Location, Location, Location

“Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (2Ch 3:1 AV)

As a reminder, the site upon which the temple was to be built was where the hand of God’s wrath stayed.  When David numbered the people contrary to the law of God, God judged the people with a pestilence.  When the wrath of God abated, the angle of death stood at this very spot.  It was here that David offered offerings to atone for the sin of numbering the people.  It was on this threshing floor that Solomon would build his temple.

When we think of building a house of worship, in our human way of thinking, we might choose a place that was associated with happy thoughts.  A pastoral scene with hills and running brooks.  A place of great military victory.  Perhaps a city which once stood an adversaries capital.  What we wouldn’t do is build a temple at the site that reminded us that tens of thousands died because of disobedience.  What we probably wouldn’t want is to be reminded of our failures before the LORD and the fact that He was forced to judge us for that disobedience.  But that is exactly what Solomon did because that is exactly what the LORD wanted.

We build churches today to attract customers.  What we do not do is construct houses of worship to convert the sinner.  When we come to church we want nothing but positive happy thoughts.  What we do not want is an atmosphere that reminds us of our wickedness and our desperate need of God’s mercy and grace.  When the altar was laid in the court of the temple, it was not laid because mankind had attained perfect blessedness and happiness.  It was laid to atone for the failures of mankind.  We sing Victory In Jesus, and rightly so.  In eternity, we have complete victory.  Our sins are paid for, forgive, and we will be glorified.  But until that time, there are still sinners to win, saints to sanctify, and a perfect God of which to testify.  Our happy thoughts are not found in atmosphere.  Our happy thoughts are found in the mercy and grace of God.  Solomon’s temple was a reminder of God’s judgment upon the sins of the people. But it also contained the method of atoning for those sins and gaining the miraculous mercy of God’s grace.