The Wisdom that Builds God's House

Solomon's kingdom becomes an exhibit to the world of the gracious hand of the Lord upon His people and His chosen king. When Solomon decides to begin construction on the Temple, he reaches out to the foreign King, Hiram for lumber. The relationship gets off to a wonderful start.


1 Kings 5:7–8 (ESV) As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber.

 We have here God's desire for Israel from the beginning. That they be a light to the Gentiles and an example to the world of what life with the Lord looks like. Hiram is impressed with Solomon's wisdom. He offers to help him and in fact, will do more than Solomon requests. Instead of requiring shared labor, Hiram will have his people do all the work for Israel.

 The point is simple. When the world sees wisdom, the world will pay for it. Why? Because wisdom is more valuable than money. Solomon tells us this repeatedly in the Proverbs.

Proverbs 16:16 (ESV) How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 8:10–11 (ESV) Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Proverbs 3:15–16 (ESV) She (wisdom) is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

We know this is the value of Wisdom from this passage in 1 Kings because of how the exchange ends between Solomon and Hiram with the following summary:

1 Kings 5:12 (ESV) And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

Solomon, of course, points us to the true builder of God's true temple. The temple of the Holy Spirit, His Church. The wisdom of Jesus is greater than Solomon. Solomon won the respect of only a few nations. Eventually, he would hurt some of those relationships with his greed. Jesus wins the respect of all nations. There is no country on Earth that does not currently have members of the true Temple living for Christ within their walls. Even in the bastion of Atheistic North Korea, Christians are suffering for the Lord. 

The passage also speaks of the ultimate house of Heaven to come. The dressed stone in this passage points us to the sacred foundations in the heavenly temple spoken of in Revelation. 


Revelation 21:14 (ESV) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Jesus is building His temple today, bringing the nations under one King and Lord and saving from every nation a people in whom dwells the living God. The wisdom of Christ is unmatched and undefeated in world history. Wherever the Gospel is freely preached, nations and peoples thrive. It is, for this reason, we do well to remember the foundations of the eternal home and build our lives on them instead of the sandy ground of the world's ideas.


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