Day 5 – Purpose

2 Chronicles 4:1 Moreover, he made a bronze altar: twenty cubits (30 feet) was its length, twenty cubits its width, and ten cubits (15 feet) its height.

 2 Then he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits (7.5 feet), and a line of thirty cubits (45 feet) measured its circumference. 3 Under it was the likeness of oxen encircling it, ten to a cubit (1 foot, six inches), around the Sea. The oxen were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 4 It stood on twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and their back parts pointed inward. 5 It was a handbreadth (four inches) thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained three thousand baths. (361.44 gallons) 6 He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right side and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as they offered for the burnt offering they would wash in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.

 7 He made ten lampstands of gold according to their design, and set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left.

 8 He also made ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. He made one hundred bowls of gold.

 9 Furthermore, he made the court of the priests, and the great court and doors for the court; and he overlaid these doors with bronze.

 10 He set the Sea on the right side, toward the southeast.

 11 Then Huram made the pots and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing the work he was to do for King Solomon for the house of Elohiym: 12 the two pillars and the bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals which were on top of the pillars; 13 four hundred pomegranates for the two networks (two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on the pillars); 14 he also made carts and the lavers on the carts; 15 one Sea and twelve oxen under it; 16 also the pots, the shovels, the forks-and all their articles Huram his master craftsman made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of JEHOVAH.

 17 In the plain of Jordan the king had them cast in clay molds, between Succoth and Zeredah.

 18 Solomon had these articles made in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze was not determined.

 19 Thus, Solomon had the furnishings made for the house of Elohiym: the altar of gold and the tables on which was the showbread; 20 the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in the prescribed manner in front of the inner sanctuary, 21 with the flowers and the lamps and the wick-trimmers of gold, of purest gold; 22 the trimmers, the bowls, the ladles, and the censers of pure gold. As for the entry of the sanctuary, its inner doors to the Most Holy Place, and the doors of the main hall of the temple, were gold.

God’s names:

Elohiym – Supreme God

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Yeshuwa – Jesus

God’s character:

Holy

Sovereign

Measures:

Cubit = 18 inches

Handbreadth = 4 inches

Bath = 8 gallons, 3 quarts

Details are everything in construction. Everything must measure exactly, or it won’t turn out as expected.

Solomon next turned his attention to the articles for the temple: the bronze altar, bronze sea, the golden lampstand, golden altar, trimmers, bowls, ladles, and the inner doors to the Most Holy Place also of gold.

You see great detail in the bronze sea. The mention of ten oxen to one cubit and the twelve oxen is not a contradiction. The smaller oxen were molded under the rim of the sea, while the bronze sea rested on twelve oxen.

Everything Solomon made needed precise measurements.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see a beautiful person, created by Elohiym by His exact measurements? Or do you see a person with flaws too horrible to look at?

As children of Elohiym, you were fashioned in His image. He doesn’t see your flaws, but a person of beauty, created for His purpose.

Just as Solomon built the temple and made the articles according to the plans his father, David, provided. You are JEHOVAH’S temple because you accepted Yeshuwa as your Savior and Lord. He created you in His image and gave you the gifts and abilities He needed in you for His work. Everything about you has a purpose. Just as everything Solomon made for the temple had a purpose in the work of the temple, you have a purpose in Yeshuwa’s plan for your life. The next time you look in the mirror tell yourself you are beautiful. Elohiym created you in His image. Then smile and determine to be your best for Him in everything you do. He poured His best into you. Show off what JEHOVAH did in you. Don’t look at your flaws, see yourself as the beautiful person He created you to be created in His image for His purpose.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for making me in Your image for Your purpose. Let me see myself as You see me and help me to be my best for You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 23 January 2025 by Valerie Routhieaux