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December 19th brings us to Solomon’s magnificent temple. 1 Kings 5:2-10 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.' 6Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians." 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." 8And 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. 9My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household." 10So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, The fragrance must have been amazing it was lined with cedar panels. The cedars of Lebanon are reputed to have been the best in the world, with a trunk of girth and wide far reaching branches in layers. The foliage following the same pattern, each branch being like a small meadow of clusters of leaves. The spiritual life can be compared to this tree with each level reaching closer to heaven , each level of life producing its own fruit and then upon maturity a new level is started reaching ever closer to heaven. The cedar of the mind extends its branches of knowledge widely and compactly over the domain of natural life, and another series of branches, with almost equal comprehensiveness, among the things of spiritual life; it knows the nature of spiritual love, and distinguishes clearly between the affections which are of God, and those which are natural to men; and its top reaches even to that inmost conscious plane of the mind in which the presence of the Lord Himself, with its infinite variety, is the holy and beautiful object of knowledge. We can tell from a fragrance whether something is flavoursome and wholesome or foul and we recognise its agreement with our life. The good and pleasing sacrifices made to the Jehovah had a pleasing fragrance to him. The fragrance of the cedar wood, therefore, represents the delightfulness of knowledge as is signified by the cedar; for there are differences in the delightfulness of knowledge. The fragrance of wood depends chiefly upon the essential oil and the resin it contains. There are trees beautiful to the sight, but with watery sap and no fragrance, which evidently represent knowledge which is intellectually beautiful and satisfactory, but which stirs no deep affections. There are trees whose sap is composed of fragrant resins and oils represent knowledge that appeals to the heart rather than to the understanding; knowledge that is good and delightful to the life, as distinguished from that which is true and right. As for the cedar, we shall find woods more remarkable for their sweet oils and resins; yet the tree that adequately represents the delightfulness of spiritual rationality, the spiritual joy of the mind which discerns between spiritual and natural, and perceives intelligently the correspondence between them, certainly cannot be lacking in fragrance. The temple was the first temple built in the ancient world without an idol inside it. This was to declare to the that an idol was not needed to worship Yaweh and that He was present without an idol. The temple was not needed to house God because he is not localised. The temple was built to house the needs and limitations of the people, not of Yahweh. It symbolised the listening ear of God, a place of refuge for the stranger and a place of prayer and supplication. All surrounded by the most magnificent fragrance and splendour of the most royal of trees. There are many prophecies in the old testament where the Christ is foretold using the symbolism of the cedars of Lebanon. i.e. Ezek. 17:22 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. There is so much to discuss on Solomon's temple, we may come back here later on after Christmas.
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