Solomon

[Tom Tighe]

We just finished reading the works of Solomon. Solomon started meekly, humble before the Lord, asking for wisdom. The Lord blessed Solomon as the new king’s efforts were focused on being a righteous leader and building the Temple for God. He finished the temple in 7 years and consecrated it with an awesome prayer and opening ceremony. God appears to Solomon a second time (1Kings 9) and promises prosperity in perpetuity for his progeny if Solomon will just keep God’s laws and decrees, especially rule #1: “Thou shall have no other God before me”.

Then Solomon built a palace for himself (gotta have one of those!). Then an identical palace away from Jerusalem for his wife, Pharaohs daughter. I suspect this marriage with the historic oppressors of the Jews was a political arrangement. This may have brought short term peace and prosperity, but in my opinion, it marked the apogee of the unified nation of Israel. It is my understanding that the reason for the second palace was that Solomon was uneasy about his wife worshiping her Egyptian gods so close to the Temple. That mistake wasn’t the palace location, but the tolerance of the paganism that Israel had just spent 400 years trying to eradicate.

Solomon also pursued his quest for wisdom. The Queen of Sheba famously visits to test Solomon. She was pretty impressed with him. I think Solomon was too, as the scriptures now shift focus to Solomon’s pursuit of his agenda with little mention of God’s. 1Kings 9:25 says Solomon sacrificed 3 times a year to fulfill his obligations. Compare that to David’s lifelong yearning for the Lord. I don’t think there is any secret gnostic symbolism, but its interesting that at this point, Solomon was receiving an annual tribute of 666 talents of gold.

Then Solomon married again and again. Many of the new wives were from the cultures forbidden by God and more paganism was allowed in…by the king. That is more than tolerance, it became condonement and then participation. The nation was led by example. It is also interesting to me that with 1000 wives and concubines, and how much fatherly advice is in Proverbs, Rehoboam is the only son of Solomon mentioned.

I don’t even know what to say about Song of Songs. Many say this is analogous to God’s love for His people or a celebration of His gift of love to His people. All I know is I would be sleeping on the couch if I told my wife I thought her hair looked like a flock of goats.

Ecclesiastes really tells the true wisdom of Solomon at the end of his pilgrimage on earth. Here Solomon lists all his worldly accomplishments, his wealth, his knowledge, his pleasures and realizes they amount to nothing lasting. He sounds disappointed in his life which started so promisingly (when he was seeking God). Despite all his wives, he sounds lonely. He concludes with the understanding that the only thing in life that matters is fearing God and keeping His commandments. Something like “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” True happiness and meaning in life come from giving glory to God by helping His people and by taking the time to recognize the wondrous world and all the good that He has made just for you.