The first Jewish temple is one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. Built in the tenth century BC, the project was so massive that Solomon employed thirty thousand loggers and eighty thousand stonecutters. More than three thousand foremen managed the project, which took seven years to complete. The temple was the epicentre of Judaism. It was the place of sacrifice. It was the place of worship. It was the place of pilgrimage. But like everything else, at one time it only existed in someone’s imagination. The history of the Jewish temple can be traced all the way back to an idea in the mind of King David. But it wasn’t David’s idea. ‘David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord.’ We have no idea how God downloaded the plans to David. Would he have received mental images or detailed architectural drawings? We don’t know, but one thing is certain: the plans for the temple weren’t manufactured in David’s mind, they originated with the Spirit of God. The temple wasn’t just a good idea, it was a God idea. So, ask God for an idea. Pray for a plan. There are two reasons why we should do this. First because the Bible says, ‘Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart’ (Psalm 37:4 NIV). Second, when something is devised by God’s Spirit, it’s certain to succeed.
