1 Kings 7:2

The context shows that these passages do not refer to the forest at Lebanon. Rather, Solomon had a house in Jerusalem built from the trees of Lebanon, and he called it "the house of the forest of Lebanon."

The name reminds us of how it was built, and perhaps of how it looked as well. Solomon built it of cedar wood. Inside and outside it had cedar columns. Set in long rows, they may have made the house look like a grand forest. On the other hand, we can see in this name a beautiful image of this glorious reign. Lebanon faced Tyre and even belonged to it. So there was a link between this house and the nations that had submitted to the great king.

This is the beautiful tall tree that Solomon used widely in building the temple and his palaces. Its name "cedar" comes from the firmness of its roots. Its wood lasts a long time and has a sweet smell. People used it for beams, pillars and masts, and for carved images.

Solomon did not overlay this building with gold, for gold speaks of the nature of God, and the house of the forest of Lebanon speaks of the government of God. So cedar wood stands out here (vs.2-3), because cedar is a lasting wood. This tells us that the government of the Lord Jesus will be stable and lasting through the whole 1000 years. This house had many pillars, though only 2 stand at the entrance of the temple.

Next to the Temple, Solomon's most important building was the house of the forest of Lebanon. Solomon set it up in Jerusalem, but he built it with materials brought down from Lebanon. This house was much larger than the Temple. The Temple was 60 cubits long and 20 cubits wide. The house of the forest of Lebanon was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide. Both were 30 cubits high. In this great building Solomon kept his 300 shields of beaten gold, and every vessel in it was of pure gold, none of silver, for silver counted for nothing in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:17-21).

Your eye passed through the forest of cedar pillars in the central part to the second porch. At its far end rose a throne of gold and ivory, beautifully made. On that throne you could gaze at the glorious king, peaceable Solomon, the Lord's beloved Jedidiah, whose wisdom no one ever surpassed — the righteous king doing righteousness.

This porch of the throne was the "porch of judgment." That was the seat of government for the nations, the place where righteousness was upheld. The house of the forest of Lebanon linked the government of Israel itself with that of the nations.

Here we have a picture, given in advance, of the glorious rule of the kingdom, when our Lord judges in righteousness. The house of the forest of Lebanon is a picture of His glory among the nations… Everything in the temple and in the palace buildings was glorious, and it revealed the immense riches of the great king. What a day it will be when Christ displays His riches and glory, and the saints of God share it all!

This building had windows (vs.4-5), though the temple did not. Government looks out to consider the welfare of the people. In the temple everything speaks of God's glory, with no outward view at all.