“Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.” This is the kingdom of Yahweh! In 1 Chronicles 29:23, “Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in the place of David his father. And he prospered and all Israel obeyed.” We have no sign that there was a rebellion like we have in kings when Adonijah tries to take the throne. Solomon and David are closely united as Moses and Joshua were. It is a picture of one history just as the exodus and coming to the land of Egypt were one story.
Today we will look at the beginning and end of his reign. In verse 1 it says God established him, and in chapter 8:1-10 he also works to strengthen himself. Dear Church: God’s blessing to us, does not allow us for a moment to be lax or lazy as if Gods work does not mean we do not have responsibility. When Joshua was to take the land, God told him that he would give it into his hands, but that didn’t mean Joshua didn’t have to fight. Now we must always be fortifying the defenses of the kingdom of God, to be busy building, strengthen, and reinforcing the places where we are vulnerable.
Then in chapter 1:2-6 we see Solomon start his reign off with worship in sacrifices and end his reign in chapter 8:12-16 in worship again, this time at greater temple, and greater altar. Then we see his prayer for wisdom at the beginning of his reign, reach its climax at the end of his reign with the story of the queen of Sheba in Chapter 9:1-12; and finally we see the glory of Solomon resulting from worship and wisdom in chapter 1: 14-17 come back again to a greater extent in Chapter 9:13-27.
There is not only a connection, but progression between the beginning and end of His reign. It’s like the author wants to show us, look! Here is a picture of the ideal king from beginning to end. And his kingdom grows in glory, wisdom, and worship!
Just imagine if this king had been an eternal son of David. How glorious it was! It would have filled the earth! You see how the hope of a messianic king is painted for a people who have lost all hope. He is saying look at your history! This is your God! The promise of a son of David who will sit on David’s throne is your promises made to you!
God establishes his people under a righteous ruler which lead his people to
- Worship grounded on covenant faithfulness
- Wisdom flowing from covenant faithfulness
- Blessing resulting from covenant faithfulness
Worship Grounded on the Faithfulness of God
Worship. It is probably the most central aspect of this book. The most central thing in our lives. All we do is worship. We start each week off with worship! And so it is fitting that huge portions are dedicated to the temple, the priesthood, the singers, the gatekeepers. All about worship. And at the center of worship stands the altar, and the temple. Even today. When we read Hebrews 12 it tells us we come to Jesus… and to the spreinl;ed blood that speaks a better word then the blood of Abel. This not the point of Gods people, to worship. To make his name great. That is why we are hear. That is why he made us. From the very beginning of human history this is what it was all about. God is gathering a people so that they might worship him in communion.As 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
And this is what Solomon does at the beginning and end of his reign! He calls the church together and he offers 1000 burnt offerings.
And this worship is tied profoundly to Gods work in the past. Our worship flows out of Gods dealing with his people throughout the ages. Chronicles tries to plant Gods people firmly in history, Gods history. To remind them whose they are. Where are they worshipping? At the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. And on what altar does he offer, on the alter Bezalel had made. One who God had given wisdom to build the altar! God had been faithful in preserving his people. The altar and the tent of meeting were a sign of his faithfulness!
And here again we see not just a connection, but progression in covenant history! Because we see worship come back at the end of his reign, and feasting! Lets go to the end of his reign. Look at 8:12, he offers now not at Bezaliel's altar, but at the one which he himself made, and he structures the worship of God in verse 14 so that there is constant service, constant praise, and constant watchfulness! Some were given to service, and ministry, some were given to praise, and some were given as gatekeepers!
Covenant history is progressing! This is what the Chronicler is trying to get across here. I know you may look small. I know you are looking sad – But Gods is not done! His promises are true! And indeed, we see that! This picture was of messianic hope would burn in the hearts of Gods children for 500 years, animating them to worship, and be faithful to Gods commanding, always looking out for that promises Son of David.
As we know him who is the great son of David, whose reign did not begin with the sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings, but something infinitely more valuable, the sacrifice of himself! And who reign concludes with eternal feasting, eternal praise, eternal service, with his people offering themselves as a living sacrifice to him on the altar of his grace made possible through his death and resurrection!
Dear church he is not done! He is the one who offered the perfect worship, perfect sacrifice, and he calls us now to a ministry of constant service, praise, and watchfulness, so that the temple of God may be built!
Our God dear church is a God who is faithful to his covenant promises throughout the generations. This is where it starts and end. Worship. This is not just any king, this is priest king, who is would build the temple of the Lord.
Wisdom to Reign and build
“Ask what I shall give you.” This is Gods voice to his covenant people who worship him throughout the ages. As Jesus Christ himself reminded, “Ask and it shall be given to you.” You see our God is a liberal fount of Covenant blessing for those who worship him! Even though we are not kings, and we do not carry the same responsibilities Solomon did, our God is the same God. The same God of James who says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously!” You see how his generosity leads us to prayer.
And what does Solomon pray for? Well at first, he simply again takes us back to Gods Faithfulness to his promises. Solomon says, “You have fulfilled the promise to David in making me King. You have fulfilled the promise to Abraham by making us as many as the sand on the seashore! Old or new promises. God keeps them.”
And what does he ask for? The opposite of Saul. Of Saul we read, “did not seek guidance from the Lord” (1 Chron. 10:14), and he was rejected. But here is a king who seeks after God. Solomon acknowledges his own need, and his huge responsibility. It is the welfare of the people of God that drives this son of David to ask for wisdom! It is the welfare of his people that causes the Son of God our lord Jesus Christ to continually intercede for us. It is the welfare of His people that must drive the leaders to their knees in every generation. Solomon does not ask, “how can I enhance my own life?” but, “how can I make Gods people secure.” And because of this god adds wealth and long life.
It reminds me of the words of Proverbs 3, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.”
. He tells Solomon to ask, and when Solomon asks for wisdom to rule in righteousness and justice God says in effect, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 7:11).
And this wisdom is for building, ruling, justice, commerce. This is the wisdom of God which touches every area of kingdom. Every area of life. Everything is ordered, structured, and brings about human flourishing and is God glorifying! The reign of our messiah touches every area of life. You wonder why we have a church order? Because we believe there should be a certain beauty to the order of the church under the kingship of Christ that leads to flourishing and joy that attracts the world.
This what happens in the story. The wisdom that God gives results in the story of the queen of Sheba. She comes from afar to test him! To see if it is all true! Dear church the wisdom of God will put to shame the wisdom of the world. It outshines worldly wisdom in every Category. In the wisdom of God there are answers to the deepest questions of justice, and righteousness.
The light of Gods wisdom is shining to the ends to the world. It didn’t stop at the churches borders but penetrated the kingdoms of the world! Dear church lets be attractive. We have the answers to so many of the questions being asked today! We are the light of the world.
That is why the queen leaves breathless, as we read in verse 9:4, “And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their cloths, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was not more breath in her.”
Everything is ordered and perfect (3-4), which leads to the citizens to joy and happiness (5-7), which leads to her glorifying God (8). Again at the end we come back to worship. Back to bringing God the glory.
Indeed, God loves his people. He has covenanted with them and has not removed his love for people. This king reigns, says the queen of Sheba, because God loves his people. This is not just true of Solomon but of his great grandson, our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Reigns and his reign is a sign of his love for his people. God has appointed him as head over all things for the church, because nothing could be better for the church then to have Jesus as king.
Are we still left breathless when we witness the glory of our king, and of his wisdom? Indeed he is the embodiment of all wisdom. Let us introduce the world to him. His kingdom and his servants are truly blessed. It is because of the Lords love for his people that he has established the kingdom.
The whole world will stand amazed at this kingdom, because of this king, and his good and righteous rule! His ordered rule, that touches all of our lives. There is a wideness in biblical wisdom It is not only concerned with moral and accurate judgements, but also efficient and orderly structure as we will see in the following chapters.
How beautiful it must have ben to live in that kingdom. Under a king with wisdom – a wisdom that come from God. To rule with justice, and righteousness. Who rules in peace, always doing what is right? Can you imagine living in such a kingdom? Can you imagine such a ruler? A ruler whose kingdom is heard about across the known world because of the order, joy, love, and peace that is found there.. The knowledge that answers to life’s deepest questions. Stop imagining! This is your kingdom beloved! This is your king, and you are experiencing the beginning in the church. As justice righteousness and order is administered. The people would have longed for such a king. You long for his return in glory.
One greater than Solomon is here. His wisdom is unsurpassed. He has the answers to life's deepest questions. His people must stand out as a royal priesthood, and people that are happy, living under a just and righteous king.
Blessing resulting from covenant faithfulness
Solomon's name and influence is felt to the farthest reaches of the earth?! Just compare the description in 1:14-17 and chapter 9:13-28. We read about his awe-inspiring throne! We read about the drinking vessels of gold, we hear about trade coming and going from the farthest reaches of the known world as far as Tarshish This was an empire that surpassed all the empires on earth. And from the Euphrates to Egypt he ruled influencing the farthest reaches of the earth. Silver was considered as nothing.
And just look at the wealth and glory! In verse 9:27 of chapter we read silver and gold were as common as stone. Just imagine. The chronicler is showing us a picture of unsurpassed glory. He was wanting us to say, Man I wish I could of seen it!
Living in a foreign land under a foreign empire what hope this must have given them, what heartache! This was their kingdom. This was their God. This was their history! The same God who gave Solomon wisdom would give them wisdom to build. The promise made to David was still to be fulfilled. If this was not the messiah, what would the messiah’s kingdom be like?! Indeed he would surpass Solomon in worship, for he would offer the perfect sacrifice to God. He would surpass Solomon in wisdom, he would surpasss Solomon in glory. One greater than Solomon was still to come!
You see the build up! From chapter 1 to 8-9. We see how the kingdom grows in wisdom, in gloryAnd indeed, one day the perfect son of David would come who would be perfect obediently! And he would establish the eternal kingdom. The kingdom whose power and glory would extend throughout all the earth. As the prophet Isaiah prophesies around the same time in chapter 62 “The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”
The king has come! And he his kingdom is established. He is the wisdom from God, who rules in justice and perfect righteous, who started his reign with sacrifice. He is the wisdom of God. Who reigns not over the earthly Jerusalem, but the one not made with hands! The picture that the author paints of Jerusalem in chapter 1, only grow in chapter 9, and this is the thing about covenant history it only gets greater and more majestic. The last picture we have is in revelation 22, “The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone….The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”
And what lies in between the beginning and end of his reign. Temple building and prayer. From chapter 2-7. Is this not a perfect picture of our Lord Jesus Christ? He started his reign also with sacrifice, as the wisdom of God, receiving wealth from foreign nations (think of the wise men form the east). Then as he reigns he is building a temple not made with hands, interceding and praying for his people, whose glory, fame, and worship grows even now, and who will return to establish the kingdom fully in beauty and glory beyond our greatest imagination. With feasting. Joy. Glory.
You see the author wants us to look back in order to look forward. God is faithful to his covenant promises, so we can look with hope and expectation to the future. You will notice in nine chapters no mention is even made of Solomon’s sins. There is hints of it, but nothing explicit. O the author knew he was broken. But this is a theological history. This memory was to be the reality of hope which could cause them to believe!
And finally I want to point out something obvious. Solomon died. This means that he was not the son whom God had chosen, because that son would reign eternally. And so, the wait continued.
They waited for about 450 years. but he came. And just as 2 Chronicles 1:1 says about Solomon so it was with Jesus. The LORD established his kingdom. As Psalm 2 says, “I have set my king on Zion my holy Hill.” we have the history of a kingdom and king whose death was recorded, only to come alive again three days later, and since then there has been no death record of this king. His name is Jesus. He reigns. Now. His glory is unsurpassed. He is putting people in subjection o him even now. He rules in Perfect worship, perfect wisdom, supreme glory. And living in his kingdom is one of the most gloriously joyful experiences! His worship is perfect and pleasing to God as he intercedes for us. His wisdom answers all the questions of life. And his glory is forever!
Come let us worship and bow down!
Amen