Class Notes, 1 Kings 9:10-11:43

The Reign of Solomon, Chapters 1-11: [[source: Constable, 1 Kings, 2010]]

• 3:1-8:66 is Favorable
  • Dream
  • Domestic Policy (Women and Wisdom; Administration and Wisdom)
  • Labor Relations (Hiram; Covee)
  • Attitude
• 9:1-11:13 is Critical of Solomon
  • Dream
  • Labor Relations (Hiram; Covee)
  • Foreign Policy (Women and Wisdom; Wealth and Wisdom)
  • Attitude

1 Kings 9:1-10 (NIV) When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

"I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

4 "As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

6 "But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 9 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them — that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'"

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings — the temple of the Lord and the royal palace

• Why does God appear a second time?
  • It could be a critical juncture in Solomon's reign (halfway point)
  • He has completed all of his main goals ("all he had desired to do")
  • Without major goals and work, one is susceptible to sin
    • Work precedes the fall. Work is good. The fall just added frustration (weeds) to work
  • God is warning Solomon ahead of time
• APPLICATION: What are my goals? Am I just going along with the flow?

  1 Kings 9:10-14 (NIV) At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings — the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and pine and gold he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 "What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?" he asked. And he called them the Land of Cabul, a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.

• What is different from the early interaction with King Hiram?
  • Solomon was tactful and in agreement with Hiram
  • Solomon almost appears conniving at this point
  • Before, Solomon used the resources for good, now he seems more interested in the acquiring of resources. Maybe this explain his words in Ecclesiastes
    • Eccl 5:10-11 (NIV) 10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
• Major expenditures of resources
  • Solomon rebuilds/fortifies Hazor (North), Tamar (South), Gezer (West), Lower Beth-horon, Baalath, and Megiddo
  • Solomon builds a Navy
• APPLICATION: What is the negative or positive side to Solomon building a Navy and building fortresses around the country?
  • Positive: prudent way to protect the country
  • Negative: not trusting God to protect

  1 Kings 10:1-5, 10 (NIV) When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

  ...

  10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

• Site of Sheba is 1200 miles southeast (present Yemen and/or Oman)
  • Known for their spice trade in that day
• How does Jesus use this story?
  • Emphasizes God's blessing on Solomon, and even more importantly, his incredible wisdom -- yet Jesus was even greater
• APPLICATION: Solomon's wisdom was incredible, but we have an even greater source of wisdom. The word of God, and the indwelling HS. If Sheba would travel that far to hear Solomon, why can't we put a minimal effort into opening our bible and having a daily bible reading program

  1 Kings 10:14-15 (NIV) The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land.

• Approximately 21 tons of gold a year. Why is that important in the story, especially following the Sheba story?
  • God had promised to make Solomon wealthy
  • God also answered Solomon's prayer for wisdom
• The problem is not wealth but how it is used. One would think that the wisest man in the world would use the wealth wisely, but the passages following draw that into question:
  • 1 Kings 10:16-21 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. // 18 Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days.
  • Nothing wrong with gold shields except -- worthless, God is too soft to use an armor
  • 1 Kings 10:26-29 (NIV) Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore — fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.
  • Nothing wrong with building a mobile army in Israel except -- God had said not to accumulate chariots and horses
    • Deut 17:16-17 (NIV) The king, moreover, 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." 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

  1 Kings 11:1-8 (NIV) King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter — Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

  7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

• Interesting, two conclusions about great wisdom …
  • It does not mean one will always choose truth
  • It does not mean one cannot be deceived
  • 1 Cor 1:20-25 (NIV) Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
• Now Solomon actually had spiritual wisdom, but somewhere sin entered and clouded his spiritual wisdom and he was left with man's wisdom
  • 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
    • We deceive ourselves when we do not call sin, sin, and when we do not confess it
  • James 1:22 (NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
    • We deceive ourselves when we do not apply God's word
  • Col 2:2-4 (NIV) My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
    • We deceive ourselves when we accept the worldview of life versus the biblical view
  • Eph 5:5-7 (NIV) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
    • We deceive ourselves when we choose the wrong friends

  1 Kings 11:9-11 (NIV) The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.

• Only one of David's wives was a foreigner. Taking sin to a new level
  • 1 Kings 11:14, 23 (NIV) Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. … 23 And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah.
    • Hadad affected the southern trade routes
    • Rezon affected the northern trade routes
    • The impact of the adversaries was to diminish his wealth
• Why? God was trying to get Solomon's attention

  1 Kings 11:26-28 (NIV) Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon's officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.

  27 Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the supporting terraces and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. 28 Now Jeroboam was a man of standing, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.

• Jeroboam does a wonderful job for Solomon. He is change of the labor force in Mannaseh and Ephraim
  • Ephraim has grown to be one of the largest tribes in Israel

  1 Kings 11:29-40 (NIV) About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, 30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statutes and laws as David, Solomon's father, did.

  34 " 'But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon's hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who observed my commands and statutes. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son's hands and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. 37 However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. 38 If you do whatever I command you and walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David's descendants because of this, but not forever.'"

  40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon's death.

• Jeroboam is given the same opportunity as Solomon. He and many others who would follow him all make the same mistake, and not one of those King's lines survive
• APPLICATION: Where was Solomon's downfall? I think it began when he lost a vision for what he could be and do, and became obsessed with obtaining

Class Notes, 1 Kings 1-4

Intro:

• 1,2 kings document the reigns of 40 monarchs of Israel and Judah (20 from each)
• In the Hebrew, they were one book until the 16th century
• The English bible places them with Chronicles, emphasizing the history
• Hebrew bible places them with Joshua, Judges , Samuel, and the prophets emphasizing more of their prophetic nature
• Writer(s) unknown
• Period covers Solomon's co-regency with David (973 BC) and Jehoiachin's release from Babylonian exile (561 BC), approximately 413 years
• The books begin with the building of the temple, and ends with the burning of the temple
• Purpose is to show the cause and effect relationship of Israel's (first), and then Judah's (second) disobedience and the subsequent judgment

Timeline:

• 2166 Birth of Abram
• 2091 Abram departs from Haran
• 1876 Jacob's descent to Egypt
• 1845 Israel is enslaved
• 1446 Israel leaves Egypt after 400 years of bondage
• 1395 Conquest of Caanan complete (essentially)
• 1375-1043 Period of the Judges ("Israel had no King")
• 1051-1011 Saul's reign (40 years)
• 1011-971 David's reign (7 years over Judah & 33 years over Israel)
• 991 Birth of Solomon
• 973 Solomon's Co-Regency with David
• 971 David's death

The Reign of Solomon, Chapters 1-11:

• 3:1-8:66 is Favorable
  • Dream
    • Domestic Policy (Women and Wisdom; Administration and Wisdom)
    • Labor Relations (Hiram; Covee)
  • Attitude
• 9:1-11:13 is Critical of Solomon
  • Dream
    • Labor Relations (Hiram; Covee)
    • Foreign Policy (Women and Wisdom; Wealth and Wisdom)
  • Attitude

1 Kings 1:5-8 (NIV) Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 (His father had never interfered with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

7 Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David's special guard did not join Adonijah.

• What do we know about Adonijah?
  • He was the oldest
  • Custom, in that time, selected the oldest to succeed to the throne
• What is the problem with the selection of Adonijah to the kingship?
  • God had decreed Solomon would be King
  • So, this is outright rebellion to the will of God. Two things to note:
    • One, it succeeds for a short period of time
    • Two, it might have continue without the courageous actions of righteous men (Nathan)
• The passage describes David's relationship with Adonijah -- what is the problem?
  • David has a pattern of not crossing, or causing his children any physical or emotional pain
  • David did not discipline his children nor deny them anything they wanted -- interesting question is why? Maybe David in deference to his many wives over compensated in his role out of fear of comparisons between children
• Who supports David and what do we know of them?
  • Joab, David's Commander of the Army -- also killed two previous Commanders, whom Solomon says were better men than him (despite the fact they rebelled)
    • Joab was loyal to David, but Joab was primarily loyal to himself and to his position
  • Abiathar who was the high Priest, but was more and more being pushed to the side by Zadok
  • Why is Shimei mentioned?
    • As a relation to Saul's family, he had a potential claim on the throne (which suggests there were some people who were secretly hoping for the tribe of Benjamin to retake the throne)
• We are skipping Nathan and Bathseba's responses to defuse this crisis, and pick up the story after Solomon's coronation
  • Leads to one question -- why didn't David act to establish a co-regency sooner?

  1 Kings 1:41-43, 49-51 (NIV) Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, "What's the meaning of all the noise in the city?"

  42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news."

  43 "Not at all!" Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

  ...

  49 At this, all Adonijah's guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Then Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'"

• The situation is dealt with very quickly. Solomon spares Adonijah's life, for the moment.

  1 Kings 2:1-9 (NIV) When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

  2 "I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, show yourself a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

  5 "Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me — what he did to the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

  7 "But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

  8 "And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: 'I will not put you to death by the sword.' 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood."

• I don't know how often we verbalize a charge to our son's -- if I had to condense a charge for my son, what would I say? And, as an application, would I mail it to my son or daughter?
• It was very common for a Monarch to eliminate rivals and threats to his rule, especially early on when the rule is still fledgling
• Why Shimei?
  • Shimei was of Saul's clan
  • Shimei had hurled curses down on David when David retreated from Jerusalem
  • Shimei also represented a threat to the throne, although as far as we know he never did anything. He did blame David for the death of Saul and Saul's sons
• The first person killed is Adonijah (verses 2:13-25)
  • Adonijah requests Abishag the Shunammite as his wife
  • Although David and Abishag had not had relations, she would be considered part of his harem. In the East at that time, taking possession of the Harem is equivalent to establishing a claim on the throne
  • Solomon orders Benaiah to kill his oldest brother, Adonijah

  1 Kings 2:31-35 (NIV) Then the king commanded Benaiah, "Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my father's house of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. 32 The Lord will repay him for the blood he shed, because without the knowledge of my father David he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them — Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army — were better men and more upright than he. 33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord's peace forever."

  34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried on his own land in the desert. 35 The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab's position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.

• The second man killed is Joab. Solomon asserts that they were better men than Joab
  • Solomon orders Benaiah to kill Shimei
  • Joab runs to the altar. You can run to the altar for protection from manslaughter, but not for murder
• Abiathar the high priest is replaced by a man outside of his clan fulfilling the prophecy against Eli
• Shimei is given a simple condition -- not to cross Kidron valley (essentially to stay in Jerusalem). Three years later, he does in search of some slaves
  • Why do you think Shimei is restricted to Jerusalem?
    • Removes access to his Benjamite brothers
  • Solomon orders Benaiah to kill Shimei

  1 Kings 3:1-5, 7-9 (NIV) Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

  4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

  ...

  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?"

• The marriage to Pharaoh's daughter is unusual. It is in a section of positive triumphs (and not the negative that follow later), so it has a positive purpose
  • Israel was a slave to Egypt
  • Now, Israel is actually greater than Egypt. Typically, Pharaohs took the daughters of other nations and did not give their daughters. Egypt was weaker than Israel at this point in history
• Interestingly, God's question to Solomon is a test
  • God does not ask questions to gain information
  • Therefore, God asks the questions to get Solomon to openly state his heart, and to give the reason for the gift that he was going to give Solomon
• Up to this point, all the actions were prior to Solomon gaining wisdom from God, yet …
  • In 2:9, David says "… You are a man of wisdom."
  • His actions show wisdom
  • His prayer shows wisdom
  • So why does he ask for wisdom?
    • Because a wise man knows, that one can never have enough wisdom
    • Because a wise man knows, God's wisdom is the best wisdom. His wisdom to this point was earthly wisdom, now he would have spiritual wisdom as well

  1 Kings 3:16-28 (NIV) Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, "My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

  19 "During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son — and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne."

  22 The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours."

  But the first one insisted, "No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine." And so they argued before the king.

  23 The king said, "This one says, 'My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.'"

  24 Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."

  26 The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!"

  But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"

  27 Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."

  28 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.

• What do we learn from this story which captures an aspect of Solomon's wisdom?
  • Solomon understood basic human nature, and more specifically, maternal instinct
• Also, the fact that they are prostitutes shows what?
  • Even the lowest of his subjects deserved justice
• What is wisdom?
  • It is the ability to live life in a skillful way so at the end, one's life would amount to something worthwhile (Constable, 2010)

  [Many of the insights come from Dr Constable's Notes on 1 Kings, 2010 edition]

Class Notes, 1 Kings 5:1-9:10

Timeline:

• 2166 Birth of Abram
• 1876 Jacob's descent to Egypt (1845 Israel enslaved)
• 1446 Israel leaves Egypt after 400 years of bondage
• 1395 Conquest of Caanan complete (essentially)
• 1375-1043 Period of the Judges ("Israel had no King")
• 1051-1011 Saul's reign (40 years)
• 1011-971 David's reign (7 years over Judah & 33 years over Israel)
• 991 Birth of Solomon
• 973 Solomon's Co-Regency with David
• 971 David's death
• 931 Solomon's death
• 722 Israel to Assyria
• 586 Judah to Babylon
• 538 Return to Jerusalem
• 2/7 Birth of Jesus

1 Kings 5:6-7 (NIV) "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians."

7 When Hiram heard Solomon's message, he was greatly pleased and said, "Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation."

• What do we learn about Solomon's wisdom from this passage?
  • While David did much preparation, he did not do all of it. There is still the identification of resources (people and certain other materials)
  • Solomon steps out on the task. The building starts in the fourth year. The first few years are spent in preparation and in securing the power base
  • Solomon's speech is kind. As a leader, he encourages work from others, rather than demanding their support

  1 Kings 5:13-16 (NIV) King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel — thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen.

• What do we learn from Solomon's wisdom from this passage?
  • He didn't try to do it all his self. He established leaders and foremen
  • They did use forced labor, non-Israelites, but they did not abuse the people. One month on, two months off is a very reasonable work strategy
  • Clearly, a lot of planning goes into the venture before the actual construction ever gets started

  1 Kings 6:37-7:1 (NIV) The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.

  7 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.

• How long does it take Solomon to complete the building of the temple?
  • 11th years, 8th months minus 4th year, 2nd month equals 7.5 years
• Why does the palace take longer than the temple?
  • It could be the palace was more intricate (not, more discussion give to the temple) or bigger (Pillared hall alone was double in size -- 100x50x30 versus 60x20x30)
  • Solomon could have diverted the work for to get the palace done sooner
  • Most likely, Solomon put priority on the temple

  1 Kings 8:1-9 (NIV) Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord's covenant from Zion, the City of David. 2 All the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

  3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

  6 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

• We do get some insight into when this piece of scripture was written (verse 8:8)?
  • It was written prior to the destruction of the temple, 586 BC
  • Suggests that various authors may have been involved in recording the events
• What is missing in the ark?
  • The jar of manna and Aaron's budding rod
  • Heb 9:4 seems to contradict this verse. Hebrews may refer to the original tabernacle. The other possibility is that the other objects were there but they were not placed within the ark as was the law
• What is another aspect of Solomon's wisdom that we see in these verses?
  • The involvement of all people who are directly or indirectly affected by the work
  • A time of celebration when a major project is constructed

  1 Kings 8:10-21 (NIV) When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

  12 Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."

  14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 15 Then he said:

  "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 'Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'

  17 "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood — he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.'

  20 "The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of Egypt."

• What immediately happens to the temple?
  • The shekinah glory fills the temple. This is symbolic of God's presence dwelling among the people
• What does Solomon say is the purpose of the temple?
  • He calls it a temple for the Name of the Lord (3 times)
• What else do we learn from Solomon's wisdom?
  • He sees a teaching opportunity and takes advantage. He could have continued to stare at and admire God's glory, but instead he turns to the people and reiterates truths about God's faithfulness, God's sovereignty, God's fulfillment of promise, and Israel's history with God
  • What are the teaching opportunities that we receive? Do we just stand and stare, or do we teach those God has placed in our sphere of influence?

  1 Kings 8:27-30 (NIV)

  27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

• Solomon teaches some good theology here. He explains the reason for calling the temple a place for the Name of the Lord. What is Solomon's reason?
  • God is too big and great to be contained in even the universe itself
  • The temple is only a symbol -- God does not live in the temple
• Solomon makes an unusual request. He identifies seven reasons for people to turn to the temple and pray. Lets read them and then discuss what is unusual in the request
  • 1 Kings 8:31 (NIV) "When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple,
    • Doubtfulness regarding an injustice
  • 1 Kings 8:33 (NIV) "When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,
    • Defeat in battle
  • 1 Kings 8:35 (NIV) "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,
    • Drought
  • 1 Kings 8:37-38 (NIV) "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel — each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
    • Famine, plagues, disease
  • 1 Kings 8:41-42 (NIV) "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when he comes and prays toward this temple,
    • Pagans coming to faith
  • 1 Kings 8:44 (NIV) "When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,
    • Going into battle
  • 1 Kings 8:46-48 (NIV) "When they sin against you — for there is no one who does not sin — and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;
    • Captivity (which is where 1,2 Kings will end)
• The unusual thing is that you don't need a temple to pray to God, so why include the temple as part of the prayer?
  • The temple was both a symbol and a reminder of the covenant
  • The book of the law was placed in the ark
  • Much of the law concerns the operation of the tabernacle
  • Therefore, turning to the temple reminds the people of the conditions of the OT covenant and the requirements of the law to which they have agreed
    • The NT covenant, founded on grace, has no such requirement, such as building
    • The NT covenant does institute the Lord's Supper as a reminder of the covenant

  1 Kings 8:65-66 (NIV) So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him — a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

• Apparently, Solomon dedicated the temple during the feast of tabernacles. The feast commemorates God's faithfulness to Israel during the wanderings in the wilderness