NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
By W. N. Glenn
It is stated in verse 1 that Solomon began to build the temple in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt. Regarding this date there is much conflict of opinion, from the discrepancy between the reckoning and Paul's assertion in Acts 13: 20, "After that [the division of the land by lot] he gave them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet." Paul's chronology agrees with that of Josephus, who places the beginning of the temple work 592 years after the exodus. This shows that Paul, in speaking to the Jews, used the chronology commonly in vogue amongst them, without reference to the question of its correctness. There was a more important issue at stake, to which he was gradually drawing their attention by a rehearsal of their national history as they understood it. The Septuagint gives the date 440 years after the exodus, probably reckoned from the end of the journey, instead of 480; and Dr. Clarke says, after giving a list of the estimates of twelve chronologists (varying 260 years and only two of them agreeing), "after all, that in the common Hebrew text is as likely to be the true one as any of the others." The temple was of the same general plan as the tabernacle (as it was intended for the same purpose), the pattern of which had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and which was a type of the true tabernacle in Heaven. It was built larger, and more substantially, because it was designed to be permanent, while the tabernacle was portable. But it is a remarkable fact that, with all its apparent durability, it did not stand as long as the temporary tabernacle. It was destroyed by the king of Babylon 424 years after its erection, which God permitted because the people departed from keeping his commandments. The oracle referred to in verse 5 was the most holy place, within the vail, so called because it contained the law of God. It is so called in verses 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23; also in chap. 8:6. Dr. Schaff says: "In the New Testament the term is in the plural, and is applied to the Scriptures, which contain the will of God." In Acts 7:38 it is applied directly to the ten commandments, prefixed by the qualification "lively," or living, indicating their irrevocable nature. Hence the appropriateness of the term to the most holy place in the temple, which was, as Dr. Terry expresses it, "God's speaking place." The house was "built of stone made ready before it was brought thither." The all-important lesson of this verse may be expressed in one word, "preparation." No doubt it took much longer to prepare the material for the temple than it did to rear the edifice. If a man has but one year in which to preach the gospel, it would be far better for him to spend nine months in preparation, if necessary, than to preach all the time in an unconsecrated, unfitted condition. The Lord never sent out a man to any work until he was properly prepared. It took Moses, with all his wisdom and skill as a leader, forty years to fit himself for the deliverance of Israel. And it behooved the great Antitype of Moses to prepare by a life of humility for the atonement to be made in our behalf; "for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2: 17, 18. Concerning the quietude of the work on the consecrated spot, Rev. Jesse R. Young suggests: "This indicates the thoroughness of the preparations made, the skill of the workmen, the reverence shown to the sanctuary even while it was going up; and conveys a hint concerning the quiet, worshipful, thoughtful spirit in which God ought to be approached in his house." The word of the Lord to Solomon, in verses 12 and 13, is an emphatic repetition of his promises to David, based upon the condition of keeping the commandments; in fact, all God's promises are subject to this condition. Of the assurance given on this occasion, Rev. R. Jamieson says: "It was very seasonable, being designed, first, to encourage him to go on with the building by confirming anew the promise made to his father David (2 Sam. 7); and, secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that, after the erection of so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be unconditionally sure of the presence and favor of God." On the same verses, Mathew Henry says: "God plainly lets him know that all this charge which he and his people were at, in erecting this temple, would neither excuse them from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter them from his judgments in case of disobedience. Keeping God's commandments is better and more pleasing to him than building churches." And Canon Rawlinson adds: "The promises made to David were—(1) that he should be succeeded by one of his own sons (2 Sam. 7: 12; Ps. 132: 10); (2) that the kingdom should be established in the line of his descendants forever, if they were faithful (Ps. 132: 12); and, (3) that the Israelites should be no more afflicted as beforetime (2 Sam. 7: 10). These promises are confirmed to Solomon, but on the express condition of obedience."