June 16-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:1-6, At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace, 2 Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram had given him, and settled Israelites in them. 3 Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. 4 He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath. 5 He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, 6 as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.
Observe what it is saying.
After Solomon had prioritized building the temple and setting up proper worship of the Lord, he moved on to other important governmental priorities. Solomon’s taking of Hamath Zobah and the building of storage cities indicates a significant expansion of Israel’s political and economic control deep into northern Syria and bordering the west bank of the Euphrates River. Tadmor was an important caravan city in northern Syria nearly three hundred miles from Jerusalem and its fortification also reflected Solomon’s extensive control over important commercial trade routes. Each of these building projects was for storage of goods and military security. Several cities, including Jerusalem, were used for the deployment of his many horses and chariots. “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.” (1:14)
Relate it to your life
When we have our worship of the Lord prioritized first, then we can focus on other priorities.
Do something.
Father, may nothing interfere with my worship of You. Keep my priorities in the proper order. Amen.
June 17-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:7-10, There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites). 8 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land—whom the Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. 9 But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 10 They were also King Solomon’s chief officials—two hundred and fifty officials supervising the men.
Observe what it is saying.
Following ancient practices for controlling enemies, Solomon drafted the descendants of the Canaanites into forced labor for his construction projects. David had done the same thing, 1 Chronicles 22:2, “So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.” These were the people living in Canaan when the Israelites took over the land by God’s order to punish and destroy the people who lived there who were filled with evil. Because the Israelites did not totally eliminate them so many years before, David and Solomon had to deal with their potential threat by choosing to make them slaves. We need to understand that our disobedience today has the potential to impact future generations who have to make difficult decisions in reaction to our failure to obey God’s word.
Relate it to your life.
My decisions today will impact future generations for good or bad.
Do something.
Father, give me the larger vision that how I live today makes a lasting impression for the quality of life for my own family, descendants, and others in future generations. Amen.
June 18-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:11, Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
Observe what it is saying.
Solomon’s alliance with Egypt is connected with his marriage to the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh, a scenario that implies a combination of Israelite strength and Egyptian weakness. Around this time, the Egyptian pharaoh conquered the Canaanite-held city of Gezer and gave the city to Solomon as a dowry for his daughter, an invasion supported by archaeological data. Solomon’s construction of a separate palace for the Egyptian princess reflects her high status within the royal harem. Both Kings and Chronicles record the transfer of the pharaoh’s daughter to special quarters, but only Chronicles adds this reason: Not only the temple but also David’s palace was regarded as holy, because of the presence of the ark. As an idol worshiper, pharaoh’s daughter could not live in this sacred place. Early in his reign, Solomon married her for political advantage, however this marriage introduced idolatry and, eventually, led to apostasy in Israel. Like yesterday, this is another decision that would impact the nation later.
Relate it to your life.
What appears to be a good decision for short-term advantages may be disastrous in the long term.
Do something.
Father, help me to be wise in my decision-making so I can see the whole picture and the impact it will make later. Amen.
June 19-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:12-16, On the altar of the Lord that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord, 13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths, the New Moons and the three annual festivals—the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. 14 In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties, and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered. 15 They did not deviate from the king’s commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries. All Solomon’s work was carried out, from the day the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid until its completion. So the temple of the Lord was finished.
Observe what it is saying.
With the temple finished, the religious life of the nation settled into a pattern. The adult males in Israel were required to appear at Jerusalem annually to celebrate the Feasts of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, Harvest (Pentecost), and Tabernacles (Final Harvest). To the Jewish people, Passover looked back to their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, while Tabernacles commemorated God’s care during their years in the wilderness. Harvest (Pentecost) celebrated the goodness of God in providing for their livelihood in the Promised Land. Today, these festivals signify the death of Christ for our sins; the resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit; and the future regathering of God’s people in the kingdom. (NKJV Wiersbe Study Bible)
Relate it to your life.
The Jewish roots of our Christian faith are important to know so we can fully understand of our faith.
Do something.
Father, thank You that Your ways are clear and have such rich meaning for our lives today. Amen.
June 20-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:17-18, Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom. 18 And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own men, sailors who knew the sea. These, with Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
Observe what it is saying.
As we have previously seen, Solomon was a great entrepreneur. He made trade agreements with many nations, built a navy, and hired the neighboring King Hiram’s expert seamen to manage the navy for him. The Jews were not given to maritime pursuits on their own, so Solomon depended on the Phoenicians, a coastal people, to handle this aspect of his enterprises. This involved developing trust and maintaining positive relationships with other nations and leaders. Importing products from the east enriched Solomon’s coffers and helped to make the kingdom more international in its outlook. This outreach surely gave opportunities for the Jews to bear witness of their God to the pagan Gentiles. God said to Abraham when he formed them as a people and nation, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God’s plan was to bless the world through the Israelites. However, the Bible gives no record that they saw themselves as evangelists of God to the world.
Relate it to your life.
I have inherited the same mission. Am I using the opportunities given to be a witness for my Lord Jesus?
Do something.
Father, give me eyes to see the opportunities, a compassionate heart to feel for the lost, and a courageous spirit to show and share the good news that Jesus has brought into my life. Amen.
June 21-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:1-4, When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.
Observe what it is saying.
Without pictures, it is hard to imagine how magnificent the beauty and splendor of Solomon’s kingdom was. With the queen of Sheba’s visit, we have a contrasting picture that reveals how superior his wealth and wisdom were in comparison to her reign. She is identified with ancient Saba, a trading depot located in the vicinity of modern Yemen in the south of the Arabian peninsula, 1,400–1,500 miles from Jerusalem. She had to be a queen of tremendous worth and means as seen by the lavish gifts she brought to Solomon along with her ability to travel such a long distance. Yet, with all she heard and saw, she was overwhelmed. What she witnessed was the blessing of God resulting from a king who had a worshiping heart and humbly asked God for the very wisdom that he was given.
Relate it to your life.
If we worship God and humbly look to Him for help, we may not become wealthy, but we will be blessed.
Do something.
Father, praise be to Your holy and glorious name for all blessing comes from You. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:1-6, At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace, 2 Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram had given him, and settled Israelites in them. 3 Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. 4 He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath. 5 He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, 6 as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.
Observe what it is saying.
After Solomon had prioritized building the temple and setting up proper worship of the Lord, he moved on to other important governmental priorities. Solomon’s taking of Hamath Zobah and the building of storage cities indicates a significant expansion of Israel’s political and economic control deep into northern Syria and bordering the west bank of the Euphrates River. Tadmor was an important caravan city in northern Syria nearly three hundred miles from Jerusalem and its fortification also reflected Solomon’s extensive control over important commercial trade routes. Each of these building projects was for storage of goods and military security. Several cities, including Jerusalem, were used for the deployment of his many horses and chariots. “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.” (1:14)
Relate it to your life
When we have our worship of the Lord prioritized first, then we can focus on other priorities.
Do something.
Father, may nothing interfere with my worship of You. Keep my priorities in the proper order. Amen.
June 17-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:7-10, There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites). 8 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land—whom the Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. 9 But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 10 They were also King Solomon’s chief officials—two hundred and fifty officials supervising the men.
Observe what it is saying.
Following ancient practices for controlling enemies, Solomon drafted the descendants of the Canaanites into forced labor for his construction projects. David had done the same thing, 1 Chronicles 22:2, “So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.” These were the people living in Canaan when the Israelites took over the land by God’s order to punish and destroy the people who lived there who were filled with evil. Because the Israelites did not totally eliminate them so many years before, David and Solomon had to deal with their potential threat by choosing to make them slaves. We need to understand that our disobedience today has the potential to impact future generations who have to make difficult decisions in reaction to our failure to obey God’s word.
Relate it to your life.
My decisions today will impact future generations for good or bad.
Do something.
Father, give me the larger vision that how I live today makes a lasting impression for the quality of life for my own family, descendants, and others in future generations. Amen.
June 18-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:11, Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
Observe what it is saying.
Solomon’s alliance with Egypt is connected with his marriage to the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh, a scenario that implies a combination of Israelite strength and Egyptian weakness. Around this time, the Egyptian pharaoh conquered the Canaanite-held city of Gezer and gave the city to Solomon as a dowry for his daughter, an invasion supported by archaeological data. Solomon’s construction of a separate palace for the Egyptian princess reflects her high status within the royal harem. Both Kings and Chronicles record the transfer of the pharaoh’s daughter to special quarters, but only Chronicles adds this reason: Not only the temple but also David’s palace was regarded as holy, because of the presence of the ark. As an idol worshiper, pharaoh’s daughter could not live in this sacred place. Early in his reign, Solomon married her for political advantage, however this marriage introduced idolatry and, eventually, led to apostasy in Israel. Like yesterday, this is another decision that would impact the nation later.
Relate it to your life.
What appears to be a good decision for short-term advantages may be disastrous in the long term.
Do something.
Father, help me to be wise in my decision-making so I can see the whole picture and the impact it will make later. Amen.
June 19-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:12-16, On the altar of the Lord that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord, 13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths, the New Moons and the three annual festivals—the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. 14 In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties, and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered. 15 They did not deviate from the king’s commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries. All Solomon’s work was carried out, from the day the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid until its completion. So the temple of the Lord was finished.
Observe what it is saying.
With the temple finished, the religious life of the nation settled into a pattern. The adult males in Israel were required to appear at Jerusalem annually to celebrate the Feasts of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, Harvest (Pentecost), and Tabernacles (Final Harvest). To the Jewish people, Passover looked back to their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, while Tabernacles commemorated God’s care during their years in the wilderness. Harvest (Pentecost) celebrated the goodness of God in providing for their livelihood in the Promised Land. Today, these festivals signify the death of Christ for our sins; the resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit; and the future regathering of God’s people in the kingdom. (NKJV Wiersbe Study Bible)
Relate it to your life.
The Jewish roots of our Christian faith are important to know so we can fully understand of our faith.
Do something.
Father, thank You that Your ways are clear and have such rich meaning for our lives today. Amen.
June 20-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 8:17-18, Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and Elath on the coast of Edom. 18 And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own men, sailors who knew the sea. These, with Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
Observe what it is saying.
As we have previously seen, Solomon was a great entrepreneur. He made trade agreements with many nations, built a navy, and hired the neighboring King Hiram’s expert seamen to manage the navy for him. The Jews were not given to maritime pursuits on their own, so Solomon depended on the Phoenicians, a coastal people, to handle this aspect of his enterprises. This involved developing trust and maintaining positive relationships with other nations and leaders. Importing products from the east enriched Solomon’s coffers and helped to make the kingdom more international in its outlook. This outreach surely gave opportunities for the Jews to bear witness of their God to the pagan Gentiles. God said to Abraham when he formed them as a people and nation, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God’s plan was to bless the world through the Israelites. However, the Bible gives no record that they saw themselves as evangelists of God to the world.
Relate it to your life.
I have inherited the same mission. Am I using the opportunities given to be a witness for my Lord Jesus?
Do something.
Father, give me eyes to see the opportunities, a compassionate heart to feel for the lost, and a courageous spirit to show and share the good news that Jesus has brought into my life. Amen.
June 21-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:1-4, When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.
Observe what it is saying.
Without pictures, it is hard to imagine how magnificent the beauty and splendor of Solomon’s kingdom was. With the queen of Sheba’s visit, we have a contrasting picture that reveals how superior his wealth and wisdom were in comparison to her reign. She is identified with ancient Saba, a trading depot located in the vicinity of modern Yemen in the south of the Arabian peninsula, 1,400–1,500 miles from Jerusalem. She had to be a queen of tremendous worth and means as seen by the lavish gifts she brought to Solomon along with her ability to travel such a long distance. Yet, with all she heard and saw, she was overwhelmed. What she witnessed was the blessing of God resulting from a king who had a worshiping heart and humbly asked God for the very wisdom that he was given.
Relate it to your life.
If we worship God and humbly look to Him for help, we may not become wealthy, but we will be blessed.
Do something.
Father, praise be to Your holy and glorious name for all blessing comes from You. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals