4:1-22 Written are details of the furnishings of the temple. The temple of God was, in a way, David, Solomon and the tribes of Israel's way of worshiping God. While their actions were kindly received by God, it is pertinent for us to remember that what God truly hopes for from us is our love. Our love for Him and for humanity.
The Old Testament temple of God is a foreshadowing of the spiritual temple we are called to built in the New Testament. The temple of God is within us, 1 Corinthians 6:9. By listening to and growing from the wisdom and instruction of God, we continue construction on the temple... because we are the temple. Our actions are the security of its walls. Our weaknesses are reinforced by God to ensure the kingdom is perfect and everlasting.
The gold and intricate carvings we now decorate the temple with are the friendships and relationships we build and maintain. The kindness we show, the patience and mercy and laughter we share with the people in our lives: family, friend, stranger, cohort, acquaintance, coworker. We actively worship God, like our predecessors by building the temple... in a new and dynamic way. We actively worship God but activating the scripture in our lives.
Solomon ensured that no detail was overlooked. God wants us to ensure that no person is overlooked. We could study and recreate the temple with the details and measurements we are given but to do that, we would miss the point. The Old Testament temple of God was a symbolic blueprint for the actual, spiritual temple we were called to build by Jesus.
