TEMPLE TREASURE

Joyce Voysey

Now I have been worrying about all that treasure!  And, I am not the first to do so.

Here is some info from the web site -  http://www.templemount.org/TMTRS.html

The Treasures of the House of the Lord by Lambert Dolphin:

The materials assembled for the tabernacle
are described in detail in Exodus 35-38 and summarized in Exodus 38:21-30. The total quantity of gold collected was approximately one ton; of silver, 3-3/4 tons; and of bronze, 2-1/2 tons. At today's prices gold is approximately $500 per troy ounce, or $6000 per pound, or $12,000,000 per ton. Silver currently is priced around $12 per troy ounce, or $144 per pound, which is $288,000 per ton. Hence, the gold and silver used in the Tabernacle of Moses would be worth over $13 million today. Exodus 12:35 states that the Jews were given gold, silver, and ornaments by the Egyptians at the time of the departure from Egypt. The golden lampstand in the tabernacle weighed a talent and would today be worth a half million dollars for its gold alone. A replica of this menorah is now being crafted at the Temple Institute in Jerusalem.

It is known that most or all of the holy vessels of gold and silver from the tabernacle were with the Ark when it was brought from the city of David to the first temple by Solomon (I Kings 8:4). Although David desired to build a permanent house of God in Jerusalem, his son Solomon built the first temple. The plans were those of David, and David amassed the materials (I Chronicles 28:1-19; II Chronicles 2-4; I Kings 6-7). These materials included 100,000 talents (Ref. 3) of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, (I Chron. 29). From his own private fortune David also gave 3,000 talents of gold and 7,000 talents of high grade silver. This is an enormous quantity of gold and silver by any standard: 100,000 talents of gold = 3750 tons, value today = $45 billion; 1,000,000 talents of silver = 37,500 tons, value today = $10.8 billion. In round numbers, the wealth of the first temple was about $56 billion.

In addition to all the gold and silver, great quantities of bronze, cedar, iron, and precious stones were contributed. The most holy place of Solomon's temple was lined with cedar from Lebanon and covered with 600 talents of gold. This gold plating alone, about 540,000 troy ounces, would be worth about $270 million today. The doors of the temple were also covered with gold plates. During this period of Israel's history, Solomon's income was 666 talents of gold per annum or about 600,000 troy ounces, worth $300 million today. During the reign of Solomon "silver was as common as stone" in Jerusalem, (I Kings 10:27). Solomon made 200 massive shields each 300 shekels in weight to hang on the walls of his palace. His ivory throne was overlaid with gold. "So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom" (II Kings 10:23). The splendor of Solomon's kingdom brought him recognition and fame that attracted much foreign attention. For example, during her visit "to test Solomon with hard questions" the Queen of Sheba brought Solomon 120 talents of gold, ($54,000,000), "and a very great store of spices and precious stones," (I Kings 10; II Chronicles 9).

(In commentary on Ezra 8:26, Dummelow suggests that there may have been some exaggeration or “textual corruption may be suspected.”)

The whole of this article (The Treasures if the House of the Lord) would be interesting for this blog, but perhaps it is too much.  Through the ages the treasure has been plundered from all sides, it seems.  Isn’t it great that the true wealth of church is in spiritual riches?  We do not have to be concerned that it may stolen by marauders.

As Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matt. 6:19-21. Was this evidence that things had started to be recognised as thoughts, as Mary Baker Eddy’s book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures states they must be? To quote: “Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas” (p. 123:12) and “Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul” (p. 269:14).

So what thoughts do the treasures represent?  Gold: Beauty, purity, value, wealth, goodness - shining, noble, durable, untarnished, everlasting.