1 Kings 7:1

1 Kings 7:1 says, But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.  It took Solomon thirteen years to build his own house, which would imply that the building of the Temple took priority.  I do know that we as followers of Christ should put the priority on His work.  God will take care of our needs as long as we put Him first.  Verse two adds, He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.  Solomon also built a house in the forest of Lebanon, which I would understand to be a separate house.  There were plenty of cedars there to build with.  Matthew Henry says this was a place close enough to get back to the city easily enough and that Solomon's throne wasn't there.  Even if we build a retreat away from the busyness of the world today, we should never be too far to continue to do what God has called us to do. Verse three continues, And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.  We are then told more about the size and construction of this house, starting with this verse.  Verse four states, And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks.  Of course, the house would need windows to provide light.  Since the bodies of believers are the temple ofvthe Holy Spirit, we need to let His light shine into our soul.  Verse five adds, And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks.  We are told about the doors, which naturally are necessary to allow access.  We are told in the Bible that Jesus Christ stands at the door of our heart and knocks, and if we are to be saved, we must let Him in.  Verse six continues, And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.  There was a porch on this house, just as Solomon had built a porch on the Temple.  Verse seven says, Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.  Verse eight adds, And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.  It would seem that these two verses referred to both the house in Lebanon and the palace in Jerusalem, where the throne actually was.  Though the palace was where judgment was passed normally, it would seem that Solomon also had this second place of judgment.  I do know that God is not confined to one place when He judges us in this life time.  Solomon also built another house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.  Verse nine continues, All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.  The house was also constructed with costly stones that were cut to fit.  Verse ten states, And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.  We are toldcof the size of the stones used in the foundation, and our faith today must be in Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of our salvation.  There is no more costly stone than this.  Verse eleven adds, And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.  Stones and cedars were used in the overhead as well.  Verse twelve continues, And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.  The court of Solomon's house was similar to the court of the Temple.  I believe we can make the analogy that our life everyday out in the world should look the same as our life when we gather together as the church.