The Temple Part 1

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: It's too much. I dwell in a house of grandeur, while the mark of your risks in an attempt no greater than the one that I slept beneath in the wilderness. I a man, dine in splendor, while God's throne sits beneath canvas. How can that be right? I a wilder temper in Jerusalem. 00:00:28 Speaker 3: I will establish a house for you. When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspoon to succeed you your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. 00:00:57 Speaker 2: So we will complete the House of the Lord, a temple unlike any the world has ever seen. And as long as I sit on this throne, Israel will be a kingdom of wisdom, peace and prosperity. 00:01:13 Speaker 4: He built a house for God, and in doing so learned what no wall could contain. Shelloh, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel, I'm l extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Before we step into First Kings chapter five through eight, which has echoed in Second Chronicles, Let's remember where we've been. David, our warrior poet, our flawed and fiery king, has laid down his sword. His son Solomon has risen, young but determined, chosen to build what David could have only dreamed of a place for the divine presence to dwell among us, Not in a tent, not in a wilderness, but here in a land at peace. But can you really build a house for God? What happened when a man dares to shape holiness with his own hands? What kind of offering is worthy of a presence that once shook Sinai? This is the story of Solomon's great work and the weight of that glory. 00:02:15 Speaker 1: Though it was before dawn, Solomon woke with a start, his mind already churning with anticipation, tallying up the tasks to be done that day in his mind. He rolled over and outside his bedroom window, the stars were just beginning to fade in the pre dawn sky. He looked back over his shoulder at the sleeping form beside him. Her beauty staggered him, as always, but the peacefulness that softened. Her exotic and alluring features captivated him. Sleeping on her side, her generous curves peeked and fell like the mountains of the Judean countryside, arbishag his shoela eye lover. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. 00:03:04 Speaker 5: Until the day breathes in the shadow sleep, I'll go away to the mountain of mirth. The ill frankencens you are altogether in my love. 00:03:17 Speaker 2: There's no flaw in. 00:03:19 Speaker 1: Her lazy smile. Pulled on her lips. Solomon leaned in closer and kissed her. He considered rekindling the passion they shared only a few hours before, but the pressure of what the day's preparations held nagged and tugged at the back of his mind, much like his other wives, endless bickering and jockeying for his attention. Your beliving us, Solomon sighed. Perhaps he would have time for his beloved later. The temple that would define his legacy was said to be completed in just a few short months. If he could keep preparation on track. He slipped out of bed and dressed quickly. He made his way through the palace to his favored place to sit and study. It was a portico that connected two parts of the palace that overlooked the gardens. From the elevated position of the palace on Mount Zion, he surveyed the limestone structures on Mount Mariah to the north, currently gleaming softly in the pale early morning light. Solomon's quiet moment was broken by authoritative footsteps echoing through the hall. From behind a column, he caught sight of a young man, perhaps ten years older than Ria Boem, with sharp, dark eyes and broad shoulders. His plain attire hinted at modest origins, but his posture was unmistakably that of a soldier, disciplined, steady, and focused. Though young and therefore likely low in rank, there was a compelling confidence about him him. Curious about who would tread so boldly through his palace at this hour, Solomon stepped into view and beckoned him over here there, what is your business this early? The young man's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized his king. He immediately bowed before responding. 00:05:21 Speaker 6: Your Highness, I am Cherbom, son of Labat, of the tribe of Iphrahim. I hail from Sereda, and I am overseeing a restoration project here in the palace of your father, King David. 00:05:31 Speaker 1: The young man was from central Israel, belonging to the tribe of Ephraim, which controlled the strategic heart of the country and served as the gateway to the northern tribes. Ephraim bordered Benjamin to the north, the tribe where the city of Jerusalem was located, positioning it as a crucial link between the northern and southern regions. 00:05:55 Speaker 2: You seem young for such a prominent role. 00:05:58 Speaker 6: The more experienced foreman have been all to the construction projects of Mount Moriah. Lord Ashahar, your palace overseer, thought I would be up for the task here in the city of David. I am very grateful for the opportunity. 00:06:08 Speaker 1: Your highnas Solomon detected a hint of pride in his tone, but it seemed to be warranted. If a high shaher approved of him, then he would be one to watch. 00:06:19 Speaker 2: I see, and you are military? Have you been in the city of David for law? 00:06:26 Speaker 6: Yes, my King, I served in nor military and worked to fortify the great city of Gezer in my territory. But my commander saw fit to send me here. 00:06:34 Speaker 1: Geezer, the city pharaoh had sacked as a part of the marriage arrangement for Princess Nefertari, routing out the Canaanites so Solomon could have a clean slate for the people of Tribe Ephrahim. The city was now a significant foothold once more in the heart of Israel, and this young man helped make it so one to watch. 00:06:57 Speaker 2: Indeed, indeed, well, young Jeroboam, see to your tasks this morning. Serve Israel with pride. 00:07:08 Speaker 6: You flatter me, Highness, but I should just be content to serve you and the needs of Israel. 00:07:14 Speaker 1: With another bow, Jeroboam hurried away. Solomon was not left alone with his thoughts for long, when the familiar tread of his faithful head servant, a High Shah, approached to brief him on the day, as they did every day before breakfast. 00:07:31 Speaker 3: Good morning, my King. 00:07:34 Speaker 1: Solomon nodded deeply in greeting, and stood to fall in step with the older paternal man as they strode through the hallways and corridors of King David's palace, their echoing steps in sink. Solomon had enjoyed their morning ritual in many ways. A High Shah was the father Solomon had been robbed of, as David's condition worsened in Solomon's formative years. 00:08:00 Speaker 2: Good morning, Ahshah. To day will be a monumental one, don't you think is everything arranged? 00:08:07 Speaker 7: Yes, my King, the royal entourage of tire will enter the city in a few hours. From there, you will show. 00:08:15 Speaker 2: Him the temple, show him how his investment is coming along. 00:08:21 Speaker 3: Ha. 00:08:22 Speaker 2: I'm there every day, so I'm eager to see the progress through new eyes. I hope it will be worthy of King Hiram and my father's friendship all those years ago. 00:08:32 Speaker 3: It will be, my King. What you've built in your father's name for the. 00:08:37 Speaker 7: Lord is unsurpassed. Truly, it is rare and exceptional. 00:08:44 Speaker 2: Thank you, Ahshah. And if it's not, King Hiram's household is being paid generously for the lumber. 00:08:52 Speaker 7: Either way, have you decided yet on the gift you will give him when it is completed? 00:09:00 Speaker 2: Not yet. We discussed cities and land in the northern territories. But I, my son, Real Boham, you're rubbing about early this morning. 00:09:11 Speaker 1: Real Boham, now a teenager, merely grunted in response. He was on the edge of manhood while his grandfather David was already commanding Saul's armies. At sixteen, Ria Boham spent his days in the company of a roving gang of other teenagers, the children of Solomon's advisers and other nobles. A twinge of guilt at the distance that had grown between them twisted in Solomon's stomach. He really should be giving the boy more attention as his heir. 00:09:44 Speaker 2: Have you decided to join me and the other students in our scribal debates? My wisest advisers will be joining us this week, high praises z Eggarch and the Lord's Illoharif Ahlou and Jehosiah Phaht. 00:10:00 Speaker 7: Would I want to go listen to your stripes and historians. You already made me sit with my tutors every day. 00:10:07 Speaker 2: Then where are you spending all your time outside your lessons with my friends? 00:10:14 Speaker 1: Solomon could feel his irritation rising to frustration. 00:10:18 Speaker 2: And what do you and your friends do all day? Why do you care? You have so many other things to do, then worry about me. 00:10:27 Speaker 7: I mean, we're just exploring the king south of Jerusalem. 00:10:31 Speaker 2: It's not important compared to everything you're doing. 00:10:34 Speaker 3: I have to go. I'm meeting them at. 00:10:35 Speaker 1: Dawn with that the young prince sauntered away, leaving Solomon watching his retreating figure with a tight jaw Ahaishah offered a sympathetic smile. Sensing the King's frustration, Solomon shook it off. Today there were more pressing matters demanding his attention. There were always other things to build. Hours later, the golden light of the late afternoon sun bathed Jerusalem's skyline, glinting off the scaffoldings surrounding the towering temple structure. The air was thick with dust, and the faint scent of cedar carried on an early summer breeze from the construction site. Despite the monumental scale of the project, an eerie stillness hovered over the temple grounds. No hammer rang out, no chisel struck stone, only the soft shuffle of sandal clad feet and the rustle of workers moving carefully through the sight. Solomon walked beside King Hiram of Tire, the older man's deep set eyes crinkling in the bright sun as he took in the near finished temple. Hiram's silver streaked beard tugged upward as he smiled, clearly impressed. 00:11:58 Speaker 7: Ah, your father, Dear David, would have been proud. King Solomon. I see the care you've taken to build. This is more than a monument. This is a covenant in stone. 00:12:16 Speaker 2: That was always the plan. This isn't just for us, It's for every generation that follow us. 00:12:22 Speaker 1: The two kings moved through towering cedar columns, Sunlight filtered through latticework cut into the towering white limestone walls, painting shifting patterns onto the golden interior. Conscripted servants paused and bobbed in reverence, but quickly returned to their work, Eager to keep their foreman's strict project deadlines. Solomon gestured upward to the polished cedar beams overhead, their surfaces intricately carved with goods, palm trees, and open flowers. Their delicate beauty stood in striking contrast to the temple's monumental scale, ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty five feet high over two thousand, seven hundred square feet of sacred space. The crisp white limestone gleamed under the sun, its brilliance softened by the warm cedar accents and the opulent gold inlays that adorned both interior and exterior. At the entrance, a sweeping portico stretched out, adding another fifteen feet to its length, like an open invitation for worshipers to step into the presence of the divine. 00:13:40 Speaker 2: Every beam and every stone has been cut and shaped off side. The temple itself has remained silent during construction, as the Lord instructed. No hammer or iron tool touched these walls. Here. It was all fitted together like a puzzle, and the quarries off. 00:13:57 Speaker 1: Side Hiram's gaze the massive bronze doors set aside, waiting to be hung, their gleaming surfaces adorned with intricate reliefs shaped by the hands of master craftsmen. He nodded approvingly. 00:14:13 Speaker 7: The work here is as precise and prosperous as your work as a statesman. I hear tell of your diplomacy and trade agreements from every corner of the country. Israel is well fed, grows ritter by the day, and not a whisper of dissent or war to be found. Ah, As the old saying goes, each man is living under his own vine and figtory in Israel. 00:14:46 Speaker 1: Solomon smiled in response. He had, of course heard similar reports from across the kingdom, but it pleased him to know the news was the same as far north as Tire. Solomon led Hiram to toward another section of the construction site. The metallic tang of heated bronze grew stronger as they approached. A wide open yard revealed a vast bronze casting area. At its heart stood Hooram, sleeves rolled, hands darkened with soot, A heavy apron tied around his waist. His muscled arms glistened with sweat as he gestured toward a towering bronze structure. 00:15:28 Speaker 2: King Hiram meet Huram, also of Tire, our master bronze craftsmen. 00:15:34 Speaker 1: Hooram turned, his face weathered from years of labor, but his eyes bright with pride. He bowed to the King of his homeland in. 00:15:44 Speaker 2: Honor, your majesty, King Solomon's vision is well, it's the greatest challenge I face. 00:15:51 Speaker 1: He swept his hand toward the two towering bronze pillars, freshly cast and gleaming under the afternoon sun. 00:16:01 Speaker 2: These named Jakin and boaz ll stand at the temple's entrance. He establishes and in him his strength, they'll rise nearly thirty feet tall. Adorned with lily sheep designs and seven foot wide networks, a chain work and pomegranates. 00:16:19 Speaker 7: This were rivals anything I've seen, and a man from tires behind it. You make ushitty proud craftsmen. Bezel El of the Tabernacle born again. 00:16:33 Speaker 2: Huron is a genius with bronze. But it's not just the pillars. 00:16:38 Speaker 1: Whoram guided them to a massive circular structure, a shimmering sea of molten bronze, now cooling into its final shape. Its scale was staggering, A vast basin supported by twelve bronze oxen, three facing in each cardinal direction. 00:16:58 Speaker 2: This is the bronze for ritual washing. 00:17:02 Speaker 3: It hold over. 00:17:03 Speaker 2: Eleven thousand gallons of water, and the oxen symbolized strength and stability, holding the weight of the water, just as the tribes hold Israel. 00:17:13 Speaker 1: King Hiram walked around it, running his hand over the cooling bronze. 00:17:19 Speaker 7: The scale of this, I'm over surprised. The earth doesn't groan beneath it. 00:17:29 Speaker 1: The man laughed, and Huram's pride was palpable as he gestured to a row of ten smaller bronze stands, each covered with intricate carvings of lions, oxen, and cherubin. 00:17:44 Speaker 2: These are for the priests portable water basins for ritual purification. Every detail, from the lattice work to the handles is designed for both beauty and function. 00:17:57 Speaker 1: The older King's face split into a white grin and he clapped Solomon on the shoulder. 00:18:03 Speaker 7: David was right to trust you with this. It's not just a house for your God. It's a crown on the city itself. 00:18:12 Speaker 2: It's nearly done. Months from now will bring the arc to cover with here, and the Lord will finally have his house. 00:18:21 Speaker 1: They stood in silence for a beat, the weight of the moment settling over them. In the distance, workers moved like ants, lifting the final pieces into place. The future of Israel, its faith, its identity, its legacy was crystallizing in stone and gold before their very eyes. But Solomon's gaze drifted beyond the temple walls, sweeping over the undeveloped plots on Mount Mariah. Envisioning the empire. He still hoped to build a golden age for Israel, unlike anything the. 00:18:59 Speaker 3: World had seen. 00:19:01 Speaker 1: Yet, even in this moment of success, unease tugged at the edges of his mind. There were other voices, whispers in his court, wives vying for his time, complaining of betrothals arranged for their daughters, Arguments over altars to their foreign gods beyond the city's walls, advisers with conflicting agendas, each pushing their own vision for Israel's future. And then there was rear Boem and their widening distance. But for now there was peace, and there was promise. Solomon exhaled, willing his thoughts back to the present. The nearly complete temple stood tall, its triumphant limestone walls gleaming in the sunlight. It had captured the heart and imagination of man. But would it please the heart of God? With the sum of Solomon's reign and his life be found worthy in the eyes of the Lord. 00:20:06 Speaker 4: I can hear the chisels ringing, the tempers being hauled, the gold glinting under the Jerusalem sun. But beneath all the grandeur, there's something deeper, a trembling, not a fear, but of awe, Because what we heard today wasn't just about construction, It was about godliness. Before the awesome task of building the Holy Temple had even begun, King Solomon wrote to Hiram, the king of Tire, who had been a close friend of his father David. The Bible tells us what King Solomon wrote in Chapter five, Verse five. We read, I intend therefore to build a temple for the name of the Lord, my God. The Jewish Ages note that by speaking of building the temple for the name of God, Solomon wanted it known that this was impossible. No building, no matter how huge, and no matter how beautiful, can actually serve as a residence for God. No structure can contain God in any way. So here Solomon is emphasizing that the purpose of the temple was to be a place that people could serve God, and he was also making the point that the temple would be dedicated to God and not to the grandeur of the king or his subjects. Anyone who wanted to be closer to God could come to this temple to seek him. Isn't that a great lesson for our churches and synagogues today? God does not live in them, because God is everywhere, including inside each one of us. What's the purpose of our beautiful houses of worship to inspire us? Well, it's a place to serve God and where we can do our best to follow his will. After receiving Solomon's response to his congratulatory message, King Hiram of Tire uttered, a beautiful blessing. This is what he says. Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a why son to rule over his great nation. King Hiram then responded to the request for a massive amount of cedar wood for the building of the Holy Temple. This cemented a covenant that is one of the most famous in the whole Bible, between a Jewish and a gentile king who had similar interests, both spiritual and political. The Bible itself tells us the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he has promised. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. Jewish tradition suggests that the mention yet again of Solomon's wisdom during his treaty forging implies that it was Solomon's wisdom that prompted Hiram to form such a strong bond between the nations, and to me personally, this beautiful moment in the Bible foreshadows that strong bond that we Israel and the Jewish people, together with our Christian friends, have forged today a bond in which our fellowship, the organization that I lead, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, it plays such an important part. Just as with King Solomon and King Hiram, we have so much in common, our shared values, our shared faith, and our shared Word of God. Before we finished today's Bible story, I want to take a look inside the Holy Temple that King Solomon built. In the Bible's description of the temple's dedication, we read about the Ark of the Covenant being brought into the Holy of Holies, and here the Bible tells us that there was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt. There was nothing inside of the arc other than the Ten Commandments. 00:23:57 Speaker 2: That's it. 00:23:59 Speaker 4: But tradition to is that there were actually two sets of tablets inside the arc, the broken ones that Moses smashed upon seeing the Golden Calf, and then there were the whole tablets that Moses received the second time that he met with God. But have got to wonder why keep the broken tablets along with the whole ones. What purpose could they serve when the new tablets have already been given. Our sages teach that the strength of the whole tablets actually came from the broken ones. It was through breaking the first set of tablets that the Chosen people learned the lessons that they needed to in order to become capable of receiving the second set. It was through the mistake of sinning that they learned to avoid sinning in the future. By keeping the broken tablets and the whole ones, the message is clear. We need our brokenness, our mistakes, our tragedies, and our pain just as much as we need those things that make us feel whole. Like our victories, our achievements, and our celebrations ontry the other, and both help carry us through life. The Holy Arc. The sages also teach us that it was the Holy Arc that carried those who carried it. When the Levites carried the arc, they didn't feel it sweet. Instead, they were energized, they were lifted up. In fact, the arc miraculously carried them. It's the same with us. Our broken parts don't need to weigh us down when we use our brokenness as a way to become whole. It's actually our broken pieces that lift us up and carry us forward. I think about all the things that we build, our careers, our reputations, our ministries, our families. How often we forget what matters most is not the walls, but what fills them. The temple reminds us holiness is not a byproduct of effort, but of invitation. We don't summon God with excellence, we prepare room with humility. God has always desired to with us, not because we earned it, but because He loves us, because He wants to be close to us, his chosen people. So maybe the question isn't whether we're doing in us. Maybe it's whether we're making space. Maybe we don't need more brilliance, maybe we need more stillness. And you don't have to be in Jerusalem. You don't have to know Hebrew, you don't have to be king or have the wisdom of Salomon. You just have to open the door to make space, to pray to God and then to let him come in. 00:26:30 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvado, Bree Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kaylab Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,