Solomon Builds the Temple in Jerusalem

King David reigned for forty years. His capital was Jerusalem, yet the Tabernacle was at Gibeon and there the priests officiated, offered sacrifices and led Israel in worship to God.

As we saw in the last study it had been David’s desire to build a House for God that He might dwell in the midst of Israel. However, God had refused David’s request, saying instead that He would build David a house (2 Samuel 7:11–16). He promised to give him a son who would ultimately reign on the throne of David for ever. It would be this son who would build a house of worship for all nations of the world. This prophecy pointed to the future work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God told David that Solomon was to build the Temple at Jerusalem. So in the latter years of his life David gave Solomon a solemn charge: “The LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it” (1 Chronicles 28 and 29). After David’s death Solomon commenced this great and glorious task. The Temple, though not large, was magnificent. The details are to be found in 2 Chronicles 2–7. The Temple in Jerusalem, together with the priesthood which attended there, became the centre of worship and instruction for the nation in their service to God.

However, God did tell David that Solomon, his son who was to reign after him, would build a Temple, or House, at Jerusalem where Israel would come to worship God. The site is still a landmark well known to those who have seen photos of Jerusalem. It is that elevated, level area on the eastern side of Jerusalem facing the Mount of Olives.

The Temple Site Today

Today “the Dome of the Rock”, a Muslim holy place, stands there and is the third most holy site in the Islam faith. Muslims believe that Mohammed their prophet visited this site. It is also the ancient Temple site holy to the Jews, and we can appreciate therefore why there is such contention and bitterness between Arabs and Jews over this small section of land. Added to this, the major Christian faiths believe that they have some ownership of the city because of their “holy sites” associated with the life of Jesus.

With such diverse and antagonistic religious convictions all claiming “divine right” to Jerusalem, it helps us to understand why it has become such a contentious issue politically. This is exactly what God foretold would happen— Jerusalem would be “a burdensome stone for all people” (Zechariah 12:1–3).

God told David that Solomon was to build the Temple at Jerusalem. So in the latter years of his life David gave Solomon a solemn charge: “The LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it” (1 Chronicles 28 and 29). After David’s death Solomon commenced this great and glorious task. The Temple, though not large, was magnificent. The details are to be found in 2 Chronicles 2–7. The Temple in Jerusalem, together with the priesthood which attended there, became the centre of worship and instruction for the nation in their service to God.

The Kingdom Divided

The kingdom is divided (1 Kings 11–12)

In the latter years of his life, Solomon turned aside from wholly following God. He married foreign wives and accommodated their pagan worship by building temples for them in Israel. The sad details of his decline are found in 1 Kings 11. Because of his sin God sent a prophet to tell him that after his death the kingdom would be divided. Two tribes would be loyal to the house of David, whilst the other ten would establish their own kingdom.

After Solomon’s death his son Rehoboam came to the throne. He threatened to increase the burdensome taxes that were already laid upon the nation and this foolish act caused a revolt of the northern ten tribes, led by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12).

From this time on, the nation was divided into two kingdoms.

• The Kingdom of Judah—This consisted of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and had its capital in Jerusalem. The kings who reigned over Judah were a continuous line from David. The worship of God continued in the Temple in Jerusalem with the Priests and Levites officiating, as appointed by God.

• The Kingdom of Israel—The other ten tribes first united under Jeroboam. Their chief city was Samaria. There was no one dynasty of kings ruling in the north and therefore there were often power struggles and assassinations, as each contender asserted his right to the throne. Not one of these kings was faithful.

The history of both kingdoms is recorded in the books of Kings, and 2 Chronicles also covers the exploits of the kings of Judah.

Adapted from “The Exploring the Bible Course” by David Evans