Solomon succeeded David his father as king of Israel. Solomon became Israel's king because God had told David that Saul's heirs would not follow him to the throne. One of the first things Solomon did as a king was to go to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to the Lord. God appeared to the new king at night and asked him, "'Ask what you would like me to give you.' Solomon replied, 'You showed great kindness to your servant David, my father, when he lived his life before you in faithfulness and justice and integrity of heart; you have continued this great kindness to him by allowing a son of his to sit on his throne today. Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?' It pleased Yahweh that Solomon should asked for this..." - 1Kings 3:4-15 -

Solomon is usually remembered as a wise man. His Proverbs and his "Song of Songs" demonstrate his deep knowledge of the natural world (plants, animals,etc.) He also had a profound knowledge of human nature. - 1Kings 3:16-28 - Solomon's concern with the ethics of everyday life is evident in his Proverbs. They show that Solomon loved wisdom and was always trying to teach it to others. They also indicate he was a keen observer who could learn from the mistakes of others. Solomon's saying in these Proverbs are so true that they sound almost trite today. Their clarity sometimes hides their depth. During his lifetime, Solomon's fame as a man of wisdom spread to surrounding lands, and leaders came from afar to hear him speak. - 2Chr. 9:1-12 -

One of Solomon's first feats was the construction of the 'Temple' in Jerusalem as a place for worship of the God. The task was enormous, involving much planning and ,many workmen. The building was completed after seven years. The Temple was famous not for its size - since it was relatively small - but for the quality of its elaborate workmanship. - 1Kings 6 to 7 -

After the Temple was completed, Solomon planned an elaborate program of dedication. He invited the leaders of all twelve tribes to attend as he presided over the ceremony. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT was brought into the most sacred place in the Temple as a cloud filled the room to hide God's presence. King Solomon then blessed the crowd, recounted the history of the building of the Temple, and offered long prayers of dedication while standing at the altar. This reveals the admirable spirit of devotion in Solomon's heart. The dedication ceremony lasting seven days was followed by observance of the Feast of Tabernacle. - 1Kings 8 to 9 -

Immediately after the dedication, the Lord appeared to Solomon once again. He assured the king that his prayers had been heard and that the Temple had been blessed. God also warned Solomon that the divine favor and protection which had been bestowed upon Israel would continue only if their faith remained uncorrupted by other beliefs. If idolatry should be introduced, Israel would be punished and the Temple would be destroyed. - 1Kings 9:1-9 -

Solomon's reign brought changes not only to Israel but also to his own life. He made Jerusalem one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world. Sadly, Solomon's contribution to the nation of Israel is figured largely in material terms. The tragedy is that after building of the Temple, Solomon neglected and did very little to promote the religious life of the peoples. Near the end of his life, the king Solomon lost the ideals of his youth, becoming restless, greedy, disobedience and unsatisfied.

And unfortunately, he falls into Satan enticement and temptations that go along with a long life of luxury. Solomon's dishonor his vow and promised that he would walk in the steps of his father, David that is, follow God's way, keeping of the discerning judgment for himself, God's laws and commandments, as his father, David followed them. His writings in the book of Ecclesiastes, proclaiming that "all is vanity" support the view that the world's wisest person had become a pathetic figure in the absence of God.

Be in no hurry to speak; do not hastily declare yourself before God; for God is in heaven, you on earth. Be sparing, then, of speech:
Dreaming comes from much worrying,
foolish talk from a multiplicity of words.

If you make a vow to God, discharge it without delay, for God has no love for fools. Discharge your vow. Better a vow unmade than made and not discharged. Do not allow your words to bring guilt on you, nor tell your angel afterwards it was unintentional. Why should a word of yours give God occasion to be angry, and destroy what your hands have worked for?
For every dream, a vanity to match;
too many words, a chasing of the wind.
Therefore, fear God. - Eccl. 5:1-6 -

Solomon's greatest sin was his loss of devotion to God and the Hebrew peoples. In this, he fell victim to his own trade agreements. By custom, beautiful women were awarded to the most powerful member of a treaty to seal the covenant. The constant influx of wives and concubines in Solomon's court led eventually to his downfall.

Thus, Solomon broke the Mosaic Law and violated the warning not to stray from the path of his father, David. The large number of foreign women in Solomon's court made many demands upon the king. He allowed these "outsider" to practice their pagan religions. The result was that Jerusalem, and even its holy Temple, was the scene of pagan practices and idol worship. - 1Kings 11:1-13 - Eventually, he approved of, and even participated in, these idolatrous acts. The example he set for the rest of the nation must have been demoralizing. And it was a severe blow to the security of Solomon throne and to the nation he had built.

Years before his death, Solomon's heavy taxation of the peoples brought unrest and rebellion. The result was a division of Solomon's 'united kingdom' into two separate nations - the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. Solomon's reign in Jerusalem over all Israel lasted forty years.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -