1 Kings[1] 1-11: The Golden Days:

 

The stock market is booming—the economy is on the up.  On the international front the borders are secure and there is peace.  The people are happy.  These are days of prosperity.  The country’s leader is TIME magazine’s person of the year—he is world renowned.  Things have never been better!  But then the leader doesn’t listen to the warnings, he acts foolishly, and the country is plummeted into civil war.  Such was the reign of King Solomon.

Chapters 1-3: Solomon becomes king:

1 Kings opens with King David, Solomon’s father, well advanced in years.  Who is going to succeed him? 

One man who thinks he will, is Adonijah—probably David’s eldest surviving son.  Adonijah decides for himself that he is going to claim the title (1:5)—in so doing he is by-passing David’s right to choose his own successor.

Nathan the prophet knows that something needs to be done about this unfolding situation.  He advises Bathsheba, to go to King David and remind him that he had sworn that her son Solomon would succeed him as king.

So, with David’s approval, Solomon is anointed king (1:39).  Indeed the fact that his enthronement was masterminded by Nathan the prophet suggests that he was also God’s choice.[2]

At the beginning of chapter 2 David, nearing the time of his death, gives Solomon a charge.  He is to observe what the LORD God requires, so that he may prosper in all he does, and that the LORD might keep his promise that if David’s descendants are faithful they will never fail to have a man on the throne in Israel (2:2-4).

David also warns Solomon about two individuals Joab and Shimei, telling him that he ought to deal with these two according to your wisdom (2:6, cf. 2:9).  However, as we read on it appears that he does not deal with these men wisely.[3]  Neither does he act wisely with his hasty execution of Adonijah (2:13-25)[4], or in marrying a foreign princess (3:1).

Despite these shortcomings we get a positive comment about Solomon in chapter 3, verse 3—

Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statues of his father David, although this positive assessment is immediately qualified, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places—this was not sanctioned, this was ‘do-it-yourself’ religion, rather than what God had decreed should take place before the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem.[5]

Chapters 3-11: Solomon’s reign:

a. Solomon’s wisdom (3-4): An important development occurs in Solomon’s life when the LORD appears to him in a dream.  God invites him to ask for whatever he wishes, so Solomon asks for a discerning heart in order to govern well, and to enable him to distinguish right from wrong (3:7-9).

The LORD was pleased with Solomon’s request.  Indeed not only does he grant Solomon what he asked for he also promises him riches and honour—and if Solomon walks in God's ways, a long life (3:10-15).

The rest of chapters 3 and 4 illustrate Solomon’s God-given wisdom.

Immediately we see him settle a dispute between two women over the ownership of a baby. 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 (3:28).

Then Solomon appoints officials to govern the different regions of the land, a plan that brings harmony and prosperity within the kingdom (4:20).

As well as prosperity he ensures national security ruling over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt (4:21).

Solomon’s knowledge and understanding become so famous that chapter 4 ends telling us that, Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom’ (4:34).

b. Solomon builds the temple (5-8): Last week we saw God promise David that his son would build his house—the temple (2 Samuel 7).  We see the building of the temple in chapters 5-8.  The importance of this event can be seen in the fact that while the many years of Solomon’s reign are merely summarized, on either side of these chapters, the narrator goes into detail when telling of the construction and dedication of the temple.

The construction of the temple is the only event in the Old Testament dated with reference to the Exodus (6:1)—with the temple the Exodus is complete.  The temple replaces the tabernacle as the focus of God’s presence in the land (1 Kings 8:6-10).[6]  In chapter 8 we have the moving prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple, and his blessing of the people: God has kept the promise to David (8:24) and not one word has failed of all the good promises God gave through Moses (8:56).

However, in these chapters there is a question mark placed above Solomon.  The account of the building of his palace tells us that it took him longer to build it than the temple.  Does this reveal anything about his priorities?

c. Solomon’s disobedience (9-11):  In chapter 9 the LORD appears to Solomon a second time.  God reminds him of the importance of obedience and warns him especially against the worship of other gods.  These words have an ominous ring to them—there may be trouble ahead!

Then we read of the great wealth that Solomon acquires (9:10-10:29), the horses he imports from Egypt (10:28-29), and the many foreign wives who turned his heart after other gods (11:1-8)![7] 

Deuteronomy 17 had warned: The king . . . must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’  He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.  He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold (Duet. 17:16-17).  Solomon is acting in disobedience.

And so in chapter 11 the situation is summarized.  NB Read 11:9-13.[8]  The next instalment of the drama, which will take place after Solomon dies, will be civil war.

Conclusion:

1.  The story of Solomon’s reign is a story of God’s faithfulness to his promises:  Solomon’s reign marks the very pinnacle of the Old Testament (apart, of course, from the time before the Fall).  These are great days for God’s people.  As Solomon points out at the dedication of the temple, God has acted in line with his promises.  His promises to David—that his son would build the temple; his promises through Moses—all of which have been acted upon (8:56); and what about those promises to Abraham (people, place and blessing)?

Chapter 4 tells us that God’s people . . . were as numerous as the sand of the seashore’ (4:20); just as he had promised Abraham (Genesis 32:12).  That they were in God’s place, ‘Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt (4:21)—the area of land promised to Moses in Exodus (Exodus 23:31) and before him to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21).  And that they were enjoying God’s blessing[9], During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own fig-tree’ (4:25).  God’s promise to Abraham included other nations too—that ‘all the peoples of the earth would be blessed through you’ (Gen. 12:3)—we can see signs that this is happening during the reign of Solomon, e.g. in the visit of the queen of Sheba, who praises God for the king’s wisdom and benefits from his prosperity (10:1-13).

God’s faithfulness is all the more amazing when we remember how unfaithful his people have been.

2.  The story of Solomon adds to our expectations for the ideal king:[10] Finally, over the last couple of sermons we have being looking at the qualities that will be found in God’s ideal king.  God’s ideal king will be marked by humility, trust and obedience (1 Samuel).  Add to this wisdom—wisdom which will enable him to govern justly, bringing prosperity and security to his subjects, and imparting God’s blessing to the peoples of the earth.[11]

This ideal king, is ‘one greater than Solomon’ (Matthew 12:42).  Whose reign puts Solomon’s into the shade.  Jesus, the Messiah, perfect in humility, perfect in trust and obedience, and perfect in wisdom.

Questions [Adapted from Full of Promise] Read Matt. 12:42; 27:37; and 28:18-20. 1) How does Jesus reign compare with Solomon’s?  How is it more glorious?  How is it less glorious? 2) How does the scope of Jesus rule compare to that of Solomon? (See 1 Kings 4:21). 3) What does it mean in practical terms that Jesus has authority over you? 4) What does Jesus call his disciples to do in light of the authority that has been given to him through his death and resurrection?

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[1] 1 and 2 kings were originally just one book—like Samuel, Kings was divided to fit on two scrolls.

[2] Alexander, The Servant King, p. 80.

[3] ‘While the narrator does not deny the guilt of Joab and Shimei, doubts are raised regarding Solomon’s treatment of them.  Joab is killed, still holding the horns of the altar (1 Ki. 2:28-34), an action that clearly contravenes the instructions of Exodus 21:12-14 which require that a guilty party be taken away from the alter before being executed.  In a similar fashion, the account of Shimei’s death strongly implies that Solomon overreacts when he accuses Shimei of breaking an oath prohibiting him from leaving Jerusalem (1 Ki. 2:36-46).  Whereas the original wording of the oath refers to Shimei’s leaving Jerusalem by crossing the Kidron Valley (that is, travelling eastward), Shimei in fact goes to Gath, west of Jerusalem.  Strictly speaking, Shimei does not break his oath to Solomon.  Moreover, even if Shimei is truly guilty, the punishment announced by Solomon seems overly severe.  Both of these incidents raise doubts about Solomon’s ability to govern wisely. Alexander, The Servant King, p.82.      

[4] ‘. . . the hasty execution of Adonijah because he asks to marry Abishag [see 1:1-4], suggests a considerable lack of magnanimity on the part of Solomon (1 Ki. 2:13-25).  This is especially so because Adonijah comes peacefully to Bathsheba, acknowledging Solomon as king and asking the queen mother to intercede on his behalf.  Furthermore, in spite of having promised his mother that he would not refuse her request, Solomon disregards it completely (1 Ki. 2:20-25).  Finally, Solomon’s action appears to contradict the oath that that he takes before God.  Why, one might ask, should Solomon fear Adonijah when, as he states, the Lord had established him upon the throne of his father David (1 Ki. 2:24; cf. 2:12)?’ Alexander, p.82.   

[5] Jackman, Bible Overview Lectures.

[6] ‘When the ark is brought to the sanctuary the glory of the Lord fills the house (1 Ki. 8:6-10).  This is now the place of sacrifice and of reconciliation with God.  When sin clouds the relationship of the nation to God, repentance and prayer towards the temple secures forgiveness.  Through this house and its ministry the covenant relationship is maintained (1 Ki. 8:15-53).  Even the promise to the Gentiles is focused here, for it is at the temple that foreigners can finds acceptance with God . . . a foreigner can be joined to the people of God only by coming to the temple, for it is here that God chooses to deal with those who seek him (1 Ki. 8:41-43).  Goldsworthy, According to Plan, p. 220.

[7] It needs to be stressed here that this is not a racial issue.  Ruth was a foreigner, who became a member of God’s people and whose marriage to Boaz appears to have been approved of by God.  The problem with these ‘mixed marriages’ is that these women had not turned to the LORD, they were not a part of the covenant community—God’s people, and indeed turned Solomon away from the LORD.

[8] The LORD instructs the prophet Ahijah to inform Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s official’s that he will rule over ten of the twelve Israelite tribes (11:27-39).  Solomon tries to kill Jeroboam (11:40).  Jeroboam takes refuge in Egypt.  But we are left with the impression that Jeroboam’s stay in Egypt will only be temporary.  ‘This is suggested by the immediately preceding account of King Hadad’s temporary exile in Egypt, from where he returns to Edom to become an adversary of Solomon. Alexander, p.87.

[9] To live under God’s rule is to enjoy God’s blessing—here we see the ark, the symbol of God’s rule, placed in the temple (8:21).

[10] In 1 Kings 2:4 and 8:25-26 the promise to have a descendant of David’s on the throne is conditional on that descendant’s obedience.  In 2 Samuel 7 the promise speaks of the Davidic dynasty being established forever.  Some have thought that these promises contradict each other.  However, it is possible to reconcile them.  As Alexander points out, ‘taken together, they allow for the possibility that there may be a period when the throne will not be occupied by a member of the Davidic line.  This, however, would be only a temporary situation, for God would later reinstate a descendant of David upon the throne at a later stage’.  See 1 Kings 8:46-51.  As we will see, this is what will later unfold.

[11] Alexander, The Servant King, p. 88.