First Kings

 

LeRoy Eims

 

 

David's great work for the kingdom of God paved the way for the peaceful rule of Solomon, his son. David's reign was one of war, defeating the enemies of Israel, establishing the nation, extending its boundaries, and giving it centralized leadership.

 

Solomon's reign was one of peace, prosperity and prominence. All that came to an end when he turned from a life of obedience to God and those days were never to return. The kingdom is again divided as it was for seven years following the reign of Saul. It was never to be united again. This tragic event immediately follows the death of Solomon and forms the second section of that book. It is in this stage of the nation's history that the great prophets appear.

 

All the achievements of Solomon must be viewed in light of what David made possible. Just as the work of Samuel paved the way for the kingdom that was built up by David, so David laid the foundation for the outstanding accomplishments of his son. In the beginning of his reign God asked him to choose the thing he most desired. Length of life, riches and honor were all ignored, and he asked for wisdom from God that would enable him to perform the great task the Lord had given him.

 

Yet it was a remarkable thing for a young man of eighteen or twenty years old to do. He began his reign with a devotion to God and a deep sense of need toward the responsibilities and opportunities that lay before him.

 

"Give, therefore, thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing." (I King 3:9,10) God answered his prayer: "And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceeding much understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt." (I Kings 4:29,30)

 

The wealth of the nation increased enormously so that silver became as stones in Jerusalem. Solomon was a builder as well as an organizer. He built great buildings and public works. It is not strange that this remarkable man attracted wide attention. His spreading fame brought to his court the kings and queens of other nations to see the splendors he had created and to learn from him. The outstanding instance of this is the visit of the Queen of Sheba. Our Lord Jesus made mention of this hundreds of years later. The Queen of Sheba was overcome by the splendor of all that she saw, so that there was no more spirit in her. But what impressed her most was the wisdom of Solomon.

 

However, the man who prayed so sincerely and who built the temple, and at its dedication offered one of the most remarkable prayers of the Bible, was soon to forget God, dishonor Him, and be led away by his sinful impulses. In the sight of the great temple on Mount Moriah, he built shrines for the worship of idols. In the midst of such wealth and the vices it can provide: ease, luxury and sensuality; the natural depravity of the heart came to the surface in the life of this great man. When that happened, he ceased to be wise and ruled by the greatest of folly. "Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, even him did strange women cause to sin." (Nehemiah 13:26)

 

Time and again Moses had warned against mingling with pagan nations and marrying pagan wives. There was no greater offender in this than Solomon. He began by marrying the daughter of Pharaoh. David sinned and suffered for it, but when Solomon turned away God brought a heavy judgment. His life ended in the clouds of the gathering storm of the breaking up of his kingdom.

 

The building of the temple was the great work of Solomon's life. The spot was the threshing floor of Araunah, and the place where Abraham, centuries before, had offered Isaac. Years later the Son of God offered Himself as a lamb, without blemish and without spot. In the words of John the Baptist, "... Behold the lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

 

 

 

© Copyright 2002, LeRoy Eims