1Ki 6:8-12 “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel”

[Study Aired October 7, 2021]

1Ki 6:8  The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. 
1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
1Ki 6:10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
1Ki 6:11  And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
1Ki 6:12  Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

When we look at the construction of the physical temple of Solomon, every part of it has some spiritual significance for God’s elect to draw wisdom from. The building of the temple, like Noah’s ark represents our working out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:12, Heb 11:7). God is preparing our hearts and warning us as Noah was warned, to be able to endure until the end (Amo 3:7), and we are learning together the strength that is ours when we operate together as one body, one ark, or one solid temple of God with Christ as our corner stone of support (Eph 2:19-20).

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

If we are God’s workmanship in this age (Eph 2:10) then we’ll know that Solomon’s temple and all of the measured and fitted materials represent the words of God that we laboured for over the years ‘proving all things and holding fast that which is good’ (1Th 5:21) so that our Father and Christ will make their abode with us (Joh 14:20-23). It is with us that the manifest knowledge of Christ is made known through the church via God’s holy spirit, as the comforter leads us into all truth (Joh 16:13).

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [(Eph 3:10) becoming measured and fitted materials by God’s power and might explained (Rev 11:1)].
Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world [Heb 13:10, Eph 3:10]?
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him [This is how God manifests Himself to us through every joint that supplieth – “every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph 4:16) which is the fruit that is brought forth if we are granted to continue to abide in Christ, keeping His words (Joh 14:25-26)].

Christ manifests Himself to His bride through the church, which is His body and temple that we are, which houses God’s spirit (Col 1:24, 1Co 3:16, Rom 8:9). The temple is where the gospel is being preached to all men (Col 1:28, 1Co 9:22) as the light of Christ shines forth from the temple where we worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23) and continue to stay unspotted from this world as we visit the fatherless and widows who represent the elect in their affliction; which affliction is central to our communion in Christ (Jas 1:27, 1Co 10:16).

Christ has promised to make his disciples fishers of men (Mat 4:19), who are learning to always be ready to give an answer for the hope of the gospel within them which is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (1Pe 3:15, Rom 1:16). As we near the end of this age, the witness of Christ will shine forth more and more to this dying world both within, and consequently outwardly, as He increases and we decrease (2Pe 1:19, Php 2:15).

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Php 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

John the baptist was a physical witness who represents our own fleshly minds that can’t decrease without Christ increasing in our heavens, and so John’s type-and-shadow comforting words tell us that we must decrease and Christ must increase as was the case physically in his life having been beheaded (Mar 6:27). The spiritual reality for God’s elect is that we must be granted to continue in the truth which will cause our flesh to be put off as Christ increases within us through our being buried with Him into His spiritual baptism (Col 1:24) as John was not (Joh 3:30, 1Co 3:6, Rom 6:3).

We must follow Christ in order to be overcomers and fulfill our role of being witnesses in this age, and so we are promised that if we follow Christ (“Follow me”), we will be more than conquerors through Him, and the truth will set us free (Joh 8:32-36). Following Christ means our first Adamic head, represented by John the baptist, must be put off. The least in the kingdom is greater than John because of the new creation we have become through Christ who is our new head. John also represents the keeping of the law, which will never justify anyone (Mat 11:11, Gal 3:11).

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men [Php 2:12-13].

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [“Follow me“] then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The temple being built will be of little use unless its true function for the elect, of being the two witnesses within that temple, is accomplished, and once again we see that it has been prophesied to be accomplished not by might or power, but by God’s holy spirit which gives us the power to fulfill God’s will on earth as it is in heaven (Rev 11:3). If John was able to accomplish what he did in his flesh pointing to Christ, then it is certain that if we are Christ’s body, that we can be armed with the mind and suffering of Christ in order to overcome and witness to the world the life of Christ in us to which John was only pointing (Gal 2:20, Rom 5:10). John was pointing to the lamb of God Who would take away the sins of the world, but he was also unknowingly pointing to the saviours who would come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, the body of Christ (Col 1:24, Oba 1:21).

In this section of Kings there is a bright admonition that was given to Solomon “Concerning this house which thou art in building” which went this way: “if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father.”  This admonition to Solomon symbolizes our need to not only be hearers of the word who have built up our knowledge of God, represented by the temple, but doers of the word who now must lay a good foundation of predestined works against the day of evil that is to come upon this world (Mat 7:24, Eph 6:14-15, 1Ti 6:19, 2Ti 2:19).

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his [and I will make you fishers of men]. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity [We depart from iniquity by believing these words (Php 2:12-13)].

God is the only one who can permit (Heb 6:3) our hearts to be softened (Heb 12:6-7) in order to be received so we can lay up this foundation of good works, otherwise we will be found in the second resurrection having to have that hardened foundation softened through judgment at that time (Rom 2:5, Heb 6:1).

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Our future and present ability to overcome is accompanied with the promise that Christ will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5) as we go about our Father’s business of being fishers of men. A blueprint for God’s people regarding how His power will be used in the lives of those who have been called and chosen and remain faithful unto death as living sacrifices or witnesses with God’s power in their lives (Rom 12:1-2, Rev 11:7-8) can be found in these verses in Matthew 10:8-42, verses that represent the works and fruit that will manifest in us if our Father and Christ are abiding in us and we are continuing in the truth (Joh 15:5, Joh 5:30, Joh 8:31-32). Our life in Christ is one of witnessing to the kingdom of God, of which we are ambassadors, and how we pronounce that kingdom to the world is detailed in these verses (Mat 10:8-42). None of this is possible without Christ in us, but through Him we can be the light of the world that glorifies God in what we do and say in this life (Mat 5:14).

With such exceedingly great and precious promises in our lives, we can be assured that with the faith of Christ and the determined hand of our Father who is working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11), we will be more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and the witness to which we have been called will be accomplished through the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, who is the true and faithful witness (Rom 5:10, Mat 16:18, Heb 12:2, Php 1:6, Rev 3:14).

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

These verses (Mat 10:8-42) represent the witness that must come forth and will come forth through the body of Christ. It is a testimony of what Christ is going to do through the church, not what He might do, or that we in our flesh may prevent God from accomplishing, but rather it represents the fruit that is born out of the church that Christ is building (Mat 16:18). If it is Christ’s church, it will flourish and a witness will manifest and fruit will remain and be established and the tree will be known by its fruit (Joh 15:16).

We need wisdom to know how to walk in this age as we are led by the spirit of God with the knowledge He gives us to know how to discern spirits as we interact with the world today and minister to each other as we go through this life of much tribulation and judgment that is upon God’s house (1Pe 4:17). If we are in that blessed and holy first resurrection, these words of Christ will be no less applicable for the period of time when the true gospel will go out to all nations, with various degrees of acceptance and non-acceptance, always all unfolding according to the counsel of God’s own will (Mat 10:8-42, Mat 11:21).

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it [within me].

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you [to be fishers of men who know that the seed of God that we plant will not return void (Isa 55:11)].
Joh 15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.

In this section of the book of Kings, the temple that Solomon built was announced to be finished: “So he built the house, and finished it“. Christ’s physical life was also announced to be ready to do the work God had set before him in (Luke 2:52). Solomon’s temple was finished and made ready to serve its function, just as Christ’s life and the body of Christ represented by the temple (1Jn 4:17) will be made ready to fulfill our function in God’s plan (Col 2:17). The witness can now go forth through the body of Christ in power and might as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ, not by physical might or power but by God’s holy spirit that is the hope of glory that we have within making this possible (Act 1:8, Rev 11:3, Col 1:24, Col 1:27, Php 4:13).

1Ki 6:8  The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.

The middle chamber is the one which is six cubits (1Ki 6:6) which represents the number of man, so “winding stairs” that go up “and out of the middle into the third” are a witness to the process of judgment our carnal nature must go through in order to go on to perfection in the third chamber, which is seven cubits, the number for completion. It is found “in the right side of the house” as the “right” represents power, specifically the power of God which we will need to overcome. The stairs do not go straight up and down like an elevator, because God’s plan and our growth is not a linear event, but rather our Father gives us hope of what is ahead of us and a vision as such that sustains us through the body of Christ, through the angels of God that ascend and descend these stairs (Gen 28:12).

Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Christ’s growth in us is predetermined and likened to Jacob’s ladder, where we ascend up and down that ladder which represents Christ. Christ’s purpose within us is never going to be thwarted seeing He is the One who is accomplishing this work within us as we are taught that it is through the chastening in this life that our ways are made straight as we learn to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts (Tit 2:12, Joh 1:23). There can be no ascending or descending of Christ in our life if grace and faith are not effectively a part of our day-to-day walk which, as we mentioned in last week’s study, is the reason why the first chamber is five cubits, which begins this process of being able to ascend into the third chamber as we die daily, being saved by the grace and faith of Christ (Joh 3:13, Eph 2:8).

The angels Jacob saw in his dream on that ladder represent the body of Christ and its various functions in Christ’s body found in Ephesians 4:9-13.

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) [Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21]
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

Building the house and finishing it is not the same as continuing in the truth in order to be saved, which is what is required to become fishers of men (Joh 8:31-32, 1Ti 4:16, 1Jn 4:6). In type and shadow, however, the stage has been set to continue in the truth: God’s servant Solomon was used to cover “the house with beams and boards of cedar”.

Those “beams and boards” are produced from cedar trees that are non fruit-bearing trees that represent the knowledge and experience of Christ we had in Babylon that needs to now be rightly divided by Christ and properly fitted into the temple of God. We can have a lot of understanding with no true conversion or comprehension in our hearts as Hebrews 6:1-6 teaches us, but if God will permit (Heb 6:3), those beams and boards, which now cover the house, will resonate with a new relationship of maturity in Christ where we worship our Father in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23).

The beams represent the strength of Christ that is ours when we are obedient to our Lord (Act 5:32), and the boards of cedar represent the beauty of holiness (Psa 92:12, Psa 96:9) that comes about by rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15).

The temple is also likened to a bride coming down from heaven who is adorned, and so all these elements that make up the physical temple represent that preparing or strengthening of the body of Christ taking place in our lives if God has ordained it (Rev 21:2, Rev 19:7).

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews [Rom 2:28-29].
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

1Ki 6:10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
1Ki 6:11  And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,

Again the mention of how they “built chambers against all the house, five cubits high:” accompanied with the thought “and they rested on the house with timber of cedar” tells us that we labour to enter into the rest of Christ represented by those “chambers” and that it is “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8, Php 2:12). The “five cubits” represent that grace through faith process whereby we are being saved when we find our rest in Christ which comes to us through the storms of this life God raises and through which we labour (Heb 4:11) and are delivered from (Psa 107:25-29).

It is through much tribulation that we enter into the rest of Christ (Act 14:22), and it is when we experience this communion of suffering found in our Lord’s body that the “word of the Lord” then comes to us (1Co 10:16, Luk 24:30-32).

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight [Joh 20:29].
Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

1Ki 6:12  Concerning this house which thou art in building^{H1129 [H8802]}, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

Solomon, who is a type of the elect, is now given the house rules so to speak of this marvellous temple “Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them“, and was told if he did these things “then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.  We are being told, in type and shadow, that if Solomon/we will continue in being a doer of the word, then God will “perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.

God’s word being ‘performed with David’ symbolizes the life of Christ that is faithful and well pleasing to God. David’s life typified Christ as a man who was after God’s own heart (1Sa 13:14, Joh 8:29), and with Christ in our ‘built and finished temple as our hope of glory’ (Col 1:27), we can fulfill the spiritual function of this temple which we are, as God gives us that increase making this possible (1Co 3:6). It is that love and care the body of Christ has for each other which is a gift from God typified by David’s love of the Lord (Eph 4:16) which Solomon was admonished to show by walking “in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments” (Joh 14:15).

1Sa 13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

Joh 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Without God giving us the increase which comes from him, we can water and plant all day long, or build glorious churches in the name of the Lord, or temples as Solomon did, but the only one through whom God is going to give us increase is the one who is our mediator (1Ti 2:5) and the one through whom we are accepted (Joh 15:5, Eph 1:6).

The lesson for God’s elect today is that we must be given to keep dying daily and give God all the glory and honour in every aspect of everything we do, confidently rejoicing that our names are written in heaven (Php 1:6, Php 4:4, Rev 19:7-8, Luk 10:20) making it possible for us to go through a process of maturing in the Lord that will make us “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (1Co 10:31-32, 1Ch 29:14, 2Ti 2:21).

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Co 10:32  Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

These verses mentioned earlier in the study in Matthew 10:8-42 explain the life of witnessing that will happen in our lives when these type and shadow words which applied to Solomon apply to God’s children today who are now able to accomplish and fulfill God’s will, not by might or power, but by God’s holy spirit “then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.

God will perform his word with us, if we keep His commandments, and if we keep His commandments our Father and Christ will abide with us and make Their abode with us (Joh 14:23) as we have been promised (Joh 14:13-17, Joh 15:10-11, Joh 14:13). Our desire with Christ in us as our hope of glory will be to preach the gospel to all nations as a witness, which Christ is doing through us everyday as we die daily and are ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us as His workmanship who need not be ashamed (2Ti 2:15, Rom 1:16-17, Mat 10:32).

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith [Gal 2:20].

Mat 10:32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Christ will not deny Himself in this process of turning us into fishers of men as He witnesses to all the world through us of God’s power and might working boldly within us (2Ti 2:13). That is the promise God’s elect have been given which was typified in the promise made to Israel on behalf, or for the sake of, the elect who are the Israel of God (Gal 6:16): “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel“