Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Solomon had been visited by God in a dream (1 Kings 3:1-15), and also spoken to him (1 Kings 6:11-31). Now God visited Solomon a second time. This was after all the houses were built (about twenty years) and halfway through his total reign over Israel. God told him He had heard Solomon’s prayer. That He had made the Temple holy and put His name there. He told Solomon again that if he walked as David had walked, seeking God and keeping his statutes and judgments, then his kingdom would be established forever. But if Solomon or Solomon’s sons turn away from God, don’t keep the Law, and go after idols, then God would cut off Israel from the land which had been given to them. He would also cast the Temple out of His sight. Everyone would see what was done and gasp and know that it was done because they had turned away from God in spite of MANY warnings and MUCH mercy.

The king of Tyre came to visit and Solomon gave him twenty cities in the land of Galilee as a present or thank you for all the supplying he had done over the years of cedar, cypress, and gold. But Hiram was insulted. They were sterile cities. Hardly worth anything at all. Hiram seems to have given them back to Solomon. But aside from the city thing (there’s more about it in Chronicles), Hiram gave Solomon a hundred and twenty talents of gold. It at least shows that the cities may have been a debacle, but their friendship held together.

Solomon also dabbled in a huge labour force. He had built the Temple and his own house, but he also built the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. Gezer had been a dowry city given to Solomon upon the marriage with the Pharaoh’s daughter. Solomon also built Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmor in Judah. He had storage cities, chariot cities, and cavalry cities throughout his kingdom. The people he used for his labour force were the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites that were left in the land of Israel (they had been told to destroy these people when they first took the land – Deuteronomy 7:1-3). He made them slaves to his kingdom. Israelites were not forced into labour, but where the chiefs and officials, the officers and captain, the commanders, servants, and soldiers of his kingdom.

He also had a fleet of ships. Hiram contributed to that fleet as well. They would travel to Ophir and bring back gold. Solomon didn’t neglect the Temple through all of this. He sacrificed there three times a year.

“Now the queen of Sheba had heard of the fame of Solomon regarding the name of Yahweh, and she came to test him with hard questions.” (1 Kings 10:1)

Sheba was a great kingdom on the edge of the world (as it were) in southwestern Arabia. It was also known as Saba. Its Queen heard about Solomon and his reported wisdom and riches. She didn’t believe it. So she set out to see for herself. As one did, she brought rich gifts from her kingdom to visit a fellow royal. She came to prove him, to ask him hard questions and see if he was indeed wise. He proved himself true. He also showed her his kingdom and she watched him interacting with his subjects around the palaces and also during meals. She was impressed. She blessed God because of what she saw (this is what a believer’s prosperity should ALWAYS do). She saw their country was there because the Lord loved them. She presented her gifts to him and went back to her own country. There are legends that they had a child together, but I think that’s more because of Solomon’s love of the ladies than any real substance. There is nothing in any account of the bible or in the Torah to give any evidence they had a dalliance. He also gave her gifts as well.

The ships of king Hiram, meanwhile, were steadily bringing in gold, almug wood (a type of sandalwood), and precious stones. Over all, Solomon had about six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold that came to him annually (that’s about 805,000 ounces). This did not include his revenue from his country’s trade or gifts made by visitors. He made two hundred large shields and three hundred smaller shields and he put them as decoration in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. And then he made his famous throne.

It was an ivory throne overlaid with gold. It was raised on six steps, and its back was rounded. There were armrests on each side and two lions stood there, one beside each. On each side of the six steps there were also carved lions, twelve in total. It was unique. No one else had a throne like this. All his drinking vessels were gold – in every house he stayed in. ALL the vessels in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were gold, period. Nothing was silver because it was considered common.

Every three years his own merchant ships brought him gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. Everyone sought to come visit and pry his brain with their problems. As was the custom when visiting a ruler or a wise man, they all brought gifts. Silver, gold, garments, armour, spices, horses, and mules. In addition to this, Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen (it’s really making sure we see this forbidden extravagance). He imported horses from Egypt and Keveh (forbidden in Deuteronomy 17:14-20). The chariots were four times as expensive as the horses. He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen.

A real positive of Solomon’s reign is that the world was taking notice of Israel. Again and again we see kings and queens interacting with Solomon and saying the Lord God. Israel was prospering and that prosperity – this is important: it is SPIRITUAL prosperity FIRST and relational and financial AFTERWARDS – was attracting attention. The Name of the Lord was spreading because of how Israel was acting through worship and experiencing through blessing. As the nation turns away from worship, that slows and finally ceases. Riches without being a blessing of worship do NOT glorify God and do NOT attract positive attention. Sadly, we see this as Solomon and the next generation progress.

Summary

Key Players: God, Solomon, Hiram, Queen of Sheba

Key Themes: Wealth, Obedience, Wisdom, Disobedience

Key Verse(s): 1 Kings 9:1-9, 20-23; 10:1-4, 14-15, 26-29