Besides his vast wisdom, Solomon also is remembered for building a great temple for God. I was reflecting on how much work the temple actually required and the “modern” technology it took to get it started. We know from history that the people of this time period were equipped with skills and means that we can barely fathom now. Floating the logs from Lebanon down the Mediterranean Sea was one of them. I’ve only watched documentaries and movies about how this is still done today. Envisioning this quest got my mind hopping in all sorts of ways. First, this task was enormous. We don’t know exactly how much timber Hiram sent to Solomon, but from the workforce that Solomon employed, we know it almost is beyond our comprehension. I mean, have you ever worked at a place that employed 80,000 quarry workers? Me either. On top of that were 70,000 laborers who worked under the watchful eyes of 3,600 foremen. Incredible. I wondered, too, if many of these laborers were soldiers. The Israelites were enjoying a time of peace, so therefore, the soldiers may not have been as busy as they would have been in times of war. Just a thought. Certainly no concrete evidence there.
Writing prompt: temple
What struck you about the building of the temple? Write out your thoughts about its construction. Try to consider past references, materials and the labor force needed to make it happen.
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