Today in God's Word—February 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
February 11, 2 Chronicles 1
In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I shall give you." And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David, my father, and have made me king in his place. O LORD God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?" - 2 Chronicles 1:7-10
If any king of Israel was set to succeed from the very beginning of his reign, surely Solomon was. David chose him from among his sons to be the next king, and gave Solomon some great advantages as he came to the throne. In the early years of his reign, Solomon had his own father, Israel's greatest king, as his mentor and advisor. Solomon inherited a united, strong nation that had defeated its enemies and enlarged its territory. David had gathered a large storehouse of wealth to fund the temple he charged his son to build. Solomon was popular and enjoyed the support of the people.
Early in his reign, God told Solomon to ask for a gift. Solomon's response was humble and noble: "Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people.” God granted his request and made him wise. Because Solomon asked well, God also gave him riches, possessions and honor that excelled any other king.
Solomon set the right spiritual tone for himself and the nation by going to the tabernacle at Gibeon, where he offered a massive sacrifice before the Lord on the bronze altar. In doing so, he acknowledged God as the true leader of his people and focused the nation's attention on its long-standing relationship with the Lord. At this stage of his life and reign, he taught them the importance of worshiping God where and how God commanded. Young Solomon
acknowledged God instead of thinking of himself as God.
Despite that good start, this chapter reports something rich young Solomon did that warns about future trouble. He invested some of the great wealth God gave him in thousands of chariots and horsemen. This multiplication of his military might was in direct violation of plain commandment from God. Back in Deuteronomy, God looked ahead to the time when Israel would have a king, and strictly prohibited the king from doing what Solomon did. "Only he must not acquire many horses for himself, or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses.” Solomon was not using his God-given gift of wisdom when he did the exact opposite of what God said the king must not do. He bolstered his own military, and also exported the Egyptian chariots to other nations. His trading partner in these arms deals was Egypt, the very nation that God said they were not to deal with.
Sadly, this defiance of God became more the norm for Solomon's reign than his humble acknowledgment of God. The stockpiled horses and chariots were only the beginning of this king's blatant disregard for God and his law.
You and I may not be as wise as Solomon. But let's be smart enough to realize that one act of disobedience to God's plain commandments can be the gateway to multiplied transgressions. When we disregard and disobey God, thinking we know better than God about what we need and what would make us happy, we're as not smart as we think we are.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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