This week, we shall begin the study
of 2 Chronicles of the Old Testament.
2 Chronicles 1-9
As previously mentioned, 1 & 2 Chronicles formed one unit in the Hebrew Bible. As 1 Chronicles ends with the history of David, 2 Chronicles begins with the history of Solomon in chapters 1-9. If we compare the description of Solomon’s reign in 1 Kings 1-11, we will notice that many events during the reign of Solomon have been omitted by the Chronicler, and in particular the following:
- Solomon’s succession to the throne as a result of Adonijah’s attempted usurpation of the throne (chs. 1-2);
- His marriage to the Egyptian princess (3:1);
- His wise judgment (3:16-28);
- His public administrators (4:1–34);
- The building of his palace (7:1-12);
- His idolatry and his adversaries (11:1-40).
However, the Chronicler supplements much about the building and consecration of the temple. Therefore, it appears that the Chronicler’s focus is on the process of the building and consecration of the temple which might be more relevant to his immediate audience the returnees from exile—who sought to re-establish a permanent worship in the rebuilt temple, hence the reference in 5:9, “These poles [of the ark] were so long that their ends, extending from the ark could be seen in front of the inner sanctuary…and they were still there today”.
(1) 1:1 acts a summary heading for the reign of Solomon:
a. What were the emphases the Chronicler wants us to know about the reign of Solomon?
b. Why?
(2) While 1 Kings 3:4 only mentions that Solomon offered a huge sacrifice on the altar, consider the following:
a. According to the Chronicler, what really happened? (v. 2)
b. While the Chronicler does not spell out what Solomon actually (spoke) to all Israel, how did Solomon’s action in offering the huge sacrifice at such a time (quite a few years after he took the reign from David) speak to them?
(3) Where did Solomon make his sacrifice to the Lord? Why? (vv. 3-6; see Note below)
(4) Both here and 1 Kings 3:5 makes it clear that God appeared to Solomon right at the place of the sacrifice (Gibeon).
a. What did Solomon’s action in Gibeon mean to the Lord?
b. What did the Lord offer Solomon as a result? (v. 7)
c. Was it really a gift or a test? Or both? Why?
(5) God has never asked any king of Israel such a question:
a. Do you think Solomon expected such an offer by God?
b. Was his answer something he dreamed up at the time or did it represent his heart’s desire? Why?
c. If you were asked the same question by the Lord today, what might your answer be?
(6) Solomon’s answer deserve our further reflection: (vv. 8-10)
a. How did Solomon look at his kingship? (v. 8)
b. He asked God to confirm His promise to David. What was the promise he referred to? (see a more detailed account of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam. 7:11-16)
c. Why did Solomon, of all things, ask for wisdom and knowledge only from the Lord? (v. 10)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
High places were places of sacrifice and prayer, and were built upon eminences of hills, because men thought they were nearer the Deity there. But Solomon’s high places were consecrated to the worship of YHWH, and essentially different from the high places of the Canaanites which were consecrated to Baal. Nevertheless, sacrificing upon these high places was still opposed to the law according to which the place which the Lord Himself had chosen for the revelation of His name was the only place where sacrifices were to be offered (Lev. 17:3ff). However, it was excused here on the ground that no house (temple) has yet been built to the name of the Lord. Note also that the Mosaic Tabernacle was in Gibeon at the time (1 Chr. 16:39; 21:29), but the ark, brought back by David to the City of David, was resting in the tent he built for it in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:16-17).
(1) What did the Lord say Solomon’s request represented? (v. 11a)
(2) What did the Lord say the heart’s desire of a king normally was? (v. 11b)
(3) What is your heart’s desire today?
(4) Since Solomon’s heart was in the right place, what did God grant him?
(5) How did what God granted to him echo that which is granted in Matthew 6:33?
(6) Yesterday, we considered whether God’s offer to give whatever Solomon asked for was “a gift or a test”. What about this grant in v. 11?
a. Was it a gift or a test?
b. Or both? Why?
(7) After his sacrifice at Gibeon and his encounter with the Lord, Solomon went back to Jerusalem (v. 13) and 1 Kings 3:15 adds that he “stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court”. What might his action represent?
(8) Vv. 14-17:
a. What is this section about?
b. How does it confirm the summary heading of Solomon’s reign in 1:1?
c. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Why?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The account about the preparation by Solomon in building the temple is also recorded in 1 Kings 5:1-18. There are obvious differences in both accounts, but it only highlights the fact that both accounts have different foci and emphases, and in the case of Chronicles, it will be helpful to bear in mind the immediate audience being the returnees from exile who were being encouraged to fully re-establish a permanent worship of the Lord in the rebuilt temple.
2:1-10—Solomon Sought Help from Hiram, king of Tyre (which included Sidon)
(1) 1 Kings 5:1 gives us the occasion for Solomon to make his request to Hiram: What was the occasion?
(2) What was the basis on which Solomon now made his request? (v. 3)
(3) Now, Solomon gave the purpose of building a temple for the Lord (vv. 4-6):
a. Why did Solomon say that he was about to build a temple “for the Name of the Lord my God”? Why didn’t he simply say a temple of the Lord my God?
b. What was this temple dedicated to? (v. 4)
c. How then was it any different from any temple dedicated to the gods?
d. What reason did Solomon give in wanting to build such a lavish temple? (v. 5)
e. How did Solomon clarify the uniqueness of this temple? (v. 6)
f. In this clarification, how did Solomon “evangelize” king Hiram?
(4) Solomon’s request and promise (vv. 7-10)
a. What kind of a person did he request from King Hiram? (v. 7)
b. What materials did he require from King Hiram? (vv. 8-9)
c. What did he promise in return as compensations of the deal? (v. 10)
2:11-16—King Hiram’s Written Reply
(5) In his written reply, how did he address the God of Israel in his praise? (v. 12)
(6) Do you think it was simply out of political expediency? Why or why not?
(7) Whom did King Hiram send for this important job? Was his ethnic descent a coincidence? Why or why not?
(8) He had impressive skills (vv. 13-14): See if you can list all his skills. How would you call such a person?
2:17-18—Solomon’s Drafted Foreign Workers
(9) How did David make preparation in drafting foreign workers for this task? (1 Chr. 22:2)
(10) These were likely “descendants of the Canaanites who were not exterminated” (K&D, 584):
a. How would they feel about being “forced” into such labor?
b. Would they feel like the Hebrew slaves in the time of Egypt? Why or why not?
c. What if some of them had already adopted the God of Israel as their own?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
It is helpful to read the dimensions, materials and furnishings of the temple with reference to the diagram below. Listed below are the main measurements in “feet” (1 cubit roughly = 1.5 feet).
3:1-7—The Main Structure of the Temple
(1) Where was the temple going to be located and why? (v. 1)
(2) What other significance does Mount Moriah have? (see Gen. 22:2-14)
(3) The specified measurements of the building and its parts are as follows (combining the details of 1 Ki. 6 and 2 Chr. 3):
|
|
Length |
Width |
Height |
|
Temple itself |
90’ |
30’ |
45’ |
|
The Portico |
20’ |
30’ |
45’ |
|
Side rooms-lower |
|
7.5’ |
7.5’ |
|
Side rooms-middle |
|
9’ |
7.5’ |
|
Side rooms-upper |
|
10.5’ |
7.5’ |
(4) What was the main kind of materials used to adorn the temple? (vv. 5-7) What might this indicate?
3:8-14—The Most Holy Place
|
|
Length |
Width |
Height |
|
Temple itself (v. 3) |
90’ |
30’ |
45’ |
|
The Main Hall (v. 4) |
60’ |
30’ |
45’ |
|
The Inner Sanctuary |
30’ |
30’ |
30’ |
(5) How much gold did Solomon use in constructing the Most Holy Place? (vv. 8-9)
(6) The two cherubim were 7.5’L x 15’W x 15’H: What is the significant symbol of these two cherubim? (see Gen. 3:24; Exod. 25:20; Isa. 37:16 and Heb. 9:5)
(7) What was the purpose of the curtain and what did it signify? (Exod. 26:33)
(8) When was the curtain of the Second Temple torn apart? What did it signify? (Lk. 23:45)
Vv.15-17—The bronze pillars of the porch—The measurement is 27’H x 18’ in circumference with the top capitals being 7.5’ H:
(9) See the detailed work that would go into their construction: Why should even the bronze pillars be so elaborately decorated?
(10) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The Chronicler now describes the furnishing of Solomon’s temple in a summarized fashion (refer to the diagram of the temple). You may also wish to see the parallel but more detailed account in 1 Kings 7:23-26 and 38-50.
4:1-10—The Bronze altar, the Sea and the Basins
(1) The bronze altar is 30’ x 30’ x15’ while the Sea is 15’ in diameter and 7.5' high and 45’ in circumference (vv. 1-6)
a. What was the sea (or basin) used for? (See v. 6; Exod. 30:18ff)
b. What might be the symbolic significance of having 12 bulls supporting this sea used by the priests to prepare for service? (Note that bulls were the costliest animals used in sacrifice.)
c. What were the ten basins for? (v. 6)
(2) The golden lampstands (vv. 7-8)
a. How many were there? What was their practical function?
b. What is the significance of their symbolic function? (see Rev. 1:20; 2:5; Zech. 4:1-6)
(3) The courtyards (vv. 9-10)—When you compare the furnishings of the temple of old and the church buildings of today, one of the main difference is the lack of chairs or pews in the temple:
a. What does this speak to in the Old Testament’s concept of worship?
b. How would you respond today if people make an issue out of what type of chairs or pews are appropriate to the church?
4:11-22—The Other Furnishings
(4) Do you know how many years it took for Solomon to finish building the temple? (See 1 Ki. 6:38)
(5) Now that “Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God” (4:11), can you describe how he must have felt?
(6) The Bible points out that “All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated” (4:18).
a. Do you think it really was worth the manpower, time and money in building and furnishing such a magnificent temple? (see Solomon’s own words in 2:5-6 and David’s words in 1 Chr. 22:4)
b. What might the returnees feel about their far-less glamorous “Second Temple”?
c. Upon reading the account of the Chronicler, should they be discouraged or thankful? Why?
d. What might be the message to them and to us today?
(7) What is the main message to you today, and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Since the temple was completed in the 8th month of Solomon’s 11th year of reign and he dedicated the temple in the 7th month (1 Ki. 6:38), how long did Solomon wait to dedicate the temple?
(2) What might be the reason for celebrating in the 7th month (see Num. 29)?
(3) Where was the ark moved from and where was it now re-united with the new dwelling of the Lord? (v. 5 and 3:1)
(4) The ark was separated from the Tabernacle since the time of Eli (1 Sam. 4:17) and it was not reunited with the Tabernacle even during the reigns of Saul and David. How did the people now celebrate its return to its proper dwelling place? (v. 6) How would you feel if you were one of the priests?
(5) What might be the reason for making mention of the protrusion of the poles of the ark and the assertion that “they are still there today”? (vv. 7-9) (“Today” means the time of the writing of Chronicles.)
(6) V. 10 states that “There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets”. If we take this statement at face value (and there is no reason not to), consider the following:
a. Does it matter that the urn of manna (Exod. 16:33), and Aaron’s budded staff (Num. 17:10) were missing from it? Why or why not?
b. What might be the message to the immediate audience of Chronicles—the returnees from exiles who were seeking to re-establish permanent worship at the “Second Temple”?
(7) It was a great celebration (vv. 11-14):
a. How does the Chronicler describe this massive celebration?
b. I think the songs sung were likely longer and with more words than just “He is good; His loves endures forever” which would likely be a “refrain” or theme of these praises:
- How fitting were these words for such an occasion?
- Can you echo this refrain in your heart today? Why or why not?
c. How did the Lord affirm His pleasure in dwelling in Solomon’s temple? (See also Deut. 4:11; 5:22ff; Exod. 40:34ff)
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
6:1-11—Solomon’s Declaration
(1) “Darkness” refers to the cloud which filled the temple:
a. When did God say He would dwell in a dark cloud? (See Exod. 19:9; 20:21; Deut. 4:11; 5:22ff)
b. How did Solomon interpret the magnificent appearance of the Lord in the cloud which filled the temple? (v. 1)
c. How did he respond to it? (v. 2)
(2) As God affirmed His presence and His delight, and before Solomon uttered his great prayer, he made a public acknowledgement to his people (vv. 3-10):
a. What were the two promises of God that he referred to? (vv. 5-6)
b. While God did not choose David to build the temple, what promise did God make to David in this respect? (vv. 7-9)
c. While God has kept His latter promise, what has Solomon done and what did he see as the significance of the temple he has just built for the Lord? (v. 11)
6:12-21—Prayer of Solomon—Part 1, Invocation
(3) Solomon’s adoration (vv. 14-15):
a. Who God is: How did he praise and adore God in v. 14?
b. In what way is God unlike any other gods? (vv. 14-15)
c. How did this opening adoration serve as a foundation to the rest of his supplication?
(4) Based on who God is and what He has done
a. What personal request did he make? (vv. 16-17)
b. Of all the things, why did he make this his first request?
(5) Solomon continued his adoration in v. 18
a. What was the context of this adoration?
b. What was the essence of this adoration?
(6) Based on this adoration, what did Solomon ask for in vv. 19-21 in a nutshell?
a. What is the relationship between the adoration in v. 18 and the petitions of vv. 19-21?
b. Based on his petitions in vv. 19-21, what was the primary function of the temple to Solomon? (See Isa. 56:7; Matt. 21:13)
c. Should it still be the primary function of a church (and its building) today? Why or why not?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?