Read: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19; Romans 8:9-21; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 19:26
Solomon brought up the Pharoah’s daughter he had married to the house he had built for her. He offered burnt offerings to the Lord daily and celebrated the Sabbaths, the new moons and the feasts. The Temple ran just like David had set it up to do.
Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth which was on the shore to examine the ships sent by Hiram. The ships brought 450 talents of gold to King Solomon.
The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame and came for a visit. She came with spices and gold and precious stones. She listened to Solomons wisdom and got a tour of his kingdom and how it operated. She was in awe and said it was even greater than she had heard. She saw how everyone in his household was happy and blessed.
Solomon gave her anything she desired and she returned home blessed.
Solomon was given 666 talents of gold a year from explorers, merchants, the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. Solomon had 200 shields made of beaten gold which were hung in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. He had an ivory throne made flanked with lions on each step and on his armrests. All of Solomon’s vessels were made of gold. Every three years ships from Tarshish brought gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.
All the kings of the earth sought Solomon for his wisdom and brought him gifts. He had thousands of horses and chariots. His kingdom ran from the Euphrates, to the land of the Philistines to the border of Egypt.
When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam ruled. When Rehoboam went to Shechem to be crowned king, the laborers gathered to ask him if he was going to make them do heavy labor like Solomon did. These men were the foreigners who lived in the land of Israel. They were led by Jeroboam. Rehoboam told him he would get back to them in three days with his answer.
He consulted David’s advisors and they told him to promise them he would be kind to them and they would serve him forever. Then, Rehoboam went to his own piers and they told him to tell them that he would be even more demanding than his father was.
When Rehoboam met three days later, he chose to take the advise of his piers and told them he would make their yoke even heavier that his father had. When they heard his answer they defected and separated themselves from the house of David. Rehoboam sent his taskmaster to get the people back but they stoned him. Rehoboam had to flee for his life.
This was the split of Israel into two nations. The northern kingdom ran by Jeroboam was called Israel and the southern kingdom ran by Rehoboam was called Judah.
In Romans Paul continues expounding on living by the law verses living by the Spirit. If we have Christ in our hearts then we are dead to sin and alive to God. It is our obligation now to live according to the Spirit. By the Spirit we can put to death the deeds of the body and be led by God’s Spirit. We are no longer slaves of fear, but sons of God and heirs with Christ. We have inherited eternal life.
The sufferings of life can not compare to the glory that we are going to have revealed through us.
Lord, I thank you that this is what is coming - your children wearing your glory and exhibiting that to the world. May we wear your glory with great humility and purpose. May the world know who your sons and daughters are. Hallelujah!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment