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31. Laying the Foundation of the Lord’s House

1st February 2004 by Arthur Eedle

We have just reached the second month of the year, and it reminds us of two important events in Biblical history that took place in the Second Month. Perhaps we should have a look at these, to unveil their significance.

The first reference is found in 1 Kings 6:1 (Also 2 Chron.3:2)  “In the 480th year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the 2nd month, he (i.e. Solomon) began to build the House of the Lord.”  The foundation stone was laid in the second month. Solomon had reigned for three full years, and this was the second calendar month in his fourth year. Here then was a most significant event. Solomon was David’s son, and his name means “Peace.” In Hebrew it is pronounced Shlomo, and many Jews in modern Israel have taken Shlomo as their first name. The traditional Jewish greeting is “Shalom,” which can easily be seen to derive from the same root, and means “Peace (be with you)”

King David had already prepared material for the construction of the Temple in the latter years of his reign, but the Lord had forbidden him from building the House, because he was “a man of war”. The Lord wanted His House built by a “man of peace.” During the first three years of Solomon’s reign the preparation of stoneware and wooden beams had continued until everything was deemed ready for erecting the House. The stones were cut from “Solomon’s quarries”, situated beneath Jerusalem itself, within Mount Moriah, where the soft white limestone was cut and fashioned. It was important not to bring the stones out until the actual time when they were needed for construction because by their very nature they then hardened into something akin to marble after being exposed to the air above ground. This is why we read in 1 Kings 6:7 “When the House was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry; so that neither hammer nor chisel nor any tool of iron was heard in the Temple while it was being built.” The limestone of Solomon’s quarries is of a rare type, known as Travertine Aragonite, easy to saw and shape whilst within the quarry’s underground atmosphere. These royal quarries were rediscovered quite by accident in 1852 by Dr Joseph Barclay whilst walking with his dog near the Damascus Gate. The underground workings are vast, one tunnel reaching 750 feet into the mountain. One great cavern is 325 feet wide and 50 feet high. Pillars of rock have been left, to support the roof of the cave, since part of northern Jerusalem is above. The caves form a spectacle never to be forgotten, according to one observer.

Before turning to our second reference, it will be profitable to examine Ezra 3:8. This concerns the return from Babylonian captivity. “Now in the 2nd year of their coming to the House of God at Jerusalem, in the 2nd month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jozadek made a beginning, together with the rest of their brethren, the Priests and the Levites, and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. . . . And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord . . . all the people shouted with a great shout and praised the Lord.” In the apocryphal book of 1 Esdras 5:57 we learn in addition that the foundation stone was laid “on the new moon of the 2nd month in the 2nd year . . .”  The reason for producing this evidence is simply that the second month is referred to once again, as though a certain importance lay in the number. The month was named Ziv, or  Zif, but in the later Hebrew calendar it was called Iyar. As an aside, one is reminded that when the Lord “laid the corner stone of the earth, all the sons of God shouted for joy.” (Job 38:6-7)

Now we are ready to examine evidence in the New Testament. Our Lord was crucified on 14th day of Nisan, the 1st month in the Hebrew (Sacred) Calendar. He rose from the dead on 16th Nisan, and in Acts 1:3 we learn that “He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them 40 days, and speaking of theKingdom of God.”  On the expiry of 40 days we read about our Lord’s Ascension into heaven, where  “He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” (Eph.4:10)

By applying a little arithmetic we conclude that the Ascension took place in the 2nd month. There are 30 days in Nisan. Our Lord arose from the dead on 16th of that month, leaving 14 days remaining out of the 30. 40 minus 14leaves 26. Hence the Ascension occurred on 26th day of the 2nd month.

Now for a little comparison. Our Lord’s ministry lasted for three and a half years, so that His death, resurrection, and ascension occurred in His 4th year, a clear parallel with Solomon’s reign. But He was also “the Prince of Peace.” He was “great David’s greater son.” Using Latin, we could refer to Solomon as “Pax”, but our Lord was (and is) “PaxMagnificentia.”

Solomon laid the foundation stone of the Lord’s House in the 2nd month. Our Lord laid the foundation stone of the New Jerusalem Temple in the second month, at His ascension. “He is our peace . . . and He came and preached peace to all who were far off and all who were near . . . (who are now) being built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Foundation Corner Stone, in whom the whole structure is growing into a Holy Temple in the Lord.” (Eph.2:14-21)

The comparison between Solomon and our Lord, and between the Material Temple and the Spiritual Temple, and the fact that the foundation of each was laid in the second month, gives us much food for thought. If the children of God are visualised as “living stones, built into a spiritual house,” (1 Peter 2:5) then we must also be considered as living down in the “quarries of the commonplace” being made ready for transportation to the Temple site when all is ready. Hopefully the Lord found us to be of that “soft, travertine” variety, that could be the more easily fashioned according to His requirements, rather than being like adamant, refusing the tools of the stone-dressers. But once there, (in resurrection,) we shall “harden” into “beautiful marble”, that can take a fine polish. But whilst the Lord is fashioning us and shaping us in readiness for His Day, the world knows nothing of these preparations. “Neither hammer nor chisel nor any tool of iron,” used by the Lord in shaping us will be heard above ground. In other words, the discipline of the Lord, His training, His fashioning, though something that we feel keenly, the world perceives it not, neither understands that His tender hands have been at work. But a day is coming when all His “living stones” will be displayed to the view of the whole world, and then God will receive the praise so justly due to the One who is the Master Designer and Builder.

“Behold, I am laying as a foundation in Zion a Stone, a tried stone, a precious foundation corner stone.”(Isa.28:16) Our Lord was also taken from the quarries of this world, born as a human baby, grown to manhood, was in all points tested like us, but “rejected by the builders” because He had a unique and unrecognisable shape, like the capstone of a pyramid. But the rejected stone “has become the capstone. This  is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our eyes.” (Ps.118:22) This is the “stone cut from the mountain [Moriah] by no human hand,”that smashes the great image, and itself “becomes a great mountain that fills the whole world,” (Daniel 2:34,45) or as Paul expressed it in Ephesians “that He might fill all things.”

Filed Under: The Wellspring

About Arthur Eedle

Arthur was born in 1931, and became a Christian in 1948. At London University he gained a 2nd honours degree in Physics. He went on to get a Teaching Diploma, and throughout his career life taught physics in England, Kenya, and Hong Kong. Coupled with his love of science, he was a keen student of Greek and Hebrew, and gave many lectures on Biblical subjects. Read more

The Wellspring

1. God’s Megaphone

1st September 2001 By Arthur Eedle

2. Suicide

1st October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

3. Petra

12th October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

4. Two different Gods?

20th October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

5. I AM

23rd October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

6. “Not I but Christ”

25th October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

7. How I Love Your Law!

27th October 2001 By Arthur Eedle

8. The Jewish Problem

2nd November 2001 By Arthur Eedle

9. The Evaluation of Coincidence

15th November 2001 By Arthur Eedle

10. Gracious Uncertainty

30th April 2002 By Arthur Eedle

11. Jasper & Sardius

8th May 2002 By Arthur Eedle

12. Antithesis

19th May 2002 By Arthur Eedle

12a. The Essential Role of Free Will in Universal Reconciliation

17th June 2002 By Arthur Eedle

13. The Importance of Earnest

10th August 2002 By Arthur Eedle

14. The Millennium

14th August 2002 By Arthur Eedle

15. Cancer – A Personal Testimony

17th December 2002 By Arthur Eedle

16. C.S.Lewis on the New Year

1st January 2003 By Arthur Eedle

17. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

5th January 2003 By Arthur Eedle

18. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

12th January 2003 By Arthur Eedle

19. “The Intolerable Compliment”

12th January 2003 By Arthur Eedle

20. The Power and Practice of the Truth

22nd February 2003 By Arthur Eedle

21. The Power and Practice of the Lie

1st March 2003 By Arthur Eedle

22. The Use and Abuse of Power

8th March 2003 By Arthur Eedle

23. What on earth is happening?

29th July 2003 By Arthur Eedle

23a. A reply to “What on earth is happening?”

4th August 2003 By Arthur Eedle

24. Equality

17th August 2003 By Arthur Eedle

25. Paul to the “Ephesians”

31st August 2003 By Arthur Eedle

26. Mystery

3rd September 2003 By Arthur Eedle

27. Ephesians 1:15-23

10th September 2003 By Arthur Eedle

28. Ephesians 2:1-10

27th September 2003 By Arthur Eedle

29. Ephesians 2:11-22

6th October 2003 By Arthur Eedle

30. Cain and Abel

19th January 2004 By Arthur Eedle

31. Laying the Foundation of the Lord’s House

1st February 2004 By Arthur Eedle

32. Tomorrow’s Bread

22nd February 2004 By Arthur Eedle

33. Grace Parables

27th February 2004 By Arthur Eedle

34. The Responsibility Factor

5th March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

35a. Our Wilderness Journey. Part 1

13th March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

35b. Our Wilderness Journey. Part 2

14th March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

36. Genetic Modification in the Bible

20th March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

37. Arthur’s Testimony

28th March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

38. Identified with Christ

31st March 2004 By Arthur Eedle

39. It Would Have Been Better…

6th April 2004 By Arthur Eedle

40a. Friday’s Man was nailed upon a Cross

9th April 2004 By Arthur Eedle

40b. Sunday’s Man was nowhere to be found

11th April 2004 By Arthur Eedle

41. Jeremiah’s Cryptogram

11th May 2004 By Arthur Eedle

43. The Gospel of Humanism

14th August 2004 By Arthur Eedle

44. Cosmetic Christianity

5th September 2004 By Arthur Eedle

45. EXPERIENCE versus KNOWLEDGE

6th September 2004 By Arthur Eedle

46. “Just a wearyin’ for you”

13th September 2004 By Arthur Eedle

47. Islam by ex-Muslims

24th September 2004 By Arthur Eedle

48. Six Particular Men

9th April 2006 By Arthur Eedle

49. Ten “Everlasting” wonders in Isaiah

13th April 2006 By Arthur Eedle

50a. Missing the Mark. Part 1

18th April 2006 By Arthur Eedle

50b. Missing the Mark. Part 2

21st April 2006 By Arthur Eedle

51. The Mark of the Beast

29th April 2006 By Arthur Eedle

52. Irreducible Complexity

2nd May 2006 By Arthur Eedle

53. No historical Jesus?

4th July 2006 By Arthur Eedle

54. The Power of God’s Spoken Word

17th March 2007 By Arthur Eedle

55. God’s chosen fast

19th April 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56a. Resurrection and the Change – Part 1

1st May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56b. Resurrection and the Change – Part 2

7th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56c. Resurrection and the Change – Part 3

10th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56d. Resurrection and the Change – Part 4

12th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56e. Resurrection and the Change – Part 5

13th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56f. Resurrection and the Change – Part 6

14th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56g. Resurrection and the Change – Part 7

15th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56h. Resurrection and the Change – Part 8

16th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56i. Resurrection and the Change – Part 9

17th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56j. Resurrection and the Change – Part 10

18th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56k. Resurrection and the Change – Part 11

21st May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56l. Resurrection and the Change – Part 12

22nd May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56m. Resurrection and the Change – Part 13

23rd May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56n. Resurrection and the Change – Part 14

24th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56o. Resurrection and the Change – Part 15

25th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

56p. Resurrection and the Change – Part 16

27th May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57a. Before He Comes – Part 1

31st May 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57b. Before He Comes – Part 2

8th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57c. Before He Comes – Part 3

10th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57d. Before He Comes – Part 4

11th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57e. Before He Comes – Part 5

12th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57f. Before He Comes – Part 6

13th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57g. Before He Comes – Part 7

14th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57h. Before He Comes – Part 8

18th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57i. Before He Comes – Part 9

19th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57j. Before He Comes – Part 10

24th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57k. Before He Comes – Part 11

29th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57l. Before He Comes – Part 12

30th June 2007 By Arthur Eedle

57m. Before He Comes – Part 13

3rd July 2007 By Arthur Eedle

58. Free Will Versus God’s Sovereignty

28th August 2007 By Arthur Eedle

59. Rules of Engagement

10th October 2007 By Arthur Eedle

60. Cameo. Part 1

15th October 2007 By Arthur Eedle

61. Cameo. Part 2

18th October 2007 By Arthur Eedle

62. Cameo. Part 3

26th October 2007 By Arthur Eedle

63. Cameo. Part 4

28th October 2007 By Arthur Eedle

64. In His Hands

1st November 2007 By Arthur Eedle

65. The Starlings

5th November 2007 By Arthur Eedle

66. “Dead Truth”

13th November 2007 By Arthur Eedle

67. “Dead Sin”

18th November 2007 By Arthur Eedle

68. “Dead Faith” and “Dead Works”

2nd December 2007 By Arthur Eedle

69. “Dead Worship”

18th December 2007 By Arthur Eedle

70. A Pseudo-Bunyan Author

19th March 2008 By Arthur Eedle

Article Series

  • All our Yesterdays (30)
  • Before He comes (13)
  • God's Spoken Word (37)
  • Mysteries of Science & Faith (8)
  • New Series (101)
  • Newsletter (2)
  • Original Series (109)
  • Prophecy considerations (5)
  • Recognising the Hand of Judgment (33)
  • Resurrection and Change (16)
  • Seekers Corner (14)
  • Simple Statements on Serious Subjects (6)
  • The City of God (18)
  • The Millennial Octave (23)
  • The Restitution Times (22)
  • The Song of Solomon (6)
  • The Standard (19)
  • The Wayside Pulpit (107)
  • The Wayside Pulpit 2015 (96)
  • The Wellspring (101)
  • The Wellspring 2017 (55)

Index of Topics

Arthur & Rosalind Eedle's Personal Testimonies Discipleship Expository Items Good and Evil Human Pre-Existance Jane Leade. Philadelphian Numerology in the Bible Quotations from other Authors Resurrection and the Change Ron Wyatt. Archaeology Science Topics The Kingdom of God the Millennium and the Return of Christ The Sabbath Day Universal Reconcilliation

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