Solomon Series

January 14, 2023

The content of 1st and 2nd Kings presents Israel’s history from a prophetic and moral perspective beginning with Solomon (971 BC) and concluding with the release of King Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon (562 BC) – a time span of roughly 400 years.

The Chronicles are a retrospective, written after the return from Babylonian captivity. Their focus is genealogy, the early monarchy and the kingdom of Judah with only limited mention of the Kingdom of Israel – which had been destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC.

The authors of these books tell a sad story of Israel’s tragic decline and eventual destruction because the people and their leaders REFUSED to maintain their side of the covenant they had chosen to make with God.

SOLOMON

Solomon was not David’s oldest son, so he was way down the “Line of Succession,” but God had chosen him to become ruler of Israel after David’s death, so David instructed Nathan, the Prophet, and Zadok, the priest, to take Solomon to Gihon and anoint him king.

• 1 Kings 3:3-9 - Solomon showed his love for Yahweh by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places…. 5 At Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." 6 Solomon answered, …. 7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

Great start! Solomon was humble and eager to follow the plans and purposes of God. Here are some of his greatest accomplishments:

On the 2nd day of the 2nd month in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign construction on the Temple began.

Construction took 7 years and no expense was spared – 1 Kings 6:1-8:13 and 2nd Chronicles 3-5.

• The weight of the gold used for the Most Holy Place alone was 600 talents - 1 talent = between 75-100 lbs. (depending on which scholar you ask).

• The Most Holy Place was covered with between 45,000 – 60,000 POUNDS of pure gold. In today’s money (December 2022) we’re talking between $1,274,400,000 and $1,699,200,00 worth of gold.

• That does not include the gold, silver, copper, iron or precious stones used in the rest of temple.

Solomon’s extraordinary wisdom made him famous and respected worldwide. He was a master sage, merchant and statesman.

• 2 prostitutes came before Solomon requesting justice in a particularly interesting case:

Prostitute 1: My lord, this woman and I live in the same house and no one else lives with us. I had a baby boy and 3 days later, she also had a baby boy. During the night she accidently laid on her son, killing him. In the middle of the night, she took my son from me, while I slept and replaced him with her dead son. The next morning, when I went to nurse my son, he was dead! But upon closer examination I determined he wasn’t my son.

Prostitute 2: That’s not how it happened. The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.

Prostitute 1: I am telling the truth! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.

Solomon: Hmmm… Bring me a sword. ---- Now, cut the living child in two and give half to one mother and half to the other.

Prostitute 1: Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!

Prostitute 2: Neither of us will have him. Cut him in two!

Solomon: Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.

When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice – 1 Kings 3:16-24.

• Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt and he was wiser than any other man. His fame spread to all the surrounding nations and the kings of the world sent men to listen to Solomon’s Wisdom:

He spoke 3000 proverbs and wrote 1005 songs.

He described plant life, from the Cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls.

He taught about animals, birds, reptiles and fish – 1 Kings 4:30-34.