The two bronze capitals covered the tops of the pillars. The total height of each capital was five cubits (v. 16; 2 Chron. 3:15), divided between the base (three cubits — 2 Kings 25:17) and the two bowls on top of each capital (2 Chron. 4:12). The number three here signifies the process of resurrection; the number two, a testimony (Deut. 17:6); the number five, the bearing of responsibility (see note Matt. 25:2^1a); and the number ten (the combined height of the two capitals), fullness in bearing responsibility. The bowls were the glory, beauty, decoration, and crown of the capitals. They were covered with nets of checker work (like a trellis) and wreaths of chain work (v. 17). These signify the complicated and intermixed situation in which those who are pillars in God’s building (Gal. 2:9; Rev. 3:12) live and bear responsibility. Lilies were on the nets (v. 19), and two rows of one hundred pomegranates were on the wreaths (v. 18; 2 Kings 25:17; 2 Chron. 3:16; 4:13). Lilies signify a life of faith in God (S.S. 2:1-2; Matt. 6:28, 30; Gal. 2:20), and pomegranates, having many seeds, signify the expression of the riches of the divine life. A life of faith that expresses the riches of the divine life is the issue of the experience of Christ’s crucifixion in and through the complicated and intermixed situation (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7-18). In spiritual significance the bowls of the capitals are a testimony (two) indicating that those who place themselves under God’s judgment (bronze), counting themselves as nothing, are able to bear responsibility (five) in full (ten) and express the riches of the divine life (pomegranates) in the midst of a complicated and intermixed situation (the checker work and chain work) out of the process of resurrection (the base of the capitals, three cubits in height) because they do not live by themselves but by God (lilies). A believer who is a pillar as a sign of God’s building must bear the testimony of living by faith to bear responsibility and express the riches of life through the process of resurrection under the crossing out of the checker work and the restriction of the chain work.

For additional details concerning the two bronze pillars and their capitals in relation to spiritual experience, see Life-study of Genesis, Messages Eighty-three and Eighty-four.

Lit., the one pillar…the second pillar.

Eighteen cubits (the height of each pillar — v. 15; 2 Kings 25:17) is half of three units of twelve cubits (the circumference of the pillar). The number three signifies the Triune God, and the number twelve signifies the mingling (multiplying) of the Triune God (three) with His creature man (four). It signifies further that this mingling is complete and perfect in God’s eternal administration (cf. note Rev. 21:12^2d and note Rev. 22:2⁴). Thus, if we would be pillars as a testimony of God’s building, we must first judge ourselves under God’s judgment (bronze — Matt. 16:24; Gal. 2:20) and then be filled, saturated, and permeated with the Triune God. That each pillar is a half indicates that no matter how completely we are mingled with the Triune God, we are not complete in ourselves; we need others to match us (cf. note Exo. 26:16¹).

The two large pillars set up by Solomon in front of the temple were a striking feature of the exterior of the temple. In the Scriptures the pillar is a sign, a testimony, of God’s building (Gen. 28:18-19, 22a; 1 Kings 7:15-22; Gal. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; Rev. 3:12). That there were two pillars here (two being the number of testimony) indicates that these pillars stood as a testimony, like a signboard, of what God’s building is. The names of the two pillars (v. 21 and notes) testify that the Lord will establish His building (cf. Matt. 16:18) and that genuine strength is in the building (cf. Eph. 3:17-18). In typology, bronze signifies God’s judgment (Exo. 27:1-8; Num. 21:8-9; John 3:14). The temple’s two bronze pillars signify the Christ who was judged by God and who became the supporting strength of God’s dwelling on the earth (cf. Rev. 1:15 and note Rev. 1:15^1a and note Rev. 1:15²). This Christ should be experienced by the believers in the church life and should be wrought into them to constitute them pillars to support God’s building.

Hiram was brought from Tyre to King Solomon in Jerusalem (vv. 13-14), the place where the temple was to be built. Jerusalem typifies the church. Both today’s Solomon (Christ) and God’s present building are in the church. Thus, in order to be useful to God for His building, we must gain secular skills, live in resurrection, and come to the proper ground, the ground of the church.

Tyre was a Gentile city noted for its commerce; hence, it was one with Satan (Ezek. 28:12, 16). Hiram’s father was the source of Hiram’s skill in working with bronze. However, his father died, leaving his mother, the source of his existence, a widow. This signifies that in order to be useful to God for the building of the church, God’s dwelling place, we need to acquire the secular learning and skills but must allow our “Tyrian” father, the source of these things, to die. Furthermore, our “Danite” mother must be “widowed” (separated from the worldly source), and we must be of the “tribe of Naphtali,” the tribe of transformation. Thus, we continue to possess the learning and the skills without the source, our existence (mother) is no longer linked to our worldly origin, and we are in resurrection. Moses and the apostle Paul are excellent examples of this principle.

Cf. 2 Chron. 2:14, which says that Hiram’s mother was “a woman of the daughters of Dan.” The tribe of Dan is the tribe of idolatry that caused God’s people to stumble and fall from God’s way (Gen. 49:17 and note Gen. 49:17¹). The fact that Hiram’s mother was of Dan indicates that Hiram’s origin, like that of all men, was of sin (Psa. 51:5; cf. John 8:44a). That Hiram became one who was “of the tribe of Naphtali,” the tribe of resurrection, i.e., of transformation (Gen. 49:21 and note), signifies that in order to be a part of God’s building and participate in its building work, we need to be transferred from the “tribe of Dan” into the “tribe of Naphtali” by being regenerated and transformed in Christ’s resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Cor. 3:18).

Solomon, the builder of the temple, is a type of Christ (Matt. 12:42), and Hiram, the builder of the pillars, is a type of the gifted persons in the New Testament, who perfect the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:8, 11-12, 16). That the work of building was not done by Solomon directly but by Solomon through Hiram indicates that Christ builds up the church not directly but through the gifted persons.

Solomon built his palaces in association with God’s dwelling (vv. 1-12). Solomon’s palaces were built with the same materials as those used for the temple. This indicates that his palaces were of the same rank as God’s dwelling. God’s dwelling was for God to be worshipped by His people. Solomon’s palaces were for him to administrate his government over the people. Solomon’s government was the governmental administration of God over His people (2 Chron. 9:8). The fact that Solomon’s palaces were built in association with God’s dwelling indicates that God’s government over His people should go along with His worship by His people.

In the type the king’s palaces and God’s temple were separate, whereas in the New Testament reality these two are one building. The New Testament believers are on the one hand God’s priests to serve, to worship, God and on the other hand God’s kings to reign for God (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6). The New Jerusalem will be the temple as God’s dwelling place and the place in which the believers will live and serve God as priests, and also a palace in which God the Father as the King of kings and all His children as His co-kings will live and reign as kings (Rev. 21:22; 22:3, 5).

The golden altar with its incense signifies the resurrected and ascended Christ as the Intercessor (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) and as the sweet savor for God’s acceptance of His redeemed (Rev. 8:3). See notes in Exo. 30:1-10, 34-38.

Following many MSS and the Septuagint; other MSS read, basins.

Lit., it.

The bronze sea with ten bronze lavers (vv. 23-40) signifies the convicting, judging, and renewing Spirit of God, who, based on the death of Christ, washes away all the negative things from those participating in the dwelling of God on earth (John 16:8; Titus 3:5). Solomon also built an altar of bronze (1 Kings 9:25), which is not listed here (see notes in Exo. 27:1-8).

Meaning in Him is strength.

Meaning He will establish.

Lit., the second.

Following many MSS and the Septuagint; other MSS read, pomegranates.

The golden table for the bread of the Presence signifies the Christ who has gone through the processes of incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension and has become the life-giving Spirit to be the spiritual food of God’s elect (John 6:32-63). See notes in Exo. 25:23-30.

The lampstands of pure gold signify the Christ who has become the life-giving Spirit through His resurrection to be the divine light to His people (John 8:12). See notes in Exo. 25:31-40.