2 CHRONICLES LESSON 4
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 4:1 Moreover he made
an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits
the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
This altar was 30 feet long by 30 feet wide, and it was 15 feet
high. "Brass" symbolizes judgement. This altar of brass was the first
thing a person saw when they came to the temple.
II Chronicles 4:2 "Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from
brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof;
and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about."
This molten sea was 15 feet across. It was 7 1/2 feet high and 45
feet in circumference. This, also, was made of brass, and was filled
with water. This was a place for the priests to wash. The priests
symbolize all believers in Christ. We, too, must be washed, before we
enter into fellowship with God.
II Chronicles 4:3 "And under it [was] the similitude of oxen,
which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea
round about. Two rows of oxen [were] cast, when it was cast."
The rim of the sea was turned down to make a lip around the whole
thing. On this lip, there were figures of oxen all the way around.
There were, probably, about three hundred of these decorations around
the rim of the sea.
II Chronicles 4:4 "It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking
toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking
toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea [was
set] above upon them, and all their hinder parts [were] inward."
Oxen symbolize work, or service. The fact that there were 12 oxen
with three of them facing north, south, east, and west shows us that
the service the LORD had provided was for all the world. 12 is a
number that represents the whole.
II Chronicles 4:5 "And the thickness of it [was] an handbreadth,
and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of
lilies; [and] it received and held three thousand baths."
A "bath" is a little over 7 gallons. Even figuring a bath at 7
gallons shows us there would be 21,000 gallons of water in this sea.
The decorations of lilies was representative of a true body of water
where lilies grew. The thickness of the metal was about 4 inches.
II Chronicles 4:6 "He made also ten lavers, and put five on the
right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they
offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea [was]
for the priests to wash in."
The lavers were to wash the animals in before sacrificing them.
It is interesting that there were ten of them, since ten has to do
with world government.
II Chronicles 4:7 "And he made ten candlesticks of gold according
to their form, and set [them] in the temple, five on the right hand,
and five on the left."
The candlesticks of gold represent the container for the Light
which represents Jesus. Again, there are ten candlesticks. In the
churches in Revelation, each church had its candlestick. Jesus is the
Light in all Protestant churches. The fact that they are gold shows us
that they are associated with God. "Gold" symbolizes the pureness of
God.
II Chronicles 4:8 "He made also ten tables, and placed [them] in
the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made
an hundred basins of gold."
The ten tables are the same as the ten candlesticks. There is
sufficient room at the table for all of God's people. The hundred
basins of gold were to catch the blood in for the sprinkling of the
blood.
II Chronicles 4:9 "Furthermore he made the court of the priests,
and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors
of them with brass."
These doors were far away from the most holy place. They were the
doors of entrance. Brass was always at the entrance, or very near.
Gold was used in the near presence of God.
II Chronicles 4:10 "And he set the sea on the right side of the
east end, over against the south."
This was for special access of the priests.
II Chronicles 4:11 "And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and
the basins. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king
Solomon for the house of God;"
Huram and Hiram are believed to be the same person. These pots,
and shovels, and basins were used in the preparation of the offerings.
This fancy artistic work was done by Hiram's men, who had been hired
for this purpose.
II Chronicles 4:12 "[To wit], the two pillars, and the pommels,
and the chapiters [which were] on the top of the two pillars, and the
two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which [were] on
the top of the pillars;"
The pillars had engraving on them, as well as all of the
chapiters. The "pommels" were balls that were used for decoration on
top of the chapiters. Hiram and his men were skilled in wood carving,
as well as engraving, and they were used for this purpose.
II Chronicles 4:13 "And four hundred pomegranates on the two
wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two
pommels of the chapiters which [were] upon the pillars."
The pomegranates were decorations that symbolized the
fruitfulness of Israel.
II Chronicles 4:14 "He made also bases, and lavers made he upon
the bases;" II Chronicles 4:15 "One sea, and twelve oxen under it."
Verse 15 is back, again, to the sea of brass which held over
21,000 gallons of water. This just explains that this is some more of
the decorative work that Hiram and his men did.
II Chronicles 4:16 "The pots also, and the shovels, and the
fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to
king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass."
The pots, shovels, and fleshhooks and all of their instruments
made of brass were used away from the holy of holies. This brass, when
shined, was almost as pretty as gold, but it stayed out in the outer
court.
II Chronicles 4:17 "In the plain of Jordan did the king cast
them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah."
It appears, from this, that sand molding is very old. Many of
these pieces were so large, that the seashore is needed for the open
space to form them. They would be extremely hard to move, because of
their great weight, but we must remember, there were thousands of
burden bearers to carry this. This place they were cast would have
been near the Jordan, but in the eastern part in the land of Gad.
II Chronicles 4:18 "Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great
abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out."
The brass that David had taken in battle was said to be so much
it would not have been reasonable to try to weigh it. This brass was
used for the things of the temple.
II Chronicles 4:19 "And Solomon made all the vessels that [were
for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon
the shewbread [was set];"
This does not mean that Solomon personally did these things. It
means that he had it done. There was a table of shewbread where there
was always 12 loaves of bread. This bread symbolized the body of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
II Chronicles 4:20 "Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps,
that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure
gold;" II Chronicles 4:21 "And the flowers, and the lamps, and the
tongs, [made he of] gold, [and] that perfect gold;" II Chronicles
4:22 "And the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the
censers, [of] pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors
thereof for the most holy [place], and the doors of the house of the
temple, [were of] gold."
Everything inside the holy of holies, the doors in the near
vicinity, and even the walls inside the most holy place were pure
gold. Everything in the near presence of God had to be pure gold, or
24 kt. gold plate. The candlesticks, and many other of the beautiful
things in this most holy place, were pure gold that had been engraved
for extra beauty.
2 Chronicles 4 Questions
1. How large was the altar of brass he made?
2. What does "brass" symbolize?
3. How large was the molten sea?
4. The sea was made of _____________.
5. The sea was used for what?
6. Who do the priests symbolize?
7. We must be ___________, before we come into fellowship with God.
8. What was around the rim that was turned down of the molten sea?
9. Oxen symbolize _________, or __________.
10. What does the number of the oxen, and the way they were facing,
tell us?
11. ________ is the number that represents the whole.
12. How thick was the metal in the sea?
13. What was it decorated with?
14. How much water would it hold?
15. How many lavers were made?
16. Where were they located?
17. The lavers were used for ___________the __________ for ________.
18. How many candlesticks of gold were there?
19. Who is the Light?
20. Which churches contain the Light of Jesus?
21. How do we know the doors, in verse 9, are far away from the most
holy place?
22. Where was the sea located?
23. What were the items, in verse 11, used for?
24. What were "pommels"?
25. What did the decorations of pomegranates symbolize?
26. The fleshhooks were made of ___________.
27. What does verse 19 mean when it says, Solomon made it?
28. The candlestick in the most holy place was made of _________.
29. Name some of the other things made of gold.
30. Why were they made of gold?
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