For the past few days, we have read about God’s covenant promise [binding agreement to remain faithful] with several biblical characters. When David was getting ready to die, he gave a charge to his son, Solomon, by reminding him of the promise God had made, “If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel” (1 Kings 2:4).
Today, we will read a bit about King Solomon and how he has handled his part of the covenant. Solomon was young and spiritually immature when he took over David’s dynasty and rule. Having the right priorities before God is a big deal and certainly Solomon needed to grow in his honor of God. Unfortunately, in his youth Solomon connected to idol worship, because he married women who worshiped other gods. Any form of idolatry will cause spiritual erosion, because the heart then neglects what is most important.
In our passage today from Chapter 10, Solomon has a visit from the Queen of Sheba who is very impressed with the elegance and presentation she encounters in Solomon’s palace. Yet, we know external signs of success do not always indicate internal health. Many things have suffered—especially the hearts of God’s people—because Solomon has stepped away from honoring his part of the covenant. It is not apparent yet, but Chapter 11 is coming and presents increasing spiritual erosion and immorality.
Just like Solomon, we all must face the consequences of our poor decisions, so it is better to do what is righteous and stay in covenant with God. No matter how successful we may be on the outside, we cannot hide what is true on the inside for very long. Obeying God’s Word is the road to genuine success.
1 King 10:1-13 NLT Visit of the Queen of Sheba
1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. 3 Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, 5 she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.
6 She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements [words] and wisdom is true! 7 I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. 8 How happy your people [c] must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! 9 Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
Prayer: Lord, you made Solomon wise, but you left him with a free will. Just like Solomon, we are called to love you wholeheartedly and to use self control for our choices. When we fail to live as you instruct, we fail inwardly before outwardly. We long to honor the covenant you have made with us in Christ Jesus—the covenant of genuine agape. Holy Spirit, help us to live righteously and pursue justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.