I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 11-12.

    After completing the building of the Temple, or perhaps even before, Solomon began marrying many women. Certainly some of those marriages were political, but just a little thought suggests that many of those women were merely women he desired. Despite the fact that God had appeared to Solomon on two occasions he chose to partake in the idolatrous worship practices of some of the women he married. The passage tells us that Solomon Ashtoreth and Molech and built shrines for the gods worshiped by the women he slept with. It is noteworthy that in at least some of the societies of the Ancient Middle East, Ashtoreth was the consort of Molech. There is actually a connection between the two which is relevant to our society today. Ashtoreth worship involved promiscuous sex and orgies, while Molech worship involved child sacrifice. This is much like elements of today’s society which behave as if promiscuous sex and abortion are sacraments.

    When Solomon took over from David, a couple of foreign adversaries were able to set themselves up in opposition to him in ways that would not have been possible when David reigned. The writer clearly wants us to connect their rise and success to Solomon’s worship of other gods. Even one of Solomon’s officials, Jeroboam, raised rebellion against Solomon. We do not have much detail on Jeroboam’s rebellion against Solomon except that a prophet told Jeroboam that he would lead 10 of the tribes to independence from Solomon’s son. We also know that Solomon forced Jeroboam to flee to Egypt. Which brings us to the interesting fact that the Pharaoh of Egypt supported at least two enemies of Solomon despite the fact that his daughter was married to Solomon.
    All of this sets up what happened when Solomon died and his son Rehoboam succeeded him. We find that Jeroboam has returned from Egypt and is leading those who request concessions from Rehoboam in return for supporting his coronation. This suggests that perhaps Jeroboam’s rebellion against Solomon was not an attempt to overthrow Solomon, but was instead a series of protest attempting to get the tax burden reduced (with the understanding that in that time tax included forced labor). Rehoboam had seen how his father ruled while satisfying his many desires and instead of listening to his older, wiser advisers took the advice of the friends he had been partying with while those older, wiser men had been doing the work of running the country.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 9-10.

    Sometime after the dedication of the Temple God appeared to Solomon to give him the answer to his prayer. God told Solomon that He would watch over the Temple because it was dear to His heart, but a bit later He tells Solomon that, if he or his descendants abandon the worship of God, He will reject the Temple and make it an object of mockery. It will become an object lesson to all peoples.
    As I mentioned yesterday, the New Testament tells us that each of us has become a Temple. As such, the promises and warnings which God made to Solomon apply. If we follow God with integrity and godliness, He will establish us for all eternity. But if we abandon God, He will make us objects of scorn and mockery, an example of what goes wrong for those who turn away from God.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 4-6.

    One of the things which has always struck me when reading this passage, and other descriptions of the large geographic area around Israel in the Bible, is that it describes the Euphrates River as being north of Israel. I always think of the Euphrates River as being east of Israel because I think of it as being in Iraq (which it is). However, when the writers of the Old Testament thought of the Euphrates River, they thought of the area that is now Syria (bordering on what is now Turkey). It is worth mentioning that the various references to Babylon and other empires based in what is now Iraq or Iran as being from the north in the Old Testament has bothered me for years. Now, I understand why that happened. Because almost all travel to and from the capitals of those empires and Israel went through northern Syria, those who lived in Israel thought of them as being to their north.
    In the past when I read that David or Solomon or some other Israelite/Judean king ruled over land extending from Egypt to the Euphrates River, I envisioned a much larger kingdom then the writer meant. I always interpreted that as from Egypt in the east to the Euphrates River (Iraq) in the east. When in fact the writer meant from Egypt in the south to the Euphrates River (Turkey) in the north.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.

    David’s final instructions to Solomon are interesting. He took the time to single out three people for special treatment by Solomon. First, he instructed Solomon to bring Joab to justice for the murders of Abner and Amasa, both of whom David had made his army commander in Joab’s place. The basis for the animosity that David had for Joab is unclear, perhaps it was these murders, but they each appear to come after an attempt by David to get rid of him. Second, he asks Solomon to look after the sons of Barzillai (which is technically more than one person, but it is Barzillai who, in the form of his sons, is getting special treatment). This is simple pay back for what Barzillai did for David when he fled Absalom. Finally, David asks Solomon to make Shimei pay for cursing him when he fled Absalom. Even in the way David asks Solomon to arrange Shimei’s death we see that Shimei held some power limiting the king’s ability to kill him.
    Shortly after this, Solomon’s brother Adonijah made another play for the throne by attempting to marry David’s final concubine. As a result, Solomon consolidated his power by having Adonijah and Joab executed while deposing Abiathar from his priesthood. Then Solomon ordered Shimei to build himself a house in Jerusalem and never again leave the city on pain of death. When, after some time, Shimei violates this command, Solomon has him executed. It is interesting that this account of Shimei’s execution is included with the conspirators who tried to usurp the throne since Shimei was listed among those of David’s advisers who refused to support Adonijah’s attempt for the throne.

    As part of his consolidation of power, Solomon went to Gideon to offer sacrifices. While there he experienced a vision in which God offered him his deepest desire. By seeking wisdom rather than wealth, long life, or vengeance against his enemies, Solomon chose wisely. If we do not seek wisdom we will not find it, while wisdom may bring us wealth and long life. It may even grant us vengeance against our enemies. Of course, once we obtain wisdom it may lead us to no desire other things more than those.
    I love the story of Solomon’s decision regarding the child claimed by two women. When he realized that he had no evidence to choose which woman was the child’s mother, he offered to kill the child and split him between them. One woman begged him to instead give the child to the other, while the other was happy that if she could not have the child neither could her rival. Solomon’s ruling was that the former was the child’s real mother and gave her the child. When I was growing up, I was told that by their answers Solomon knew which woman was truly the birth mother and thus gave her the child. As I have gotten older I realized that Solomon’s decision was much wiser than that. Solomon realized that it did not matter which woman was the birth mother of the child. The one which was willing to sacrifice her own interests for those of the child was the one who would provide the better home for him. The child’s real mother was willing to sacrifice herself for her child whether or not she was the child’s birth mother.
    The first part of today’s passage was about Solomon consolidating power, but, in some ways, so was the part about Solomon seeking wisdom and making a wise judgment. Solomon’s judgment between the two women is an example of how he balanced the conflicting interests of his people. Those who were willing to give up what they desired for the greater good were demonstrating that they sought the greater good (suggesting that what they desired was likely for the greater good).