Recently, as I was reading in the book of I Kings, I came across the account of Solomon building the temple of YHWW(probably translated as "the LORD" in your Bible) in Jerusalem. The building was according to very specific instructions, just as the Tabernacle before it. In fact, the Temple of YHWH was designed to be an exact replica of God's throne room in heaven. Interestingly, the pillars of the Temple, numbering 2, were given names. Pillars are meant to uphold or support something. When we refer to someone as a pillar of the community, he is considered an upstanding citizen, a person of character, a person who contributes to the success of the community. Solomon named the two pillars in the front of the Temple Jachin and Boaz. The pillars were symbolic as well as functional. The names Solomon gave them are extremely important. Jachin, pronounced Yaw-keen comes from the Hebrew root of God, Ya, and keen meaning establishes - translation: God establishes. The name Boaz means strength. Jachin and Boaz loosely translates as "established by God's strength."
The Temple of YHWH in Jerusalem was a massive human undertaking, taking seven years of labor without the benefit of modern construction equipment. Solomon named the pillars, the very first thing anyone would see on the approach to the Temple, Established by God's Strength to ensure that everyone in Israel would know where the true power of the temple resided, in God. In fact, the very Glory of God resided in the Temple for many years, until the sin of Israel reached a level that God could no longer tolerate. The symbolism of naming the pillars Jachin and Boaz demonstrated that all of Israel's purpose, faith and function was established and upheld by the power of God, not by human effort.
God reminds us throughout His word that it is He who empowers us to do His work and the results are supernatural. In Zechariah 4:6 we find God telling the governor, Zeubabbel. as he is undertaking the rebuilding of Jerusalem and a new Temple: Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
God's desire is for us to acknowledge Him that we may bring Glory to His name and that He may guide us and bless us. Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. God shows us through word, symbol and deed that He is the strength behind all of creatiion.
As in many of God's lessons to us, Jachin and Boaz has been co-opted by occultism and is used by Eastern mystics and especially Freemasons to infer a very different meaning. These groups look to Jachin and Boaz to infer power and wealth to it's adherents through occultic power not associated with the God of scripture. The true power of Jachin and Boaz is understanding that all the strength of the universe comes from God to be given to us at His pleasure and for His purpose.
Today, believers in Jesus Christ are each the Temple of the living God. We are each indwelt by the Spirit of God and are His representatives on earth. As our true home is yet to come, we are ambassadors of Christ awaiting our call home. While we are in this life, it is important that we understand Jachin and Boaz as God's establishing us, His holy Temples, through His strength. Philippians 4:13 tells us: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is by the power of God that we are established and upheld, just as the Temple of YHWH was once established and upheld by the two pillars Jachin and Boaz. As we remember that all our power and strength comes from God, we are apt to be more careful to pray for guidance and direction. God wants us to acknowledge Him and come to Him for all of our needs.
There is nothing mystical found in the names Jachin and Boaz except the concept that all good things are established by the power and strength of our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ. The meaning of Jachin and Boaz are foundational to our spiritual growth as believers. The more we acknowledge God and the more we call on Him for guidance and the more we submit to His will and authority, the more we will experience peace and joy in our lives. God desires so much for us and we can experience great spiritual blessing by understanding that He is our lives, not simply part of our lives.
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