Embellishments

2 Chronicles 4.1
Solomon also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.

Exodus 20.26
And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.

Here is an interesting thought. At least it was interesting to me when I first thought it.

Even in building the temple, which was what God told Solomon to do, Solomon went beyond what had been commanded of Moses.

Exodus 20.26 clearly states that the priest were not to go up to the LORD’s altar on steps in order to keep their nakedness from being exposed.

Solomon’s altar not only had steps, it towered over the people.

The longer the Israelites lived in the land, the less familiar they became with the law. At least once before the exile, it was so much forgotten that its discovery and reading produced revival.

King David was a godly man. God himself said so.

I’ve always thought Solomon started out as a godly man and was led astray, but I wonder just how much he really knew. Everything else about the building of the temple equipment and fixtures appears to follow the original design fairly closely (at least as far as my limited knowledge understands). Why change this part? I can’t help but wonder if it was as much from pride, as from a desire to elevate God.

The next logical step in that reasoning is: How have I embellished the instructions I’ve been given? Was the embellishment intentional? Did it have more to do with me than with worshipping God.

Interestingly enough, 2 Chronicles 4 continues to describe the Bronze sea and the bronze wash basins. In verse 7, the phrase, ‘according to the specifications that had been given’ appears in reference to the ten gold lamp stands. Does that mean that the things that went before were not according to specification? Were they added to temple, but not necessary for the tabernacle? Were they simply embellished for the temple?

The issue appears to be that even when we follow God and even when we do the work He gave us to do, we are constantly challenged not to give in to the desire to let other people know “we did this” by embellishing on the original plan.

God is gracious and forgives, so even when we do fall into that trap, we are forgiven. Just look at King David. He fell into a lot of traps and was still called a godly man by God Himself. What was the difference between King David and King Solomon?

David recognized his sins when confronted with them; he accepted the responsibility and sought forgiveness.

Solomon is never recorded as having been that humble.

We can’t avoid sin. It is all around us. We are sinners by nature. It is who we are and what we are.

But forgiveness is there for the asking. All we have to do is ask.