When building Ambassador Auditorium in the early 1970s, Herbert W. Armstrong said he didn’t fully realize how superb the structure would be until well after the construction process had started. Going in, because it was to be a house for God, he knew it had to be the finest edifice the Worldwide Church of God could afford to build. Still, though, he was astounded by the magnificence of the finished product.

This pretty much sums up the way we felt during the construction process of Armstrong Auditorium. The finished product has even exceeded our high expectations.

Of course, neither Ambassador nor Armstrong could remotely compare to the beauty and grandeur of Solomon’s temple. To build a structure that size, using the materials the Bible says Solomon used, would probably cost tens of billions of dollars!

Even compared to modern-day facilities, Armstrong Auditorium—like Ambassador before us—is a relatively small auditorium. Ambassador had 1,200 seats. Ours only seats 823, which is one third the seating capacity of Oklahoma City’s Civic Center. But for our purposes, with a church of only 6,000 members worldwide and with fewer than 150 students on campus, we did not need an auditorium any larger than the one we have now. Otherwise, our students would look lost during forums and recitals.

Besides that, considering the quality of materials and craftsmanship we needed to properly glorify God in this house, we simply could not afford to build anything bigger.

When King David began preparations for the first temple, he told Solomon that God’s house “must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries” (1 Chronicles 22:5). The Revised Standard Version says the house was to be exceedingly magnificent. Moffatt translates it this way: “incomparably magnificent.”

It other words, for a building of its kind, it had to be the finest on Earth. Why? Because it was God’s house—not any man’s. It had to reflect God’s character and nature.

Shortly before he completed work on Ambassador Auditorium, Mr. Armstrong wrote, “Even though this house for God we are building is smaller and a different kind of building (and therefore of only a very tiny fraction of the cost), still, in character and quality and beauty, it must be the finest we can make it. And the contractors who are erecting it tell me it is actually the very finest on Earth for this type, kind, and size of building” (April 12, 1973).

Those who helped on our construction project would undoubtedly say the same thing about Armstrong Auditorium. And now that it’s finished—its beauty and quality having exceeded our expectations—we believe Armstrong Auditorium is the finest building on Earth for its type and size. Its overall cost was infinitesimal compared to Solomon’s glorious house—and even substantially less than what it cost to build Ambassador Auditorium.

Still, what a superb monument it is to our great God! It’s in no way gaudy or ostentatious. Yet it is uniquely designed, open and airy, bright and colorful, dignified and stately. When world-renowned sculptor David Wynne visited the house last week, he noted the auditorium’s fine atmosphere. It’s beautiful, he told the students at Armstrong College—simple and in good taste.

His comment reminded me of another one made about Ambassador Auditorium in 1974. After the inaugural concert in the auditorium, one woman carried on for some time, profusely praising the building’s beauty and magnificence.

“Why, you’ve just described the very character of God!” Mr. Armstrong exclaimed.

Later, he wrote that if the house bore the character of God, then he believed God would be well pleased—and that we should be too.