1 Kings 5:17: “And the king commanded them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the temple.”

July 8th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

It is still possible today, 3000 years after it was built, to measure some of the remaining stones of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Archaeologists continue to debate how these stones, weighing hundreds of tons, were actually cut, moved into position, and fitted together so remarkably well. But we see here in 1 Kings 5, as King Solomon began the temple-building project, that neither size nor expense was spared in acquiring foundation stones for the temple. It isn’t surprising that he started the project by building the strongest foundation possible. The base had to be solid and unmovable before attempting to raise the expensive structure on it. The infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa illustrates what happens when an inadequate foundation is laid.

The metaphor of a firm foundation as essential for life is used in both the Old and New Testament. Jesus told us to be careful to build our life on the solid rock—Him and His word. David gives us a clear picture of this in Psalm 61:1–2 when he says:

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

That should be our prayer today as well.

“LORD, lead us to the Rock that is higher than we are.”