it is God’s people who are the church of God and not the building where we meet. That is not to say that we do not provide our best and take care of that which God has given us, for we are to be good stewards of the things of God, but we must not be distracted by attention to the temporal and forget what is most important and that is the eternal matters. We have the message of hope to take to this dying world, of forgiveness and reconciliation with our Creator God through repentance and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. We have the responsibility to reach the lost with the Good News of Salvation, teach all nations whatsoever He has commanded, and preach His Word at all times and in all places and if our attention to material items gets in the way, we out to refocus and adjust to the plans and ways of God and not our own. It’s not about our comfort, or our program, or anything we think is ours, but about the glory of God and the growth of His Kingdom until He is done with us.
For while we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
The furnishings of the house of the LORD were not in of themselves items to be worshiped, though great care was taken to fashion them for the work of the LORD, but they were there to assist the priests and God’s people in their worship of God. He did not need a house, but He met the Israelites, through their mediator, the high priest, at the temple as they brought their sacrifices and the atoning sacrifice unto the LORD. Solomon finished the temple first and then took care of his own house and others that he had built, even as the temple was being outfitted. His focus was on the house of the LORD and his own house took longer, not because it was more grandiose or elaborate, but because Solomon put the LORD first.
God’s people today ought not to put our focus on the things and materials we use to accomplish the ministries, missions, and discipleship which the LORD has enabled, encouraged, equipped, and edified us to do, nor should we forget that it is God’s people who are the church of God and not the building where we meet. That is not to say that we do not provide our best and take care of that which God has given us, for we are to be good stewards of the things of God, but we must not be distracted by attention to the temporal and forget what is most important and that is the eternal matters. We have the message of hope to take to this dying world, of forgiveness and reconciliation with our Creator God through repentance and faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. We have the responsibility to reach the lost with the Good News of Salvation, teach all nations whatsoever He has commanded, and preach His Word at all times and in all places and if our attention to material items gets in the way, we out to refocus and adjust to the plans and ways of God and not our own. It’s not about our comfort, or our program, or anything we think is ours, but about the glory of God and the growth of His Kingdom until He is done with us.
For while we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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