“The house, while it was being built, was built of stone finished at the quarry, and neither hammer, nor axe, nor any iron tool was heard in the house while it was being built." (1King 6: 7)
Chapter 6 of First King is a detailed record of King Solomon’s construction of the temple. The construction started in the fourth year of his reign (1011 BC) and was completed seven years later, in the eleventh year of his reign. The construction site was located on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, on the threshing floor that King David bought from Araunah. The temple was exactly twice as large as Moses’ tabernacle in its length and width, and three times as high. While the fundamental layout stayed the same, the physical scale and the materials used were significantly upgraded.
From the chapter, we know this grand temple was exquisitely built with wide-ranging precious materials by highly skilled craftsmen. Verse 7 specifically mentioned that despite the large scale construction, the building of the temple was accomplished in complete silence in reverence for God. Yet even with a temple as grand as this, God still reminded King Solomon and his people that the only condition for God’s eternal abidance had nothing to do with the majestic temple but rather their faithful following of God’s statutes (11–13).
What does this mean to us who live in the New Testament?
In the New Testament, God’s temple is no longer a physical one but a spiritual one made of His believers. In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter reminds us that we are the “living stones” being built into a “spiritual house”. In Ephesians 2:21-22, Paul tells us “ In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord….” In 1 Corinthians 3: 16, Paul further explains, “ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in your midst?” In other words, if we are God’s living temple, spending time in silence is an essential aspect of our everyday life.
What then can we do in silence to build up ourselves? Here are some of the things I can think of:
Meditate on God’s words
Reflect on our shortcomings
Resolve to change
Confide in God through prayers
Regain strength in peace and silence
Give thanks
Can you add to the list of things to do in silence to build up yourself spiritually?
Reflection questions:
Everyday do I spare some time to spend with God in silence?
Why is silence important in life?
What do we accomplish in silence?
How do we accomplish things in silence?
