1 KINGS 5
Read 1 Kings 5:1-18
Just as we did with the long list of Solomon’s officials in Chapter 4, we might stifle a yawn when we read of all the detail of Solomon’s building project. But, as with Chapter 4, the overriding theme continues to be the wisdom that God gave to Solomon. Hiram, king of Tyre and supplier of wood for building the temple, said in v7. ‘Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation’. And in v12 we read, ‘the Lord gave Solomon wisdom’. This wisdom is shown in the diplomatic relationship Solomon established with Hiram and in the organisational skills that Solomon used in getting his building project off the ground. God’s wisdom is displayed in many ways, not least in the practical aspects of getting work done – a job well done is a true reflection of God’s glory.
We also see in this chapter God coming through on his promises. You might recall that way back in 2 Samuel 7 David, embarrassed that he was living in a fine palace while God was ‘housed’ in a tent, decided to build a fine house for God to ‘live’ in – that is, a temple. God’s reply was that he did not want David to build him a house, but rather, that he would build David a house – a house in the sense of a royal dynasty. God also said to David, ‘I will raise up your offspring to succeed you . . . he is the one who will build a house for my name’ (2 Samuel 7:13). And here is God now honouring that promise and enabling David’s son Solomon to build the temple, and we will follow its construction over the next few chapters of 1 Kings.
What we see here is that God’s work is founded not on mankind’s initiative but on God’s promises and upon the gifts that God gives his people – in Solomon’s case, wisdom. And this gives us great comfort as Christians. We have the assurance that when God gives a promise then he will honour it. And so, when we read in the New Testament that we are saved by believing in Jesus, by simply calling on his name, then we know that we will be saved, that God will honour that promise and that we will not perish but have eternal life. Similarly, when we are called into Christian service (and note, it is not our choice what that service will be; it is God’s initiative) that he will equip us and provide us with the giftings that we need to carry out that service in his name.
The passage gives us a great over-riding principle from God here: Kingdom promises encourage kingdom service. God’s promises in the Bible are so wonderful and we know that we can trust them, and therefore our response is to serve him in any way that he chooses in order to further his Kingdom.