Xanthe Hancox

He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz. The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars was completed. 1 Kings 7:21-22

Once the temple was built, Solomon sent for Huram, a craftsman who was skilled in all kinds of bronze work, to do the temple’s furnishings. The pillars that Huram erected in front of the temple were impressive; about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference. Even more so were the elaborate capitals on top. They were 2 metres high, shaped like lilies, and topped with a network of interlocking chains and 200 bronze pomegranates.

It seems that the twin pillars were purely ornamental and there’s a lot of speculation as to their significance. Some scholars suggest they were reminders of the pillars of cloud and fire that led the Israelites through the desert. Huram named the pillars ‘Jakin’ and ‘Boaz’, meaning ‘he establishes’ and ‘in him is strength’ respectively. Perhaps, then, they were a reminder to the priests and all those who passed between them on their way to worship in the temple to depend on God, and not on their own strength.

It’s something that we would do well to remember, too. I was reminded of Paul’s words in Colossians where he speaks about being established, or rooted, in Christ, and strengthened in the faith, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7) When we put our faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, we were rooted in him, but that’s not the end of the road. We need to continually allow Christ to build us up and strengthen our faith so that we may bear fruit for him.

Prayer: Teach me, Lord, to depend on you and you alone as my life grows evermore rooted in you. May your Word work through me and pour out into how I live my life, the decisions that I make, the reactions and responses I have to different situations in my life. Amen