02/20/112019

2 Samuel 11:23

²³ The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

At the time Solomon became king Israel was famous for two reasons.  One was the great deliverance they received in the plagues and the overthrow of Pharaoh’s army. The second was the power of Israel’s military might under the leadership of David.  This was summed up in the fear the surrounding nations accorded David.

But now Israel has a third level of fame.  The wisdom, knowledge, and wealth of Solomon had made him famous. A look at 11:24-25 gives a picture of the respect Solomon commanded.

But somewhere here in the way Solomon left his concern for God’s approval of his agenda.  He ignored God’s primary instructions to any King of Israel, cf Deuteronomy 17:15-17.

¹⁵ you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. ¹⁶ Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ ¹⁷ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

His flagrant disregard of these instructions gave him incomparable wealth, a trading business that was very prosperous, and political alliances through his marriages that brought him peace on all sides. But at what price?

Following in the ability of his father David, he was also a genius but his accomplishments in every instance were lacking in that which would make or break Israel—Faith.