Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Golden Age

Read: 1 Kings 9:1-10:29; Acts 8:14-40; Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 17:2-3 God put his approval on everything Solomon had built and promised to always watch over the place he had built to honor his name. If Solomon followed him in integrity and godliness as David had done, God promised to establish his family on the throne forever. But, if one of his descendants disobeyed his commands and served other gods, then he would uproot Israel from the land he had given them and reject the Temple. Israel would become a mockery and be ridiculed along the nations. When they see the disasters God brings all will know it was because they abandoned the Lord. *** Solomon then gave twenty towns in the land of Galilee to King Hiram of Tyre to thank him for all the timber and gold he had provided. When Hiram went to see these towns he called them Cabul which means “worthless”, though he gave Solomon 9,000 pounds of gold for them. *** Solomon had many other building projects which he used foreigners as his forced laborers. He had cities just to store his horses and chariots. He drafted Isrsaelites to fight in his army, be his government officials, and command his armed forces. *** He moved his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter to the city of Gezer which he had gifted to her as a wedding gift. *** Solomon also built a fleet of ships to import and export goods with. *** The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon because she had heard of all his wealth and wisdom. She brought him caravans of spices, gold and precious jewels as a present. He shared with her his wisdom and showed her all he had built. She was overwhelmed at the organization of his government and wealth of his nation. She listened to his wisdom and answers to all her hard questions about life. *** Solomon received about 25 tons of gold a year and with that gold he made 200 shields to be hung in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. He also had a huge throne made with two large lion figures on both sides of the throne and other lions on both sides of the six steps leading to the throne. All of his drinking cups were made of solid gold. *** Solomon became the richest and wisest king on earth. People from all over came to get his advise and hear his wisdom. 
 *** He imported horses and chariots from Egypt and Cilicia. He then sold them and exported them to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. *** All this opulence is what we are about to enter into in our nation. We are entering into the time of Solomon’s wealth. The wealth of the wicked is being transferred to the righteous and we have a leader who is a type of David. He is telling us we are entering into the Golden Age. *** In Acts, the disciples had been scattered because of persecution, so they were forced to carry out the great commission of Jesus. Some went to Samaria and they received the message of Jesus so Peter and John went to lay their hands on them and tell them to receive the Holy Spirit. *** Simon, who had been a sorcerer, saw this and tried to buy this power from them. Peter told Simon that the gifts of God couldn’t be bought and rebuked him. Peter told him he needed to repent of thinking this way and exposed his jealousy. Simon did repent and asked Peter to pray for him. *** Philip was told by an angel to go south toward Gaza. On the way he met a eunuch, the treasurer of Ethiopia, who served the queen of Ethiopia. He was on his way to worship in Jerusalem. He was sitting in his carriage reading the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told Phillip to go and listen to what he was reading. He was reading in Isaiah 53 which describes Jesus’ first coming to a tee. He asked the man if he understood what he was reading and he asked Phillip to join him in his carriage and explain it to him. Phillip joined him and explained the whole gospel to him. *** As they rode on, they came to some water and the Ethiopian asked Peter to baptize him in the water. When he came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord snatched Phillip away and the eunuch continued his journey rejoicing. Phillip landed in the town of Azotus where he preached his way to Caesarea. *** Many scholars believe that the Queen of Sheba left Jerusalem pregnant with Solomon’s baby and that this Ethiopian was part of his bloodline. *** Lord, thank you for the power of salvation. It has endured for generations and is still alive today. It is your power to save, deliver and set free. May we spread the good news of your salvation today.