Questions for Thought
- If you could ask for anything from God, what would it be?
- Why was Solomon’s request for wisdom the best gift he could request from God?
- How was Solomon like David and how was he different?
In the last blog, King David had proclaimed his son by Bathsheba, Solomon, as the next king. It seems King David had some unfinished business he told Solomon he was to take care of. In 1 Kings 2, we have recorded the charge David gave to Solomon. First, King David told his son to always keep the laws of the Lord and to walk in His ways so he would prosper in all he did. In 1 Kings 2:4 David reminded Solomon how God had promised there would always be a son of David on the throne if his children walked before God in truth with all of their heart and soul. Of course, if David’s children chose not to walk before God in truth with all their heart and soul, that promise would become null and void. In addition to remaining faithful to God, David had some personal tasks he wanted Solomon to carry out. Two men who David felt had wronged him, Joab and Shimei were to be held accountable but another man, Barzillai was to be shown kindness.
King David died after having been king 40 years and King Solomon began his reign. The rest of 1 Kings 2 records how King Solomon fulfilled his father’s requests to destroy those who had wronged David. In addition, Solomon had his half brother Adonijah, who had previously tried to take the kingdom, killed. Adonijah had asked Solomon’s mother to ask Solomon to allow Adonijah to have Abishag for a wife. Abishag was a young maiden who had ministered to David in his final days but he had not had sex with her. For Solomon to have allowed Adonijah to marry Abishag under the traditions of that time would have made it look like Adonijah had a right to the throne. So when Bathsheba asked Solomon to give Abishag to Adonijah as a wife, Solomon took care of the situation by having Adoniah killed.
Beginning in I Kings 3, we read how Solomon began making alliances through his marriages. The first one recorded was his marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. According to 1 Kings 11:1-4, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines which eventually turned his heart away from God and to other gods. You will remember these marriages were in direct disobedience to the command God had given concerning kings not multiplying to themselves wives found in Deuteronomy 17:17.
But King Solomon started out on the right foot with God. Back in 1 Kings 3:3, we read he loved the Lord and walked in the laws of David his father. In verse 5, the Lord came to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he would like to have. Solomon could have chosen anything, but Solomon was very humble. In verse 7, Solomon said he was but a little child and he did not know how to go out or to come in. In verse 9, he asked God for an understanding heart to judge the people. God was pleased with Solomon’s request and He told Solomon because he had asked for understanding and not for long life, riches, or the destruction of his enemies, God had granted his request for the understanding heart, but because of his request, God also gave him riches and honor so there would not be any among the kings like him all the days of his life. God also told Solomon if he kept the Lord’s commands as David had done, then God would give him a long life.
The first use of this wisdom God had given Solomon is recorded in 1 Kings 3:16-27. In this account, two women who were harlots went to the king to have him resolve a matter between them. Both women had been pregnant and delivered baby boys. According to the woman speaking, during the night the other women laid on her child and he died so she traded him for the baby of the woman telling the account. Of course, the other woman denied the events and said the dead baby belonged to this first woman. King Solomon said to cut the living child in two pieces and give one to each of the women. The woman who was telling the account said: “O my lord, give her the living child.” But the other woman said just to go ahead and divide the child. Solomon knew immediately whose child was alive and he said to give the child to the woman telling the account. When the people in Israel heard the account and how the king had made his decision, they feared the king knowing God’s judgment was in him.
Solomon had great possessions. According to Chapter 4 of 1 Kings, for one day it took 10 fat oxen, 20 oxen out of the pasture, and 100 sheep, in addition to other animals along with 150 bushels of fine flour and 300 bushels of meal to feed his court. Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots and 12,000 horsemen. As promised, his wisdom exceeded that of anyone around. He spoke 3,000 proverbs and he made 1,005 songs. People from all over the world came to see Solomon and to hear his wisdom.
Remember how David had wanted to build a temple for God, but God would not allow him to do so. David had told Solomon he was to build this temple so beginning in 1 Kings 5, is the account of this building project. Solomon hired servants from Hiram king of Tyre and purchased cedar from King Hiram to use in building the temple. Solomon’s labor force out of Israel was 30,000 men. They went to Lebanon to help prepare the materials for the temple as there was not to be the sound of any hammer, ax, or tool of iron in the temple during its construction. They went 10,000 at a time so they worked a month and had two months off. Solomon began building the temple in the fourth year of his reign and it was completed in the eleventh, taking seven years to complete. From the description of this building, it must have been beautiful. While it was only 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet tall, the walls, ceiling, and floor were made of cedar covered with fir. There were many carved decorations including cherubim covered with gold in the temple. The complete temple was overlaid with pure gold as was the floor. Of course, the purpose of the building itself was not like that of our church buildings today where the whole congregations meets, but was instead the place where the priests conducted their duties. There were courts outside where the people met.
During the building of the temple, God told Solomon if he walked in God’s laws and kept all His commands, then God would keep the promises He had made to David. God said He would dwell among the children of Israel and not forsake them. After the building was completed, the Lord appeared a second time to Solomon and told him He had hallowed the temple Solomon had built and had put His name there and if Solomon continued in following God, He would establish Solomon’s throne of Israel forever, but on the other hand, if Solomon or his children did not continue following God, then God would cut off Israel out of the land He had given them and He would cast the temple out of His sight.
Solomon’s own house took 13 years to complete. It too must have been beautiful to behold. The description of his house in given in 1 Kings 7. It was about 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. He had a great throne of ivory overlaid with gold. Two lions stood beside it and 12 lions stood on six steps going up to it. All of his drinking cups were made of gold. When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she had to go see him for herself. She told him in 1 Kings 9:6-7 how she could not believe what she had heard until she came and saw it. She said but only the half had been told as his wisdom and wealth exceeded the fame of which she had heard. She blessed Solomon’s God which she said delighted in Solomon. Then she gave him even more money and spices and fine stones.
Sadly, we know Solomon did not follow in the steps of his father, David. Not only did he accumulate horsemen and chariots but he let his many wives pull him away from serving the one true God. In 1 Kings 11:4, we read when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods and his heart was not at peace with God as had been his father, David’s heart. In verse 6 it says Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not obey God fully. He even built worship places to the false gods for his wives. Can you imagine a man of such wisdom having been given so great riches by God and then turning away from Him to serve false religion? Is that any different from what we see today when God’s children fall away?
God was angry with Solomon according to 1 Kings 11:9. God told Solomon He was going to take the kingdom and give it to one of Solomon’s servants. God said because of David, He would not take the kingdom during Solomon’s lifetime and when He did take it, He would leave one tribe to Solomon’s son. In the mean time, one of Solomon’s servants, Jeroboam, whom Solomon had put in charge of all the workers from the tribe of Joseph, was approached by the prophet Ahijah who told Jeroboam he was to be the next king of ten tribes of Israel. Prophet Ahijah tore Jeroboam’s garment into 12 pieces and told him to pick 10 of them for they represented the 10 tribes over which he would rule. Solomon knew of the event so Jeroboam fled into Egypt until Solomon’s death. When Solomon died after ruling Israel 40 years, Jeroboam returned and thus begins the divided kingdom we will be looking at next time.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 