Preparing To Build (2 Chronicles 2)

Who is the foundation of the Church? Are we building wisely on that foundation? Let’s begin in 2 Chronicles 2.

What building projects was Solomon planning and how large was the workforce? How large is the Gospel workforce?

Then Solomon decided to build a house for the name of Yahweh and a royal palace for himself. So Solomon numbered 70,000 men to carry loads and 80,000 men to hew stone in the mountains and 3,600 to direct them. (2 Chr 2:1-2 LSB)

What plans did Solomon confide in Huram, king of Tyre? What plans do we have to build the Church?

Then Solomon sent word to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “As you dealt with my father David and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, do it for me. Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths, on new moons, and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God. This is to be done in Israel forever. The house which I am about to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods. But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? And who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him? (2 Chr 2:3-6 NASB)

What specific requests did Solomon make of Huram king of Tyre? What specific requests could a missionary make today?

“Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers, whom my father David provided. Send me also cedar, juniper and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours to provide me with plenty of lumber, because the temple I build must be large and magnificent. I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.” (2 Chr 2:7-10 NIV)

How did Hiram king of Tyre answer Solomon’s request? What help have we sent to those building the Church?

Then Hiram king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon: Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them. Hiram also said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, for He has given King David a wise son, endowed with prudence and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal house for himself! And now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, Huram my master craftsman (the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre), skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple and blue, fine linen and crimson, and to make any engraving and to accomplish any plan which may be given to him, with your skillful men and with the skillful men of my lord David your father. Now therefore, the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants. And we will cut wood from Lebanon, as much as you need; we will bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, and you will carry it up to Jerusalem. (2 Chr 2:11-16 NKJV)

What did Solomon do with all the foreign workers, guests in Israel? How can those outside the Church help us build?

Solomon took a census of all foreigners in the land of Israel, like the census his father had taken, and he counted 153,600. He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 as quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 as foremen. (2 Chr 2:17-18 NLT)

Are we building something spiritual? Who is our foundation? Should we be careful how we build?

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire. (1 Cor 3:10-15 WEB)

Who is the foundation of the Church? Are we building wisely on that foundation? You decide!