1 Kings 5 – 10

The measure of wisdom Solomon possessed to humbly ask God for sufficient wisdom to rule the Hebrews was fortunate for him. This simple request led to an astounding wealth of knowledge and insight and produced a stockpile of riches, and a perpetual stream of tribute from around the world. Yahweh had indeed honored the man on the throne.

And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

1Ki 10:24-25

Solomon not only fulfilled the desire of God for a glorious temple in a remarkable 7-year building process, but also built palaces for his wife and himself, and an array of buildings for storage, judgment, cavalry and everything else a powerful kingdom needs. It all simply came together. In his prayer and temple dedication plea, Solomon acknowledged the powerful working of Yahweh to make this all happen. Although he stood as the embodiment of the cumulative promises and blessing bestowed by God, Solomon pointed the glory rightfully to Elohim Shaddai.

Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, “Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”

1 Kings 8:54-61

So far as He revealed to mankind, this moment must have been at least very close to what God imagined it could be. Of course, the proof would be in the lives of the people, priests and Levites. That much remained to be seen. This day, however, was simply glorious. The people had come out when called by God and He made them His people and now He dwelled among them. Sacrifices rose up in pleasing aroma to God. The day had everything.

It appears as though Solomon was trying to make up things that needed to be gold-plated. He even made 200 shields out of pure gold. If you know anything about gold and shields, they are not very compatible, but who has got enough gold that you can waste it like this? Solomon. His income annually was 50,000 pounds in gold alone. Think about that. At today’s prices we are talking about $1 billion just from tribute paid in gold. That doesn’t account for the silver, jewels, horses, crops, spices and fabrics. From the standpoint of riches, Solomon had everything.

Folks would flock to him just to ask his advice and listen to his words, and they would bring him even more wealth just for the privilege. He won the respect of the Queen of Sheba who came to test him, and she concluded that the half had not even been told. His wisdom exhausted her. There was peace and prosperity. Solomon was renowned around the world. In the eyes of people of knowledge, prestige and power Solomon had everything.

The LORD had blessed Solomon with all of this and Solomon rightly knew it. He had everything he needed and more to rule the Hebrews and shine the glory of God to the Gentiles. It must have come as no surprise then when God appeared to him and spoke words of warning. This is all well and good and everyone seems to have the right idea. But if the people turn away, Yahweh proclaimed, I will take this all away. God gave them and their king everything the needed to succeed in life. What would become of them?

Many years later, the people would repeat a song they knew so well as they walked up to the feast in Jerusalem. It was a song about a special vineyard planted in a special place with a protective wall and everything needed to flourish and produce grapes for the Master. The Jews sang it with pride. It was their history and heritage handed down from the prophet Isaiah …

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;

Isaiah 5:1-2a

They did not include the rest of Isaiah’s words in the song of ascents …

and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land. The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: “Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant. For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah.” Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them! They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands. Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her. Man is humbled, and each one is brought low, and the eyes of the haughty are brought low. But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.

Isaiah 5:2b-16

Jesus taught repeatedly about vineyards and harvests. He knew that everything had been given and the fruit was not there. So, God sent His Son to give Himself. Now, we truly have everything. What will become of us?

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!