Gary Gleans

Besides the construction of the massive structure of the temple, there were many furnishings that were spread throughout the temple.  These furnishings included the altar on which the sacrifices were made, many basins that were used for washing, candle holders and all of the utensils that were needed for making these sacrifices.  All of these objects were made out of gold, silver or bronze and were very ornately decorated according to Solomon’s specifications.  The building and furnishing of the temple demonstrates Solomon’s commitment to excellence as well as his skill as a leader.  He was able to define a direction, recruit the staff that was needed to reach his desired goal, delegate responsibilities to the right people and then oversee the project to its completion.  God is pleased when we serve Him with excellence. THE TEMPLE WAS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE: The temple was a place that represented man’s relationship and communion with God.  This is why it h...

The first four years of Solomon’s reign were spent in building the temple, David had desired to do this while he was alive, but God had other plans.  This was a massive task to accomplish that required great leadership and coordination of the people involved.  The children of Israel were very successful in this task because they were all able to cooperate under the leadership of Solomon.  He did not allow the spirit of competition to take over amongst the people.  God is pleased when we live for His glory and to accomplish His will. THE TEMPLE WAS A MASSIVE STRUCTURE: The size and location of the temple were amazing.  It was a huge building that required a very large number of people to build it.  It was located on Mt. Moriah which was a very significant place.  It was where Abraham had offered Isaac on the altar as a sacrifice.  It was also where Moses received the Law of God and where God appeared to David.  This was an important part ...

Solomon takes on the job of building the temple and he realizes that he cannot do the job by himself.  He reaches out to king Hiram just as David had done and he asks for supplies to be sent to Israel as well as skilled labor to do the work.  Solomon also makes it clear that he will be building a palace for himself with these materials.  It is a sign of wisdom to know one’s limitations and then employ the help of others to supply those needs.  We must not allow our pride to fool us into thinking that we can do everything on our own and enlist the help of others.  Humility and the ability to delegate are two of the most important qualities a leader can develop in his life. SOLOMON REQUESTS HELP: The job that is ahead of Solomon is a big one.  He recognizes that the temple he is building for the Lord is far from being a house for the Lord as the universe is not capable of containing the Lord.  The temple is simply a place to offer sacrifices to the ...

Solomon begins his reign in the best way possible.  He calls the people together and goes before the Lord with sacrifices recognizing that it was a great blessing as well as a great responsibility to be king over Israel.  Solomon wants everyone to know from the very beginning that he is dependent upon the Lord.  Solomon’s dedication to the Lord and his desire to serve the people with divine direction pleases the Lord very much and God blesses Solomon with incredible spiritual as well as material gifts.  God is pleased when we seek Him and He loves to bless His children in amazing ways.  All of the blessings in heaven and earth are at God’s disposal and He longs to share those blessings with us; but our hearts must be right before Him or many of these blessings could cause us to stray from the Lord. SOLOMON STARTS HIS REIGN WITH THE WORSHIP OF GOD: Solomon’s first official act as king is to gather all of the leaders together and to show and tell them how the...

As David approaches the end of his life, he wants to make sure that the people understand what he has been doing and what the purpose of his reign has been.  David wants to make sure that the nation is united and ready to work together on accomplishing the task of building the temple.  This has been the focus of David’s life for the final part of his reign and he wants to make sure that this purpose is not forgotten by the people or by Solomon.  As a leader, David sets the direction for the people and then he sets an example for the people to follow.  Leaders are called to do just those two things.  We must make sure that we are casting a vision and setting a clear course for the people who follow us.  We must also be first in line to show the way of obedience. DAVID COMMUNICATES THE WILL OF GOD: David knows that he is at the end of his life so he calls all of the people together and he communicates the most important things that he wants the people to...

Transitions in leadership are a very dangerous times for nations and ministries.  As David nears the end of his life and reign over Israel, he does a very wise and important thing: he calls the people together and makes it very clear who his successor will be and he challenges both the people and his son to be faithful.  Since David had many sons from many different wives, the line of succession could have been difficult for people to determine and the ensuing struggle for power could have created division in the nation or led to a great amount of bloodshed as his sons fought one another for the position of power.  But transitions are not just dangerous because of power struggles in order to establish new leadership.  They are also dangerous because it is an easy time for a loss of vision or a change in purpose to occur in the nation or ministry.  David wants to make sure that there are no power struggles or change in direction for the nation of Israel when he ...

David was surrounded by great leaders and had the entire nation well organized and prepared to defend itself.  The military was strong, well defined and well prepared to take on whatever it might need to face.  Each tribe was led by a man who was well respected within the nation and these men were, in turn, submissive and loyal to David.  Then the government was also organized under a variety of administrative tasks that made sure that the kings agricultural investments as well as the treasury in general was organized and ready to go.  God is orderly and efficient and He is glorified when we reflect these qualities in our lives and in the way we organize our lives.  Whether we are in charge of a home, a church, a state or a nation God calls us to be well organized and prepared to serve Him in all that we do. THE NATION WAS DEFENDED BY A STRONG MILITARY: David was a warrior and understood how to organize and control the military.  All of the men who wer...