1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:1-13 Solomon’s temple – a place of sacrifice and divine presence.
David says his plan out loud, and Nathan agrees. The God speaks, and David’s plans are undone. David will not get to build God’s house. Solomon will build God’s temple. And that is where we pick up the story. Hiram of Tyre hears the news of Solomon’s rising, and sends word to Solomon.
Solomon responds with the words about his father, and the words about him building God’s temple. The 8th chapter describes bringing the ark to the temple, with great imagery. The Solomon closes this passage with his words – words that seem to contradict God’s words.
There’s text left out. It is important. It is about exodus, about deliverance, and about God’s faithfulness to God’s people and God’s promises. Yet the way we talk about this has foundational meaning as well. We often refer to this building as Solomon’s temple – not God’s temple. The ultimate foundational question is this – whose temple, whose people, whose promises are we called to hear and believe? Whose story is foundational – Solomon’s or God’s?
