Commentary - 2 Chronicles 3:8-14

Bird's-eye view

In this section of 2 Chronicles, we are brought into the very heart of Solomon's temple, the Most Holy Place. The Chronicler is not simply giving us an architectural blueprint; he is painting a theological portrait. Every detail here is freighted with meaning, pointing forward to a greater reality. This is the earthly throne room of the great King, a shadow of the heavenly reality. The staggering opulence, the perfect symmetry, the guardian cherubim, and the separating veil all serve to teach Israel about the profound holiness of God and the vast gulf that sin has fixed between Him and mankind. But for those with eyes to see, it is also a picture filled with gospel promise. The sheer value of the materials hints at the infinite value of what was to come. The design of the room points to a perfect and unshakeable kingdom. And the veil, as we now know, was not a permanent fixture.

The construction of the Holy of Holies is a declaration in stone and gold. It declares God's transcendent majesty, His unapproachable light, and His covenant presence with His people. But it is a mediated presence. Man cannot simply walk in. This room, in its glory and its inaccessibility, creates a profound tension that only the gospel can resolve. It is a room that begs a question: how can a sinful people dwell with a holy God? The answer was not in the temple itself, but in the one to whom the temple pointed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Outline

Context In Chronicles

The book of Chronicles was written to the generation that had returned from exile. They were a people rebuilding from the ruins, and they needed to be reminded of who they were and who their God was. The Chronicler focuses heavily on the temple because it was the center of Israel's worship and the symbol of God's covenant presence. By recounting the glorious details of Solomon's temple, he is reminding the returned exiles of the God who once dwelt among them in such splendor and who has promised to be with them still.

This detailed description is not just nostalgia for a golden age. It is a lesson in holiness. The exile happened because Israel forgot the God of this temple. They defiled His worship and disobeyed His law. This careful, clause-by-clause description of the Holy of Holies serves as a powerful reminder of the character of the God they serve. He is not a tame God. He is a holy God, and He must be approached on His own terms. This sets the stage for the whole history of the monarchy, which will be judged by its faithfulness, or lack thereof, to the covenant centered on this house.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 8 And he made the room of the Holy of Holies: its length across the width of the house was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; and he covered it with fine gold, amounting to 600 talents.

The Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place, was the inner sanctum. This was the heart of the temple, just as worship is the heart of our relationship with God. Its dimensions are significant. It is a perfect cube, twenty cubits in length, width, and height (1 Kings 6:20 tells us the height). A perfect cube is a symbol of perfection and stability. This is a picture of the unshakable reality of God's heavenly throne room. The New Jerusalem, which is the bride of Christ, the Church glorified, is also described as a perfect cube (Rev. 21:16). This room is a model of the world to come, the ultimate destiny of God's people. It is where heaven and earth meet. And it is covered with an almost unbelievable amount of fine gold. Six hundred talents would be somewhere around 23 tons of gold. This is not about gaudy decoration. Gold, in Scripture, represents what is precious, pure, and divine. The room is saturated in glory, reflecting the nature of the God who would dwell there. This is a statement about the supreme worth and majesty of Yahweh.

v. 9 Now the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also covered the upper rooms with gold.

Even the smallest details are attended to with glorious materials. The nails, used to fasten the gold plates, were themselves made of gold. Fifty shekels is over a pound of gold just for the nails. This communicates that in God's presence, nothing is common or profane. Every part of our worship, down to the smallest detail, is to be offered up to Him as something precious. The glory of God is not just a surface-level wash; it is thorough, penetrating every aspect of His dwelling place. The mention of the upper rooms being covered with gold extends this principle. The entire structure dedicated to God's presence is to be marked by His glory. There are no forgotten corners, no places where the holiness is diluted. This is a picture of total consecration.

v. 10 Then in the room of the Holy of Holies he made two cherubim of fashioned work and overlaid them with gold.

Now we come to the inhabitants of the room. God's throne is not unattended. Cherubim are heavenly beings, angelic guardians of God's holiness. Remember the cherubim placed at the east of Eden with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). Their presence here serves the same function. They are holy sentinels. They declare that this is sacred space, and sinful man cannot enter on his own terms. They are of "fashioned work," meaning they were skillfully crafted, and like everything else, overlaid with gold. They are part of the glorious furniture of heaven, made visible on earth. Their job is to guard the holiness of God, to represent the legions of heaven who surround His throne.

v. 11-12 Now the wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits; the wing of one, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub. And the wing of the other cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and its other wing of five cubits was attached to the wing of the first cherub.

The dimensions here are precise and meaningful. The total wingspan of the two cherubim is twenty cubits, the exact width of the room. Their wings stretch from one wall to the other, forming a continuous, unbroken barrier of heavenly power. One wing of each cherub touches the outer wall, signifying that God's holy domain is guarded from the entire outside world. The other wing of each touches the wing of the other cherub in the center, right over the place where the Ark of the Covenant, the mercy seat, would rest. They are a living canopy of holiness. There are no gaps. This is a picture of the comprehensive and perfect protection of God's glory. Nothing can approach the mercy seat except under the watchful guard of heaven.

v. 13 The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits, and they stood on their feet facing the main room.

The summary of the wingspan reinforces the point of their complete coverage. But their posture is key. They stood on their feet, ready for service, and they were "facing the main room," or the Holy Place. They were looking outward, toward the place where the priests would minister. Their gaze was fixed on the entrance. They were guarding the way in. This is a posture of vigilant watchfulness. They are not at ease, but are actively carrying out their duty. Anyone who would approach God must pass by them, and their presence is a constant, silent warning: "Holy ground."

v. 14 And he made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and he ornamented cherubim on it.

Finally, the last line of defense is put in place. The veil was a thick, heavy curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It was the final barrier. The colors are royal and priestly colors, speaking of the majesty of the King who dwells within. Blue speaks of heaven, purple of royalty, and crimson of blood and sacrifice. And woven into this fabric were more cherubim. The message could not be clearer. The way into the presence of God is closed. It is guarded by heavenly beings, and sealed by this curtain. But this is where the gospel shines most brightly. The book of Hebrews tells us that this veil was a type of Christ's flesh (Heb. 10:20). When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). God Himself tore it open. The tearing of Christ's body on the cross was the tearing of the veil. The way into the Holiest is now open to all who come by faith in Him. That which once said "Keep Out" now, through Christ, says "Welcome Home."

Application

The first and most obvious application is a deep and abiding reverence for the holiness of God. We live in a casual age, and we treat God casually. This passage is a strong corrective. Our God is a consuming fire, and we must come to Him with reverence and awe. We have boldness to enter, yes, but it is a boldness granted by the blood of Christ, not a boldness born of our own familiarity or flippancy. We must never forget the cost at which our access was purchased.

Second, we should see that our worship matters down to the details. The care and expense lavished on this room should instruct us. While we are not under the old covenant and do not build physical temples, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). How we conduct ourselves, how we order our worship services, how we prepare our hearts, it all matters. We should seek to offer God our best, not our leftovers. Our lives are to be overlaid with the gold of faith and obedience.

Lastly, this passage should fill us with overwhelming gratitude for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the greater Solomon who has built the true temple. He is the one who passed through the heavenly guards. He is the one whose body was the veil, torn for us, so that the way to the Father might be opened. The glory of Solomon's temple, as breathtaking as it was, is just a dim shadow compared to the glory of what we have in the new covenant. We have free access to the throne of grace. Let us therefore draw near with confidence, but let us never forget that the ground on which we stand was made holy by the blood of the Lamb.