And he made in the oracle two cherubim of olive-wood, ten cubits high;
Solomon filled the innermost room of the temple with two huge carved figures, one standing on each side of the ark. Why cherubim, why olive wood, and why on this scale?
Before asking why Solomon made them, it helps to ask what a cherub is.
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, whoever it is entrusted to, and in whatever circumstances it is shown." They do not appear to be a distinct order in God's creation. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it may be, the instruments He employs would be God's cherubim for the moment.
The room already held cherubim. Small gold ones were worked into the lid of the ark, brought over from the tabernacle unchanged. Their posture made a point.
In the tabernacle they were hammered out of the same piece as the mercy seat, and they overshadowed it. They looked toward what lay hidden in the ark — the covenant of the law, placed inside it and written on tables of stone. The cherubim, two in number, were witnesses of the contents of the ark. At the same time they were attributes of the judicial power of God. These attributes made the covenant sure.
So these olive-wood giants are not replacements. They are something new, set beside the old. And they faced a different way — a point that turns on how one word is translated.
While the cherubim that belonged to the ark of the covenant remained unchanged — for it was the same ark that was in the tabernacle — Solomon put on either side of it the big figure of a cherub carved of olive wood and overlaid with gold. Each was ten cubits high… Then, instead of these cherubim looking downward toward the mercy seat like those on the ark, they looked outward. The word "inward" really means "toward the house," that is, outward. This fits the reign of righteousness that Solomon and the temple foreshadow. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed at it. But once God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn toward the world to bless it according to that righteousness.
The same throne that once looked down at the covenant now faces the world outside. That shift points to a coming age, with one limit still in place.
In the temple the cherubim have their faces toward the house, that is, outward. God's attributes no longer look only at the covenant, keeping it despite everything. They also look outward to bless. It is the time of the millennium, but the veil appears again here in the temple. Whatever the blessing of the true Solomon's reign may be, Israel and the earth have no immediate, direct access to Him who is hidden in the heavens.
The wood itself carries meaning — olive is the tree that gives oil.
Also, in the inner sanctuary were two cherubim carved from olive wood. The olive is symbolic of Christ, from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father. These were also covered with gold. The cherubim symbolise the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. It involves both justice and grace, and both matter equally.
Their wings make the two figures into one span that crosses the whole room.
The wings of these cherubim spread out twenty cubits, filling the full width of the inner sanctuary, "and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house." They are shown here not as looking into the ark, with the judicial action proper to them held in suspense. Instead, from their place in the inner sanctuary, they look out on the priests in their service before the veil, then on the worshippers in the outer court, and at last look on with perfect satisfaction at a world purified by judgment and brought into complete subjection to the God and Father.
- Throne. A cherub is not a portrait of some creature. It stands for God's judicial power — the arm that carries out His government, whoever He employs.
- Olive. The wood is the oil tree, pointing to Christ, from whom the Spirit is sent. This government is not bare power. It holds justice and grace in balance.
- Height. Ten cubits high, far larger than the small gold figures on the ark below. It is the same throne, now on the scale of a reigning kingdom.
- Gaze. The ark's cherubim looked down at the covenant. Solomon's look outward. Once righteousness reigns, God can turn toward the world to bless it.
- Reach. Their wings fill the room wall to wall. That span takes in the priests, then the worshippers outside, then a world brought into full subjection to God.
and one wing of the cherub was five cubits, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub, ten cubits from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing;
Solomon's inner sanctuary held two huge winged figures. Verse 24 measures one of them wing by wing, and those numbers carry meaning.
These were not the gold figures on the ark, the chest that held the covenant. Solomon set up something new beside the old.
One of the most striking features of Solomon's Temple was the great cherubim set up in the Oracle, or Holy of Holies. They were in addition to the gold figures on the ark. The ark was exactly the same in the Temple as in the Tabernacle, apart from its contents. The large cherubim were each ten cubits high (about fifteen feet), and each had two wings… The breadth of the wings was the same as the height of the cherubim themselves. They touched the walls of the Oracle on either side, and they touched each other in the middle.
These figures picture how God carries out judgment and rule.
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive — whoever He entrusts it to, and whatever the circumstances where He shows it." They do not appear to be a separate order in God's creation. They are symbolic figures. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it may be, the instruments employed would be God's cherubim for the moment.
Another writer looks at the wood they were carved from, and at the fact that there were two.
Also, in the inner sanctuary were two cherubim carved from olive wood. The olive is symbolic of Christ, from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father (John 15:26). These were also covered with gold (v. 28)… The cherubim symbolize the government of God. There were two of them. This reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government, which involves both justice and grace. Both matter just as much.
Five plus five gives ten for one cherub. The two together give twenty — the width of the most holy place. One writer draws deep peace from that exact fit.
The greatest care is taken to show that the span of the cherubim's wings was the exact breadth of the holiest. "The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits; the cherubim stood on their feet, facing the nave [the main hall]." Not one cubit short of the breadth of the holiest. Can anything give more solid peace than this? The consuming judgment of God on sin was according to God's own measure of sin. Not our thought of sin, not our measure, but according to the divine presence.
The cherubim on the ark gazed at the covenant. These new ones looked out instead. The change of gaze marks a change in what God is doing.
The cherubim had a new position. The ones belonging to the ark remained the same. The wing of one of these new cherubim touched the wall of the house on one side, and the wing of the other cherub touched the wall on the other side. Their wings extended from one side of the house to the other. They looked not towards the ark, but outwards. Now righteousness reigns and stands established. So these symbols of God's power can look outwards in blessing, instead of keeping their eyes fixed on the covenant alone. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed upon it. But when God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn towards the world and bless it according to that righteousness.
Commentators differ on how far the symbol reaches. The writers above see figures of God's own government. One writer sees the redeemed in service:
The two large cherubim in the Holiest of the Temple of Solomon represent, I believe, the ministry of all the redeemed in heaven. They were made of olive wood, wood that gives oil. That pictures the spiritual body serving in the power of the Spirit of God… The wings reach from wall to wall, meeting in the centre, over the mercy seat of the Lord.
- Measure. Ten cubits of wing on each cherub, twenty across the pair — the exact width of the most holy place, with nothing left over.
- Meaning. The cherub stands for God's judicial power, whoever He entrusts it to.
- Material. Olive wood overlaid with gold; two figures, not one, holding justice and grace in balance.
- Direction. These wings no longer hover over the covenant alone; the faces turn outward, toward the world.
- Result. Judgment measured by God's own standard is what frees His power to face outward in blessing.
and the other cherub was ten cubits both the cherubim were of one measure and one form.
This verse closes the description of two huge cherubim in the innermost room of Solomon's temple: the second matched the first in size and shape. Commentators ask why there were two, why they were identical, and why the exact measure matters.
These were a new, much larger pair. They stood alongside the small gold figures already on the ark of the covenant.
One of the most unique features of Solomon's temple was the great cherubim set up in the inner sanctuary, or Holy of Holies. They were in addition to the gold figures which were on the ark. The large cherubim were each ten cubits high (about fifteen feet), and each had two wings... So the breadth of the wings was the same as the height of the cherubim themselves.
What did such a figure stand for?
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, whoever God entrusts it to, and however He displays it." They do not appear to be a distinct order in God's creation. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it may be, the instruments He employs would be God's cherubim for the moment.
Why two, and why the same size? One writer sees balance in the pair.
Also, in the inner sanctuary were two cherubim carved from olive wood. The olive is symbolic of Christ from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father (John 15:26). These were also covered with gold... The cherubim symbolize the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. It involves both justice and grace, and both matter just as much.
The wings spanned the holiest wall to wall. One writer draws the believer's peace straight out of that exact fit.
In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work and overlaid them with gold. The greatest care is taken to show that the span of the cherubim's wings was the exact breadth of the holiest... Not one cubit short of the breadth of the holiest. Can anything give more solid peace than this: that the consuming judgement of God on sin was according to God's own measure of sin? Not our thought of sin, not our measure, but according to the divine presence — the twenty cubits of the holiest. He who was with God, and was God, He is the way; and He bore the divine judgement, according to what God is.
The older pair on the ark gazed down at the covenant inside it. The new pair stood upright and faced away, and commentators treat that change of direction as the heart of the picture.
The cherubim are emblems, as we have seen, of judicial power. These new ones had a new position (those belonging to the ark remained the same). The wing of one new cherub touched the wall of the house on one side, and the wing of the other touched the wall on the other side. They looked not towards the ark, but outwards. Now that righteousness reigns and is established, these symbols of God's power can look outwards in blessing. Their eyes are no longer fixed on the covenant alone. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed upon it. But now that God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn towards the world to bless it according to that righteousness.
Commentators differ on what the pair stands for. One writer reads them as a picture of those God has redeemed.
I believe the two large cherubim in the holiest of Solomon's temple represent the ministry of all the redeemed in its heavenly exercise. They were made of olive wood, an oily wood. This is a type of the spiritual body, serving in the power of the Spirit of God. They were carved figures, shaped to the image of the risen Christ. They were overlaid with gold, as sharing in a glory which is divine... The wings reach from wall to wall, meeting in the centre, over the mercy seat of the Lord. The ministry of the redeemed in glory will be wide, with the mystery of redeeming love in Christ Jesus at its centre, filling all Heaven and continuing through all eternity.
- Measure named. The cherubim stand for God's judicial power — power He carries out sometimes through angels, sometimes through men.
- Measure matched. Two figures of the same height and form picture the even balance of God's government — justice and grace of equal weight.
- Measure of sin. The span of the wings reached the full width of the holiest, not a cubit short: God judged sin by His own measure, not by ours.
- Measure turned outward. The cherubim on the ark gazed at the covenant; this pair looks out, because God has established His throne in righteousness and can now turn to the world in blessing.
- Measure clothed in gold. Olive wood overlaid with gold pictures the Spirit's power joined to divine glory — though commentators differ over whether the pair stands for God's rule or for the redeemed serving in that glory.
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so of the other cherub.
Two carved figures stand in the innermost room of Solomon's temple, and each one measures the same height. Why record that measurement twice? And why place these towering figures where God's presence rested?
The temple kept the old ark from the tabernacle, with its small golden cherubim. Something new stood on either side of it:
One of the most unique features of Solomon's Temple was the great cherubim in the Oracle, or Holy of Holies. They were in addition to the gold figures which were upon the ark. The ark was exactly the same in the Temple as in the Tabernacle, except for its contents. The large cherubim were each ten cubits high (about fifteen feet); and each had two wings... So the wings spanned as wide as the cherubim were tall. They touched the walls of the Oracle on either side, and they touched each other in the middle. They were made of olive wood, and were covered with gold.
The choice of wood carries meaning too:
The olive is a symbol of Christ, who sends the Spirit of God (the oil) from the Father (John 15:26). These were also covered with gold.
Commentators read the cherubim as symbols of God acting in judgment and government:
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, to whoever it is entrusted, and in whatever circumstances it is displayed." They do not appear to be a separate order of beings God created. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it is, the instruments He uses would be God's cherubim for the moment.
In the earlier tent, those figures faced inward:
They looked toward what was hidden in the ark — the covenant of the law placed inside it, written on tables of stone. The cherubim, two in number, were witnesses of the contents of the ark (Matthew 18:16). At the same time they were attributes of the judicial power of God. These attributes made the covenant sure. God kept it faithfully on His side, through everything that marked Him in government. As long as the king stayed faithful on his side, God remained seated on His throne between the cherubim, keeping His part of the covenant made with His people.
Both figures rose to the same height. One writer reads that sameness as a picture of how God rules:
The cherubim symbolize the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. That government involves both justice and grace, and both are equally important.
One commentator draws meaning from the number ten itself, writing about the ten-cubit boards of the earlier tent:
The boards were ten cubits high. Five is the number of human responsibility. Ten is twice five, which deepens the thought of responsibility toward God and responsibility toward man. Nowadays men do not like this thought, but there it is, despite what men may think. "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).
The altar of sacrifice rose to that same height:
It was twenty cubits square and ten cubits high (2 Chronicles 4). Its length and breadth matched the Holiest of all — the atonement is as wide as the holiness of God. Its height matched the cherubim, which stood ten cubits high, and whose wings met over the mercy seat.
These large figures faced away from the ark. One writer explains why that matters:
As we have seen, the cherubim are emblems of judicial power, and now they had a new position (those belonging to the ark stayed the same)... They did not look towards the ark, but outwards. Now that righteousness reigns and is established, these symbols of God's power can look outward in blessing, instead of keeping their eyes fixed on the covenant alone. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed on it. But now that God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn towards the world to bless it according to that righteousness.
Commentators differ on what the figures picture. Most read them as symbols of God's own governing power. One sees the redeemed in them instead — a "type of the spiritual body, serving in the power of the Spirit of God" — pictured in their heavenly service (Various).
- Added. The temple kept the old ark and its small cherubim unchanged, and added two gold-covered olive-wood figures beside it, each ten cubits high.
- Judicial. A cherub stands for God's judicial power in action — not a species of creature, but a symbol of how He governs.
- Matched. Both figures rose to the same height — a picture of God's government, perfectly balanced between justice and grace.
- Measured. Ten is the number of human responsibility — and the altar of sacrifice rose to that same ten-cubit height.
- Outward. These cherubim faced away from the ark: with righteousness established, God's power can turn toward the world in blessing.
And he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched, wing to wing, in the midst of the house.
Solomon set two huge gold-covered figures in the innermost room of the temple. Their wings reached from wall to wall and met in the middle. Why did God want this room filled, edge to edge, with these figures?
These were not the small pair on the ark's lid. They were a new addition, far larger than anything in the tabernacle.
One of the most unique features of Solomon's Temple was the great cherubim set up in the Oracle, or Holy of Holies. They were in addition to the gold figures which were upon the ark. The ark was exactly the same in the Temple as in the Tabernacle, except for what was inside it. The large cherubim were each ten cubits high (about fifteen feet); and each had two wings... So the width of the wings matched the height of the cherubim. They were made of olive wood and covered with gold.
("Oracle" is the old name for the inner room, the Most Holy Place.)
Commentators read these figures as a picture of how God rules and judges.
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, whoever it is entrusted to, and in whatever circumstances it is displayed." They do not appear to be a separate order of creatures that God made. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Either way, the instruments He uses would be God's cherubim for the moment.
Two details carry meaning: the number of the figures, and the wood they were carved from.
The two cherubim in the inner sanctuary were carved from olive wood. The olive is a symbol of Christ, from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father (John 15:26)... The cherubim symbolize the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. It involves both justice and grace, which are equally important.
Each pair of wings spanned ten cubits. Two cherubim side by side filled the room's twenty-cubit width exactly. One writer draws real comfort from that.
The greatest care is taken to show that the span of the cherubim's wings was the exact breadth of the holiest place — not one cubit short. Can anything give more solid peace than this: that the consuming judgment of God on sin was according to God's own measure of sin? Not our thought of sin, not our measure, but the measure of God's own presence. Twenty cubits the length of the porch; twenty cubits the breadth of the holiest place; twenty cubits the span of the cherubim's wings. He who was with God, and was God, He is the way; and He bore the divine judgment, according to what God is.
In the tabernacle the cherubim on the ark looked inward, toward the covenant. Solomon's face the other way.
The cherubim are emblems, as we have seen, of judicial power. These ones had a new position, while those on the ark stayed as they were. The wing of one new cherub touched the wall of the house on one side, and the wing of the other cherub touched the wall on the other side. Their wings extended from one side of the house to the other. They did not look towards the ark; they looked outwards. At this time righteousness reigns and is established. So these symbols of God's power can look outwards in blessing, instead of keeping their eyes fixed on the covenant alone.
Kelly ties the outward look to what Solomon's reign pictures.
Solomon's day is a picture of the time of glory, when the true Man and Prince of Peace will rule. And why should they not look out then? Sin will have been judged... When mercy has had its full way, and judgment has been carried out, nothing will stop the cherubim from proclaiming the goodness of Jehovah.
The wings reach the walls, but a curtain still hangs between this room and everyone outside it. Blessing flows out; access does not yet flow in.
The attributes of God do not now look only at the covenant, to keep it despite everything. They also look outwards to bless... but the veil is here found again in the temple. Whatever the blessing of the true Solomon's reign may be, Israel and the earth do not have immediate and direct access to Him who is hidden in the heavens. That is our portion: to enter with boldness now through the veil, and to find no veil in heaven.
- Place — the two great cherubim stood in the innermost room, beside the unchanged ark and its own smaller pair.
- Power — a cherub pictures God's judicial authority in action. Two of them show His government in perfect balance: justice and grace.
- Measure — the wings filled the twenty-cubit room exactly. Judgment fell by God's measure of sin, not ours.
- Direction — the ark's cherubim stayed fixed on the covenant. These face outward, because where righteousness reigns God can turn to the world to bless it.
- Limit — the veil still hung. Blessing reached out, but direct access to God waited for what this temple only pictured.
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
This short line finishes the work on two huge carved figures in the innermost room of Solomon's temple, where the ark of the covenant rested. It raises two questions: why were they there, and why did gold have to cover every inch of them?
The cherubim of verse 28 are not the small gold figures that already stood on the ark. They were a new and far larger pair, made for the most holy place — called the oracle.
The great cherubim that stood in the Oracle, or Holy of Holies, were one of the most unusual features of Solomon's Temple. They were in addition to the gold figures on the ark... The large cherubim were each ten cubits high (about fifteen feet), and each had two wings... So the wings spread as wide as the cherubim were tall. They touched the walls of the Oracle on either side, and they touched each other in the middle. They were made of olive wood, and were covered with gold.
The ark's figures were gold. This new pair was wood beneath gold, and both the wood and the number carry meaning.
Also, in the inner sanctuary were two cherubim carved from olive wood. The olive is symbolic of Christ from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father (Jn. 15:26). These were also covered with gold (v. 28)... The cherubim symbolize the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. That government involves both justice and grace, and both matter equally.
The gold here is part of a pattern that runs through the whole building. It also sets a condition for anyone who comes near.
Finally, those who entered the temple to dwell with God saw nothing but divine righteousness all around them. Down to the very floor beneath their feet, all was covered. Man cannot dwell with God except according to divine righteousness. What is more, all the furnishings of the temple were either made of gold or overlaid with gold. The altar of incense, the cherubim, and the doors of the most holy place are examples.
The same gold covering pictures how a believer stands before God.
Everything, whether stones or trees, was overlaid with pure gold. "Pure gold" can picture only Jesus, the righteous one, the righteousness of God... Every tree and stone was overlaid with pure gold and hidden from sight — not a notch of the fir wood could be seen. There were also cherubim carved on the walls. We believe God, "who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." So righteousness is credited to us. As the pure gold covered the trees and stones, so Jesus has been raised from the dead to be our righteousness that always continues... As God looked in the temple He saw only the pure gold.
That leaves one more question: what is a cherub?
The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, whoever it is entrusted to, and in whatever circumstances it is shown." They do not appear to be a separate order in God's creation. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it may be, the instruments employed would be God's cherubim for the moment.
The small cherubim on the ark gazed at the covenant. This new pair faced the other way, and that change of direction marks a change of time.
As we have seen, the cherubim are emblems of judicial power, and these had a new position (the ones on the ark stayed the same)... They did not look towards the ark, but outwards. Now that righteousness reigns and is established, these symbols of God's power can look outwards in blessing. Their eyes are no longer fixed on the covenant alone. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed on it. But when God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn towards the world to bless it according to that righteousness.
- Covered. The gold hides the olive wood, so whoever entered saw nothing but divine righteousness — floor, walls, figures and all.
- Counted. Two cherubim, not one, picture God's government held in perfect balance: justice and grace of equal weight.
- Credited. What the gold did for the wood, the risen Christ does for the believer. God credits righteousness and sees only the gold.
- Turned. These figures look out, not down at the covenant. Once God's throne stands in righteousness, His power faces the world in blessing.
- Reaching. The wings stretch from wall to wall. The righteousness that lets man dwell with God is the same righteousness that reaches out to bless.
And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved sculptures of cherubim, and palm-trees, and half-open flowers, within and without.
Every wall of Solomon's temple was carved with the same three figures, then covered in gold. Why these three — winged cherubim, palm trees and half-open flowers — and why on the walls of both the inner and the outer room?
The carving ran right around the house, and gold went over it.
Carving was used a great deal in the Temple. "Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms." They were then covered with gold. 1 Kings 6:18, 29-35. In prophecy the Psalmist mourns over the enemy breaking that carved work down with axes and hammers. Ps. 74:6. For the "carved images" of idol worship (Judges 18:18; 2 Chr. 33:7, 22; 2 Chr. 34:3-4), Scripture uses a different word, translated elsewhere as "graven image."
The cherubim stand for God's government. One writer notes which creatures are missing from this carving, and draws a conclusion from that.
We have already seen that the cherubim are attributes of the righteous government of God… In these chapters before us the cherub has a unique place. It is neither an ox nor a lion. It is an intelligent being… The eagle is not mentioned in the decoration of the temple, or of the vessels of the court. The eagle stands for how fast God's judgment falls, and that does not fit a settled, peaceful government… The cherubim therefore are the aspect of intelligence in the government of God here. This intelligence ornaments the house of God. Those who draw near may see it in all the details of the divine building.
The carving stood on the walls inside and out. The same writer finds two parts to God's thoughts here — one open to view, one out of sight.
God's ways in His government are the outer part, the part that can be read on the wall, and they bear witness to this intelligence, to this endlessly varied wisdom. But beyond this there is a whole other part of God's thoughts, unknown under the law, hidden and covered over inside the temple where no human eye could see them. These are the counsels of God… God has revealed them to us by His Spirit (1 Cor. 2:9-10).
The palm has a settled meaning across the Bible. Its heavy use in this building points to one period of time.
It is the symbol of beauty (Song of Solomon 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of kingly glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35; 1 Kings 7:36; 2 Chron. 3:5). These are the marks of the Millennial age… The palm tree grows steadily through every season, and so pictures constancy and perseverance.
The tabernacle had no palm trees at all. One writer reads that absence as a sign of what was still to come.
There was no representation of the palm tree in the tabernacle and it appears that it is an anticipation of the time of the Millennium.
Commentators differ on the half-open flowers. One reads them as spring just breaking, then turns the picture toward the people who will live in that kingdom.
The half-open flowers are the emblem of a new season, of the beginning of spring (Song of Solomon 2:12). Psalm 92:13-14 says, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree … Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." So these emblems are not only emblems of the kingdom, but also of those who belong there. There will be perfect harmony between the glories of the kingdom and those who will have part in it.
Another writer reads the open flower as full maturity, not a beginning. He also draws one lesson from the three carvings together.
But in this way God was insisting on His government of grace and truth, which people forget too easily. The palm trees speak of Christ who bears fruit with unfailing consistency. The open flowers picture the mature beauty (not buds) of the Lord Jesus. So we see the four principles that mattered most if God was to dwell there — grace, truth, fruitfulness and beauty.
- Covered. The figures ran around every wall, inner room and outer, and gold went over all of it — nothing in God's house stayed plain.
- Government. The cherubim stand for God's righteous rule. The lion, ox and eagle are absent here, so the wall shows the calm, intelligent side of that rule.
- Triumph. The palm speaks of righteousness, victory and royal glory. It never appeared in the tabernacle, which marks the temple as a picture of a coming reign.
- Bloom. The open flowers show freshness and beauty. Commentators read them either as spring just starting or as full maturity.
- Hidden. What the wall showed was God's government, open to any eye. His deeper counsels stayed out of sight inside, and He has revealed them by His Spirit.
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
Solomon built the temple of costly stone and lined it with carved cedar, yet gold hid every surface — down to the boards the priests walked on. Why cover good work at all, and why does the verse name the floor of both rooms?
One writer reads the gold as a statement about the throne inside the house. He also marks what the gold does not say:
What characterised the house in general is that nothing except gold was to be seen in it. Everything shone with the glory of divine righteousness that marked the throne of God set there. But it is not transparent as glass. What marks the throne on earth is not beauty and holiness, but righteousness and judgment.
The floor itself was not gold. It was cypress planking. Behind the gold on the walls lay cedar over stone. Each material carries its own sense:
The oracle as well as the holy place ("the temple before it") was covered with cedar wood. In Scripture cedar represents majesty and height, durability and firmness. Every part of the walls inside was covered. Nowhere did the stone show. But gold covered the cedar wood itself, and even the cypress planks of the floor. In Scripture gold always represents divine righteousness and glory.
("The oracle" is the older wording for the innermost room, which the ESV calls the inner sanctuary.)
The gold reached the floor of both rooms. So a priest inside had righteousness above him, around him, and under his feet. The same writer says why that mattered for anyone who came in:
Those who entered the temple to dwell with God saw nothing but divine righteousness round about them. Down to the very floor beneath their feet, all was covered. Man cannot dwell with God except according to divine righteousness.
Before the temple there was a tent, and its priests stood on desert sand. The change of surface marks a change of era. The ark's travels were ending:
The sand of the desert was to be exchanged for the golden floor of the temple (1 Kings 6:30). The wanderings of the ark were to have an end; there was neither adversary nor misfortune, and so the carrying poles were drawn out.
The same writer turns that contrast into a question about where the believer stands today. His answer keeps the order plain. The gold lies ahead, and the believer learns God most deeply in the wilderness:
So it is with the Christian now. He does not yet have his feet on the "pure gold" of the heavenly city. But his deepest and most lasting knowledge of God is what he gains in his sorrow, toil and conflict in the wilderness.
One word keeps returning through this chapter, and it points forward to something greater:
In the house gold was the prominent feature. The word "gold" occurs eleven times in this chapter. All was overlaid with gold... Everything was of pure gold; the sanctuary might have been called the golden house. The floor was overlaid with gold, the walls, the doors and ceiling were covered with pure gold... Gold is the emblem of divine righteousness and divine glory. So the whole sanctuary bore witness to the glory of righteousness, and this fits what the house pictured in prophecy. How much greater will the glory and the display of divine righteousness be when the true King builds the house and shows His glory!
- Covered. Stone, cedar and cypress were all real and costly, yet none of them showed. Gold hid them all.
- Righteousness. Gold stands for divine righteousness and glory. A house covered in it declared the character of the throne inside.
- Downward. The covering did not stop at eye level. It reached the floor of both rooms. No one dwells with God on any other ground than divine righteousness.
- Rest. A golden floor replaced the desert sand the tent priests had stood on. The ark's wanderings were over.
- Ahead. The believer's feet are not yet on that gold. The full display waits for the true King to build His house.
And for the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive-wood the lintel [and] side posts were the fifth part [of the breadth of the house].
This verse describes the doorway into the innermost room of Solomon's temple. Why olive wood? And why doors at all, where the tabernacle — the tent Israel carried in the wilderness — had only a curtain?
Older translations call the inner room "the oracle."
An "oracle" is a speaking-place. Both Kings and Chronicles use the word for the innermost room of the temple. Because failure came so soon after the temple was built, God may have spoken from His holy oracle in Jerusalem rarely, if at all. Yet that was God's intention for it. It came true in full only when the Lord Jesus appeared. He could speak of the temple of His body, and in Him we find not only the speaking place but the Spokesman. All that God has to say to us is in and through Him.
Older translations read "a fifth part" where the ESV has "five-sided." One writer takes that as a measurement.
The lintel and side-posts "were a fifth part," that is, a fifth of the width of the house. The Most Holy Place was twenty cubits wide, so a fifth part is four cubits.
One writer ties the change to the difference between a tent and a settled house.
Doors of olive wood were made for the entrance to the inner sanctuary (v.31). There were two of them, and they also had carvings of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers (v.32). The tabernacle had no doors, only a veil. It was a temporary dwelling for God while Israel travelled through the wilderness. The temple clearly had doors as well as the veil.
Commentators differ here. Grant sees doors as well as a veil. Another writer points out that 1 Kings never mentions the veil in this room.
As noted before, the veil is not mentioned here. A double door of olive wood (v. 31) overlaid with gold takes its place. It is a free, wide access that lets the eye reach into the most holy place. Even so, golden chains hung across the front of the oracle (v. 21), which fits the order of things under the law.
The kind of wood carries meaning too.
In connection with the temple we find great stress laid upon the olive wood, the tree from which olive oil is obtained. Quotations from the New Testament will show us how the anointing oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. Peter, preaching in the house of Cornelius, said that Jesus had been anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. John, writing to believers in his letters, tells them they have an anointing. I believe those scriptures show us that anointing involves the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.
One writer compares this entrance with the outer one, and then comes to the doorframe.
The record seems to speak of two sets of doors: in verses 31-32 folding doors into the Oracle, which separated the holy place from the holiest of all, and in verses 32-35 folding doors into the Temple itself. The entrance into the Oracle was slightly the narrower of the two. The Oracle doors were made from the olive tree and the Temple doors from the fir tree. The lintel and side posts of both sets of doors were made of olive-wood. This points to the power of the Spirit. Only by His power can we make use of Christ to come into God's presence.
One writer reads the doors themselves as a picture of Christ.
Like the veil they replace, the doors represent Christ, who by giving Himself has opened up access for us to God. In the sanctuary we see the wisdom of God alone. Christ crucified is the wisdom of God. By His cross we enter the sanctuary in full peace and full joy, and there, with understanding, we can praise the Lamb who was slain.
- Speaking-place. The room behind these doors was the "oracle," God's speaking place. That purpose was reached in full only in Christ, who is both the place and the Spokesman.
- Doors, not only a curtain. The tent in the wilderness had a veil, because it was temporary. The settled house has doors of olive wood overlaid with gold: a free, wide access.
- Olive wood. The wood comes from the tree that gives the anointing oil. That oil speaks of the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.
- Frame and power. The lintel and doorposts of olive wood point to the Spirit's power. Without it no one makes use of Christ to enter God's presence.
- The door is a Person. The doors stand where the veil stood. They picture Christ, who by giving Himself opened the way in. We enter by His cross, and inside we praise the Lamb who was slain.
The two doors were of olive-wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, and palm-trees and half-open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm-trees.
Two olive-wood doors stood at the entrance to the inner room of Solomon's temple, carved and then covered in gold. Why doors here, when the tabernacle had only a curtain — and why these carvings?
The tabernacle was the portable tent Israel carried through the wilderness. The temple replaced it for good. One writer draws the contrast:
The tabernacle had no doors, only a veil. That is because the tabernacle was God's temporary dwelling while Israel travelled through the wilderness. But the temple clearly had doors as well as the veil.
Another writer notes that 1 Kings never mentions a curtain here. He sees the doors as a wide opening instead:
The veil is not mentioned here. A double door of olive wood overlaid with gold takes its place. This is a free, wide opening. It lets the eye look right into the most holy place. Even so, in keeping with the order of things under the law, golden chains hung across the front of the inner room.
A door is what you pass through. One writer reads these doors as the way in, and links that way to the cross:
The doors of the inner room had cherubim on them, with palm trees and flowers. This was the only spot within the holy place where the cherubim could be seen. Like the veil they replace, the doors stand for Christ. By giving Himself He has opened the way for us to God. Inside the sanctuary only the wisdom of God is in view, and Christ crucified is the wisdom of God. By His cross we enter the sanctuary in full peace and full joy, and there we can praise the Lamb who was slain with understanding.
The cherubim are the first figures carved on the doors. One writer explains what each of these figures means, and points out which one is missing here:
The cherubim are attributes of the righteous government of God. The living creatures of Revelation are cherubim. The lion stands for strength. The ox stands for firmness and patience. The man stands for intelligence. The eagle stands for the swiftness of God's judgments and government. The eagle is not named in the decoration of the temple, or of the vessels of the court. The eagle means swift judgment, and that does not fit a settled, peaceful government. So the cherubim here are the intelligent side of God's government. This intelligence decorates the house of God. Those who come near may see it in every detail of the divine building.
Commentators differ on the emphasis. Another writer reads the cherubim as rule and judgement, and gives each carving its own meaning:
The doors were carved with cherubim, because this blessed One will rule and carry out judgement for God. They were carved with palm trees, because victory is with Him. They were carved with "half-open flowers," which suggest that with Him there are always greater and more delightful things still to come.
The palm carries several meanings in Scripture. One writer links its wide use in this temple to the reign it pictures:
The palm is the symbol of beauty, of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness. It is the symbol of salvation and victory, and of royal glory. Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures. The palm tree grows steadily through every season, so it also stands for constancy and perseverance.
The ESV calls these "open flowers"; other translations read "half-open flowers", a bloom just starting to open. One writer applies that detail to the kingdom and to its people:
The half-open flowers are the emblem of a new season, of the beginning of spring. In Psalm 92 we see that "The righteous flourish like the palm tree… They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God." So these emblems picture not only the kingdom, but also those who belong there. There will be perfect harmony between the glories of the kingdom and those who will have part in it.
The verse mentions gold twice — laid over the doors, then spread over the figures themselves. One writer explains what a visitor saw, and why:
Those who entered the temple to dwell with God saw nothing around them but divine righteousness. Everything was covered, down to the floor under their feet. Man cannot dwell with God except according to divine righteousness.
- Doors, not curtain — the wilderness tent had only a veil. The permanent house had doors, and they opened wide enough to see in.
- Doors mean Christ — they stand where the veil stood, and the One who gave Himself is the way through them.
- Carved with government — the cherubim put God's wise, settled rule on the entrance itself. The carvings leave out the emblem of swift judgment.
- Carved with peace and spring — palm trees for victory and steady fruitfulness. Open flowers for a season just beginning, matching both the kingdom and its people.
- Covered in gold — every figure overlaid. No one dwells with God except on the ground of divine righteousness.
And he also made for the doorway of the temple posts of olive-wood, of the fourth part [of the breadth of the house].
One line of building detail: olive wood framed the entrance to the main hall of Solomon's temple. Commentators read it beside the inner doorway described just before, and ask two things — why olive wood, and why the house of God had doors at all.
One writer compares the two sets of doors: their wood, their width, and their carving. The Oracle he names is the inner room, the holiest of all.
The record seems to speak of two sets of doors. Verses 31-32 give folding doors into the Oracle, separating the holy place from the holiest of all. Verses 33-35 give folding doors into the Temple itself. The entrance into the Oracle is the slightly narrower of the two sets. The Oracle doors were made from the olive tree and the Temple doors from the fir tree. Some translators put cypress in the margin, and J. N. Darby has cypress in his text, rather than fir... He carved cherubim on the doors, for this blessed One will rule and carry out judgement for God. He carved palm-trees, for victory is with Him. He carved "half-open flowers" (J.N.D.), which suggests that greater and more delightful things are always still to come with Him. Gold covered all of this, and gold pictures the righteousness and glory of God.
Another writer separates the posts from the door leaves.
There were also doors by which to enter into the outer sanctuary. The posts for these were made of olive wood (v.33), but the doors themselves of cypress (v.34).
The ESV reads "in the form of a square." Older translations read "a fourth part." One study takes that as a share of the building's width and measures it against Ezekiel's temple.
The fourth part of the width of the house is five cubits. The posts of the door are of oil tree, two cubits, and the door six cubits (Ezek. 41:3).
One writer explains the choice of this wood from what the New Testament says about anointing.
In connection with the temple we find great emphasis on the olive wood, the tree that yields olive oil. Quotations from the New Testament will show us how the anointing oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. When Peter was preaching in Cornelius' house he said that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. John, writing to the saints in his letters, says "you have an anointing." I believe those Scriptures show us that anointing involves the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.
Both doorways had the same wood in the frame, and one writer draws a conclusion for the worshipper.
Olive wood formed the lintel and side posts of both sets of doors. The power of the Spirit is in mind in this. Only by His power can we make use of Christ for access into God's presence.
The tabernacle was the tent Israel carried through the wilderness. It had no doors at all, and one writer ties that to how long each building was meant to stand.
In the tabernacle there were no doors, only a veil. The tabernacle was God's dwelling for a time only, while Israel were travelling through the wilderness. In the temple there were clearly doors as well as the veil.
One writer sees in the shape of these doors both the death of Christ and the believer's welcome into God's presence.
The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves, reminding us of the torn veil — Christ crucified. They appear to be typical of Christ Jesus, by whom we draw near to God; and through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness of access, not only into the Holy Place, but also into the Holiest of all (Heb. 10:19-22). The olive-wood one is a type of Christ risen in His spiritual body; the other, of fir or cypress, pictures Him in His resurrection strength. The carvings and the gold set out His various perfections and divine glory.
Commentators differ here. Some read the olive wood as the Spirit's power; this writer reads it as the risen Christ.
- Doorway. Verse 33 gives the outer entrance, the way into the main hall. Olive-wood posts framed it, and cypress doors closed it.
- Permanence. The tabernacle had only a veil, because it was God's dwelling for the journey; the temple had doors as well.
- Oil. Olive is the oil-bearing tree, and oil in Scripture is tied to anointing — the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.
- Access. Only by the Spirit's power do we make use of Christ and come into God's presence.
- Opened. The doors split down the centre recall the torn veil. Through Christ we enter with boldness, right into the Holiest of all.
And the two folding-doors were of cypress-wood the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
Solomon's temple is finished, and the record reaches the entrance — the doorway a priest walked through to enter the holy place. Why does Scripture name the wood of a door, and note that each one folded open in two halves?
The temple had more than one doorway, and they were not made of the same wood. One writer sorts them out, then follows the cypress through Scripture:
The recorder appears to speak of two sets of doors: in verses 31-32, folding doors into the inner sanctuary, separating the holy place from the holiest of all; and in verses 32-35, folding doors into the Temple itself. The entrance into the inner sanctuary was slightly the narrower of the two sets. The inner sanctuary doors were made from the olive tree and the Temple doors from the fir tree. The Revised Version translators in their margin, and J. N. Darby in his text, think cypress is meant rather than fir. The following Scriptures connect this tree with desirability and beauty — Isaiah 55:13; Isaiah 60:13; Hosea 14:8. A suitable picture of Christ, certainly! The doors were carved with cherubim, for this blessed One will rule and carry out judgement for God. They were carved with palm-trees, for victory is with Him. And they were carved with "half-open flowers" (J.N.D.), suggesting that there are with Him always greater and more delightful things to come.
Why two halves and not one solid door? One writer connects the split to the veil that was torn when Christ died:
The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves, reminding us of the torn veil — Christ crucified. They appear to be a picture of Christ Jesus, by whom we draw near to God. Through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness of access — not only into the Holy Place, but also into the Holiest of all (Hebrews 10:19-22). The one of OIL tree is a picture of Christ risen in His SPIRITUAL body; the other of fir or CYPRESS, a picture of Him in His resurrection STRENGTH.
Israel's earlier place of worship was a tent, the tabernacle, carried from camp to camp. Compare its entrance with the temple's:
In the tabernacle there were no doors, but only a veil. The tabernacle was temporary as God's dwelling while Israel were journeying in the wilderness. But in the temple there were clearly doors as well as the veil.
The doors did not stay bare wood. Gold runs through the whole chapter:
And in the house gold was the prominent feature. The word "gold" occurs eleven times in this chapter. All was overlaid with gold… The floor, the walls, the doors and the ceiling were covered with pure gold… Gold is the emblem of divine righteousness and divine glory. So the whole sanctuary bore witness to the glory of righteousness. That fits what this house pointed forward to. How much greater will the glory be, and the showing of divine righteousness, when the true King builds the house and shows His glory!
A door is the one part of a wall that lets someone through. Writers take the temple doors as a picture of the way into God's presence, opened at a cost:
In the sanctuary the wisdom of God alone is in view. Christ crucified is the wisdom of God. By His cross we enter the sanctuary in full peace, in full joy, and there, with understanding, we can praise the Lamb who was slain.
The doors hung on posts of olive wood. The same writer reads those posts as a picture of the Spirit:
The lintel and side posts of both sets of doors were made of olive-wood. The power of the Spirit is in mind in this. Only by His power are we able to make use of Christ for access into the divine presence. Ephesians 2:18 gives us a sweet statement in few words of our great privilege as people saved by grace: "Through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."
- Door. The entrance to the holy place was not a gap in a wall. It was built: posts of olive, leaves of cypress, carved and covered in gold. The way in was designed, not improvised.
- Cypress. Scripture links this tree with desirability and beauty. So the way in is a Person: the wood itself speaks of Christ.
- Folding. Each door split down the middle and opened in two halves. That recalls the torn veil, and the boldness believers now have to enter the Holiest of all.
- Permanence. The travelling tent had only a veil. The settled house had doors. God's dwelling was no longer on the move.
- Gold. Gold covered the floor, the walls, the doors and the ceiling. It is the emblem of divine righteousness and glory — and a greater glory is still to come, when the true King builds.
And he carved on them cherubim, and palm-trees, and half-open flowers; and overlaid them with gold fitted on the carved work.
The last detail of the temple's woodwork is also the most public. The doors into the holy place carried the same carvings as the inner walls. They carried the same gold too, shaped to follow every cut in the wood. Why cover the carving with gold at all? And what do cherubim, palms and flowers say about the way in?
These doors close the account of the temple's building. Commentators read them as a picture of the One through whom people come to God:
The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves, reminding us of the torn veil — Christ crucified. They seem to be a picture of Christ Jesus, through whom we draw near to God. Through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness to enter — not only the Holy Place, but also the Holiest of all (Heb. 10:19-22).
A door can also be shut. One writer holds both possibilities together:
By Him there is entrance into full salvation. Now that He has become Man, He is the lasting witness of all that the cherubim and palm tree stand for. He is that witness to all creation as well, to which He stands as Firstborn and the Image of the invisible God. Only by Him is there access to the altar-table and the indwelling Glory. He may give access, or be as a closed door shutting out forever. He may be the Saviour or the Judge.
Each carving on the doors says something about Christ:
The doors were carved with cherubim, because this blessed One will rule and carry out judgement for God. They carry palm trees, because victory is with Him. They also carry "half-open flowers". These suggest that greater and more delightful things are always still to come with Him. Gold covered all of this, picturing the righteousness and glory of God. Even the hinges of the doors were gold (1 Kings 7:50).
Commentators differ over the flowers. The ESV has "open flowers", and another writer reads them as full bloom rather than buds:
The palm trees speak of Christ who bears fruit with unfailing consistency. The open flowers picture the mature beauty (not buds) of the Lord Jesus. So we see the four things that matter most if God was to dwell there — grace, truth, fruitfulness and beauty.
Commentators treat one detail as deliberate: the gold followed the carving instead of flattening it.
The whole building was not gilded but covered with gold — the porch, roof, walls, floor, posts, beams and doors. The gold was fitted onto the carved work. So it did not blot out the fine carving in the wood; it set that carving off in surpassing splendour.
The same writer turns that detail into a promise about believers in glory:
The gold fitted on the carved work did not blot out the carvings in the cedar; it added perfection to them. In the same way, the divine glory placed on the redeemed will display more fully those excellencies of the Redeemer which they will reflect. They will have been transformed into His image.
The gold on these doors follows a pattern that runs through the whole building.
No part of the walls inside stayed uncovered. Nowhere did the stone show through. Gold covered the cedar wood itself, and even the cypress planks of the floor. In Scripture gold always represents divine righteousness and glory.
The same writer draws out what this meant for anyone standing inside:
Those who entered the temple to dwell with God saw nothing but divine righteousness all around them. Everything was covered, down to the floor beneath their feet. No one can dwell with God except on the ground of divine righteousness.
The frame around the door matters too. One writer links the wood of the posts to the Spirit's power:
The lintel and side posts of both sets of doors were made of olive-wood. The power of the Spirit is in mind in this. Only by His power can we make use of Christ to get access into God's presence.
- Door — the folding leaves recall the torn veil. Christ crucified is the way in, and He gives boldness to enter both the Holy Place and the Holiest of all.
- Carving — cherubim for God's rule and judgement. Palms for victory and steady fruit. Flowers for beauty, with more still to come.
- Gold — fitted to the carving, not smothering it. God's glory sets off what was cut in the wood; it does not erase it.
- Covering — nothing inside stayed bare. Anyone standing there saw righteousness on every side, because only on that ground can a person dwell with God.
- Entrance — olive-wood posts frame the door. By the Spirit's power we make use of Christ to come into God's presence.