| July 18
- July 18, 2010
With Israel’s third king, a distinctive era in the history of God’s people came to an end. A new day had dawned and hopes were soaring economically and politically. Solomon’s reign marked the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise to Abraham: All Palestine belonged to the Hebrews, who were without question, the grandest power of the day.
They owed the most heroic period of Israel’s history to King David. With the arrival of Solomon, that came to an end. To that point the children of Israel’s story was like a fairy tale, rising from slavery in Egypt, enduring the primitive wilderness, and gradually infiltrating the Promised Land; but were ruled by charismatic leaders who came and went. That time was no more. Solomon didn’t come to the throne as a gifted leader, but inherited his place as part of a family dynasty, in which King David designated his successor. Solomon did erect the temple in Jerusalem; which meant they no longer needed the portable “ark of the covenant.” The twelve tribes were divided into districts so they could be heavily taxed to pay for the freebies, and the military became necessary, now that they had real estate to protect. So despite King Solomon’s fabled glory, with much to be admired in his early days, he had a nasty dimension to be avoided. As for “getting himself off his hands,” well, he did and he didn’t. Let’s look at it.
On the plus side, there were two outstanding characteristics. First is the magnanimous way in which he began his reign. He didn’t ascend to power as a warrior-hero like his father. Being hand-picked by David was problematic, probably a tip-of-the-hat to Bathsheba. David shrewdly made an “end-run” by appointing an inexperienced 14 year old during the “summer recess” when the elders were not present; so they had no say in the decision. Needless to say, this didn’t set well with either the elders, or David’s oldest son, Adonijah.
Considering the circumstances by which Solomon came to power, he acted wisely for a youngster. He didn’t take the initiative tho, God did, by appearing in a dream about what he wanted more than anything else. It was a test and Solomon passed with flying colors. He recognized his greatest need: the wisdom to rule fairly and accomplish the job, destiny had laid on his shoulders. Solomon is to be commended for realizing at a tender age what most people don’t learn till much later, and after many failures. This was Solomon at his best, obviously getting himself off his hands, and it made God smile. What a difference it could make in today’s world if we would also desire wisdom; not just knowledge, but the ability to discern our own situation, and what to do and how to go about it. It’s a coveted virtue.
Another fine quality Solomon had was his appreciation for what went before him and affirming his connection with it. He knew a good thing when he saw it, and could never have done what he did, had he not been handed down so much from King David. His father had an intense desire to build the temple in Jerusalem. But he never made it. It fell to Solomon to complete the project. So in deference to his Dad, Solomon made the construction of the temple the first item on his agenda. It took sevan years to make David’s dream a reality.
This affinity for what went on before him is a quality we could use now. Instead of continuity we are seeing alienation characterized our society’s disrespectful relationship to our predecessors. Admittedly, there may be legitimate reasons. But a dose of Solomon’s attitude today would be refreshing; to see more gratitude toward the past, with a goal to build upon it and expand the vision of our ancestors. Rather than just “can” it and start all over. Instead we belittle what happened before we arrived on the scene or worse blame the leaders who came before us, instead of showing our respect.
Our “momentariness” is arrogant and unrealistic, because like it or not, the present does rest on the past. But that doesn’t mean we should either accept it outright or reject it. To his credit, Solomon didn’t do that. Instead he accepted with thankfulness what his father left to him, and then contributed his part to develop it more fully. This is how we all should use the dynamics of our “threescore and ten,” not only for what we received but what we pass on to the future generations.
But the biblical portrayal of this legendary wise man has integrity. So it vacillates between commendation and condemnation. From here on out, Solomon lost his humility by playing politics. Consequently, his life ended up very differently than the promise in which it began. It started, wouldn’t you know it? With the ladies! “When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods” (I Kings 11:4). Never underestimate the power of a female. Many a woman has brought a strong man down! In spite of his promising beginning, King Solomon turned out to be an apostate. That’s the danger of assuming he’d arrived. At what point can any of us quit “asking, seeking and knocking.” In his twilight years, King Solomon let-up on the intensity of his earlier years; too his foot off the gas and coasted. He grew complacent, let down his guard and began to drift. “He let his heart be stolen by other gods.” The same thing Samson did, but King David would never do.
What was it that made Solomon susceptible to “following other gods?” Did he think God had let him down? Couldn’t cut the mustard anymore? What have you done for me lately? For one thing, Solomon’s affluence was staggering; his luxuries dazzling, and his absorption with material things played a role in his spiritual defection. How much is enough? 2 big things kept him from getting himself off his hands: women and money! The danger of wealth is it can lead to greed. Solomon shafted the Lord and lost, because when you’re rich and powerful, other people will try to take away your wealth and power. But it took only seven years to build the house of God, and thirteen years to construct his own palace. That should be a clue about his priorities. But from that point on, Solomon’s love affair with the material escalated, which makes him someone NOT to be emulated. He was obsessed with the finer things, building, bigger, “making a name for himself,” but alienating the people he previously prayed to rule in fairness.
To reach his elegant goals, he enslaved thousands of people, many of whom were Israelites. So he took them back to Egypt in that sense, where God called Moses to set them free 400 years earlier. Solomon’s legacy, in the end was spoiling the Exodus. I reckon that’s why apostasy is such a serious matter with God. But it doesn’t take much to spot it. We humans reflect the image of the god we worship and take on the qualities that are most important to us. Listen to Solomon’s own words from Eccl: 2: "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. Yet when I surveyed all that I had toiled to achieve, it was all meaningless, chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." But when Solomon was just getting started, he was utterly open to God, humble and thoughtful of others. He was sensitive and insightful, exemplifying true wisdom. And his life had meaning and purpose. That’s why it’s sad to see him become so insensitive as to use people to enhance the material, instead of using things to improve people. In his old age, Solomon failed the acid test of a good leader: when he turned away from the God who values persons over things.
A syndicated columnist recently took a taxi with a driver who prominently displayed the Koran. When it became a topic of conversation, he inquired “Can you explain why the writer Salman Rushdie was condemned to death for what the Islamic world considers blasphemy?” “Yes, I understand, but I’m not sure I can explain it so you will. Americans believe “freedom of speech” is more important than the “fear of God.” Muslims know better.” Think about that. I can’t agree with capital punishment for any man because of his writings. But they’re right about the “fear of God.” That should be more real in our lives than anything else.
Solomon played the first two quarters very well. “But the last quarter, when he was old” says the Book, he changed. Unlike his father, who was “a man after God’s own heart,” Solomon, “turned his heart away, after lesser gods.”Bad company corrupts good character. Solomon was not immune from the influence of those he chose to hang-out with. Wisdom couldn’t protect him. We will become like those we choose to be close to. Solomon let his sensual sweethearts spoil his spirituality. The wisest man in the world, who had the answers to the hardest questions, flirted with sin too long. His beautiful women separated him from God.
The sad part is it doesn’t have to happen to any of us. And won’t, unless we stop growing and learning and dreaming and yearning to be a people “after God’s own heart.” The real God. There are no practical atheists, because everybody worships some God. The only question becomes, is it the real God -- a God worthy of our worship, or all the fake idols we bow down before in this world? Someday, with all the gods we’ve made, we’re gonna come face to face with the God who has made us. And only then, will the question “Who is your God?” be finally settled. Pray that unlike Solomon, we will find that our God and the real God will be the same.
Solomon was one of the Bible’s greatest failures. The greater our prosperity, the more likely we are to forget God. We can’t just pray for success, but pray for the character to handle it. King Solomon had more intelligence than any other person of his day. But Jesus said “Those who’ve been given much, much will be expected” (Luke 12). No one who ever lived had more opportunity than Solomon -- the world's wisest fool.
Providence Prayers: (July 18, 2010)
We thank Thee for a Book that reads us; and for a church that energizes us, where the strong bear the infirmities of the weak. Bless our congregation with an openness to listen, lest we succumb to the arrogance of knowing all the answers and none of the questions; may we try to be person-centered, lest stones and statistics, size and structure be inflated above what really makes Thee smile. Keep raising up men and women who love this church to serve it with the best they have to give.
We pray for all who are joined in this experience of worship, and remember those who are willing but unable. For the sick, grant healing; for the lonely, Thy presence; for the undecided, Thy wisdom; for the bereaved, Thy support; and for all of us, the strength to keep on keeping on. Bless us with Thy poise, Thy persistence, and Thy peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. |
