Cathedrals and Character

Read 1 Kings 5:1–8:66

14. [Solomon] turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:
15. “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father,
16. ‘From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. But I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
17. Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
18. But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
19. but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’
20. And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made.” 1 Kings 8:14-20

“What church do you attend?” Usually, when asked that question, a person will respond with “Community Congregational,” “First Presbyterian,” or another church name. When pressed for more information, the person might describe the building. The building where the church meets is also important, makes a public statement about the church, and provides a focal point for a particular body of believers.

In this passage, at long last, Solomon gets to build the Temple. What a grand structure! David wanted to do it but couldn’t. More than most people, David understood the Temple’s significance. That’s why it mattered so much to him and why God wouldn’t let him build it. See what you can learn from this massive, monumental project.

Note in Solomon’s foremanship two more lessons: balancing work and family life, and dedicating ourselves to God’s service.

For four hundred and eighty years after Israel’s escape from Egypt, God did not ask his people, the Jews, to build a Temple for him (1 Kings 8:15-21). Instead, he emphasized the importance of his presence among them and their need for spiritual leaders.

It is easy to think of a building as the focus of God’s presence and power, but God chooses and uses people to do his work. He can use you more than he can use any building of wood and stone. A building or enlarging our place of worship may be necessary, but it should never take priority over developing spiritual leaders.

Remember that God’s church is a community of believers, not a building of stone, brick, and wood. Do you worry more about the carpet in the hallway than about the people walking on it? Do you find yourself overly concerned about wear and tear on the building, while neglecting the people using it? While it is good to maintain the church building (as a responsible church member and a good steward of God’s resources), remember that people are infinitely more important.