1Kings 9 Building Bug
Solomon was apparently ‘bitten’ by the ‘building bug’. After 20 years of building, he can’t stop. He goes on building throughout Israel.
Solomon can’t simply sit and enjoy what he has. He has to do SOMETHING with all the wisdom the Lord had granted him. Part of what he does is to write. He wrote all of Proverbs and Song of Songs. He also contributed to the collection in Psalms. Theses pursuits aren’t enough to take up all his time. He continues to build. He also continues to judge the people in wisdom and righteousness.
Solomon’s activities and wisdom don’t go unnoticed by the rest of the world. Leaders seek him out. Let’s rejoin our story and see where the Spirit takes us today.
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Twenty years of building behind him, and Solomon is only getting started. He has plans to make Jerusalem bigger. To join the temple site with the City of David. He has it all planned out. The first part is making the Milo; the fortifications in the forested area. Next comes the wall.
“It has to encompass ALL these points”, Solomon says to his officers in charge of forced labor as he points out his instructions on a map. “And building it this way is stronger. We will use this form in all the new walls built” Solomon shows them his diagram.
Heads nod and copies of the design are passed among those in attendance.
Work crews are in full swing with the beginning of the week. It is hard work but the men are accustomed to the demands of their job by now. Many have been doing this work since Solomon’s first draft.
“I thought he was just going to build the Temple and his own palace. What are we building now?”
“It doesn’t matter. The king says “build”, I build. At least it keeps my children fed and warm.”
“I know. ‘It’s a job’, but this job is killing my back!”
“Your back will survive. You have claimed it is dying for the past ten years.”
“I’m bound to be right someday.”
“Not today though brother. Pick up your shovel and get busy before you get us all in trouble.”
After completing the fortifications of Jerusalem, Solomon builds up and fortifies several other cities. “And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it. He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath. He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion” (2 Chronicles 8:3-6).
After the cities of Israel are restored, Solomon turns to a new building project. He builds ships. King Hiram helps him with experienced ship builders and sailors to captain his new fleet. Together they go to Ophir together and bring back 450 talents of gold!
All that Solomon is doing and the wisdom that he is ruling with catch the attention of all the leaders of the known world. The Queen of Sheba is among them.
“I must go and judge for myself. Surely the stories are exaggerated. No one can be that wise in all areas of life.”
Solomon has received many dignitaries over his time as king, but none so beautiful as the Queen of Sheba. She isn’t just beautiful but very intelligent too. Solomon welcomes her and her entourage warmly.
“You grace me with your visit. How may I be of service to you?”
“I have heard of your wisdom and have come to see for myself. I have much I would like to discuss with you and ask your opinion on.”
“I would be most honored to answer any question or assist you in any way I am able. Shall we walk together in the garden where we can talk and enjoy the beauty of the day?”
“That would be most welcome.”
The two rulers move into the garden where they remain for several hours. They discuss so many things that they can’t be numbered, but by the time they return to the palace, every question the Queen of Sheba had on her mind and heart are answered fully.
Solomon had a banquet prepared in her honor and all his officials were invited to attend. The queen made it a point to speak with those who served under Solomon, from his officials to the palace staff. She wanted to know how he treated them.
“He is the perfect master! He makes sure to complement openly and correct in confidence. I feel honored to serve him” his personal servant confides in the queen.
Even the servant who washes the guest’s feet has nothing but good things to say about the king and how he treats her. The queen does not find one person with a bad word to say about the king.
After a week in Israel, accompanying Solomon as he shows her his city, and conducting her own investigation, the queen has something important she wants to share with Solomon.
“The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness” (1 Kings 10:6-9).
The queen presents Solomon with the gifts she brought from her own country. Among them are 120 talents of gold, precious stones, and more spices than every before or since graced the land of Israel.
Solomon is not stingy with his gifts to the queen. Anything she asked for, he freely gave her. King Hiram and King Solomon send ships out while Queen Sheba is still visiting Israel. When they returned, Solomon gave her of the bounty that is brought in. She returns home with as much, if not more than she left with. The greatest gift she received though was knowledge and wisdom sufficient to answer all her concerns. She would implement some of Solomon’s ideas in her own country.
(to be continued)
We are not told how long the Queen of Sheba was in Israel. We also don’t know if Solomon had any kind of physical relationship with her. But some stories state that they had a son. Who knows. We know that Solomon had and ‘eye for the ladies’. What we do know though is that Solomon used the gifts God gave him for the people of Israel.
Because Solomon asked for wisdom, God gave him the things he hadn’t asked for too. There has never been any king to rival his wisdom or match the riches he had. And he had rest from war all the days of his reign. That doesn’t mean he never had trouble, but war never broke out.
As long as Solomon served the Lord, his kingdom prospered. When he turned to other gods, things started to come unraveled. But that is a story for another day.
Father God, I want to walk in Your wisdom. To honor You with all my life. Lead me and guide me in ALL I do Father. Show me the way You would have me walk. And I NEVER want to go chasing after ANY other gods!
