I Kings 6: Illegal Building Permit

Four hundred and eighty years after the Israelites left Egypt, Shlomo begins to build the Temple. Back in Exodus, God was very clear with Moshe about the plans for the Tabernacle. “and let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it” (Exodus 25:8-9) (וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם׃ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ אֵת תַּבְנִית הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֵת תַּבְנִית כָּל כֵּלָיו וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ). Shlomo does not get any similar directive. Why does God not give Shlomo detailed plans like was given to Moshe? Unlike the Mishkan, whose design was dictated in painstaking detail by God, the Temple appears in Kings as a human initiative inspired by divine promise. Why the difference?In the last chapter he told Hiram that his father wanted to build the Temple, but God told David he could not because he was surrounded by war. “But now the LORD my God has given me respite all around; there is no adversary and no mischance. and so I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD promised my father David, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for My name’” (5:18-19) (וְעַתָּה הֵנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹהַי לִי מִסָּבִיב אֵין שָׂטָן וְאֵין פֶּגַע רָע׃ וְהִנְנִי אֹמֵר לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם ה׳ אֱלֹהָי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ אֶל דָּוִד אָבִי לֵאמֹר בִּנְךָ אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן תַּחְתֶּיךָ עַל כִּסְאֶךָ הוּא יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי). Shlomo on his own decides to build the Temple based on what Natan told David back in II Samuel. God does not direct Shlomo to build the Temple, nor does God provide the details.God first appears well into the construction when he tells Shlomo: “’With regard to this House you are building—if you follow My laws and observe My rules and faithfully keep My commandments, I will fulfill for you the promise that I gave to your father David. I will dwell among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.” (verses 12-13) (הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בֹנֶה אִם־תֵּלֵךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי תַּעֲשֶׂה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתַי לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־דְּבָרִי אִתָּךְ אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד אָבִיךָ׃ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא אֶעֱזֹב אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל). God uses the same language from Exodus- “I will dwell amongst them,” but this time the promise only happens after the building is substantially completed.The difference could be how God sees the nation each time. In the wilderness, the people had been freed from slavery and they had just worshipped the Golden Calf. The young nation was in no position to do anything on their own. God needed to hand hold at the time. God showed the people exactly what type of Tabernacle God wanted. This was also a way to avoid having the people create another idol. They had to know this was from God.During the time of Shlomo, the people were more established. God wanted the Temple to come organically from the people. This includes the design in addition to the desire. Shlomo on his own came to the conclusion that it was time to build the Temple his father could not build, and he set about putting all the effort into doing so. Once God saw that, then God was able to make the same promise he made to the people back in wilderness 478 years before.