The first temple in Jerusalem was constructed during the reign of King Solomon around 957 BC. Known as Solomon’s Temple or the First Temple, it served as the primary place of worship for the Israelites until its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The temple played a central role in ancient Israelite worship and symbolized the presence of God among His chosen people. Here is an overview of the history, construction, layout, purpose, and destruction of Solomon’s Temple:
History of the First Temple
The idea for building a permanent and monumental temple in Jerusalem originated with King David. However, God did not allow David to undertake its construction because he had “shed much blood and waged great wars” (1 Chronicles 22:8 ESV). The task fell to David’s son and successor, Solomon, who built the temple to fulfill his father’s dream (1 Kings 5:3-5 ESV). The construction took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:38 ESV).
The site chosen for the temple was Mount Moriah, which was the location of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 and the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite that David purchased (2 Samuel 24:18-25 ESV). It was also associated with the appearance of the angel of the Lord to David at the start of the plague (1 Chronicles 21:15 ESV).
Construction of the First Temple
The Bible provides extensive details about the construction of the temple under Solomon’s oversight. It was a massive undertaking involving thousands of workers, huge quantities of precious materials, and years of labor.
The dimensions and layout were based on specific instructions that God gave to David (1 Chronicles 28:11-19 ESV). The foundation was made with large, costly stones (1 Kings 5:17 ESV). The exterior walls were constructed with pre-cut and pre-assembled blocks of high-quality stone and cedar beams (1 Kings 6:36 ESV). The interior walls were paneled with cedar and engraved with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers which were then overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:29-30 ESV).
The interior was divided into three chambers: the vestibule (or porch), the main hall (or nave), and the inner sanctuary (or Holy of Holies). The vestibule served as the entranceway while the main hall housed the altar. The inner sanctuary was a perfect cube and contained the Ark of the Covenant. The dimensions of the three chambers were precisely specified by God (1 Kings 6:2-3 ESV).
Skilled craftsmen were brought from Tyre to help with the bronze work (1 Kings 7:13-14 ESV). The temple was filled with countless gold and silver furnishings and decorations (1 Kings 7:48-50 ESV). No stone or beams were visible from within the temple due to the extensive use of cedar paneling and gold overlay (1 Kings 6:18 ESV).
Purpose and Significance of the First Temple
The Temple served several important religious and national purposes for the people of Israel:
- A dwelling place for the name and glory of God (1 Kings 8:10-13 ESV). It symbolized His presence among His people.
- A permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant which contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (1 Kings 8:6-9 ESV).
- The center of Israelite worship according to the Law of Moses with sacrifices, offerings, and annual festivals (1 Kings 9:25 ESV).
- A unifying symbol of national identity for the tribes of Israel (1 Kings 8:16 ESV).
- The legitimate place ordained by God to make petitions and seek atonement for sins (1 Kings 8:30-50 ESV).
The completion and dedication of the spectacular temple was the pinnacle of King Solomon’s reign. In his dedication prayer, Solomon emphasized God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to dwell among His people in this magnificent temple (1 Kings 8:14-21 ESV). For nearly 400 years, it served as the heart of Israelite worship until its destruction.
Layout and Contents of the First Temple
The temple was designed according to specific instructions from God and oriented on an east-west axis. Here are the key features of the layout:
- Foundation Platform: A massive rectangular platform was erected to elevate the temple above the city and offset irregularities in topography. It was made of stones that were 25 feet long and 15 feet wide (1 Kings 7:10 ESV).
- Enclosure Wall: A six-foot thick enclosure wall was built on the platform which separated the inner temple from the outer courtyard. It was made from pre-assembled blocks of high-quality stone and cedar beams (1 Kings 6:36 ESV).
- Outer Courtyard: This large open courtyard surrounded the temple on three sides. It contained the Inner Court which was only accessible to priests. The outer courtyard was open to Israelites bringing sacrifices and offerings.
- Main Hall: This long room comprised the bulk of the temple’s interior space. It contained the altar of incense, lampstands, and the table for the consecrated bread. It represented the dwelling place of God’s presence (1 Kings 8:10-13 ESV).
- Vestibule / Porch: This narrow entrance hall led from the outer courtyard into the main hall. It contained two large pillars, Jachin and Boaz, on either side of the entrance (1 Kings 7:15-22 ESV).
- Inner Sanctuary / Holy of Holies: This small cube-shaped room was the innermost and most sacred part of the temple. It contained the Ark of the Covenant and the cherubim. Only the high priest could enter it once a year on the Day of Atonement (1 Kings 8:6 ESV).
Solomon’s Temple featured thousands of gold and silver items throughout. The walls and furnishings glittered with gold to an astonishing degree. The combination of expensive materials, intricate details, and monumental scale made it one of the most impressive structures of the ancient world.
The Destruction of the First Temple
The Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the First Temple in 586 BC after besieging Jerusalem for three years. The destruction fulfilled the prophecies of Jeremiah who warned that Jerusalem would fall because of Israel’s idolatry and unfaithfulness to God (Jeremiah 7 ESV).
The fall of Jerusalem marked the end of the independent Kingdom of Judah. The temple was looted, razed to the ground, and then burned along with all the houses of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-9 ESV). Most of the population was killed or deported to Babylon in exile. Only the poorest farmers were allowed to remain in Judah (2 Kings 25:12 ESV).
The loss of the temple was devastating for the religious and national life of Judah. Lamentations vividly expresses the grief at seeing God’s dwelling place wrecked by enemies and abandoned by God Himself (Lamentations 1-2 ESV). The Exile resulted in theological turmoil as Israelites were separated from the sacrificial system and the presence of God.
Some temple artifacts were rescued before the fall of Jerusalem and hidden away for safekeeping (2 Maccabees 2:4-7). Some treasure may have been returned 70 years later when King Cyrus of Persia allowed Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:7-11 ESV).
Later Temples in Jerusalem
After the return from exile, Judah rebuilt the temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel though it was a much more modest temple compared to Solomon’s glory. This Second Temple was renovated and expanded substantially during the reign of King Herod in 19-20 BC. Herod’s Temple was the one that existed during the time of Jesus before being destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Today, the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem is revered as the site of both the First and Second Temples. The Western Wall is the only surviving retaining wall that surrounded the Second Temple complex. Jews still pray at this holy site hopeful that a third temple will one day be rebuilt on the Temple Mount.
Significance for Christians
While Solomon’s Temple holds little direct theological significance for Christians, it does form part of the history that deeply impacted temple worship in the time of Christ. Here are some connections between the First Temple and the New Testament era:
- Herod’s extensive remodeling was intended to glorify his reign more than honor God. Jesus predicted its destruction as God’s judgment (Matthew 24:1-2 ESV).
- Jesus quoted from Isaiah 56:7 calling the temple a “house of prayer” but it had become a den of robbers (Matthew 21:13 ESV).
- Jesus replaced the physical temple as the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth (Matthew 12:6 ESV).
- The tearing of the curtain and the destruction of the temple symbolized the new access believers have to God through Christ (Hebrews 10:19-20 ESV).
- Just as God’s glory filled the temple at its dedication, the Holy Spirit filled the disciples at Pentecost as the new temple of God (Acts 2 ESV).
While Solomon went to great lengths to construct an impressive earthly dwelling for God, Jesus Christ is Immanuel, “God with us”, and makes God’s presence accessible to all who believe in Him (Matthew 1:23 ESV). The magnificent beauty and glory of the First Temple pointed ahead to the greater spiritual glory found in worshiping God through Christ.
