Psalm 16, 17; 1 Kings 5:1-6:7; Acts 28:1-16; Mark 14:27-42
Solomon builds the temple. King Hiram had “loved David” and, on hearing David’s son Solomon had become king, sends servants to the new king. After 480 years, the time has come to build a house for the Lord according to the promise God had made to David that his son would indeed be the one to oversee this massive project. Hiram provides timber for the construction. Solomon drafts men to work on the temple rather than to serve in the army. Imagine a construction project requiring nearly 200,000 workers over multiple years and you begin to get a sense of the proportions of the temple itself. All the work of preparation of the materials was carried out off-site and the assembly required no tools on the job site. Ikea had nothing on Solomon.
Jesus is preparing for the ultimate glorification of the Father but it will come with great pain and great temptation. Peter believes he can stand in the face of all that will come even though the rest fall away yet Jesus knows that what is to come is worse than Peter can imagine. Peter is perhaps prepared for a physical battle but not the spiritual and emotional one that is ahead. Jesus will do all that must be done by Himself. The ultimate son of David is doing the work of rendering the temple built by Solomon obsolete. The temple of which the nation was so proud will have no real purpose after this work is done. It is comforting to see Jesus suffering in the garden in prayer, He knows how difficult this life can be. He knows how all will turn out yet the trial ahead will not be easy even with that knowledge. The temptation to unleash judgment against those who torment Him and mock Him must have been overwhelming and yet for love of us He submitted to both the will of the Father and to the will of men.
The Lord continues to work through Paul, even in the midst of all this adversity. Paul was a missionary wherever he went. The Lord wants us to be on mission always, no matter whether we are where we want to be or not. On this island that no one knew, Malta, Paul was a witness in all that he did. The natives see the snake attack Paul, know that he is a prisoner, and conclude that justice is being done, almost like karma. The fact that Paul is not even sick convinces them that he is a god, he is above nature, but reality is that he is God’s and the Lord is protecting him. In the new covenant, it is no longer necessary to come to a place to see God and seek God, He is everywhere in the lives of His people by the power of the Holy Spirit. We need a place to gather with others to worship but we take with us the power of God into the world as Paul did, as missionaries. The temple of God is now us and we are, once again more portable tabernacle than temple.
Blest inhabitants of Zion,
washed in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
makes them kings and priests to God.
'Tis his love his people raises
over self to reign as kings:
and as priests, his solemn praises
each for a thank-offering brings.
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