June 23-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:5-8, She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. 7 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
Observe what it is saying.
Picking up from last week, we find the Queen of Sheba had visited King Solomon because he had become world-renowned for his extraordinary wisdom. Such glamorous reports caused her to travel the 1,500 miles by a slow-going chariot caravan to see for herself. What she had heard did not do justice to the actual wisdom she found Solomon to have. She gave credit to the Lord God of Solomon who placed him on the throne to rule for Him. Somehow, she understood the love God has for Israel creating them as His people to be His witnesses to the world. Maybe, she knew because Solomon was quick to give God the praise and honor for gifting him with such knowledge and resources. She also identified the purpose of his God-ordained reign was to carry out God’s work of justice by doing the right thing as God’s representative ruler of their nation. When God is at work among His servants, it becomes evident to all.
Relate it to your life
The way I live out my relationships, my gifting, and my work can either point to me or to God.
Do something.
Father, may You be seen and glorified in all of my life’s pursuits because You have given men all that I am, all that I have, and all that I do. Amen.
June 24-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:9-12, Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. 11 The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
Observe what it is saying.
A talent of gold was approximately sixty-five to seventy-five pounds, meaning Sheba’s gift exceeded four tons of gold. Along with the gold and all the voluminous spices and precious stones, such a heavy load was a remarkable feat to haul 1,500 miles. It is possible that this large gift was part of a broader commercial trading agreement negotiated between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. "He gave her more than she had brought" reveals just how wealthy Solomon was and what he was willing to give from his wealth. She brought more spices than had ever been seen, but he gave her more in return. If we have wealth, we have great responsibility to use it for the greater good of others, not just our own wants.
Relate it to your life.
Whatever God has placed in my hands is to be used freely to bless others.
Do something.
Father, give me a generous heart like Yours. Help me not to hoard all the stuff I have but be willing to freely offer it to those in need for their benefit and Your glory. Amen.
June 25-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:13-16, The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 14 not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
Observe what it is saying.
This summary of Solomon’s royal revenue is impressive and reflects the economic clout Israel was able to develop over neighboring countries and the control of numerous trade routes. The 666 talents of gold received by Solomon are equal to 46,620 pounds (23.3 tons). The maturing of the Israelite kingdom is reflected in these texts that summarize various components of Solomon’s administrative infrastructure. Solomon received resources from these twelve districts as well as tribute payment from vassals and trade route revenue from traveling merchants, traders, and “all the kings of Arabia,” not to mention income from maritime trade and middleman operations such as horse and chariot brokering. Solomon's "Palace of the Forest of Lebanon," where the shields were placed, was located in Jerusalem but received its name from its rows of Lebanese cedar pillars. During Solomon’s rule, Israel developed its greatest influence in the world though geographically small in size. God was the reason they had such success.
Relate it to your life.
We may be small in our own eyes, but with God, our abilities become much larger than we are.
Do something.
Father, with You, help me to believe that I am able to do so much more than I can on my own. Amen.
June 26-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:17-21, Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. 21 The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram’s servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.
Observe what it is saying.
Solomon’s throne was a magnificent work of art that brought together biblical motifs and building materials in such a way as to attain a unique level of elegance. Solomon’s throne was inlaid with ivory, a material prized in the ancient world for its smoothness. According to 1 Kings 9:26-27, the trading ships navigated the Red Sea. As is usual in Jewish time-reckoning, the "three years" occupied by the expedition may have only included the last part of the first year and the first part of the last year, so that the minimum trip time need have consumed only a little over one year. (Like the counting of days of when Jesus resurrected.) Solomon’s brilliance is seen over and over again by what he accomplished and how God blessed His efforts. When we steward well what God gives us, He blesses us accordingly.
Relate it to your life.
I can trust God’s blessings to come when I generously and wisely use His gifts.
Do something.
Father, thank You for the many blessings that flow into my life as I faithfully walk with You. Amen.
June 27-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:22-28, King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 23 All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.
Observe what it is saying.
God’s blessing is reflected in the stream of foreign dignitaries seeking to hear the wisdom of the most famed king of the day. As they came, they brought many gifts, increasing Solomon’s vast wealth. Solomon ruled over a wide region from the area of the Euphrates River in the northeast to the border of Egypt in the southwest. He received a continual supply of revenue from his 12 taxation districts, tribute payments from vassals, trade route revenue from traveling merchants, and maritime trade. The fact that horses were imported from Egypt was a direct violation the command of Deuteronomy 17:16, “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’” Along with marrying foreign wives, this is another instance where Solomon was not fully obedient to the Lord, opening a door for spiritual compromise for himself and the whole nation that would be on full display.
Relate it to your life.
Even when the blessings of God continue, it does not give me the freedom to disobey God’s word.
Do something.
Father, don’t let my blessings get in way of my wholehearted obedience to You. Amen.
June 28-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:29-31, As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.
Observe what it is saying.
The writer of Chronicles presents only a positive picture of Solomon’s reign. However, the parallel story of his life as recorded in 1 Kings gives us the full story of how his life did not end well. 1 Kings 11:3-4, “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” 1 Kings 11:9, “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel…” Even with all his wisdom, ironically, Solomon failed to wisely follow God’s commands and was no longer faithful to worship the Lord God alone.
Relate it to your life.
How we start our faith journey is not as important as how we end our story.
Do something.
Father, please protect me from the allure of this world from stealing my heart from You. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:5-8, She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. 7 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
Observe what it is saying.
Picking up from last week, we find the Queen of Sheba had visited King Solomon because he had become world-renowned for his extraordinary wisdom. Such glamorous reports caused her to travel the 1,500 miles by a slow-going chariot caravan to see for herself. What she had heard did not do justice to the actual wisdom she found Solomon to have. She gave credit to the Lord God of Solomon who placed him on the throne to rule for Him. Somehow, she understood the love God has for Israel creating them as His people to be His witnesses to the world. Maybe, she knew because Solomon was quick to give God the praise and honor for gifting him with such knowledge and resources. She also identified the purpose of his God-ordained reign was to carry out God’s work of justice by doing the right thing as God’s representative ruler of their nation. When God is at work among His servants, it becomes evident to all.
Relate it to your life
The way I live out my relationships, my gifting, and my work can either point to me or to God.
Do something.
Father, may You be seen and glorified in all of my life’s pursuits because You have given men all that I am, all that I have, and all that I do. Amen.
June 24-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:9-12, Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood and precious stones. 11 The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
Observe what it is saying.
A talent of gold was approximately sixty-five to seventy-five pounds, meaning Sheba’s gift exceeded four tons of gold. Along with the gold and all the voluminous spices and precious stones, such a heavy load was a remarkable feat to haul 1,500 miles. It is possible that this large gift was part of a broader commercial trading agreement negotiated between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. "He gave her more than she had brought" reveals just how wealthy Solomon was and what he was willing to give from his wealth. She brought more spices than had ever been seen, but he gave her more in return. If we have wealth, we have great responsibility to use it for the greater good of others, not just our own wants.
Relate it to your life.
Whatever God has placed in my hands is to be used freely to bless others.
Do something.
Father, give me a generous heart like Yours. Help me not to hoard all the stuff I have but be willing to freely offer it to those in need for their benefit and Your glory. Amen.
June 25-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:13-16, The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 14 not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
Observe what it is saying.
This summary of Solomon’s royal revenue is impressive and reflects the economic clout Israel was able to develop over neighboring countries and the control of numerous trade routes. The 666 talents of gold received by Solomon are equal to 46,620 pounds (23.3 tons). The maturing of the Israelite kingdom is reflected in these texts that summarize various components of Solomon’s administrative infrastructure. Solomon received resources from these twelve districts as well as tribute payment from vassals and trade route revenue from traveling merchants, traders, and “all the kings of Arabia,” not to mention income from maritime trade and middleman operations such as horse and chariot brokering. Solomon's "Palace of the Forest of Lebanon," where the shields were placed, was located in Jerusalem but received its name from its rows of Lebanese cedar pillars. During Solomon’s rule, Israel developed its greatest influence in the world though geographically small in size. God was the reason they had such success.
Relate it to your life.
We may be small in our own eyes, but with God, our abilities become much larger than we are.
Do something.
Father, with You, help me to believe that I am able to do so much more than I can on my own. Amen.
June 26-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:17-21, Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.19 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day. 21 The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram’s servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.
Observe what it is saying.
Solomon’s throne was a magnificent work of art that brought together biblical motifs and building materials in such a way as to attain a unique level of elegance. Solomon’s throne was inlaid with ivory, a material prized in the ancient world for its smoothness. According to 1 Kings 9:26-27, the trading ships navigated the Red Sea. As is usual in Jewish time-reckoning, the "three years" occupied by the expedition may have only included the last part of the first year and the first part of the last year, so that the minimum trip time need have consumed only a little over one year. (Like the counting of days of when Jesus resurrected.) Solomon’s brilliance is seen over and over again by what he accomplished and how God blessed His efforts. When we steward well what God gives us, He blesses us accordingly.
Relate it to your life.
I can trust God’s blessings to come when I generously and wisely use His gifts.
Do something.
Father, thank You for the many blessings that flow into my life as I faithfully walk with You. Amen.
June 27-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:22-28, King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 23 All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.
Observe what it is saying.
God’s blessing is reflected in the stream of foreign dignitaries seeking to hear the wisdom of the most famed king of the day. As they came, they brought many gifts, increasing Solomon’s vast wealth. Solomon ruled over a wide region from the area of the Euphrates River in the northeast to the border of Egypt in the southwest. He received a continual supply of revenue from his 12 taxation districts, tribute payments from vassals, trade route revenue from traveling merchants, and maritime trade. The fact that horses were imported from Egypt was a direct violation the command of Deuteronomy 17:16, “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’” Along with marrying foreign wives, this is another instance where Solomon was not fully obedient to the Lord, opening a door for spiritual compromise for himself and the whole nation that would be on full display.
Relate it to your life.
Even when the blessings of God continue, it does not give me the freedom to disobey God’s word.
Do something.
Father, don’t let my blessings get in way of my wholehearted obedience to You. Amen.
June 28-Solomon’s Story
Write out the Scripture.
2 Chronicles 9:29-31, As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.
Observe what it is saying.
The writer of Chronicles presents only a positive picture of Solomon’s reign. However, the parallel story of his life as recorded in 1 Kings gives us the full story of how his life did not end well. 1 Kings 11:3-4, “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” 1 Kings 11:9, “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel…” Even with all his wisdom, ironically, Solomon failed to wisely follow God’s commands and was no longer faithful to worship the Lord God alone.
Relate it to your life.
How we start our faith journey is not as important as how we end our story.
Do something.
Father, please protect me from the allure of this world from stealing my heart from You. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals