The Unhappy Lot of the Unrighteous

April 8, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁸And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. – Romans 1:28-32 ESV

This is the third time Paul uses the phrase, “God gave them up.” By this time, we should be able to see the seriousness of Paul’s point. If God releases men to live as they wish, separated from Him by rejecting His very existence or re-imagining their own version of Him, the outcome is less-than-ideal. Without God, the one true God, man is left to his own devices, and their foolish heart becomes increasingly darkened. Despite their self-proclaimed wisdom, they become fools, incapable of discerning right from wrong or righteousness from unrighteousness. The prophet Isaiah wrote about these kinds of people in his day.

What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart! – Isaiah 5:18 NLT

What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever. – Isaiah 5:20-21 NLT

When a man decides he has no need of God, he loses far more than his awareness of the Creator. The rejection or reinvention of God is a dangerous game to play. The NIV translates verse 28 this way: “they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind.” They basically said, “We don’t need God anymore,” so God allowed them to experience life without Him, and “abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done” (NLT).

Without God in their lives, man loses the capacity to think wisely. As Isaiah said, they end up calling evil good and good evil. Their minds become twisted, and their logic becomes skewed. And Paul states that they become “filled” with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and malice. They literally become “filled to the brim.” Unrighteousness describes anything that is contrary to what God has deemed right or just. Evil has to do with man living out his godless purposes and desires in depraved ways. Covetousness is simply greed or the insatiable need for more; it is the opposite of contentment. Malice is a shameless desire to do others harm.

These characteristics mark those who reject God and manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Paul provides a fairly sobering list: “envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossiping, slander, hate for God, insolence, haughtiness or pride, boasting, invention of evil, disobedience to parents, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthlessness” (Romans 1:29-30 ESV).

Here’s the worst part: not only do they do these things, but they also give their full consent and approval to anyone else who does them. Even though they know “that those who practice such things deserve to die,” they do them anyway. They become driven by unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and malice. It ends up filling them and overflowing from them.

It was Chrystostom who said, “the one who praises the sin of others is far worse than the one who sins himself” (Chrystostom, Homilies on Romans). Paul warned Timothy that a day would come when people would no longer want to hear the truth. They would look for teachers who would approve of their actions and tell them that their lifestyles were perfectly acceptable.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV

The Greek word Paul used for “myths” is mythos, which refers to something invented, a fiction or falsehood. Without God, men will not only invent their own god, but a different form of righteousness as well. They will determine their own ethical and moral standards, and then seek out those who will tell them that their unrighteous actions are acceptable. That is the world in which we live today. Sadly, there are pastors all across the country who are more than willing to tickle the ears of their congregations, telling them what they want to hear, approving of their lifestyle choices, and, as a result, denying the truth of God.

We live in a day when the cry for tolerance has drowned out God’s call for righteousness. We have become accepting and accommodating of all kinds of attitudes and actions that God has deemed unrighteous and unacceptable. It is unloving to allow someone to live according to a lie. It is unmerciful to hide the truth from those who are deceived. It was Jesus who said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:21-32 NLT). The gospel of God is about the righteousness of God made available to men through the gift of His Son.

Left to his own devices, sinful man will never produce the righteousness that God demands. Even those who claim to believe in God will fail to live up to God’s righteous standards. That is why Paul says that all men are without excuse and stand guilty before God.

But the good news is that Jesus came to die for sinners. He came to pay the price for our guilt and to free us from condemnation. But for a man to be free, he must acknowledge the truth of his own sin and accept the gift of God’s Son. He must understand the reality of his guilt and the just outcome of his sin: death. Then he must accept the free gift of God’s grace and believe that Jesus Christ has paid his debt and replaced his unrighteousness with righteousness. That is the good news, the gospel of God.

Father, in a world where tolerance and a reduced standard of righteousness rule the day, there is an ever-increasing need for the truth of the gospel. Sin is real, whether anyone wants to admit it, and judgment is coming. Your holiness and righteousness do not diminish just because men question Your reality or try to reinvent Your nature. Your judgment against sin remains unchanged, but so does Your solution. Your Son is the only means by which sinful men can be restored to a right relationship with You. Death remains the penalty for unrighteousness, but Jesus gave His life so that sinners could become Your sons and daughters. But this world is full of people who have rejected You as God and who have determined to live according to their own standard. They are blind, ignorant, deceived, and in desperate need of the truth. Empower Your children to take seriously their role as reconcilers. May we become increasingly more bold in proclaiming the good news about Jesus and calling condemned sinners to “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

Wise Fools

April 5, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. – Romans 1:21-23 ESV

Wise fools. The world is full of them and always has been. Paul describes them as futile in their thinking. The Greek word Paul uses is mataioō, which can mean “to passively become foolish, or to become idolatrous.” Paul says these wise fools are without excuse because they have had every opportunity to honor or recognize the existence and reality of God, who has revealed Himself through His creation.

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. – Romans 1:20 ESV

These kinds of people indict themselves because they all end up worshiping something or someone. They may not call it worship, but they esteem or honor other things, giving them the place of prominence in their lives that belongs to God alone. Some end up worshiping man, making humanity the end-all be-all of our existence; they believe we are our own savior. Others worship science, placing all their hope and trust in reason and man’s ability to solve all of the world’s problems through scientific research and development. There are those who worship political parties or governmental and ideological policies.

Elevating men or man-made ideas to a god-like status in our lives has been humanity’s lot since the fall. That was the original temptation of the serpent in the garden.

“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” – Genesis 3:5 ESV

Paul makes it painfully clear that all men know God because they sense the existence of something greater than what they can see. Creation virtually shouts that there is something or someone out there, the first cause behind all that exists. Ancient man inherently knew that there was a force greater than themselves; that’s why they created idols. It is the reason they worshiped the sun, moon, stars, animals, nature, and every other created thing.

Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:22-23 ESV

But modern man is more sophisticated than that; our idols are more subtle and sensible. We wouldn’t dream of worshiping the sun but we will worship the Big Bang Theory. We will go out of our way to concoct every possible explanation for our existence, while refusing to accept the idea that God exists. Claiming to be wise, we become fools, self-deceived, and sadly mistaken in our conclusions. We end up exchanging the glory of the immortal God for a cheap, but seemingly plausible replacement.

Paul insists that man’s persistent attempt to explain away God has left him with a darkened heart. What was once clearly discernible to them, the invisible attributes of God, has become cloudy and veiled. Man has lost the ability to sense God’s presence and power. This has left him with the nagging need to explain his existence and make sense of a world that continues to spiral out of control, despite all our scientific advances, modern conveniences, and misguided hope in moralistic relativism. We keep believing we can make the world a better place. We have made vast improvements in communication, transportation, medicine, education, and agricultural production, yet the world remains plagued by hatred, disease, famine, ignorance, and inequities in all their hideous forms. We have made advances in everything except the state of man’s heart. We can help him live longer, but we are incapable of making him live better. Human reason will never come up with a way to deal with sin. Science will never find a solution to the problem of the human heart. In our wisdom, we have become fools.

And yet, in the midst of all of mankind’s arrogance and pride, God sent His Son. Paul calls it the gospel, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 ESV). In the gospel, the righteousness of God has been revealed through the life of His sinless Son. God’s righteous expectations for humanity were fulfilled by Jesus.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. – Romans 8:3 NLT

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. – 1 Peter 2:24 NLT

Jesus did what no other man had been able to do since Adam; He lived in perfect obedience to the law of God. As the author of Hebrews states, “he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NLT). And it was His sinless life that made Him the perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of man. He died so that man might live. He gave His life so that we would not have to give ours. The death of Jesus was what God required so that men might be made right (righteous) with Him. And this righteousness is only available by faith. Not by reason. Not by scientific explanations or experiments. Not through human effort or any amount of seemingly moral advancements.

Man, apart from God, is helpless, hopeless, blind, ignorant, and spiritually dead. Even his best efforts on his best day are flawed and, ultimately, worthless. As the prophet Isaiah so aptly put it, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT).

Man has become too smart for his own good. His intelligence has left him unable to honor God or give Him thanks. He is determined to come up with his own explanation for his existence and a personal plan for his future. But in the end, all men must face the reality of God’s existence. God doesn’t go away because we attempt to explain Him away. He doesn’t cease to exist simply because our intelligence refuses to accept Him. God has revealed Himself in His creation and made Himself known through His written Word. And He has given men the means by which they can know Him personally and permanently through His Son. But the knowledge of God is ultimately available through faith, not wisdom.

Father, You are self-evident. Your existance is displayed in the universe You created. Yet, in our “wisdom,” we have determined to write You out of the script, to remove You from the story of our lives. Yet, rather than give up on us, You sent Your Son to live among us. Jesus became one of us, so that He might demonstrate what obedience to Your righteous law looks like. Not only that, Jesus made You, the invisible God, visible and knowable. As the apostle John wrote, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known” (John 1:18 BSB). He walked among us. He lived like us. Then He died for us. All so we could be restored to a right relationship with You. In our foolish wisdom, we turned our backs on You. We became too smart for our own good. However, You had a plan to redeem us from our own stupidity and self-destructiveness. You sent Jesus and He offered His life as payment for our well-deserved judgment. As Paul told the Corinthians, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT). Thank You for graciously loving a fool like me. And forgive me for the many times I fall back on my own foolish wisdom and fail to honor You as God and give You thanks. Amen

The Pernicious Problem of Pride

August 31, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁴¹Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? ⁴²And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. ⁴³And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

¹Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ²And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. ³And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, ⁴“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” ⁵He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

⁶Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” ⁷And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” ⁸But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. ⁹And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” ¹⁰And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. ¹¹And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” ¹³And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, ¹⁴he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. – 1 Kings 11:41-12:15 ESV

As God had promised, Solomon was allowed to complete his reign with his kingdom still intact. But upon Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam, who succeeded him to the throne, found himself facing a God-ordained crisis that would leave his kingdom divided and greatly diminished. It would be easy to sympathize with poor Rehoboam because he was utterly unaware of what was about to happen to him. The day of his coronation should have been one of the most joyous occasions of his life. He was inheriting the vast kingdom his father had established, along with all the wealth and riches that Solomon had accumulated over the last four decades. He was a lucky young man. But his fate was about to take a decidedly negative turn for the worse. Speaking through the prophet Ahijah, God had promised to divide the kingdom of Israel, awarding ten of the tribes to Jeroboam and leaving Rehoboam with only one.

“For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David my servant will continue to reign, shining like a lamp in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for my name.” – 1 Kings 11:34-36 NLT

But any sorrow one might feel for Rehoboam is quickly dispelled when his true nature is revealed as he attempts to handle his first official crisis as king. For some undisclosed reason, Rehoboam had decided to hold his coronation ceremony in the city of Shechem, located in the land that belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. His decision to hold this vital ceremony outside the city of Jerusalem may indicate that he was aware of the potential problem with Jeroboam. Solomon had likely warned Rehoboam about the possible threat from the Ephraimites.

Before his death, Solomon had become aware of the prediction that Ahijah the prophet had delivered concerning Jeroboam and attempted to have Jeroboam murdered. Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite, had been assigned the task of supervising the conscripted labor force from among his own people. In performing his duties, he became aware of the heavy burden Solomon had placed upon the Ephraimites and other northern tribes. So, Rehoboam may have moved his coronation to Shechem in an attempt to placate and win over the disgruntled Ephraimites. But this ploy would prove unsuccessful.

From his place of exile in Egypt, Jeroboam heard the news that Solomon had died and returned to Israel, where he was promptly appointed the official spokesperson for the ten northern tribes. When Rehoboam arrived in Shechem for his coronation, he was met by a large contingent of the people who made an appeal through their appointed leader, Jeroboam.

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” – 1 Kings 12:4 NLT

Notice that Jeroboam did not restate the words of the prophet. He did not boast about the promise God had made, declaring that he was going to be the next king over ten of the tribes of Israel. There were no threats of insurrection or insurgency. He simply expressed the people’s grievances and their desire to have the heavy burdens of labor and taxation alleviated.

This was a defining moment for Rehoboam. He could have seen this as an opportunity to unify the nation by demonstrating his intentions to be a fair and just king. Even though he was the son of Solomon, Rehoboam would have to win the favor and trust of the people. He was being given the opportunity to rectify some of his father’s less-than-stellar policies.

Having heard the people’s request, Rehoboam sent the people away, assuring them that he would take everything into consideration and return with a decision. As the son of Solomon, the man who compiled and edited an entire book of proverbial sayings, Rehoboam would have grown up hearing all the sage advice his father had gathered.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. – Proverbs 11:14 ESV

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. – Proverbs 15:22 ESV

Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. – Proverbs 20:18 ESV

Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. – Proverbs 24:6 BSB

So, it should come as no surprise that Rehoboam sought counsel. First, he “discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father” (1 Kings 12:6 NLT). These men advised Rehoboam that he could win over the people’s hearts by responding favorably to their request. He could forestall any potential unrest by demonstrating that he was, first and foremost, the servant of all the people. While Rehoboam was from the tribe of Judah, he was expected to serve as God’s shepherd over all the people. By making this concession, Rehoboam could avoid a rebellion and establish himself as a compassionate and caring king.

But Rehoboam didn’t like what he heard. The author flatly states, “Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers” (1 Kings 12:8 NLT). In doing so, Rehoboam lived out the truth revealed in the proverbs his father had so painstakingly collected.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs 12:15 ESV

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:20 ESV

Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. – Proverbs 8:33 BSB

Unlike his father, Rehoboam had not been given the gift of wisdom from God. He was young and inexperienced and in desperate need of wise counsel. But when he received it, he rejected it, choosing instead to seek out those who would tell him what he wanted to hear. Disliking the counsel of the older and wiser men, Rehoboam turned to his peers for advice, and they were more than eager to give it.

The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” – 1 Kings 12:10-11 NLT

These brash young men appealed to Rehoboam’s ego. They advised him to lay down the law and establish his reputation as a no-holds-barred disciplinarian who ruled with an iron fist. These young men knew Rehoboam well, and their advice was meant to appeal to his over-inflated ego and his desperate need to escape the shadow of his father’s reputation. In a demonstration of his inherent foolishness and pride, Rehoboam heeded the counsel of his peers and handed down his decision to the people. In doing so, he fulfilled the words of another of his father’s proverbs.

Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. – Proverbs 28:26 NLT

Rather than humbly heeding the pleas of his people, Rehoboam listened to his own heart. However, the author reveals that this was all part of God’s sovereign will.

…it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word. – 1 Kings 12:15 ESV

God didn’t force Rehoboam to do what he did. This stubborn and prideful young man simply acted according to his own sinful nature. However, in doing so, he fulfilled God’s will. Rehoboam’s decision would fuel the fire that would end up burning down his kingdom. In a foolish attempt to establish himself as a great king, Rehoboam unwittingly brought about the dismantling of the realm his father had built.

It seems likely that his more senior advisors would have responded to his fateful decision by quoting some of the proverbs his father had compiled. These sage counselors would have encouraged him to demonstrate humility rather than pride.

Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 NLT

Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 ESV

Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor. – Proverbs 18:12 NLT

Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor. – Proverbs 29:23 NLT

Their own life experiences would have prompted them to beg Rehoboam to reconsider his unwise and potentially devastating decision. But Rehoboam’s mind was made up, and the fate of his kingdom was sealed. This sad state of affairs was a fulfillment of the warning God had given to Solomon. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness and refusal to repent of his spiritual infidelity, God did as He said He would do and split the kingdom, leaving Rehoboam with one tribe over which to rule. The days ahead would prove to be difficult as the heir to Solomon’s throne attempted to thwart God’s plan by winning back the ten disgruntled tribes through military force. His efforts would fail miserably, and the judgment of God would remain in effect for generations to come, all because one man failed to keep his covenant commitment to Yahweh.

Blinded by the Blessings

August 27, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁴Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, ¹⁵besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. ¹⁶King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield. ¹⁷And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. ¹⁸The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. ¹⁹The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, ²⁰while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. ²¹All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. ²²For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

²³Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. ²⁴And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. ²⁵Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

²⁶And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁷And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. ²⁸And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price. ²⁹A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria. – 1 Kings 10:14-29 ESV

Up to this point in his narrative of Solomon’s reign, the author of 1 Kings seems to have spent far more time describing Solomon’s vast wealth than providing evidence of his great wisdom. He has only offered one concrete example where Solomon utilized his God-given gift of wisdom to settle a dispute between two prostitutes who were fighting over legal custody of a newborn baby (1 Kings 3:16-28). There have been several allusions to Solomon’s wisdom, such as the statement made by the Queen of Sheba.

“Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told.” – 1 Kings 10:6-7 NLT

However, it appears that the author has intentionally placed more emphasis on Solomon’s rapidly expanding financial portfolio. God had promised to bless Solomon with riches and honor (1 Kings 3:13), and it is evident that He had kept His word. In just a single year, nearly 25 tons of gold were added to Solomon’s treasury. That’s a staggering figure, but it represents only a fraction of the revenue that flowed into the kingdom each year. Income from his many business ventures, tributes paid by vassal states, and gifts from various kings and dignitaries further enhanced his annual revenue. His proverbial cup was running over.

People from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him. Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. – 1 Kings 10:24-25 NLT

As a result, “King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth” (1 Kings 10:23 NLT). It seems that his wisdom and wealth shared a symbiotic relationship. Both were gifts that had been made possible by God. Yet, like all God-given gifts, the real test lies in how they are utilized. Both wisdom and wealth can be misused and abused. Any gift from God can be used for ungodly purposes. It seems that Solomon allowed his wisdom and wealth to become a distraction. Somewhere along the way, he had lost sight of the divine purpose for his gifts — to govern the people of Israel with justice (1 Kings 3:11). He began to repurpose his wisdom and riches in a vain search for meaning in life. He would later write of his growing disenchantment with the pursuit of pleasure and prosperity.

I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. – Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 NLT

Notice how many times Solomon uses the personal pronoun “I.” He had become totally self-consumed, focusing all his attention on what he could gain from what he had been given. Even his God-given wisdom became little more than a tool for trying to decipher the mysteries of life. While he understood wisdom’s inherent value, it wasn’t long before he came to despise this valuable gift from God.

Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.

So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 3:14-17 NLT

Twenty years after ascending to the throne of his father, David, Solomon was experiencing unparalleled success. He had the Midas touch. It seems that everything he touched turned to literal gold. In fact, gold was so prevalent in his kingdom that “silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day” (1 Kings 10:21 NLT).

Solomon had built his own fleet of ships, which returned every three years with their holds full of additional treasures, including “gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks” (1 Kings 10:22 NLT). He had amassed “a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses” ( 1 Kings 10:26 NLT). And many of those horses had been imported from as far away as Egypt.

All of these descriptions of Solomon’s incredible wealth must be placed within the context of the commands God had given concerning those who would serve as kings over His people.

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.” – Deuteronomy 17:16-17 NLT

God had blessed Solomon with unparalleled resources, but Solomon used them in ways that were contradictory to God’s will. His misuse of God’s gracious gift was in clear violation of God’s command. Solomon’s wealth had never been intended to feed his ego or fulfill his wildest dreams. It was meant to enable him to provide the people of Israel with proper care and protection. While accumulating chariots and horses may have sounded like a good strategy for ensuring Israel’s national security, it was in direct violation of God’s will. Solomon’s own father had written about the futility of placing one’s hope in such things.

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with the saving might of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright. – Psalm 20:6-8 NLT

Solomon appears to have been preoccupied with the outward trappings of royalty. He had built for himself an opulent palace, where exquisite meals were served on golden plates and the finest wine was served in golden goblets. Oppulence was prevalent in Solomon’s kingdom. He spared no expense, spending vast sums of money on frivolous things like decorative shields made of gold and a one-of-a-kind royal throne of incomparable value

Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne. There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it! – 1 Kings 10:18-20 NLT

Solomon looked like a king and lived like one. He had all the trappings of success and, from the outsider’s perspective, was living the dream. Yet, the day would come when Solomon finally recognized that he had confused the gift with the Giver.

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! – Ecclesiastes 10-11 NLT

The wisdom and wealth given to him by God had never been intended to fulfill his every self-centered desire or satiate his relentless need for self-satisfaction. Solomon had been anointed and blessed so that he might lead the nation of Israel into a period of peace, prosperity, and faithful service to God. Solomon had started out well, even asking God for the capacity to lead the people of Israel with wisdom and discernment.

“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” – 1 Kings 3:9 NLT

But somewhere along the way, Solomon let the blessings of God go to his head. He had allowed the gifts to take precedence over the Giver and, in doing so, turned the blessings of God into a curse. His insatiable appetite for success and significance would turn his heart away from God. His relentless pursuit of pleasure and personal comfort would distract him from fulfilling his God-given purpose. Yahweh had set him on the throne to promote godliness and faithfulness among the people of Israel.

“…if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever.” – 1 Kings 9:4-5 NLT

But God’s promise to extend the Davidic dynasty came with a crucial conditional clause.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.” – 1 Kings 9:6-7 NLT

And as the next chapter unfolds, the outcome of Solomon’s pursuit of pleasure, prosperity, and prestige will become painfully apparent. He would have been wise to heed the words of Moses, spoken to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the land of Canaan.

“Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath. But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. – Deuteronomy 8:18-19 NLT

Fame Versus Faithfulness

August 17, 2025August 17, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹ Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

²He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. ³And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. ⁴There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. ⁵All the doorways and windows had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

⁶And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

⁷And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.

⁸His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

⁹All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. ¹⁰The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. ¹¹And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. ¹²The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the LORD and the vestibule of the house. – 1 Kings 7:1-12 ESV

Once Solomon had completed the construction of the LORD’s House, he turned his attention to building his own royal palace and administrative complex. The author indicates that it took Solomon seven years to complete the Temple, and he spent an additional 13 years constructing the complex that would include separate residences for him and his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh. According to 1 Kings 9:10, Solomon spent two decades of his reign overseeing these various building projects.

It took Solomon twenty years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own royal palace. – 1 Kings 9:10 NLT

From the descriptions provided, it appears that Solomon’s palace complex consisted of a series of distinct structures, including the two royal residences, the House of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars, the Hall of Judgment, and the Hall of the Throne. These were evidently separate, but interconnected buildings arranged around a shared courtyard. Each of them was equally impressive in size and grandeur. The House of the Forest of Lebanon alone was larger in size than the Temple itself and featured the same degree of meticulous detailing and costly craftsmanship.

It would be easy to overlook that these impressive structures were only made possible by the forced conscription of Israelite citizens. In Chapter Five, it was revealed that Solomon instituted a nationwide “draft” to provide the large labor force necessary to accomplish his ambitious and ongoing building projects.

Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force. Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work. – 1 Kings 5:13-16 NLT

Tens of thousands of Israelites were forced into service and required to dedicate 20 years of their lives to these seemingly never-ending construction projects. When one building was done, another one would begin. Stones had to be quarried, transported, and carefully carved. Massive amounts of trees were cut down and moved to the various construction sites, where they were transformed into wood flooring and panels to adorn the walls and ceilings of Solomon’s royal residence and administrative offices. The sheer number of common laborers, skilled craftsmen, and project foremen to complete 20 years’ worth of construction projects is impossible to calculate. This doesn’t include the additional labor force required to manage Solomon’s household, care for his extensive flocks and herds, cultivate his fields and vineyards, tend his gardens, cook his food, and provide ongoing maintenance for his vast and growing kingdom. All of this was in fulfillment of the words spoken by Samuel the prophet, when he warned the people of Israel of the consequences that would come with their demand for a king.

“The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-17 NLT

Solomon was a good and wise king. He had been appointed by God Himself. But even his reign brought a certain degree of suffering and servitude upon the people of Israel. Their desire for a king had ultimately proven costly to them. Kings tend to build kingdoms. They go to war. They demand loyalty and allegiance. They wield power. They use their position to pursue their agendas. And sadly, they can end up treating their people as little more than tools in their royal toolbox.

Later in life, Solomon voiced his regrets at spending so much time, money, and energy building his grand and glorious kingdom. In the end, all his hard work and that of his conscripted laborers would be for naught because you can’t take it with you when you go.

I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. – Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 NLT

There’s little doubt that Solomon was successful in all his building efforts. When the final brick was laid on the last building, the completed project was a sight to behold. Combined with the Temple complex, it must have made a powerful impression on all those who saw it. We know from Chapter 10 that when the Queen of Sheba made a royal visit to Jerusalem, she was awe-struck by the experience.

When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD. – 1 Kings 10:4-5 NLT

For 20 years, Solomon concentrated his efforts on building the physical representation of his kingdom. He built palaces, administrative buildings, throne rooms, judgment halls, and even a Temple to accommodate the God of Israel. He was transforming Jerusalem into a showplace where his power and prestige were constantly on display. Visitors couldn’t help but be impressed by the opulence of his royal residences, the sheer size and scope of his administrative complex, and the grandeur of the Temple.

But as will soon be made clear, there was something dark and foreboding lying beneath the shiny surface of Solomon’s kingdom. The trappings of success obscured a hidden danger that would prove to be Solomon’s undoing and the key to Israel’s ultimate fall from grace.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus, another descendant of King David, would warn against the danger of building kingdoms on earth and investing all our time and energy in accumulating earthly treasures.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

Solomon was under the misguided impression that materialism mattered. He was out to build a kingdom that would rival that of every other nation on earth. He wanted Israel to be the envy of the world, and his glowing reputation to spread throughout the land. In his later days, he would declare his rather pessimistic belief in the value of a good reputation, because that is all you really leave behind that is of lasting value.

A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
    And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
    After all, everyone dies—
    so the living should take this to heart. – Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 NLT

But two decades into his reign, Solomon was still working under the delusion that more was better. He would continue to amass more wealth, increase his land holdings, construct additional buildings, and furnish them all with the finest of furnishings. He was storing up treasures on earth in a desperate search for meaning and significance. Like a child in need of attention, Solomon was using his wealth and wisdom to make a name for himself. Perhaps it was all an attempt to break free from the shadow of his father’s looming legacy. It would have been difficult to follow in the footsteps of the man after God’s own heart. Solomon was neither a warrior nor a kingdom builder. He inherited his domain from his father and received his wisdom and wealth as gifts from Yahweh. However, Solomon used what he had to good effect and made a name for himself.

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. – Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 NLT

In time, Solomon’s love of self would replace his love for Yahweh. His obsession with self-promotion and establishing his reputation would supplant his desire to honor the name of God. Fame became more important than faithfulness.

In Solomon’s old age, they [his wives] turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done. – 1 Kings 11:4-6 NLT

A Costly Endeavor

August 14, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. ²And Solomon sent word to Hiram, ³“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. ⁴But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. ⁵And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ ⁶Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

⁷As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” ⁸And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. ⁹My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” ¹⁰So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, ¹¹while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. ¹²And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

¹³King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. ¹⁴And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. ¹⁵Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, ¹⁶besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. ¹⁷At the king’s command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. ¹⁸So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house. – 1 Kings 5:1-18 ESV

Solomon possessed both great wisdom and wealth. But the one characteristic he possessed that truly set his life apart was his faithfulness. Solomon kept his word. He was always careful to follow through on his commitments. Solomon had made a pledge to David that, after his death, he would settle affairs with some of his former adversaries, and Solomon had quickly and effectively accomplished all of his father’s wishes.

But there remained one last piece of unfinished business. David had assigned his son the formidable task of building a house or temple for God. When David had conquered all his enemies and was enjoying a period of relative peace, he became convicted about his relatively opulent lifestyle. He lived in a sumptuous palace while the dwelling place of God remained little more than a glorified tent. This seeming contradiction prompted him to tell the prophet, Nathan, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent” (2 Samuel 2 ESV). With Nathan’s blessing, David came up with a plan to build a “house of cedar” for God. But that night, God spoke to Nathan in a dream, giving him a message to deliver to David.

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’’ – 2 Samuel 7:5-7 ESV

It seems that David’s well-intentioned plan to construct a house for God had not come from God. The sovereign God of the universe did not need a man-made house in which to dwell. No palace made with human hands could compare to the grandeur of God’s heavenly home.

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
    and what is the place of my rest?
All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came to be,
declares the LORD.” – Isaiah 66:1-2 ESV

Nathan told David that if anyone was going to build a house, it would be God Almighty. The King of the universe promised to extend David’s dynasty and kingdom by “building a house” for David that would last far longer than the cedar palace in which David lived.

“Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:11-13 ESV

God told David that the honor of building a house for Him would fall to someone else. One of David’s descendants would be allowed to fulfill his dream and complete the construction of the Temple. David graciously accepted God’s plan and later explained to his son, Solomon, why this important task had been passed on to him.

“My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God,” David told him. “But the LORD said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name.’” – 1 Chronicles 22:7-10 NLT

David had been the warrior-king, spending the vast majority of his reign doing battle with the enemies of God. While done on behalf of God, his many military exploits had resulted in much bloodshed and, therefore, disqualified him from building a house for God. But rather than allow his zeal for the project to diminish, David redirected his energies into developing the plans and gathering all the materials required to make this project a success. He personally selected the construction site and supervised the drafting of the plans and the initial procurement of building materials.

“My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the LORD must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. – 1 Chronicles 22:5 NLT

David went out of his way to ensure that Solomon had everything he would need to build the finest temple imaginable.

So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David. – 1 Chronicles 22:2-4 NLT

But, despite David’s meticulous planning, Solomon still found himself in need of additional construction materials, including cedar logs from Lebanon’s famed forests. So, Solomon negotiated a contract with Hiram, the king of Tyre, that provided all the lumber needed to complete the project in exchange for wheat and olive oil.

Combined with David’s careful planning and procurement strategy, Solomon’s arrangement with Hiram guaranteed that he had all he needed to begin construction. But one thing was missing: Workers. This is where it gets interesting. The author reveals that Solomon instituted a non-military draft to supply the workers needed to complete the construction of the Temple.

This piece of information should bring to mind the words of Samuel, spoken to the people of Israel when they first demanded that God give them a king.

“These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-18 ESV

The text states that “Adoniram was in charge of this labor force” (1 Kings 5:14 NLT). He would eventually become Solomon’s official chief of conscription, and he would hold this position when Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, took the throne. Early in this reign, Rehoboam was warned that the people were disgruntled with the way Solomon had treated them.

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” – 2 Chronicles 10:4 NLT

But rather than listen to their demands, Rehoboam took the advice of his counselors.

“This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” – 2 Chronicles 10:10-11 NLT

The people rebelled, and Rehoboam was forced to send Adoniram to quell the unrest.

King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. – 2 Chronicles 10:18 NLT

Solomon had set the precedent, and his son followed his lead. Solomon was God’s chosen successor to King David, and he had been blessed with godly wisdom and insight. Yet, even this divinely appointed king would still end up making unwise decisions. Solomon was the king, but he was just a man and proved to be a poor substitute for the King of the universe. In demanding that Samuel appoint a king over them, the people of Israel had rejected God as their sovereign ruler. Now, even under the wise and godly leadership of Solomon, they were going to discover that their demand for a human king came with a cost. The price for building the Temple was going to include blood, sweat, and tears. It would take nearly eight years to construct this architectural masterpiece, a period filled with pain, sacrifice, and suffering. The Temple David envisioned would become a living nightmare for many of the people of Israel. They would ultimately sacrifice their sons and daughters to the cause. Some likely died during the construction of the temple. Others probably suffered debilitating injuries, some of a permanent nature.

Solomon employed the wisdom given to him by God and benefited from the preparations made by his father, David. However, even his best efforts, undertaken with the best of intentions, still harmed God’s chosen people. The Temple would be built, but at a high price. The people had their king, but his reign did not come without consequences. It should not be overlooked that the construction of a house for God, the one true King of Israel, also came at a cost.

A Wealth of Reasons to Be Wary

August 13, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁰Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. ²¹ Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

²²Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ²³ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. ²⁴For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him. ²⁵And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon. ²⁶Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. ²⁷And those officers supplied provisions for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, each one in his month. They let nothing be lacking. ²⁸Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds they brought to the place where it was required, each according to his duty.

²⁹And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, ³⁰so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. ³²He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. ³³He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. ³⁴And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. – 1 Kings 4:20-34 ESV

Solomon inherited a vast and sprawling kingdom from his father. But in time, Solomon would expand its borders until it reached from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Euphrates River in the far northeast. Its southern border reached all the way to the land occupied by the once-powerful Egyptians. As the author makes clear, many of the regions under Solomon’s rule were vassal states that were required to pay an annual tax to the royal treasury. Some of the land under Solomon’s rule was located outside the original geographic boundaries designated by God and allotted to the 12 tribes of Israel. Through alliances and treaties, Solomon expanded the influence and scope of his kingdom without waging a single war. His reign was marked by a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity, and it was in direct fulfillment of the promise God had made to Abraham hundreds of years earlier.

“I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.” – Genesis 22:17 NLT

David had been the conqueror, completing much of the work the 12 tribes had failed to do when they first took possession of the land of Canaan. David had successfully defeated and subjugated many of the remaining remnants of those nations that the Israelites had been charged to eliminate from the land. However, Solomon’s expansion of the kingdom occurred through peaceful negotiations and economic alliances.

Some believe that the author’s reference to Judah and Israel is proof that he wrote his book after God had divided the nation into the southern and northern kingdoms (1 Kings 11:43). But even when David had announced his decision to make Solomon the heir to his throne, he used these two designations when referring to his kingdom.

“…he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” – 1 Kings 1:35 ESV

It seems likely that, over the years, the Israelites had already aligned themselves into two factions that were little more than loose confederations of tribes structured around geographic boundaries. Regardless, Solomon ruled over all of Israel and Judah, from the north to the south. And it was a period of unparalleled peace and abundance.

During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden. – 1 Kings 4:25 NLT

Everyone benefited from Solomon’s reign, including Solomon. In this passage, the author outlines the extent of Solomon’s great wealth, providing tangible proof that God had kept the promise He had made to Solomon.

“I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” – 1 Kings 3:13 NLT

The detailed lists provided by the author are intended to stagger the imagination and illustrate the vast nature of Solomon’s wealth.

The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. – 1 Kings 4:22-23 NLT

The budget required to operate his royal residence was astronomical. Yet, Solomon had cleverly created a system that helped to underwrite this ongoing expense.

The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables. – 1 Kings 4:27-28 NLT

A rotating schedule was implemented to equally distribute the responsibility for providing food for Solomon’s court, as well as for his expanding collection of horses. This note should catch the reader’s attention because it was in direct violation of God’s earlier command.

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself.” – Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT

Yet, the author reveals that “Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses” (1 Kings 4:26 NLT). While the text reads “40,000,” it is thought to be a copyist’s error. In 2 Chronicles 29:5, a companion passage, it reads: “Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.”

However, the most crucial point is that Solomon had assembled a stable of 12,000 horses, specifically bred to pull chariots. Later in his book, the author provides further details concerning Solomon’s extensive collection of horses and chariots.

Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia. – 1 Kings 10: 26-28 NLT

It is interesting to note that Solomon’s own father had described the vanity of putting one’s hope in horses and chariots.

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the LORD our God. – Psalm 20:7 NLT

Yet, Solomon seemed to have bought into the concept of a strong offense being the best defense. But in building up his formidable collection of chariots and horses, he had violated the command of God. Even though this passage paints a glowing picture of Solomon’s wealth, fame, and influence, a faint but dark cloud can be seen on the horizon.

Solomon was wise, wealthy, and highly successful. His kingdom was marked by tremendous prosperity and unprecedented peace. Yahweh had blessed him with a degree of wisdom that was unmatched by any other living human being.

God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else… – 1 Kings 4:29-31 NLT

The wisdom that God bestowed upon Solomon was extensive, providing him with encyclopedic knowledge and a vast interest in a wide range of disciplines.

He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. – 1 Kings 4:32-33 NLT

Along with his vast wealth and wisdom, Solomon found fame. The author states that “kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Kings 4:34 NLT). He was a celebrity. He had a retinue of admirers who came from all over the world to witness his fabled wisdom and fabulous wealth. But you can almost sense the foreboding nature of this passage. Amidst all the splendor and opulence, a shadow looms. Much later in his reign, Solomon wrote of his vast wealth, wisdom, and penchant for surrounding himself with the finer things in life.

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. – Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 NLT

In the early stages of his reign, Solomon found himself on a trajectory of success and unparalleled significance. He was sought out and looked up to. He was revered and envied. He had everything a man could ever want. But there was a cancer lurking, unseen and undetected, that threatened the health of his glorious kingdom. In time, it would reveal itself.

For now, Solomon was living the dream and using his God-given wisdom to build a kingdom that was unrivaled in power, size, and scope. But he needed to be watchful and wary of the hidden dangers that lurked behind the trappings of outward success. If he wasn’t careful, he could become intoxicated by his own fame and fortune. His success could go to his head and cause him to lose sight of the One who made it all possible. Yahweh was blessing Solomon, and soon, it would be time for Solomon to return the favor by building a house for Yahweh.

Putting Godly Wisdom to Good Use

August 12, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹King Solomon was king over all Israel, ²and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; ³Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ⁴Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ⁵Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend; ⁶Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

⁷Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year. ⁸These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; ⁹Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-hanan; ¹⁰Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); ¹¹Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); ¹²Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; ¹³Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); ¹⁴Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; ¹⁵Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); ¹⁶Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; ¹⁷Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; ¹⁸Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; ¹⁹Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land. – 1 Kings 1:1-19 ESV

Through his record of Solomon’s deft handling of the dispute between the two prostitutes, the author has provided an example of Solomon’s Spirit-imbued wisdom. Solomon would put that wisdom to use in various ways, including the formation of his royal administration. His father’s death had left him as the sovereign authority over a large nation with a sizeable population spread over a vast area. To understand the nature of Solomon’s actions, as outlined in this passage, it is essential to recall the historical context that led to the establishment of the royal position in Israel.

Until the day Saul had been anointed the first king of Israel, the nation had functioned as a loose coalition of 12 tribes, with God as their King and sovereign. Israel was a theocracy. The tribes, while varying in size, each maintained independent control over the land they had been allotted by God. As the priestly tribe, the Levites were not given any land; instead, they were allocated cities within the territories of the other 11 tribes.

When the tribes first entered the land of Canaan, they had to defeat the existing inhabitants before they could occupy the land that had been awarded to them by God. To achieve this, the tribes formed alliances with one another, fighting side by side until they could settle in their respective territories. Once this task was accomplished, the tribes tended to operate independently of one another. There was no centralized governing body or system of government in place to provide guidance or regulate behavior. Over time, each of the tribes began to drift away from God and adopt the pagan practices of the land’s former inhabitants. They began worshiping false gods, a decision that forced Yahweh to judge them for their disobedience and unfaithfulness.

…the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. – Judges 2:14 ESV

This led to a period in which God governed the tribes through the administration of judges. These judges were comprised of a diverse and disparate group of individuals sent by God to deliver His disobedient people from their enemies and call them back into fellowship with Him.

Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. – Judges 2:18 ESV

This arrangement persisted for hundreds of years, until the day when the people demanded that God give them a king.

“Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” – 1 Samuel 8:5 ESV

Samuel, who had been God’s official spokesman and the last of the judges, was offended by their demand; he took it as a personal slight. But God told him, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7 ESV).

During their years as a confederation of independent tribes, Yahweh had been functioning as their sovereign authority. He had been their King. But as Samuel grew older and his two sons proved to be wicked, the people demanded a change in leadership. They wanted a human king, which meant they would be ruled over by a fallen, sin-prone man whose actions would have devastating implications. God had Samuel warn the Israelites of the consequences of their request.

“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the LORD will not help you.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-18 NLT

They demanded a flesh-and-blood king, but God warned them that they would end up regretting their wish. But they refused to take God seriously and reiterated their demand for a king.

“Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” – 1 Samuel 8:19-20 NLT

So, God gave them Saul, who was precisely what they had been looking for, a tall, good-looking man who had all the outward characteristics of a king.

Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. – 1 Samuel 9:2 NLT

Saul looked like a king, and after receiving his anointing by Samuel, he gave all the indications that he would rule wisely and effectively. But, in time, his true nature revealed itself. He would prove to be headstrong and stubbornly disobedient, refusing to rule according to God’s will. So, God was forced to remove him as king over Israel.

“I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” – 1 Samuel 15:11 NLT

When faced with the prospect of his removal, Saul attempted to assuage God by begging His forgiveness, but it was too little, too late. Samuel had to break the news to Saul that his refusal to obey God was unforgivable and his kingship was irredeemable.

“What is more pleasing to the LORD:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the LORD,
    he has rejected you asking.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

To make matters worse, Samuel told Saul that God had already chosen his replacement.

“The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.” – 1 Samuel 15:28 NLT

God had shown the people what happens when they get what their hearts’ desire. He gave them a king who resembled the rulers of other nations. Now, they were going to see what a king looked like whose heart beat fast for God. God even warned Samuel that when looking for Saul’s replacement, he could not allow himself to be swayed by outward appearances. He had to look beneath the surface – at the heart.

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

This wasn’t a beauty contest. It had nothing to do with good looks, pedigree, charisma, or natural abilities. Samuel was to look for a godly man, not just a good man. And God had already decided who that man would be.

…the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people. – 1 Samuel 13:14 NLT

God chose David to be the next king. He wasn’t a perfect man, and he would prove to be anything but an ideal king. But he had a heart for God. He attempted to live his life in obedience to God, and God chose to make Solomon his successor. Early in his reign, Solomon also revealed himself to be a man after God’s own heart. He was faithful to Yahweh and attempted to operate his kingdom in submission to Yahweh’s will. He utilized his God-given wisdom to establish a royal administration that provided structure and stability, enabling the nation to thrive. This entire section of Chapter 4, with its list of difficult-to-pronounce names and obscure titles, is meant to reveal how Solomon utilized his divinely ordained wisdom to establish a system of government that would enable him to rule justly and righteously over the people of God.

Solomon did not take his responsibilities lightly or use his kingly powers selfishly. He ruled with wisdom and discernment, and the end result was that “Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy” (1 Kings 4:20 ESV).

Solomon was demonstrating the truth of one of the proverbs he later recorded.

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. – Proverbs 11:14 NLT

Solomon surrounded himself with wise and capable men who shared his vision of building a strong kingdom that operated under Yahweh’s divine authority. These verses detail Solomon’s plans to establish a centralized government, operating out of the capital city of Jerusalem. He was replacing the former system of independent tribal authority and creating a more streamlined and responsive means of governance and administration. Under David’s leadership, Israel had become a large nation with millions of inhabitants spread across a vast and extensive region. Solomon instituted a system of taxation and oversight to fund his royal administration.

“. . . this was a radical and decisive step, and that not only because it imposed upon the people an unprecedented burden. It meant that the old tribal system, already increasingly of vestigial significance, had been, as far as its political functioning was concerned, virtually abolished. In place of twelve tribes caring in turn for the central shrine were twelve districts taxed for the support of Solomon’s court!” – John Bright,
A History of Israel

But despite the burden these taxes placed on the people, they were content because their personal needs were met.

…they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. – 1 Kings 4:20 NLT

Divine Discernment for Daily Life

August 11, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁶Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. ¹⁸Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. ¹⁹And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. ²⁰And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. ²¹When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” ²²But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.

²³Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” ²⁴And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. ²⁵And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” ²⁶Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” ²⁷Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” ²⁸And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice. – 1 Kings 3:16-28 ESV

In Solomon’s vision, he had requested that God give him “an understanding mind” so that he might be able to “discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9 ESV). God granted Solomon’s request, bestowing upon him the ability “to discern what is right” (1 Kings 3:11 ESV). All of this occurred while Solomon slept, and when he awoke, there was probably little evidence that anything had changed. It is doubtful that he felt any different or could sense that he was wiser and more discerning. But, in time, he was given tangible proof that God had kept His word.

As the king, he was expected to act as the preeminent judge over his people. One of his duties was to ensure that the citizens of his kingdom were governed in an orderly and just manner. He was to see that there was a fair and equitable system for hearing and settling all civil disputes. This responsibility was not to be taken lightly. When David was king, it appears that he failed to prioritize this aspect of his kingly duties, and his son, Absalom, took advantage of this oversight.

He [Absalom] got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!” – 2 Samuel 15:2-4 NLT

Absalom knew that the people wanted a king who showed them care and concern. His daily appearances at the gate were intended to win them over and convince them that he was a more reliable advocate for them than David. And his actions paid off.

Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. – 2 Samuel 15:6 NLT

But unlike his father, Solomon didn’t shirk his kingly responsibilities. He was willing to do the dirty work that came with his new role, which included presiding over disputes between the citizens of his kingdom. As this passage makes clear, Solomon didn’t practice a form of judicial snobbery. He could have limited his cases to those of the wealthy and influential and relegated disputes among ordinary people to a subordinate in his administration. But in this instance, Solomon presided over a case involving two prostitutes who would have been considered the scum of the earth. The Hebrew word used to describe them carries a strong pejorative meaning, most often being translated as “whores.” They were guilty of adultery and sexual immorality, and their reputations were well known within the community. Yet, Solomon graciously admitted them into his royal court and took the time to hear their dispute.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus Himself was accused of being “a friend of tax collectors and other sinners” (Matthew 11:19 NLT). He had a reputation for associating with the despised and disreputable of society. But, when faced with these accusations, Jesus didn’t deny them; he simply stated, “wisdom is shown to be right by its results” (Matthew 11:19 NLT). Jesus was emphasizing that, in time, His choice of friends would prove to be right and just. After all, Jesus had come into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). When Jesus was condemned by the Jewish religious leaders for eating with tax collectors and sinners, He responded, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do” (Matthew 9:12 NLT). Then He added, “For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” ( Matthew 9:13 NLT).

Solomon understood that he was the God-appointed king over all the people. He didn’t have the right to pick and choose whom he governed. These two women, while clearly sinners, were still citizens of his kingdom and no less deserving of his time.

So, Solomon patiently listened to their story, and it proved to be a convoluted and complicated tale. These two women not only shared a common occupation, but they also lived in the same house. As a result of their chosen form of livelihood, both women eventually became pregnant. Within a few days of each other, both gave birth to healthy baby boys. But one of the infants died in his sleep, accidentally smothered by his own mother as he slept by her side in the bed. During the night, the woman woke to find her son dead, so driven by grief and jealousy, she took the body of her deceased baby and switched it with the living child. There is little doubt that this ploy would fail, but she was driven by despair rather than logic.

When the other woman awoke and discovered the lifeless baby by her side, she quickly discerned that it was not her child. The babies had been switched in the night. But the other mother vehemently denied any wrongdoing and vociferously declared that the living baby was her own. Unable to settle their dispute, the women brought the matter to the king. Now it was up to Solomon to deliver a wise and discerning resolution to their conflict.

After hearing these two emotionally charged mothers state their cases, Solomon simply said, “Bring me a sword” (1 Kings 3:24 ESV). His words must have come as a shock to the women. Why was he asking for a sword? What was he intending to do? Was he going to enact judgment and personally execute one of them on the spot? What they didn’t realize was that Solomon was utilizing the wisdom and discernment promised to him by God. Without even knowing it, Solomon was putting into practice his newfound ability to discern what was right. Having heard the details of the case and the conflicting claims of the women, Solomon somehow knew exactly what to do.

Sword in hand, Solomon declared his shocking “solution” to the problem.

“Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!” – 1 Kings 3:25 NLT

In essence, Solomon was declaring that since there was no way of knowing which woman was telling the truth, the only alternative was to kill the remaining child, so that neither had an advantage. This judgment sounds preposterous and totally unfair. One of the women was clearly lying, and this solution would have produced an inequitable and unrighteous outcome. But Solomon was operating under the divine influence of God Almighty. He had no intention of killing the baby. His “judgment” was a carefully crafted ploy, designed to expose which woman was the liar. The disparate responses of the two women quickly revealed the identity of the real mother as the one who begged for the life of the child to be spared. She was willing to lose custody of the child in exchange for his life. Yet, the other woman, motivated by grief and jealousy, was willing to see the living child killed so that the other mother might be deprived of joy.

This entire episode is included in the text to prove that God kept His promise to Solomon. The vision given to Solomon had been more than a dream; it was a prophetic word from God, and now Solomon knew that he had received the very gift he had requested: An understanding mind that could discern between good and evil.

Even Solomon must have been surprised by his own actions. But as Jesus said, “wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” The positive outcome of this dispute revealed that God’s wisdom had been at work. It had not been the result of human intelligence or Solomon’s inherent cleverness. He had been given the ability “to discern what is right” (1 Kings 3:11 ESV), and had put it to good use. The result was the joyful reunion of the mother and her child. There is no indication that Solomon condemned the other woman for her lies and subterfuge. She had already suffered the loss of her child, and that was punishment enough.

In time, news of Solomon’s novel approach to justice began to spread throughout the kingdom, and the people recognized it for what it was: The wisdom of God.

When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice. – 1 Kings 3:28 NLT

They found comfort in knowing they were governed by a king who possessed godly wisdom. They could expect to receive justice because their king was divinely equipped to discern right from wrong. The Proverbs speak of the benefits of a wise and just king.

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. – Proverbs 29:2 NLT

A just king gives stability to his nation… – Proverbs 29:4 NLT

If a king judges the poor fairly,
his throne will last forever. – Proverbs 29:14 NLT

Solomon possessed godly wisdom, and this divinely dispensed attribute would serve him well for many years. But even Solomon knew that his newly acquired capability was a gift from the one true king: Yahweh

Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but justice comes from the LORD. – Proverbs 29:26 NLT

A Life Lesson Learned Too Late

July 8, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

¹Unless the LORD builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
²It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

³Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one’s youth.
⁵Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. – Psalm 127:1-5 ESV

This psalm is attributed to Solomon, the son of David, who was the heir to his father’s throne and the author of the Song of Solomon, the Book of Ecclesiastes, and a significant portion of the Book of Proverbs. He would be the third and final king to reign over the undivided kingdom of Israel. Following his 40-year reign, God split his kingdom in half, creating the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. This division of the kingdom resulted from Solomon’s idolatry and apostasy. He had violated several of the prohibitions God had given the kings of Israel.

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.” – Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT

God had blessed Solomon with unparalleled wisdom (1 Kings 3:4-14). He also allowed him to enjoy success, great wealth, and fame. But Solomon was never satisfied. He continued to pursue increasing prosperity, pleasure, and prominence. In fact, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, he describes his incessant need for more.

His mention of “many beautiful concubines” was a gross understatement because, according to 1 Kings 11, Solomon had 300 wives and 700 concubines.

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the LORD. – 1 Kings 11:1-3 NLT

Solomon was a man who loved pleasure and was ruled by a spirit of hedonism. He had a heart for Yahweh, but seemed incapable of controlling his earthly passions.

Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.– Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 NLT

Despite having 1,000 women to serve his physical needs, Solomon only ended up with four children. Yet, he built a massive palace to serve as their home. And while his son, Rehoboam, would serve as the next king, he would do so over a divided kingdom.

It would seem that this song of ascents was written late in Solomon’s reign. He opens it with a rather pessimistic-sounding statement.

Unless the LORD builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good. – Psalm 127:1 NLT

Solomon had built many homes, including the Temple, which was considered to be Yahweh’s dwelling place on earth. But as Solomon surveyed the landscape of his 40-year reign, he rightly realized that so much of his success had been Yahweh’s doing and not his own. His relentless pursuit of material wealth and physical pleasure had left him feeling empty and unfulfilled. Anything that was of any value had come from the hand of the LORD. His accumulated wealth, vast palace complex, greatly expanded kingdom, and renowned reputation for wisdom meant nothing.

Yet, everything Yahweh touched was of great worth. This led him to summarize the futility of trying to replicate what only Yahweh could produce.

It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones. – Psalm 127:2 NLT

Solomon had come to understand that all his hard work had produced nothing of lasting value. Upon his death, his kingdom would be divided. His son, Rehoboam, would rule over a drastically diminished domain, and the vast kingdom Solomon had built and the peace he had brokered would be no more.

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 NLT

While Solomon comes across as a pessimist, he was just a realist. His eyes had been opened to the truth that Yahweh was the giver of all good things (James 1:17). Every material possession Solomon enjoyed had been a gift from God. Food, wine, female companionship, sexual pleasure, homes, hard work, health, and happiness all came from the LORD. But when men worship the gift rather than the gift-giver, they experience the futility of life that Solomon so aptly describes.

Even as he looked back on his life, Solomon was able to offer sage wisdom to anyone who would listen.

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 6:9 NLT

And one of the things he seems to have regretted was his failure to make his children a priority in his life. Much of what he compiled in the Book of Proverbs pertains to parenting and contains wisdom directed at his own offspring.

My child, listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck. – Proverbs 1:8-9 NLT

My child, listen to what I say,
    and treasure my commands.
Tune your ears to wisdom,
    and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
    and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
    seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,
    and you will gain knowledge of God. – Proverbs 2:1-5 NLT

Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

One of the things Solomon learned from his rich and varied life was that children were a gracious gift from the LORD and were to be treated with inestimable value and worth.

Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. – Psalm 127:3-4 NLT

Solomon had watched his own father struggle with parenting. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he turned out to be a far-from-model parent. One of his sons ended up raping his half sister, and David let the crime go unpunished. His lack of action resulted in another son taking matters into his own hands and avenging his violated sister by murdering their guilty half-brother. Once again, David took the path of least resistance and let the murderer go unpunished. That same son would later attempt to overthrow his father and seize the kingdom. David’s poor parenting resulted in highly dysfunctional children and a far-from-idyllic home life.

Yet, Solomon knew that raising spiritually healthy children was far more critical than accumulating wealth, building a career, pursuing pleasure, or protecting one’s reputation. Despite all the Proverbs Solomon had compiled and the vast wealth he left to his son, he had not adequately prepared Rehoboam for the difficulties that lay ahead. Once Solomon died, his son inherited the throne, along with a disgruntled populace who accused Rehoboam’s father of treating them like slaves. Rather than wisely listening to their complaints and promising to come up with a solution, Rehoboam took the advice of his young and inexperienced friends.

Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” – 1 Kings 12:13-14 NLT

As a result, ten of the 12 tribes of Israel broke off and formed their own kingdom with their own king. Had Solomon only made parenting a priority, he might have better prepared his son for just such an occasion. Perhaps he could have prevented the disintegration of his kingdom. However, Solomon had prioritized his career and personal desires over his family and faith.

Solomon wisely wrote about the joy of having children.

How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. – Psalm 127:5 NLT

But because Solomon failed to make his children a priority, his son was put to shame at the city gates.

When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,

“Down with the dynasty of David!
We have no interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O Israel!
Look out for your own house, O David!”

So the people of Israel returned home. But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah. – 1 Kings 12:16-17 NLT

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wasn’t always the brightest bulb in the box. Even with all his God-ordained wisdom at his disposal, he still made some very unwise decisions in life. He had spent decades building houses, accumulating wealth, establishing a kingdom, pursuing pleasure, and securing his legacy, but he ultimately left behind a trail of division and destruction.

Father, how easy it is to let the things of this earth become our highest priority. You are the giver of all good gifts, but we end up worshiping the gift rather than the Giver. We place a higher value on the things of this world than on our relationship with You. Not only that, we misprioritize the good things you give by putting our careers over our children. We sacrifice our kids at the altar of success. We treat our spouses as second class citizens and fail to honor them the way you commanded. Rather than seeing our children as gifts from You, we end up viewing them as burdens and roadblocks to our home happiness. Forgive us Father for our nearsightedness and selfishness. Open our eyes to see what Solomon saw too late. Help us to change our priorities now so that our children’s futures might be bright and filled with a knowledge of You. Amen

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