Year One, October 15

The LORD Reigns, Let the Earth Rejoice1

Solomon used his wisdom to bring great prosperity to his nation. Israel became a major center of trade and commerce. His royal government was conducted in a very expensive style.

  

1 Kings 4:22-34

22Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors (over six tons) of fine flour and sixty cors (over twelve tons)2 of meal, 23ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, beside deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

But what is this compared to what is piled high on the table of the King of kings from which all the saints are fed?

24For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him. 25And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon. (There was peace where Solomon ruled and there is peace that surpasses all understanding where Jesus reigns.) 26Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. (This was a forbidden luxury. The Hebrew kings were commanded not to acquire many horses.3 Solomon was wrong to do this.) 27And those officers supplied provisions for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, each one in his month. They let nothing be lacking. 28Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds they brought to the place where it was required, each according to his duty.

29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. 34And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

See how well the Lord fulfilled his promise. He gave him wisdom overflowing.

  

1 Kings 10:14-15; 18-23

14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents (about 25 tons) of gold, 15besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. (He built caravan rest stops and charged the merchants for their use. He also gained great wealth by buying the produce of the East, and selling it to the Western nations.)

18The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19The throne had six steps, and the throne had a roundtop, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.

But how much more glorious will the throne of our Lord be in the day of his appearing?

21All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

23Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

So again the promise was fulfilled and wealth followed wisdom. Who would not trust a God who is so faithful?

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¹ Psalm 97:1

² These are conservative estimates. The volume of a cor or kor is not certain.

³ Deuteronomy 17:16