Theological Commentary: Click Here
This chapter
has a really interesting dichotomy to it.
Central to this dichotomy is the wisdom of Solomon and his ability to
lead the people. The Bible is clear on
one point this wisdom comes from God; God is the reason for Solomon’s
prosperity and renown.
One half of
the dichotomy is seen in the story about the Queen of Sheba. She comes for one reason. She comes because she has heard about the
fame of Solomon and his relationship with the Lord. When people have a meaningful relationship
with the Lord, others will take notice. In
fact, some people may find it unbelievable that we have a relationship with God
and they will need to see it for themselves.
When we are willing to put our gifts from God on display for others to
experience, we find ourselves able to make impressions upon others and reveal the
nature of God. God’s gifts that He
bestows upon us can be an opportunity for us to bring others into closer understanding
and potentially relationship with God.
The other
side of this dichotomy is the prosperity of Solomon. The opulence of Solomon continues to be
forefront. He is making everything out
of gold. Even the chalices are all made
out of gold! The main problem that I
have with this passage is that we hear nothing about generosity and benevolence. I am reminded of the words of Jesus when he
chastises His disciples in saying, “The poor will always be with you.”
Furthermore,
look where this wealth leads Solomon.
Once more we hear about the chariots and horses that he is acquiring. We hear another warning about how much like
Egypt Solomon is becoming.
God isn’t to
be blamed for Solomon’s wealth even though it is a natural consequence of his
impressive wisdom. The lesson to be
learned here is that we are all accountable for what gives to us. Solomon was given great opportunity with his
wisdom. In one case, he helps spread relationship
with God to a foreign dignitary. One the
other hand, Solomon learns to accumulate wealth and emulate the other
nations. We should always be careful and
mindful that our focus stays upon God, especially in the midst of His blessing.
<><
No comments:
Post a Comment