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2CHRONICLES
CHAPTER 2

1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. 2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

Now Solomon determined to build the temple, the plans of which God had given to David, and had been passed down to him.
This was his FIRST priority - building God's house! This should also be our frist priority.
Solomon employed 153,600 men to do the work. Seventy thousand were carriers of loads, eighty thousand cut trees, and three thousand six hundred were supervisors.
This is utilization of godly prinicipals: structure, organization, supervision and clarity of planning.
The PLAN was GOD'S plan!
The WORK was structured according to God's plan.
The organization and supervision was according to clear directions from God.
THIS is the way missions and churches are built!

3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me. 4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. 5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. 6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? 7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide. 8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, 9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great. 10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

Wisdom includes employing the talents of others!
Solomon sent a letter to Huram the king of Tyre. He requested a goldsmith and silversmith. He also requested cedar trees, fir trees, algim trees and servants to cut and haul them.
Solomon promised food enough for all of Huram's household and the laborers.
The purpose of all these people was to "build an house to the NAME of the Lord my God." Solomon knew that no temple could hold God' but he also knew that God had authroized a temple through David (verse 6).
And Solomon didn't forget to tell Huram that God was GREATER than all gods men worship! (verse 5)

11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them. 12 Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. 13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's, 14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father. 15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants: 16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

Huram sent back a fantastic statement: "because the Lord hath loved His people, He hath made thee king over them." (verse 11)
Huram had been a long=time friend of David. And it is intimated that he might have been a "believer" in Jehovah God. He "blessed God" and said that He "made heaven and earth" (verse 12). Huram also acknowledged that it was GOD Who decides who is ruler over nations.

Let me introduce a "thought-provoker:" If it is an expression of God's LOVE when He grants a wise ruler, what is it when God grants an UNwise ruler?

There was indeed a great task to be done. And God provided a great man for the task. His name was Hiram. He was the son of a woman from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a "man of Tyre, a worker in brass."
Whenever God has a task to perform, He always grants a person with the skills to perform it.
The wood would be cut out of the forests of Lebanon, and carried by ship to Joppa. Solomon would then gather it and carry it to Jerusalem.

17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred. 18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

Not only did Solomon employ a half-Jew as the chief goldsmith for the work of the temple, but he also employed "strangers." These were, no doubt, Gentiles and probably proselytes.
They were employed as the timber-cutters and haulers (verse 2).
EVERYONE who comes to God is ACCEPTED!

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat..." (Isaiah 55:1)