Sometimes I don't' understand Solomon at all. He goes from these incredible moments with the Lord where he worships extravagantly, experiences God's presence, and seeks God's wisdom in humility to moments where he's breaking the law, building his army contrary to scripture and falling into worldly ways.
Note these two passages:
2 Chronicles 1:14 (ESV) Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
Deuteronomy 17:16 (ESV) Only he (Israel's king) must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’
Not only does Solomon suffer from wavering faith. But in the second chapter of 2 Chronicles, the man God specifically selected to succeed David and build the temple is feeling a bit ill-equipped for the job. How do I know? Because the first thing he does is reach out to a foreign king named Hiram, king of Tyre for help. In a letter written to him, he shows himself inadequate:
2 Chronicles 2:5–7 (ESV) The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? 7 So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.
Solomon was given the wisdom of God. Is he not able to identify the right man for the job in his own kingdom? Does he really need someone from the pagans to accomplish this? The whole episode confuses me. By the end of 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon is loading up the project with foreign workers.
2 Chronicles 2:17–18 (ESV) Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. 18 Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.
I have to ask, what gives Solomon? Why so insecure? Is it because David is gone? I think that has something to do with it. But let's interpret this passage for us in the New Covenant first.
Jesus is the true David and in Jesus Christ, we are all chosen sons of God called to build the house in which he dwells. That house is the Church, and if we are members of the body of Christ, we are all little Solomons, needing God's wisdom every day to build up the body of Christ.
This can be completely overwhelming. On top of that, we are often as spiritually volatile as Solomon was. We can have our moments where we worship God exuberantly and experience His presence in powerful ways then have other moments where we turn to the world and seek their guidance and plans which often run counter to Scripture.
So what are we to do?
We are to remember that our True David has not died and therefore, we will not fail. I say this confidently because the covenant of Christ's blood is far greater than the covenant of Abraham, Moses and David. It is an eternal covenant, not sealed with the will of man but with the will of God. You see, this is why Hebrews keeps warning us to not reject Christ by disbelieving His promise and faithfulness. He WILL not fail like David, Moses and Abraham often did. Moreover, He does not die!
Hebrews 2:3 (ESV) how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
Our confidence in spite of our inconsistencies and inadequacies comes NOT from who we are but Who HE is. He is our faithful King, our Faithful Father and our Faithful Lord who finishes what He started.
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (ESV) Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
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