Practical exhortations from 1 Kings 5
1 Kings 5 is a chapter about preparation, cooperation, skilled service, peaceful relationships, stewardship, and building for God’s purpose. Solomon begins preparing for the temple, Hiram king of Tyre assists with materials and labour, and a large organised workforce is established.
From a Christadelphian perspective, the chapter is particularly valuable because the temple points forward to a greater spiritual house made up of believers, with Christ as the chief foundation and cornerstone.
1. Peace gives opportunities for service
Solomon said:
“But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” — 1 Kings 5:4
David had wanted to build the temple, but his reign had been dominated by warfare.
Solomon now had peace.
That peace created an opportunity for constructive work.
There is a practical lesson here.
When God gives us periods of relative stability, we should not simply use them for comfort.
We should ask:
What can I build for God while I have this opportunity?
Times of peace can be times for:
- deeper Bible study,
- preaching,
- helping the ecclesia,
- repairing relationships,
- teaching children,
- preparing useful material,
- supporting others.
We should not waste peaceful periods.
2. Circumstances change, but God’s purpose continues
David had one role.
Solomon had another.
David prepared.
Solomon built.
Neither man did everything.
This teaches us that God’s work often extends beyond one individual.
Paul says:
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” — 1 Corinthians 3:6
We may begin something another person finishes.
Someone else may prepare work that we later continue.
We should therefore not insist upon being the person who completes everything.
The important thing is that God’s purpose progresses.
3. We should recognise the work of those who came before us
Solomon said:
“Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God.” — 1 Kings 5:3
Yet David had already made extensive preparations.
Solomon did not begin from nothing.
This reminds us to respect earlier faithful labour.
In ecclesial life especially, we often inherit:
- meeting halls,
- preaching work,
- Bible courses,
- translations,
- publications,
- websites,
- ecclesial traditions,
- relationships established over many years.
We should not casually despise what earlier generations built.
Instead we should ask how we can preserve what is good and improve what needs improvement.
4. God’s work requires preparation
Solomon did not begin construction immediately without planning.
He first arranged:
- timber,
- stone,
- transport,
- skilled workers,
- labour organisation,
- agreements with Hiram.
This is an important spiritual principle.
Faith does not mean acting without preparation.
Jesus said:
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost?” — Luke 14:28
Whether preparing a Bible class, an ecclesial project, a journey, a preaching campaign, or family responsibilities, careful preparation is valuable.
Good preparation is not lack of faith.
It is often an expression of faithfulness.
5. God’s work deserves quality
Solomon asked for:
“cedar trees out of Lebanon.” — 1 Kings 5:6
Cedar was highly valued timber.
Later the chapter also speaks of:
“great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones.” — verse 17
Solomon did not approach the house of God carelessly.
There is a lesson here.
When we serve God, we should not deliberately give Him the poorest version of what we could offer.
This does not mean extravagance for its own sake.
It means doing our best.
Paul says:
“whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.” — Colossians 3:23
Our service should reflect care.
6. Skill is a gift that can be used for God
Solomon said concerning the Sidonians:
“there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.” — 1 Kings 5:6
He recognised their particular expertise.
This is significant.
Not everyone has the same abilities.
Some are gifted with:
- practical skills,
- languages,
- teaching,
- administration,
- technology,
- music,
- writing,
- building,
- hospitality.
God’s service can make use of all kinds of ability.
The question is:
What ability has God placed in my hands, and how can I use it well?
7. Do not pretend to possess skills you do not have
Solomon openly acknowledged:
“there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.”
He did not pretend Israel could do everything.
That is a useful lesson in humility.
There is no shame in saying:
“Someone else can do this better than I can.”
Wise service sometimes means recognising our limits and asking someone more skilled to help.
Pride says:
I must do everything myself.
Wisdom says:
Who is best suited to this responsibility?
8. Cooperation can accomplish more than isolation
Solomon and Hiram worked together.
Hiram supplied timber.
Solomon supplied provisions.
Each contributed something different.
This illustrates the value of cooperation.
Ecclesial life works best when brothers and sisters cooperate rather than compete.
Paul says:
“we are labourers together with God.” — 1 Corinthians 3:9
The emphasis should not be:
“This is my work.”
but:
“How can we together advance God’s work?”
9. Good relationships should be preserved
Verse 1 tells us:
“Hiram was ever a lover of David.”
There was already a relationship between Hiram and David.
Solomon built upon it.
There is a practical lesson here.
Healthy relationships are valuable.
Friendships and cooperative relationships built over years should not be neglected unnecessarily.
Paul says:
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” — Romans 12:18
We should be careful not to destroy useful relationships through pride, impatience, or needless offence.
10. Speak respectfully even when dealing with those outside the faith
Solomon dealt respectfully with Hiram, a Gentile king.
Hiram responded positively.
Believers should likewise behave with courtesy toward those outside the truth.
Peter says:
“Honour all men.” — 1 Peter 2:17
Our conduct toward:
- neighbours,
- colleagues,
- authorities,
- tradespeople,
- strangers,
can either commend or discredit the truth we profess.
11. Honest agreements matter
Solomon and Hiram reached a clear arrangement.
Hiram would provide timber.
Solomon would provide food.
Verse 11 says:
“Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household.”
Their cooperation involved proper exchange.
This reminds us of the importance of fairness.
When dealing with others:
- pay what is owed,
- honour agreements,
- do not exploit generosity,
- make expectations clear.
Faithfulness to God should make us trustworthy in ordinary business dealings.
12. Godly wisdom can improve relationships
Verse 12 says:
“And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon.”
Notice the connection between wisdom and peace.
Wisdom does not merely solve intellectual problems.
It can help create good relationships.
James says:
“the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable.” — James 3:17
If our supposed wisdom constantly produces unnecessary conflict, we should examine whether it is truly godly wisdom.
13. Peace does not mean inactivity
There was:
“peace between Hiram and Solomon.”
Yet both men were working hard.
Biblical peace is not laziness.
It provides the environment for productive service.
This is a useful principle in ecclesial life.
A peaceful ecclesia should not become an inactive ecclesia.
Peace should free us to concentrate on:
- preaching,
- teaching,
- caring,
- strengthening one another.
14. Large tasks require organisation
Solomon raised a substantial workforce.
Verse 13 says:
“king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel.”
Then he organised workers in rotations.
The work required planning on a national scale.
Likewise, large spiritual or practical tasks require structure.
Poor organisation can waste willing effort.
Paul says:
“God is not the author of confusion.” — 1 Corinthians 14:33
If we have responsibilities, we should make them clear and manageable.
15. Work should be organised so that people are not unnecessarily crushed
The labourers worked:
“a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home.” — 1 Kings 5:14
Whatever later burdens developed under Solomon, this particular arrangement included rotation.
There is a useful principle here.
People are not machines.
When organising others, we should consider:
- family responsibilities,
- health,
- rest,
- reasonable workload.
Even spiritual work can become damaging if we demand too much from a small number of people.
We should share burdens sensibly.
16. Some of God’s work is physically demanding
The chapter speaks of:
“threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains.” — 1 Kings 5:15
Much of the temple preparation involved ordinary hard labour.
This is a useful reminder.
God’s work is not always glamorous.
Sometimes it involves:
- carrying,
- cleaning,
- repairing,
- travelling,
- setting up,
- packing away,
- maintaining buildings,
- preparing food.
Such work may receive little public recognition.
But it is still service.
17. Those who supervise others have a responsibility
Verse 16 mentions:
“three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.”
Leadership involves responsibility for people.
A good supervisor should not simply demand results.
He should care about those doing the work.
Jesus contrasts worldly leadership with godly leadership:
“whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” — Matthew 20:27
Leadership should mean service, not domination.
18. Foundations matter
Solomon commanded that they:
“brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.” — 1 Kings 5:17
The foundation would be largely unseen once the building was complete.
Yet everything depended upon it.
This is a powerful spiritual lesson.
The foundations of discipleship include:
- sound doctrine,
- regular Bible reading,
- prayer,
- baptism,
- understanding the Gospel,
- faith in God’s promises.
These may not appear impressive to the world.
But without a sound foundation the structure will not stand.
Jesus said:
“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them… is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock.” — Luke 6:47-48
19. Hidden work can be the most important work
The foundation stones were costly and carefully prepared, although much of them would eventually be unseen.
Many important acts of discipleship are also unseen.
Prayer.
Private Bible study.
Resisting temptation.
Encouraging someone quietly.
Preparing a lesson.
Helping someone without public recognition.
God values hidden faithfulness.
Jesus said:
“thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” — Matthew 6:18
20. The house was being built for God, not Solomon
Solomon repeatedly speaks of building:
“an house unto the name of the LORD my God.” — 1 Kings 5:5
This was not supposed to be a monument to Solomon.
It was for God.
This gives us a very important warning.
Religious work can become a vehicle for human pride.
We can begin to think:
my project, my ecclesia, my teaching, my work.
We should continually remember:
The work belongs to God.
The spiritual temple
From a Christadelphian perspective, the temple also points forward to a greater spiritual house.
Peter tells believers:
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house.” — 1 Peter 2:5
The building is not now primarily about stones and timber.
God is preparing people.
Paul says:
“ye are God’s building.” — 1 Corinthians 3:9
This makes 1 Kings 5 very personal.
The question becomes:
What kind of stone am I becoming in God’s house?
21. Each believer is being shaped
The stones for the temple had to be cut and prepared.
Likewise, God works upon our characters.
Trials, Scripture, correction, responsibility and relationships all shape us.
Sometimes the process is uncomfortable.
But Hebrews says:
“no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” — Hebrews 12:11
God is preparing His people for His Kingdom.
22. Christ is the essential foundation
Paul writes:
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 3:11
The temple foundation points our minds toward the necessity of a correct foundation in Christ.
Our hope cannot rest upon:
- our own goodness,
- ecclesial tradition,
- family background,
- knowledge alone.
It rests upon God’s work in Christ and our faithful identification with him.
23. The building must fit together
Timber, stones and labourers all had different functions.
Yet they contributed to one house.
Likewise the ecclesia consists of many different personalities and abilities.
Paul says believers are:
“fitly framed together” — Ephesians 2:21
This requires patience.
Stones in a building do not all occupy the same place.
We do not need every brother and sister to be identical.
Unity does not mean uniformity.
It means being joined together in a common faith and hope.
24. We are being prepared for something greater
The enormous preparation in 1 Kings 5 was leading toward the construction of the temple.
Likewise, our present life is preparation.
Paul speaks of believers:
“being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” — Ephesians 2:20
The present ecclesial age is not the finished purpose.
God is preparing a people for the coming Kingdom.
That gives meaning even to difficult experiences.
Solomon and the greater Son of David
Solomon built a house for the name of the LORD.
But Jesus is greater than Solomon.
Christ said:
“behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” — Matthew 12:42
The work associated with Christ is far greater than Solomon’s temple.
Through Christ, God is building a spiritual house of redeemed men and women.
At Christ’s return, the Kingdom promised to David will be restored.
“the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.” — Luke 1:32
For Christadelphians, this is a literal future hope: Jesus Christ will return to the earth, establish the Kingdom of God, reign from David’s throne, and fill the earth with the knowledge and glory of God.
The central exhortation of 1 Kings 5
The chapter is fundamentally about building.
But before building comes:
peace,
preparation,
planning,
cooperation,
skill,
hard work,
good foundations.
The same principles apply to discipleship.
We should ask ourselves:
Am I building something useful for God?
Am I using the peaceful opportunities He gives me?
Am I willing to cooperate with others rather than control everything myself?
Am I giving God the best use of my abilities?
Is my spiritual foundation strong?
Am I allowing God to shape me into a useful part of His spiritual house?
The temple could not be built with one stone or one worker.
Likewise God's purpose is being worked out through many faithful servants.
So the practical exhortation of 1 Kings 5 is:
Build carefully, serve faithfully, work peacefully with others, and make sure that everything rests upon the right foundation.
For:
“other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 3:11
Practical Readings — 1 KINGS 5