2 CHRONICLES LESSON 3
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 3:1 "Then Solomon
began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah,
where [the Lord] appeared unto David his father, in the place that
David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite."
Mount Moriah was believed to be the spot where Abraham took Isaac
to offer him to God. It was, also, the place where David had gone to
sacrifice in the threshingfloor of Ornan. This was a place the LORD
had chosen, and David said this was the place for the house of the
LORD.
II Chronicles 3:2 "And he began to build in the second [day] of
the second month, in the fourth year of his reign."
Solomon began to build in the spring of the year. April, on our
calendar, is the same as their first month, so this is in May. The
temple was begun somewhere near the 1,000 years before Christ. Some
belive about 980 years prior to Christ. Really, this is not a critical
element. The fact is the temple had begun. It appears, that Solomon
spent some of the 4 years in preparation of the beginning of the work.
It would have been a tremendous job just to gather all of the
materials, and the men to do the work.
II Chronicles 3:3 "Now these [are the things wherein] Solomon
was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by
cubits after the first measure [was] threescore cubits, and the
breadth twenty cubits."
This is speaking of the building being 30 feet wide and 90 feet
long, if we agree that each cubit is 1 1/2 feet long.
II Chronicles 3:4 "And the porch that [was] in the front [of the
house], the length [of it was] according to the breadth of the house,
twenty cubits, and the height [was] an hundred and twenty: and he
overlaid it within with pure gold."
Again, this porch would be 30 feet wide The height is 180 feet
high. This is extremely high. Pure gold is 24 kt. To cover this entire
area would be a fortune in gold. Some question this height. It is not
my place to question, just to explain what each Scripture is saying.
II Chronicles 3:5 "And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree,
which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and
chains."
The greater house is speaking of the holy place. When we compare
this with the other Scriptures on the same subject, we find the
following. I Kings 6:15 "And he built the walls of the house within
with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of
the ceiling: [and] he covered [them] on the inside with wood, and
covered the floor of the house with planks of fir." The structure was
made of stone, but the wood covered the stone and the wood was covered
over with pure gold. The palm trees were engravings. The chains were,
probably, wreaths of chains in the gold.
II Chronicles 3:6 "And he garnished the house with precious
stones for beauty: and the gold [was] gold of Parvaim."
The stones were mounted in the gold for beauty. The meaning of
Parvaim is not known. (It could be speaking of a place, where the gold
came from}. It is, sometimes, thought to mean oriental.
II Chronicles 3:7 "He overlaid also the house, the beams, the
posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and
graved cherubims on the walls."
All of the wood within the temple used for beams, posts, or walls
were covered with 24 kt. gold. There were cherubims engraved in the
gold on the walls. Hiram's men would be skilled in this type of
engraving. Their part of the world had been renowned for just this
type of beauty.
II Chronicles 3:8 "And he made the most holy house, the length
whereof [was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits,
and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine
gold, [amounting] to six hundred talents."
The most holy place, where the ark and the mercy seat was,
measured thirty feet by thirty feet. The gold used in covering the
walls and all of the boards in this place alone, took 900,000 ounces
of gold. At present prices of $400.00 per ounce, this gold would be
worth $360,000,000.00.
II Chronicles 3:9 "And the weight of the nails [was] fifty
shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold."
A shekel is a half ounce of gold, so just the nails weighed 25
ounces of gold, or $10,000.00.
II Chronicles 3:10 "And in the most holy house he made two
cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold." II Chronicles
3:11 "And the wings of the cherubims [were] twenty cubits long: one
wing [of the one cherub was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the
house: and the other wing [was likewise] five cubits, reaching to the
wing of the other cherub." II Chronicles 3:12 "And [one] wing of the
other cherub [was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and
the other wing [was] five cubits [also], joining to the wing of the
other cherub." II Chronicles 3:13 "The wings of these cherubims
spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet,
and their faces [were] inward."
The wings of the two cherubims covered the entire area of thirty
feet. The wings left no room on the outside on either side, and they
met in the middle over the ark. They were in the presence of the ark,
and had to be covered with pure gold. The two cherubims were standing
at the back of the ark looking with bowed heads to the ark. It was as
if they were in constant worship and protection of the presence of
God.
II Chronicles 3:14 "And he made the veil [of] blue, and purple,
and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon."
This is the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy
place. Linen speaks of righteousness. The three colors are godly
colors. "Blue" means heavenly. "Purple" means royalty. The crimson is
speaking of "red" which means blood, or life. Even the curtains had
cherubims woven into the cloth.
II Chronicles 3:15 "Also he made before the house two pillars of
thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that [was] on the top of
each of them [was] five cubits."
These two pillars were 52 1/2 feet high with chapters on top of
them that were 7 1/2 feet.
II Chronicles 3:16 "And he made chains, [as] in the oracle, and
put [them] on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred
pomegranates, and put [them] on the chains."
These decorations were engraved in the front of the pillars. The
100 pomegranates were on each of the pillars.
II Chronicles 3:17 "And he reared up the pillars before the
temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called
the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the
left Boaz."
It is very unusual for pillars to have names. We must look for a
spiritual meaning behind these names. These two pillars had messages
on them spoken of as an oracle. "Jachin" means God establishes, so the
message on that pillar would mean that. "Boaz" means fleetness. This
one would speak of the strength of God. I do not know the exact
wording of what was on the pillars, but I do know in my own heart,
they both glorified God. Boaz was in the ancestry of Jesus. I
personally believe the message for the Christians, here, is that we
will be established in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Chronicles 3 Questions
1. Where did Solomon begin to build the temple?
2. What special things had happened at this location?
3. When did Solomon start the building?
4. About how long before Christ was this?
5. What was the size of the temple?
6. What size is the author using for a cubit?
7. How tall was the porch?
8. The porch was overlaid with ________.
9. What is the greater house speaking of?
10. What type of wood was used in the greater house?
11. The wood covered over what?
12. The gold was garnished with what?
13. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 7.
14. What was the size of the most holy place?
15. What would be the present day value of the gold that covered the
boards in the most holy place?
16. What was the weight of the nails of gold?
17. What would be their value today?
18. How many cherubims were in the most holy place?
19. The cherubims were covered with what?
20. How long was the wing span of the cherubims?
21. The cherubims were standing where?
22. Where were they looking?
23. Where was the veil?
24. What was it made of?
25. What does the color "blue" mean?
26. What does "purple" mean?
27. What does "red" mean?
28. What was embroidered on the veil?
29. How tall were the two pillars at the entrance?
30. Why were they called oracles?
31. What were the two pillars named?
31. What does "Jachin" mean?
32. What does the author believe is the message for the Christians in
the pillars?
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