Solomon Begins His Reign

GOLDEN TEXT: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” —Proverbs 3:5,6

I KINGS 1:38-40

KING DAVID’S reign had been largely filled with turmoil and struggles. Even from the time he was originally anointed by Samuel to be king, and before his actual reign began, he was persecuted by Saul. In addition to his wars with the outside enemies of Israel, there was rebellion within his own family. And now, in his old age and near to death, having nominated Solomon to be his successor, he found it necessary to take firm action to put down another rebellion.

Adonijah, David’s oldest living son, aspired to be king instead of Solomon, and instigated a plot whereby he got himself anointed to this position by the priest Abiathar, with the consent of Joab, commander-in-chief of Israe1’s military forces. Nathan the prophet reported this to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, requesting that she in turn inform David of what had been done. She did this, and Nathan confirmed her report. Whereupon, and in order to foil the plot, David gave instructions that Solomon be immediately anointed and proclaimed king.

Thus, while David’s body was feeble with old age, the exigency of the occasion roused him to clear thinking and decisive action. Zadok and Nathan, with the support of others loyal to David, carried out his instructions to the letter, and Solomon was anointed at Gihon, accompanied by a flourish of trumpets, and the proclamation, “God save King Solomon.”

It was an impressive ceremony, preceded by an open march to Gihon in which the royal guards participated, with Solomon riding on David’s own mule. A large concourse of the populace joined the marchers. The people’s enthusiasm knew no bounds, and after the anointing they “piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.” Thus David’s strategy prevented usurpation of the throne which had been so boldly attempted by Adonijah.

I KINGS 3:5-9

JAMES wrote, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not.” (James 1:5) From the human standpoint, it can scarcely be said that Solomon lacked wisdom, for David recognized him as a “wise man.” One of the evidences of Solomon’s wisdom is in the choice he made, when in a vision the Lord said to him, “Ask what I shall give thee.” The king’s request was for greater wisdom and “an understanding heart.”

In making this request Solomon said to the Lord, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.” Solomon was indeed young to have imposed upon him such a position of responsibility. Even so, he might well have decided that he knew all that was necessary, even more than his elders, as is so often the case with the youth of today.

Solomon was also “wise” in that he requested an understanding heart in order that he might judge the people righteously upon the basis of an accurate discernment “between good and bad.” Solomon knew that in the undertaking of so great a responsibility as ruling the nation of Israel as the Lord’s representative it would be unwise to lean on his awn understanding.

Aside from the fact that Solomon, under the influence of his heathen wives, permitted idolatry to flourish within the kingdom, he acknowledged the Lord. He trusted the Lord with all his heart, and was blest with the understanding he needed in order to be a wise and just ruler over Israel. We read that Solomon “loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burned incense in high places.”—I Kings 3:3

I KINGS 8:27-30

DAVID had a great desire to build a “house” for the Lord, but was not permitted to do so, this privilege and honor being reserved for Solomon. This wise king, however, realized that the great God and Creator of the universe could not be confined to any man-made building, not, that is, in an actual sense. He seemed to realize clearly that the wonderful and glamorous temple he had built could, at the best, but serve as a symbol of God’s presence with his people, a center for their worship.

In this respect Solomon’s temple typified a temple “not made with hands,” and not with literal timbers and stones, but with “living stones”—the great spiritual temple consisting of Christ and his church. (II Cor. 5:1; I Pet. 2:5) As the “house” which Solomon built for the Lord was a symbol of the divine presence with Israel, so the antitypical temple will be the meeting place between God and the whole world of mankind during the thousand years of Christ’s reign. Solomon’s peaceful reign of forty years was in many ways typical of the thousand-year messianic reign.

It is reasonable to think that when David wrote the 72nd Psalm he was thinking of his son Solomon and the blessings he hoped God would bestow upon his reign. We know, of course, that this Psalm is actually an inspired prophecy descriptive of the reign of the anti-typical Solomon.

QUESTIONS

Under what circumstances was Solomon anointed to be king of Israel?

How did Solomon manifest his wisdom when God asked him to make a choice of the blessings he would prefer?

What important lesson does the church of the Gospel age derive from Solomon’s temple?

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