Encouragement

A HEART’S CHOICE

Solomon

From patriarchs through judges to kings, plodding through Matthew 1:1-17, we arrive upon Israel’s third king, Solomon. The second son of David and Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:24), Solomon ascended the throne following David’s forty year reign. He bestows message immeasurable for our lives today, imparting through example both good and bad a portrait of wisdom true, a picture of responsibility expected, and a portrayal of a life influenced. As with others, we’ll find him blessed for obedience and, on the contrary, suffering for compromise. No doubt we’ll find ourselves peering within our own hearts, evaluating all God desires for us to be in Him. Wander with me through Solomon’s life, ready to pluck treasure for your own heart along the way…

Solomon reigned, just as his father David, for forty years over Israel (@ 970-930 B.C.) Though not directly in line for the throne, David (and God) chose Solomon as heir to Israel’s flourishing kingdom (1 Chr. 22:9, 1 Ki. 2:15). He, third and last to be king over the entirety of Israel, remains revered for his wisdom, oversaw the building of Israel’s first temple in Jerusalem, and, amassed more wealth than any other who ever lived. Unfortunately, as we will see, Solomon also learned firsthand the persuasive power and influence others can have over a heart willing to be compromised.

The first eleven chapters of 1 Kings recount the story of Solomon, his rise and his subsequent decline. Crowned as king before the death of his father, Solomon’s rule, just as Saul’s had, soared quickly to heights of success. Unfortunately, it also would close with an anticlimactic finale. Eventually allowing his heart to stray, Solomon discovered, both in his personal life and in his kingdom reign, that seeking God in half-hearted measure or in a compromised way pleases neither self nor God! His forty year reign and its completion brought the one hundred and twenty year golden era of Israel’s unified kingdom to a crashing halt, leaving in its wake a crumbling kingdom ripe with strife and war over the throne. Agitated and rebellious, weary from Solomon’s excesses, high taxes, and elaborate projects, the people, after his death, divided the throne. (Israel, comprised of ten tribes, formed the Northern Kingdom while Judah, comprised of Judah and Benjamin, formed the Southern Kingdom.)

With a general sketch of his life complete, let’s dig into the intricacies of his story, intent upon learning from Solomon’s life and allowing God to tune our hearts as only He can! First, we pause to scrutinize Solomon, particularly his wisdom. A prolific writer, Solomon authored the books of Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes. In addition, two of the Psalms (72 and 127) are ascribed to him. Astonishingly, 1 Kings 4:31-32 testifies that he authored 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs! For good reason, his wisdom was known throughout the world (1 Ki. 4:30, 34; 10:24), and he remains recognized for it still. Worth our perusal today, 1 Kings chapter 3 provides for us an incredible glimpse into his wisdom’s source, recounting Solomon’s prayer, his request of God, and God’s answer. God, in a dream, told Solomon, new to Israel’s throne, to request what he wished and that He would grant it. With a humble perspective regarding responsibilities given him and a heart seeking God, Solomon requested wisdom to govern the masses of God’s people. A pleasing response, God not only rewarded Solomon with a wise and discerning heart like no other would ever have, but also granted him riches and honor among all the kings of the world (1 Ki. 3:12-13; 10:23). While Solomon’s request and God’s answer are extraordinary in themselves, there is another significant detail in this passage I don’t want to neglect! I think it very worth noting that Solomon requested just what he knew he needed. In all humility, he recognized his weaknesses in light of the task required, presenting himself before God as “but a little child” (1 Ki. 3:7). I love that twist simply because of the context in which it is found – a Solomon set to receive more wisdom than any other unknowingly gives us a blazing picture of wisdom complete! We are because He is. Solomon recognized his need, and it holds lesson for me today. My ability rests in His. When we know who we are in light of Him and when we know all we are because of Him we have every ounce of wisdom we need!

Above and beyond that, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Col. 2:3)! Isn’t’ that glorious? God promises we can know we are His and depend on Him for the rest. 2 Peter 1:3 assures us God has granted to us everything we need pertaining to life and to godliness – He asks us only to rely on Him! (I can’t help but wonder if Solomon grew up hearing stories of his father, David, doing just that in his defeat of Goliath!) Astounded again I am. Just as God ordained for David to meet Goliath on a field of battle and for Solomon to build temple in honor of Him, so also has He ordained specific purpose for your life and for mine! Ephesians 2:10, a new favorite verse of mine, affirms that God has already prepared for us good works so that we can simply walk in them. As we do, we can know He is all to us we could need or ever desire. From the treasures of wisdom replete in Christ we are fit for every work to which we are called! In 1 Kings 2:3, David, just prior to his death, charged Solomon to “walk in God’s ways,” giving Solomon a surefire recipe for success. In the same manner, we can choose to give our lives to Him at the foot of His cross, choose to live under His sufficiency, His grace, and to do so fully! Through Him, we are sufficient for all things! Embrace that truth today, my friend, and flourish!

Revered for his wisdom and renowned for his wealth, attributed to Solomon also is the building of Jerusalem’s first temple (2 Chronicles 1 through 9 describes its splendor.) Seven years in the making and requiring over 150,000 workers, Solomon’s temple, with much grandeur and presentation, finally brought to fruition the task his father, David, so desired to see fulfilled. (Years before God told David to wait – His promise that He would instead build up David’s house and raise from Him an eternal King! I love that David desired to build the temple and that although God told him to wait, he didn’t pout. Wait he did, but not idly! David planned for it, prepared its way, and even provided “in delight” and “over and above” for its building [2 Chronicles 29]. When Solomon came on the scene, the way had already been prepared because David chose to be faithful under the circumstances God offered…) Upon completion, Solomon dedicated the temple, bringing the Ark within. In 2 Chronicles 7, we stumble upon another favorite verse of mine, declaring that the Shekinah glory of the Lord filled the house so much so that the priests could not stand to minister! He likewise desires to fill your heart so that He is, to use my Sunday School teacher’s analogy, “Sticking out all over!” To be honest, I often find myself questioning why a God who ordains the grandeur of the universe and the very intricacies of creation cares about me in such a way. I always arrive at the same conclusion: I was created for His glory, my life His, and my very significance found in Him! After all, this heart can only be completely His when it is none of mine. And if His, He’ll flood it over with Himself and leave my life a canvas conveying His glory!

As ornate and elaborate as it seemed, Solomon’s temple of course did not last forever. It would fall to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Amidst His people’s despair and captivity, certainly God with patience perfect looked down the scope of horizon to that day years later when He Himself would come as babe to earth, in humility offer Himself in our place, and substantiate His sovereignty upon a cross and over a grave! Upon returning to sit upon His rightful throne in heaven, He imparted a gift to us: His Spirit. Beyond my mind’s grasp and even further from my heart’s understanding exists this profoundly simple truth: we who are His have Him within! We don’t need a temple. We are His temple. I dare you to wrap your arms around that one, friend! I certainly can’t reconcile it with what feels so often (and very much today) like such an undeserving self. Regardless, that was His plan. When I am hurting and feeling every bit of helpless, there yet exists a quiet stillness – Him in me! When I am lost and weary beyond repair, there yet exists a tender healing – Him in me! When I am every anything, He is everything in me! We have seen over and over how God is always doing the unexpected. Once again, astonished I am as I realize this time proves no different – the One for whom Solomon built now resides within my heart! I am sealed by His promise and I am His… eternally (Ephesians 1:13). I am His temple, yes, but I am certain it is only His residing within that makes me glorious!

With wisdom unparalleled and accomplishments grand, Solomon lived and led, but not without flaws. Exploring his mistakes, we will ultimately find our own hearts confronted in the process. Solomon, in spite of all his wisdom, fell easily as prey to the lusts of life itself. (Find his story in 1 Kings 1-11.) The first ten chapters in 1 Kings display primarily Solomon’s triumphs and ascent; however, chapter 11 paints an entirely different picture! Telling of his polygamous heart and life (over 700 wives and 300 concubines), we see a downward tailspin complete with rippling consequences. Directly opposing God’s command, Solomon multiplied for himself wives (Deut. 17:14-17), many of whom were foreign (again contrary to God’s commands – see 1 Kings 11:2, Deut. 7:3). What is more, his foreign wives were the impetus for idolatrous roots to grow in the life of Solomon. A compromise in every way, those seeds planted quickly became thorns of apathy, rebellion, and pride running rampant through Solomon’s life and infiltrating every aspect, even his devotion to God (see also Nehemiah 13:26). Eventually defiling God’s temple with idols, Solomon, sadly, built more temples, this time to pagan gods. His half-devoted heart and complacency in worship eventually inundated him, divided the kingdom, and, on greater scale, angered God.

1 Kings 11:4 presents account of Solomon’s state in words far better than I, describing his heart as “not wholly devoted to the Lord his God.” Not wholly devoted? How ironic it seems that the guy with all the wisdom would chose to live his life not-so-wisely! It would be so easy to shout my “how could he’s?” and “why would he’s?” but I know better. Sobering to admit, I don’t have to look far to discover that his mistake so long ago is so very much reflective of the same ones I make today! God desires my heart whole, unwilling to share its throne with any other (and rightfully so.) While my “other” may not be wooden idols, foreign wives, or high places of pagan worship, it really doesn’t matter. Anyone or anything, no matter its innocence, can creep into God’s rightful place within my heart when I am unguarded, complacent, and not resolving to walk in His ways! Solomon learned this lesson with consequence painful, affecting generations to come, and lived to regret it, the message of Ecclesiastes written near the end of his life proof. Once again, God is pricking my heart, breaking it anew and teaching me all over again (this stubborn and quietly rebellious heart so often needs it) just what it means to give Him a whole heart. Gaining perspective in humbling conviction, I see I am faltering in so many ways and feeling it even more so. I have learned firsthand over and over, this time no different, that without predetermined resolve to walk in His ways, complacency, pride, idolatry, and even rebellion steal in. Insignificant or unnoticeable at first, they can very quickly consume a heart with compromise. Solomon and his life have challenged me to be better – not for me but for Him! After all, He reconciled me once and for all on His Cross. Who am I to stray from Him in form great or small? Convicted I am as I feel clutter in my heart crowding out the only One worthy to be in full reign! A whole heart He desires because anything less is really nothing at all! What other way remains for me to testify fully of His grace that sought me in my yesterdays, that covers me in my today, and that promises to persist in all my tomorrows? One day, He will perfect the work He began in me. While I am waiting, may He allow me to see how I can empty myself how He wants so that He can fill me back up for His glory! Ironically, His request for my whole heart comes with promise that when I yield, I will no doubt find my heart whole…

I can think of no other way to bring to completion this piece other than Solomon’s own words from 1 Kings 8. Speaking to the Israelites just after dedicating God’s temple, he said:

"May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and his ordinances, which He commanded our fathers. And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel..." 1 Kings 8:57-59

Speaking to Israel, after building and dedicating the temple of God, Solomon presents for us a clear picture of just what God does for me, for you, if you know Him. Because of His perfect plan, a plan involving His Son's blood spilled to cover our unrighteousness, we have hope. Because of His perfect plan, we have no longer need for a temple. In our very daily walk, He resides within and we have to bring sacrifice no more, only a heart and spirit willing to concede. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is near at all times. He fights for us and maintains our cause! He champions our battles and He goes before us. He has already called us and brought us near His throne. Now may He prick us, prod us, and lead us forward in knowing Him more intimately. May He flood over our lives a desire to seek Him with heart wholly devoted! After all, the One who is willing to fight for us is very much worth pursuing….

Resolve to give all to God, sharing throne with no other. Choose Him completely. Worship Him alone. Your Kings of Kings will give you rest on every side and tune your heart to resonate in Him!

Bound to Him

Lord, I want to travel this blessing called life well.

I want to TRUST You completely,

to GLORIFY You alone,

to RECOGNIZE You as Portion,

to REST in You as peace,

and to DANCE with praise for You --

On top of the mountains,

in the depths of the valleys,

and through every measured step in between.

Keep me NEAR YOUR CROSS

Help me to LOVE YOU BACK.