King David had a strong desire to build a House for God, to contain the Ark of the Covenant, which at that time was dwelling in the middle of tent cloths. God was pleased with David's proposal, but told him that, due to the fact that he had shed much blood in warfare, his son Solomon would be privileged to do the building. The Temple was to be built in peace by a man of peace.
2 Chronicles 3:1 says, "King David, Solomon's father, had already prepared a place for the Temple. It was in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David, at the place which Araunah the Jebusite had used as a threshing place."
King Solomon took a census of all the foreigners living in the Land of Israel, similar to the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 resident foreigners. Solomon assigned 70,000 of them to transport materials and 80,000 to cut stones in the mountains, and appointed 3,600 supervisors to make sure the work was done. 2 Chronicles 2: 17-18
The Temple which King Solomon built was 90 ft long and 30 ft wide. The entrance room was the full width of the Temple (30 ft), and was 180 ft high. The inside of the room was overlaid with pure gold.
The main room was paneled with cedar and overlaid with fine gold, in which were worked designs of palm trees and chain patterns. The king decorated the Temple with beautiful precious stones and with gold imported from the Land of Parvaim. He used the gold to overlay the Temple walls, the rafters, the entryways, and the doors. On the walls the workers carved designs of winged creatures. The inner room, called the Most Holy Place, was 30 ft long and 30 ft wide, which was the full width of the Temple. 25 tons of gold were used to cover the walls of the Most Holy Place; 20 ounces of gold were used for making nails, and the walls of the upper rooms were also covered with gold. 2 Chron. 3: 3-9
The king also had his workers make 2 winged creatures out of metal, cover them with gold, and place them in the Most Holy Place, where they stood side by side facing the entrance. Each had 2 wings, each wing 7 1/2 ft long, which were spread out so that they touched each other in the center of the room and reached to the wall on either side of the room, stretching across the full width of 30 ft.
A curtain for the Most Holy Place was made of linen and of other material, which was dyed blue, purple, and red, with designs of the winged creatures worked into it. 2 Chronicles 3: 10-14
The king had 2 columns made, each one 52 ft tall, and placed them in front of the Temple. Each one had a capital 7 1/2 ft tall. The tops of the columns were decorated with a design of interwoven chains and 100 bronze pomegranates. The columns were set at the sides of the Temple entrance: the one on the South side was named "Jachin" and the one the North side was named "Boaz." 2 Chron 3 15-17
God blessed Solomon with wisdom, glory and riches as long as he remained firm for true worship and the nation of Israel likewise enjoyed God's favor.
2 Chronicles 9 says, "Every year King Solomon received over 25 tons of gold, in addition to the taxes paid by the traders and merchants. The kings of Arabia and the governors of the Israelite districts also brought him silver and gold." (13-14) "King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the world. They all consulted him, to hear the wisdom that God had given him."(22-23) "He was supreme ruler of all the kings in the territory from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border." (26)
Solomon Proverbs and the Books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon and at least one of the Psalms, namely, Psalm 127, were written during this period of faithful service to God.
However, Solomon began to disregard God's Law. and his heart did not prove to be completely with God like the heart of David his father. It was then that Solomon proceeded to build a high place to Chemosh, the chief deity of Moab (people of Chemoch) on the mountain that was in front of Jerusalem and to Molech, the god of the Ammonites. God's Law prescribed the death penalty for anyone,even an allien resident, who would give his offspring to Molech. (Leviticus 20)
The Prophet Jeremiah, in foretelling calamity for Moab, indicated that her principal god Chemosh as well as his priests and princes would go into exile. The Moabites would become ashamed of their god because of his impotence, just as the Israelites of the 10-Tribe Kingdom had become ashamed of Bethel. (Jeremiah 48)
As long as king Solomon maintained an obedient heart, he had God's favor and prosperity. But his bad outcome demonstrate that knowledge, great ability, or power, riches and fame are not the things that prevail over the things of the spirit and that turning away from God is to forsake His wisdom.
Solomon's own counsel proved true: "More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life." (Proverbs 4: 23)
Solomon case illustrates the treacherousness and desperateness of the heart that belongs to a sinful man and the best of hearts can be vulnerable and enticed if constant vigilance is not kept. Loving what God loves and hating what God hates, constantly seeking His guidance and the doing of what pleases Him, are a sure protection. (Jeremiah 17; Proverbs 8; Hebrews 1; John 8)
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