A Scarceness of Faithfulness

41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 46 And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa.

47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 53 He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. – 1 Kings 22:41-53 ESV

Once again, the author shifts the focus of his narrative from Israel to Judah. With Ahab’s God-ordained demise, the northern kingdom of Israel found itself with a new ruler, Ahaziah, the son of Ahab. But in Judah, Jehoshaphat, who had survived the failed battle against Ramoth-gilead, continued his long reign over the southern kingdom. While Ahab's exploits clearly portray him as the most wicked of all the kings of Israel, Jehoshaphat provides a refreshingly stark contrast. The author offers a brief, yet positive summary of his reign:  “Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight” (1 Kings 22:43 NLT).

Yet, two significant stains marred Jehoshaphat’s 25-year reign. First, while he remained committed to the worship of Yahweh, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines dedicated to the false gods of the Canaanites. As a result, the people continued to practice idolatry in direct violation of God's command. Secondly, Jehoshaphat had made a treaty with Ahab, the king of Israel. Like his father before him, Jehoshaphat negotiated an alliance with a godless nation rather than placing his full hope and trust in Yahweh. In Asa’s case, he had chosen to align himself with Ben-hadad, the king of the Syrians, hoping he could protect Judah from the ongoing threat of Israelite aggression. But he had been reprimanded for placing his trust in someone other than God.

“Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” – 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 ESV

Now, his son, Jehoshaphat, was guilty of the same sin. In his case, he chose to work hand-in-hand with Ahab, the king of Israel. According to 2 Chronicles 19:1, Jehoshaphat made a marriage alliance with Israel, agreeing for his son, Jehoram, to marry Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah. This decision ultimately placed Jehoshaphat in an awkward position, forcing him to side with Ahab in his ill-fated battle against Ramoth-gilead. While Ahab lost his life in the fight, Jehoshaphat was able to return to the safety of Jerusalem, where he was immediately confronted by the prophet of God over his role in the whole affair.

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD. Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.” – 2 Chronicles 19:2-3 ESV

Despite these two rather egregious errors, Jehoshaphat was a good king who attempted to encourage the people of Judah to worship God. Early in his reign, he sent a contingent of officials, including Levites and priests, to all the cities of Judah, with instructions to teach the people the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 17:7-9).

He also appointed judges in the land, instructing them to perform their duties with integrity and honesty, thereby providing the people with just and wise decisions.

“Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the LORD. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case. Fear the LORD and judge with integrity, for the LORD our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” – 2 Chronicles 19:6-7 NLT

But sadly, the righteous reign of Jehoshaphat did not end well. Once again, he made an unholy and unwise alliance with the king of Israel — this time with Ahaziah, the son of Ahab. A more detailed explanation of this failed agreement is found in the book of 2 Chronicles.

Some time later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was very wicked. Together they built a fleet of trading ships at the port of Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, “Because you have allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy your work.” So the ships met with disaster and never put out to sea. – 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 NLT

What makes Jehoshaphat’s decision so difficult to understand is that it came after God had provided Judah with a stunning victory over the Ammonites and Moabites. The people of Judah had found themselves outnumbered by their enemies, but God had given His assurance that He would fight for them, so they had no reason to fear.

“Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!” – 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 NLT

And God had kept His word. Not only did He destroy their enemies, but he blessed the people of Judah with an abundance of unexpected wealth.

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. – 2 Chronicles 20:25 ESV

Their God not only protected them, but He also provided for them. They lacked nothing as long as they placed their hope and trust in Yahweh. Yet, for some reason, Jehoshaphat chose to join Ahaziah in the construction of ships to bring back gold from Ophir. But those ships never made it to sea. They were destroyed before they could ever leave the port. Like his father before him, Jehoshaphat placed his trust in someone other than God and paid a high price for his mistake. And his unwise decision left a permanent stain on his legacy.

But as 2 Chronicles 17-19 reveals, there were many positive aspects to Jehoshaphat’s reign. All in all, he was a good king who loved Yahweh and tried to shepherd the people of Judah as his ancestor David had done. Yet, the same thing cannot be said of Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and the king of Israel. The author paints a rather bleak portrait of his short and sin-stained reign.

He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. – 2 Kings 22:52-53 ESV

As the old proverbial statement says, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.” Ahaziah emulated the ways of his father and continued to lead the ten northern tribes away from Yahweh. With the author’s less-than-flattering assessment of Ahaziah’s reign, the book of 1 Kings comes to an abrupt end. The two kingdoms continued the downward spiral that began with Solomon's reign. While there were brief glimpses of faithfulness, for the most part, the nations of Israel and Judah remained plagued by infidelity and idolatry. Their kings were revealed to be flawed men who tended to use their God-given power to promote themselves and their own agendas rather than lovingly shepherd God’s flock according to His will. And that pattern will continue as the author begins the second half of his history of the divided kingdom.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

So Shall Your Judgment Be

29 And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left.

Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. 31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the LORD, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria. – 1 Kings 20:29-43 ESV

The arrival of spring in Israel was accompanied by the appearance of the revitalized and greatly enlarged Syrian army. King Ben-hadad had led his forces to the Valley of Aphek, carefully avoiding any confrontation with the Israelites in the hill country, where he believed their god wielded unparalleled power. A battle on the level plains of Aphek would give his chariots a distinct advantage and help ensure a victory over the hated Israelites.

For six days, the two armies remained in their respective camps, waiting for the opportune moment to launch the attack. The much smaller Israelite force was led by King Ahab, who had received word from a prophet that God would give them the victory that day.

“Because the Syrians have said, ‘The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,’ therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” – 1 Kings 20:28 ESV

Ben-hadad was operating on misinformation. His advisors had convinced him that the Israelites' gods were limited in power. They were “gods of the hills” (1 Kings 20:23 ESV) and would be incapable of dictating the outcome of the battle as long as the Syrians fought the Israelites on neutral ground. But Ben-hadad would find that his strategy for success was significantly flawed. He had amassed a large army and chosen the ideal location to eliminate any interference from the gods of his enemy – or so he thought.

On the seventh day, the battle began. And much to Ben-hadad’s shock and dismay, his forces were quickly overwhelmed by Israel's inferior army. The author summarized the battle by stating, “the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left” (1 Kings 20:29-30 ESV).

We’re not told the size of Ben-hadad’s army, but these numbers reflect staggering losses that would have proved devastating to the Syrians. In one day, in a single battle, they lost 127,000 men. The mention of the 27,000 who were crushed by the walls of the city is intended to reveal the hand of God in this victory. It is a subtle yet unmistakable reference to Israel’s victory over the city of Jericho when they first entered the land of promise. For six days, the Israelites had marched around the walls of Jericho. But on the seventh day, following God’s instructions, they circled the walls seven times and then blew their trumpets.

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. – Joshua 6:20 ESV

What the Israelites did next is essential. Following God’s commands, they devoted everything in the city to destruction.

…they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. – Joshua 6:24 ESV

With this as a backdrop, Ahab's actions and the reaction of God make much more sense. Having escaped the battlefield and successfully avoided the falling wall, Ben-hadad sought refuge inside the city. He was trapped and at the mercy of King Ahab. So, his advisors counseled him to surrender and appeal for clemency. After all, they advised him, “the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings” (1 Kings 20:30 ESV).

The always shrewd and self-aggrandizing Ahab probably saw this as an opportunity to ingratiate the defeated Syrian king and secure a beneficial treaty between their two nations. By allowing Ben-hadad to live, Ahab hoped to open up new trading opportunities that would further enhance his power and wealth. But at no point does the passage show Ahab seeking the will of God in this matter. God had given him the victory, but Ahab was taking the credit by determining the fate of the defeated Syrian king.

God had promised to give the Syrians into Ahab’s hand, and He had kept His word. The unexpected victory was intended to reveal to the Israelites that Yahweh was LORD. With his decision to spare Ben-hadad, Ahab essentially declared himself to be lord. He was in control. As the sovereign over his kingdom, he believed he had the right to decide what was best for Israel.

Ahab struck a deal with Ben-hadad, agreeing to return land that had once belonged to the Syrians on the condition that they set up trading posts. Ahab was in it for what he could get out of it. This arrangement with the Syrians made strategic and fiscal sense in his mind. By securing a treaty with the Syrians, he could create a buffer on his northern border, providing protection from the growing threat of the Assyrians. But he also knew he could benefit financially by gaining access to the Syrian’s lucrative trading business. In Ahab’s mind, this was a win-win scenario.

But God had other plans. He commissioned yet another prophet, sending him with a word of warning to Ahab. But to carry out his assignment, the unnamed prophet was required to sustain an injury that would allow him to gain access to the king. When this prophet asked one of his colleagues to assist him, his request was denied. His fellow prophet refused to take part in this bizarre plan, and it ended up costing him his life.

“Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.” And when he had gone, a lion did attack and kill him. – 1 Kings 20:36 ESV

This man’s refusal to do what the prophet of God said was essentially a rejection of God’s will, and he was condemned for his disobedience. As strange and challenging to understand as it may be, this incident is meant to illustrate the importance of following the will of God. Like Ahab, this unnamed prophet had decided to operate according to his own will. And just as God had held his reluctant and disobedient prophet culpable for his actions, He would also hold Ahab accountable for his decision to spare the life of Ben-hadad.

The prophet finally found someone to strike him in the face, creating a convincing injury that would allow him to disguise himself as a wounded soldier. His face covered in a bandage, the prophet sat beside the road, waiting for King Ahab to pass by. When the king arrived, the man explained that he had been in the battle that day. At some point, he had been given the responsibility to watch over a prisoner. He was warned that he would be killed or forced to pay a substantial fine if he allowed the prisoner to escape. But while the man was distracted, the prisoner escaped, or so his fabricated story went. 

Ahab, who had just extended undeserved mercy to the king of Syria, refused to show a fellow Israelite any compassion or empathy. He simply stated, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it” (1 Kings 20:40 ESV). With those callous words, Ahab unwittingly condemned himself. As soon as the prophet removed the bandage that covered his face, Ahab recognized him as one of the prophets of Yahweh. And what Ahab heard next left him “vexed and sullen” (1 Kings 20:43 ESV).

“This is what the LORD says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.” – 1 Kings 20:42 NLT

Ahab had stubbornly refused to acknowledge Yahweh as LORD, and continued to view himself as the true sovereign over Israel. But because he chose to reject God as King, Ahab and his people would suffer the fate intended for Ben-hadad and the people of Syria. Ahab’s self-centered and self-promoting actions would bring the judgment of Yahweh and turn a divinely ordained victory into death and defeat. One way or another, Ahab and the people of Israel were going to know that God is LORD.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Demands Faithfulness, Not Flawlessness

1 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. – 1 Kings 15:1-8 ESV

All throughout his record of the kings of Judah and Israel, the author has dropped slight hints or clues that provide further insight into the actions of these men. In the case of Rehoboam, the king of Judah, he reveals that “When Rehoboam died, he was buried among his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. Then his son Abijam became the next king” (1 Kings 14:31 NLT). Hidden away in these three sentences is a small detail that could easily be overlooked. But this seemingly innocuous fact helps to explain how the spiritual state of God’s chosen people had so quickly deteriorated.

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, and Solomon had more than 700 wives and 300 concubines. Many of those women were foreign princesses who had been given to Solomon as part of a peace agreement made between their home country and Israel. The author has already revealed that Solomon made many such treaties that required him to marry these women from pagan nations.

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. – 1 Kings 11:1-2 NLT

God had strictly forbidden the Israelites from taking wives for themselves from among the nations that lived in the land of Canaan. Long before the people of Israel had entered the land, Moses had clearly communicated God’s prohibition against any fraternization with the enemy.

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.” – Deuteronomy 7:1-4 NLT

But Solomon had chosen to disobey God’s command in a significant way. He had hundreds of foreign wives and, according to the closing verses of 1 Kings 14, he had married a woman from among the Ammonites. Once again, this small detail is intended to shed light on the moral and spiritual state of the nation. To fully grasp the significance of Solomon’s marriage to this woman,  we have to understand that the Ammonites were the descendants of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. But more importantly, their very existence is tied to a sad and sordid event that took place in Lot’s life. After Lot and his two daughters had been rescued from the sinful city of Sodom by an angel of the Lord, they found themselves living in a cave in the wilderness. One night, while Lot was drunk, his two daughters had sexual relations with him, resulting in both girls becoming pregnant. The book of Genesis states that “The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben Ammi. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today” (Genesis 19:38 NLT).

Hundreds of years later, when the people of Israel were making their way from Egypt to the land of Canaan, their distant relatives, the Ammonites, refused to allow them to pass through their territory. In fact, they would actually attempt to have them cursed. So, God put a permanent ban on the descendants of the Ammonites and Moabites.

No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the LORD. These nations did not welcome you with food and water when you came out of Egypt. Instead, they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in distant Aram-naharaim to curse you. But the LORD your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the LORD your God loves you. As long as you live, you must never promote the welfare and prosperity of the Ammonites or Moabites. – Deuteronomy 23:3-6 NLT

Yet Solomon had chosen to disobey the will of God by marrying an Ammonite princess. From this unauthorized and illegal union had come the next king of Israel, Rehoboam, a man who proved to be anything but loyal to God. When Rehoboam died, his son Abijam took his place. But even in announcing Abijam as the next king of Judah, the author drops another not-so-subtle hint regarding this man’s lineage. He states that “His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom” (1 Kings 15:2 ESV). To understand the significance of this detail, we have to look at the book of 2 Chronicles.

Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, and she bore him sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). – 2 Chronicles 11:18-21 ESV

Abishalom is another variation of the name Absalom, and Abijah and Abijam are one and the same person. Rehoboam married a daughter of the very man who tried to steal the crown from his grandfather, David. Absalom proved successful in staging a coup against his father, but it was short-lived. Had he managed to complete his coup attempt, Solomon would never have been the next king of Israel. Yet, Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, married the daughter of the man who attempted to deny his father his God-given right to the throne of Israel.

There are so many plots and twists to this story that remain hidden from view, but they provide the context for all that happens. The individual actions of these men are to be seen as the byproducts of a much bigger problem. The nation of Israel had a long and sordid history of disobedience to God, and each successive generation followed in the footsteps of their ancestors, displaying the lingering and infectious nature of sin. It becomes painfully clear that each indiscretion and act of insubordination, no matter how small, has consequences. Our sins against God can take on a life of their own and, just as an infectious disease can spread from one person to another, so we can end up passing on our sinful propensities to the next generation. That is precisely what happened with the son of Rehoboam.

…he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. – 1 Kings 15:3 ESV

Yet, God had his hand on Abijah, giving him victories over Jeroboam and the ten tribes of Israel. But it was not because of anything Abijah had done. God was honoring the faithfulness of David.

But for David’s sake, the LORD his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. For David had done what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight and had obeyed the LORD’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite. – 1 Kings 15:4-5 NLT

Not only do our sins have consequences, but our acts of faithfulness can also be passed on. God was preserving the kingdom of the rebellious Abijah because of the faithfulness of his grandfather. Amazingly, some of David’s faithfulness had been passed down to his grandson, manifesting itself in a powerful declaration of allegiance to God, spoken to the rival forces of the ten northern tribes.

“Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods. But you have chased away the priests of the LORD (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours! But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him.” – 2 Chronicles 13:8-10 NLT

When the battle ensued, the people of Judah cried out to God, and He delivered them.

So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors. – 2 Chronicles 13:18 NLT

Despite their track record of unfaithfulness, God gave Abijah and the people of Judah a great victory over their enemies. This rebellious young king, who had inherited many of his father’s worst traits, managed to lead his people back to the LORD, if only for a short time. Faced with overwhelming odds and the threat of defeat at the hands of Jeroboam and the ten tribes of Judah, Abijah cried out to God. In that brief, shining moment, the nation of Judah placed their hope in the Almighty, and He delivered them. Abijah was far from perfect, but he chose to lead his people back to the LORD.

The author simply records: “And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place” ( 1 Kings 15:8 ESV).  There is no definitive declaration of Abijam’s spiritual legacy, good or bad. However, the Book of 2 Chronicles reveals that Abijam’s actions had a positive effect on his son and heir to the throne. 

When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years. Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God. He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace. – 2 Chronicles 14:1-5 NLT

Yahweh doesn’t demand perfection from His people; He simply asks that they be faithful. The reference to Uriah the Hittite in verse 5 is meant to convey that David was far from flawless in his actions. His affair with Bathsheba and his role in her husband's execution are dark spots on his spiritual legacy, but Yahweh viewed David as a man after His own heart.

David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life. – 1 Kings 15:5 ESV 

God demands faithfulness, not lawlessness. He is looking for the person who will resist the temptation to compromise their convictions and remain true to their covenant commitments to Him. Abijam was not a perfect king or a sold-out follower of Yahweh, but when the time came, he did the right thing, and his son followed his example. But will the legacy continue? What will be the nature of this new generation of leadership? Will the next king be faithful or faithless? Will he display a heart for God or a hard-headed insistence to live in rebellion against Him? Only time will tell.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The High Cost of Compromised Convictions

11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD and have not kept the command that the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD spoke to him.” 27 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” 31 And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32 For the saying that he called out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.”

33 After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. 34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth. – 1 Kings 13:11-34 ESV

After delivering God’s message of judgment to Jeroboam and having destroyed the altar dedicated to one of Jeroboam’s false gods, the young prophet began his return journey to Judah. He had successfully fulfilled his God-ordained mission and was following Yahweh’s strict instructions to spend no additional time among the northern tribes. He was to accept no forms of hospitality or allow anything to delay his return home. He was even warned to take a different route back to Judah to prevent anyone from interfering with his mission. This young prophet had proved to be obedient to the will of God, even rejecting Jeroboam’s tempting offer of a meal and a reward. Instead, he declared his intentions to remain faithful to every detail of God’s instructions.

“Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place. For the LORD gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’” So he left Bethel and went home another way. – 1 Kings 13:8-10 NLT

But as the story continues to unfold and the young prophet makes his way home, he decides to take what appears to be an unsanctioned break under a large tree. Having not yet crossed the border into Judah, he decided to take a much-needed rest. While the text does not tell where the young man began his journey to Judah that day, he had likely spent many hours making the trip to Bethel. If he started his trip from Jerusalem, it would have been a 90-mile trek to Bethel. And now, after having destroyed Jeroboam’s altar to his false god, the prophet had to walk all the way back. So, it makes perfect sense that he was weary from all the activity and excitement of the day. He was tired, hungry, and alone. But he had not yet completed his mission. He had been instructed by God to return to Judah without delay and to avoid all distractions.

Yet, as the young man rested under the tree, he was approached by a stranger — an old prophet who happened to live in Bethel. The author provides few details about this man, except that he was a prophet and a father. His sons, who had witnessed the events at the altar that day, returned home and told him all that the young prophet had said and done. Intrigued by what he heard, the elder prophet commanded his sons to saddle a donkey so that he could seek out his younger peer. It seems likely that he simply wanted to verify the message the younger prophet had delivered. As a prophet himself, this older man would have been interested in whether the message delivered by the young man was actually from Yahweh. If it were, there were dark days ahead for the northern kingdom. What the young prophet declared at the altar earlier that day did not bode well for the ten northern tribes.

“A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.” – 1 Kings 13:2 NLT

Those were serious words that implied future judgment against the northern kingdom, and this senior prophet was anxious to verify their veracity. So, he mounted his donkey and began his search for the one who had delivered this foreboding message. Since the young prophet had decided to take his unscheduled rest stop under the tree, the older prophet caught up with him before he had crossed over into Judah. This is where the story gets interesting.

Based on what happens next, it is difficult to understand the motives of the older man. He clearly used deception to convince the younger prophet to return to his home for a meal. His offer was rejected by the young man because it violated the command of God.

“I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’” – 1 Kings 13:16-17 NLT

They were still within the borders of Israel because the young prophet had not yet made it to the safety of Judah. But, anxious to hear more about the young man’s message from God, the older prophet lied to him. He falsely claimed to have been given a message from an angel commanding him to bring the young man to his home for a meal. Driven by hunger, the young prophet lowered his defenses and accepted the offer. But in doing so, he disobeyed the command of God. He allowed his physical appetites to cloud his thinking and compromise his convictions.

The text indicates that the young prophet violated the divine decree by sharing a meal in the older prophet’s home. As soon as he had eaten the food he had been commanded to avoid, the young man received a stinging rebuke from God delivered by the very man who had just deceived him.

“This is what the LORD says: You have defied the word of the LORD and have disobeyed the command the LORD your God gave you. You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.” – 1 Kings 13:21-22 NLT

This time, the older prophet had spoken the truth. His lie had caused the younger prophet to disobey God. Now, he had the unpleasant responsibility of delivering God’s message of judgment against the very man he had deceived and caused to disobey. The rest of the story reads like something out of Grimms’ Fairy Tales. The young man, with a full stomach and a heavy heart, began his journey home. But before he could make it into Judah, he was attacked by a lion. The beast killed the prophet but left the body and the donkey unmolested. Uncharacteristically, the lion stood sentry over the fallen body, protecting it from other predators. Passing travelers saw the strange scene and reported it back in Bethel. Upon hearing the news, the older prophet retrieved the body of the young man and placed it in his own tomb, located in the city of Bethel.

The old man was now fully convinced that what the young prophet had said had been the word of God.

“For the message the LORD told him to proclaim against the altar in Bethel and against the pagan shrines in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true.” – 1 Kings 13:32 NLT

Yahweh had used this young, unnamed prophet to declare His judgment against the ten northern tribes. Their continued apostasy would eventually lead to their destruction. When it came to His chosen people, God was deadly serious about their obedience to Him. Whether they were a fully united confederation of 12 tribes or divided into two rival kingdoms, they remained His prized possession and were obligated to live according to His commands. Obedience would bring the blessings of God, but disobedience would bring His curses.

The young prophet had learned the costly lesson that partial obedience was insufficient and unacceptable to God. He had almost completed his mission but had ultimately failed. He had been sent by God, but he ultimately ended up being punished by God for allowing worldly distractions to divert him from his ultimate goal. Had he crossed the border into Judah, he could have eaten his fill of food. But he compromised and allowed his physical appetites to cloud his thinking and distract him from his God-given assignment, and he paid dearly for his mistake. This young man’s life is a perfect illustration of what the apostle John warned about in his first epistle. 

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

The young prophet's desire for physical pleasure ended up superseding his love for God, and it proved not only disappointing but deadly. The older and supposedly wiser prophet had long ago compromised his convictions by remaining in Israel long after Jeroboam had erected his false gods and created his own religion. He had done nothing to address the apostasy in Israel, and he seemed unbothered by the fact that Jeroboam restricted the people from returning to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual feasts. The fact that Yahweh chose to use a younger and much less experienced prophet to deliver His message of judgment to Jeroboam speaks volumes. Yet, in the end, the older prophet was convicted by his compromise and complacency and did the right thing. 

So the prophet laid the body of the man of God on the donkey and took it back to the town to mourn over him and bury him. He laid the body in his own grave, crying out in grief, “Oh, my brother!” – 1 Kings 13:29-30 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Obedience Is Non-Optional

1 As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 4 And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the LORD has brought all this disaster on them.’” – 1 Kings 9:1-9 ESV

Twenty years into what would prove to be a 40-year reign, Solomon received a second vision from God. Having completed all the major building programs he had initiated, including the Temple, Solomon was ready to focus his attention elsewhere. So, God revealed Himself to Solomon in a dream, just as He had done at Gibeon 20 years earlier.

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night… – 1 Kings 3:5 ESV

In this second divinely inspired dream, Solomon heard God reaffirm His commitment to honor the Temple by bestowing His presence upon it. In doing so, God would set the Temple apart and make it holy.

“I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.” – 1 Kings 9:3 NLT

At the dedication of the Temple, when the fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, God demonstrated His acceptance of both the offering and the Temple. This was followed by the cloud of His presence taking up residence in the Holy of Holies. These actions signified that the building Solomon had constructed had been consecrated to God and was now deemed for His use alone. The Temple, its grounds, and all the furniture and utensils contained within it belonged exclusively to God. He affirmed His approval of the Temple and His willingness to grace it with His presence, power, and protection. But Yahwehn also expected His people to treat the Temple with a requisite degree of reverence and awe.

Next, God turned His attention to Solomon. It was not enough to have a Temple dedicated to the service and worship of God; Yahweh also expected His king to live a life that was totally set apart and consecrated to Him. So, He gave Solomon a sobering reminder of His expectations.

“As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’” – 1 Kings 9:4-5 NLT

Notice the conditional nature of this statement. God said, “if you will…then I will.” The promise God made to David was conditional. David could expect to have a line of descendants to sit on his throne, but God expected those men to live in faithfulness and obedience to Him. As the firstborn son to inherit the crown from his father, Solomon was expected to live a life marked by integrity and godliness, just as his father did. God was demanding that Solomon follow in the footsteps of David, who, throughout his life, had displayed a commitment to living and leading in godliness. The psalmist reminds us that David had been chosen by God to shepherd His people, and David had done his job well.

He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
    to shepherd Jacob his people,
    Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
    and guided them with his skillful hand. – Psalm 78:70-72 ESV

Now, it was Solomon’s turn. He had done an excellent job of constructing the Temple, but now it was time to lead the people with integrity of heart and to guide them with skillful hands. As God’s appointed and anointed king, he was to be an example for the nation, displaying a commitment to God that revealed his consecrated status. Like the Temple, Solomon belonged to God. He had been dedicated to God’s service and was expected to shepherd God’s people according to His will. Yahweh warns Solomon of the severe consequences he or any of his descendants will face if they fail to remain faithful.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.” – 1 Kings 9:6-7 NLT

Anyone familiar with Israel's history recognizes that this warning from God is more than prescriptive; it is also prophetic. In other words, God is not only giving Solomon a list of prohibitions, but He is also providing him with a glimpse into the nation's future fate. Despite all He had done for them, the people of Israel would end up turning their backs on Him. It would begin with their kings, the very men whom God had promised to bless if they would follow Him with integrity and godliness.

Look closely at what God says He will do.

I will uproot Israel from this land… – Vs. 7

I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name… – Vs. 7

I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations… – Vs. 7

If Solomon or any of his descendants failed to keep their covenant commitment to God, the nation would suffer God's judgment. They would forfeit the inheritance they had received from Him. Rather than living in the land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, they would find themselves eking out an existence as exiles in a foreign land.

Even the majestic Temple would become an eyesore, prompting people to question what could have caused God to bring such a calamity upon His house and His people.

“…all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the LORD do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 1 Kings 9:8 NLT

In his dream, Solomon receives the sobering answer to their question.

“Because his people abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the LORD has brought all these disasters on them.” – 1 Kings 9:9 NLT

The author of 1 Kings already knows the rest of the story; his inclusion of this incident is meant to foreshadow and explain all that is to come. His audience will be reading this chapter long after Solomon is gone and his successors have begun to reveal their penchant for disobedience and unfaithfulness. The final verses of the last chapter conclude on a somber and poignant note.

Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years. But he did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin. He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done. – 1 Kings 22:51-53 NLT

By this time in the story, the nation of Israel had suffered a civil war that left it divided into two competing kingdoms: Israel and Judah. Both are characterized by wickedness and idolatry. Nearly all of their kings displayed a blatant disregard for God, violating His commands and failing to shepherd His people with integrity of heart or guiding them with skillful hands. For the most part, they turn out to be poor shepherds who refused to keep their end of God’s covenant agreement. As a result, the whole nation suffered.

Solomon’s dream was intended as a warning. God wanted His king to understand that a Temple would not be enough. A place to worship God would prove to be insufficient if the heart of the king remained uncommitted to God. Years later, God would speak through the prophet Isaiah, declaring the blatant hypocrisy of His people, who confused the ritual of worship with genuine, heartfelt devotion to God.

 “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

The promise of God’s abiding presence among them was contingent upon their obedience and obeisance. Yahweh placed a high priority on the covenant commitment they had made to Him. The Book of Exodus records the enthusiastic response of God’s people when Moses read the contents of the Book of the Law to them in the wilderness. 

“We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” – Exodus 24:7 NLT

Years later, at Moab, Moses would rearticulate Yahweh’s expectations and explain that their commitment to the covenant would be binding on all their descendants. 

“You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses. By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses. I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.” – Deuteronomy 29:12-15 NLT

There was no escape clause or statute of limitations. Future generations of Israelites could not claim ignorance or opt out of the commitment their ancestors had made. It was binding and non-negotiable. So, as Solomon took in the words that Yahweh spoke in his vision, he understood the gravity of the moment and the sobering significance of the message he had just received: Obey or risk God’s judgment.  

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Fame Versus Faithfulness

1 Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 4 There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. 5 All the doorways and windows had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

6 And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.

8 His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

9 All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12 The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the LORD and the vestibule of the house. – 1 Kings 7:1-12 ESV

Once Solomon had completed the construction of the LORD’s House, he turned his attention to building his own royal palace and administrative complex. The author indicates that it took Solomon seven years to complete the Temple, and he spent an additional 13 years constructing the complex that would include separate residences for him and his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh. According to 1 Kings 9:10, Solomon spent two decades of his reign overseeing these various building projects.

It took Solomon twenty years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own royal palace. – 1 Kings 9:10 NLT

From the descriptions provided, it appears that Solomon’s palace complex consisted of a series of distinct structures, including the two royal residences, the House of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars, the Hall of Judgment, and the Hall of the Throne. These were evidently separate, but interconnected buildings arranged around a shared courtyard. Each of them was equally impressive in size and grandeur. The House of the Forest of Lebanon alone was larger in size than the Temple itself and featured the same degree of meticulous detailing and costly craftsmanship.

It would be easy to overlook that these impressive structures were only made possible by the forced conscription of Israelite citizens. In Chapter Five, it was revealed that Solomon instituted a nationwide “draft” to provide the large labor force necessary to accomplish his ambitious and ongoing building projects.

Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force. Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work. – 1 Kings 5:13-16 NLT

Tens of thousands of Israelites were forced into service and required to dedicate 20 years of their lives to these seemingly never-ending construction projects. When one building was done, another one would begin. Stones had to be quarried, transported, and carefully carved. Massive amounts of trees were cut down and moved to the various construction sites, where they were transformed into wood flooring and panels to adorn the walls and ceilings of Solomon’s royal residence and administrative offices. The sheer number of common laborers, skilled craftsmen, and project foremen to complete 20 years' worth of construction projects is impossible to calculate. This doesn’t include the additional labor force required to manage Solomon’s household, care for his extensive flocks and herds, cultivate his fields and vineyards, tend his gardens, cook his food, and provide ongoing maintenance for his vast and growing kingdom. All of this was in fulfillment of the words spoken by Samuel the prophet, when he warned the people of Israel of the consequences that would come with their demand for a king.

“The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-17 NLT

Solomon was a good and wise king. He had been appointed by God Himself. But even his reign brought a certain degree of suffering and servitude upon the people of Israel. Their desire for a king had ultimately proven costly to them. Kings tend to build kingdoms. They go to war. They demand loyalty and allegiance. They wield power. They use their position to pursue their agendas. And sadly, they can end up treating their people as little more than tools in their royal toolbox.

Later in life, Solomon voiced his regrets at spending so much time, money, and energy building his grand and glorious kingdom. In the end, all his hard work and that of his conscripted laborers would be for naught because you can't take it with you when you go. 

I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. – Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 NLT

There’s little doubt that Solomon was successful in all his building efforts. When the final brick was laid on the last building, the completed project was a sight to behold. Combined with the Temple complex, it must have made a powerful impression on all those who saw it. We know from Chapter 10 that when the Queen of Sheba made a royal visit to Jerusalem, she was awe-struck by the experience.

When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, 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. – 1 Kings 10:4-5 NLT

For 20 years, Solomon concentrated his efforts on building the physical representation of his kingdom. He built palaces, administrative buildings, throne rooms, judgment halls, and even a Temple to accommodate the God of Israel. He was transforming Jerusalem into a showplace where his power and prestige were constantly on display. Visitors couldn’t help but be impressed by the opulence of his royal residences, the sheer size and scope of his administrative complex, and the grandeur of the Temple.

But as will soon be made clear, there was something dark and foreboding lying beneath the shiny surface of Solomon’s kingdom. The trappings of success obscured a hidden danger that would prove to be Solomon’s undoing and the key to Israel’s ultimate fall from grace.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus, another descendant of King David, would warn against the danger of building kingdoms on earth and investing all our time and energy in accumulating earthly treasures.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

Solomon was under the misguided impression that materialism mattered. He was out to build a kingdom that would rival that of every other nation on earth. He wanted Israel to be the envy of the world, and his glowing reputation to spread throughout the land. In his later days, he would declare his rather pessimistic belief in the value of a good reputation, because that is all you really leave behind that is of lasting value. 

A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
    And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
    After all, everyone dies—
    so the living should take this to heart. – Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 NLT

But two decades into his reign, Solomon was still working under the delusion that more was better. He would continue to amass more wealth, increase his land holdings, construct additional buildings, and furnish them all with the finest of furnishings. He was storing up treasures on earth in a desperate search for meaning and significance. Like a child in need of attention, Solomon was using his wealth and wisdom to make a name for himself. Perhaps it was all an attempt to break free from the shadow of his father's looming legacy. It would have been difficult to follow in the footsteps of the man after God's own heart. Solomon was neither a warrior nor a kingdom builder. He inherited his domain from his father and received his wisdom and wealth as gifts from Yahweh. However, Solomon used what he had to good effect and made a name for himself. 

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. – Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 NLT

In time, Solomon’s love of self would replace his love for Yahweh. His obsession with self-promotion and establishing his reputation would supplant his desire to honor the name of God. Fame became more important than faithfulness. 

In Solomon’s old age, they [his wives] turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done. – 1 Kings 11:4-6 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Heart Is God's Home

1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. 2 The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. 3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. 4 And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. 5 He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. 6 The lowest story was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

7 When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.

8 The entrance for the lowest story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. 9 So he built the house and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar. 10 He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

11 Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” – 1 Kings 6:1-13 ESV

David had begun the preparations for the construction of the Temple long before he died. It had been his idea to build a “house” for God, but he had been denied the honor of overseeing its actual construction. That task fell to his son and successor, Solomon. Even though David had given Solomon the plans and provided a vast amount of the building materials necessary to start the project, it would be four years into Solomon’s reign before construction began. The sheer size and scope of the project required careful planning and the time to amass and transport all the materials that David’s ambitious plans required.

Massive stones had to be quarried and moved to the building site. Lumber from Lebanon had to be cut and transported by ships from Tyre to the coastline of Israel, then carried inland to the city of Jerusalem. The site itself, located on the summit of Mount Zion, had to be leveled and prepared for the actual construction to begin. Four years after taking the throne, after all the preparations were complete, Solomon officially launched the construction phase of the project. The author points out that it was 480 years after the people of Israel had been released by God from their captivity in Egypt. This link back to Israel’s exodus from Egypt is significant because it provides a vivid contrast between the nation’s past and present circumstances. The Temple was being built to honor the God of Israel, the same God who, nearly half a millennium earlier, rescued their ancestors from their dire conditions in a foreign land. He had freed them from captivity and given them the land of Canaan as their inheritance – all in keeping with the promise He had made to Abraham.

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” – Genesis 17:6-8 ESV

God had kept His promise to Abraham, and provided the people of Israel with the land of Canaan as their inheritance. Now, Solomon, the son of David, was honoring his father’s wishes by building a Temple worthy of such a great and gracious God.

While the author provides detailed descriptions of the Temple’s layout and dimensions, there is insufficient information to determine precisely what the Temple looked like when it was completed. It was roughly twice the size of the Mosaic Tabernacle and built of massive hand-carved limestone blocks and lumber made from cedar from the forests of Lebanon. The completed structure was ornamented with gold. Solomon spared no expense in the construction of God’s house because it was to be a showplace, a one-of-a-kind structure meant to honor the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even with tens of thousands of conscripted laborers working around the clock, it would take nearly eight years to complete the project.

Sometime during construction, Solomon received a message from God. Amid his ongoing efforts to build a house for Yahweh, he was reminded that a beautiful building would not ensure the presence of God.

“Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David. I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel.” – 1 Kings 6:12 NLT

God had made a commitment to David, promising to place one of his sons on the throne after him. This son would fulfill David’s dream of building a Temple for the LORD. But, more importantly, the LORD would place His protective hand over David’s son.

“…when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.’” – 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 NLT

But even David knew that this promise from God came with conditions. He believed God would fulfill His part of the covenant, but he also knew that his son would need to remain faithful to God. Just before his death, David warned Solomon that faithfulness would be essential if he wanted to experience God’s fruitfulness.

“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the LORD your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘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 2:2-4 NLT

Building God a house in which to dwell was not going to guarantee His presence, power, and provision. God didn’t require an earthly dwelling place, a point He made clear when David conceived the idea. 

“This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, ‘Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?’” – 2 Samuel 7:5-7 NLT

In the Book of Acts, Luke records a powerful sermon given by Stephen to a crowd of Jews who would eventually stone him to death. In that sermon, Stephen reminded them that the Temple was never meant to be a sign of God’s presence.

“David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who actually built it. However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,

‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?’
    asks the Lord.
‘Could you build me such a resting place?
  Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’” – Acts 7:46-50 NLT

Luke also records the words of the apostle Paul, spoken to a crowd of Greeks in the middle of the city of Athens.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.” – Acts 17:24-25 NLT

God wasn’t standing around in heaven, waiting for Solomon to complete the Temple so He could take up residence. God did not need Solomon’s Temple. God had made the stones and the trees used in its construction. He had created and breathed life into the men who labored to build it. He had placed Solomon on the throne and given him the privilege of carrying out his father's wishes. The Temple was less a residence for Yahweh than it was a reminder of His holiness and greatness. Like the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Temple was to serve as a symbol of Yahweh’s glorious presence among His chosen people. In a sense, the invisible God of the universe would become visible as the people gazed on the grandeur of His glorious house. The decorative gold, massive stones, and beams of aromatic cedar would create a jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring sight designed to convey the greatness of Yahweh.  

But what God really wanted from Solomon was obedience. He desired a king who would live in faithful adherence to His laws and display a commitment to all His commands. Solomon’s own father understood that God was far more interested in the condition of a man’s heart than the accomplishments of his hands. After his illicit affair with Bathsheba, David penned the following penitential words. 

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

As the Temple neared completion, Solomon was given a powerful reminder that the key to his success would not be found in a building, but in his commitment to the will and the ways of God. The Temple would be nothing more than a symbol of God’s presence. It would provide a daily reminder of His majesty and glory, but should never be seen as a guarantee of His pleasure with or approval of His people. As the grand edifice of the Temple neared completion, it rose from the heights of Mount Zion, becoming the pride of the people of Israel. But, if they weren’t careful, they would end up being more impressed with the work of their hands and worshiping their creation, than obeying and revering the Creator God.

Solomon could build a house for God, but God was more interested in inhabiting Solomon's heart. Not long before Jesus made His way to Calvary to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful humanity, He gave His disciples a message meant to encourage them. He was going to die, but He would rise again, and that miraculous event would usher in a new and life-altering relationship between Him and His followers.

“When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

“All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” – John 14:20-21, 23 NLT

The apostle Paul would later expand on this idea, reminding the believers in Corinth that they were the dwelling place of God on earth. 

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? …For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. – 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 NLT

God lives in hearts, not houses. He takes up residence in His people, not a structure made from wood and stone. 

For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16 BSB

In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit. – Ephesians 2:21-22 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Costly Endeavor

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, 3 “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ 6 Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. 9 My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” 10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, 11 while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. 12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. 15 Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, 16 besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. 17 At the king’s command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18 So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house. – 1 Kings 5:1-18 ESV

Solomon possessed both great wisdom and wealth. But the one characteristic he possessed that truly set his life apart was his faithfulness. Solomon kept his word. He was always careful to follow through on his commitments. Solomon had made a pledge to David that, after his death, he would settle affairs with some of his former adversaries, and Solomon had quickly and effectively accomplished all of his father’s wishes.

But there remained one last piece of unfinished business. David had assigned his son the formidable task of building a house or temple for God. When David had conquered all his enemies and was enjoying a period of relative peace, he became convicted about his relatively opulent lifestyle. He lived in a sumptuous palace while the dwelling place of God remained little more than a glorified tent. This seeming contradiction prompted him to tell the prophet, Nathan, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent” (2 Samuel 2 ESV). With Nathan’s blessing, David came up with a plan to build a “house of cedar” for God. But that night, God spoke to Nathan in a dream, giving him a message to deliver to David.

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’’ – 2 Samuel 7:5-7 ESV

It seems that David’s well-intentioned plan to construct a house for God had not come from God. The sovereign God of the universe did not need a man-made house in which to dwell. No palace made with human hands could compare to the grandeur of God’s heavenly home.

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
    and what is the place of my rest?
All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came to be,
declares the LORD.” – Isaiah 66:1-2 ESV

Nathan told David that if anyone was going to build a house, it would be God Almighty. The King of the universe promised to extend David’s dynasty and kingdom by “building a house” for David that would last far longer than the cedar palace in which David lived.

“Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:11-13 ESV

God told David that the honor of building a house for Him would fall to someone else. One of David’s descendants would be allowed to fulfill his dream and complete the construction of the Temple. David graciously accepted God’s plan and later explained to his son, Solomon, why this important task had been passed on to him.

“My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God,” David told him. “But the LORD said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name.’” – 1 Chronicles 22:7-10 NLT

David had been the warrior-king, spending the vast majority of his reign doing battle with the enemies of God. While done on behalf of God, his many military exploits had resulted in much bloodshed and, therefore, disqualified him from building a house for God. But rather than allow his zeal for the project to diminish, David redirected his energies into developing the plans and gathering all the materials required to make this project a success. He personally selected the construction site and supervised the drafting of the plans and the initial procurement of building materials.

“My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the LORD must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. – 1 Chronicles 22:5 NLT

David went out of his way to ensure that Solomon had everything he would need to build the finest temple imaginable.

So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David. – 1 Chronicles 22:2-4 NLT

But, despite David’s meticulous planning, Solomon still found himself in need of additional construction materials, including cedar logs from Lebanon’s famed forests. So, Solomon negotiated a contract with Hiram, the king of Tyre, that provided all the lumber needed to complete the project in exchange for wheat and olive oil.

Combined with David’s careful planning and procurement strategy, Solomon’s arrangement with Hiram guaranteed that he had all he needed to begin construction. But one thing was missing: Workers. This is where it gets interesting. The author reveals that Solomon instituted a non-military draft to supply the workers needed to complete the construction of the Temple.

Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel. He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force. Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work. – 1 Kings 5:13-16 NLT

This piece of information should bring to mind the words of Samuel, spoken to the people of Israel when they first demanded that God give them a king.

“These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-18 ESV

The text states that “Adoniram was in charge of this labor force” (1 Kings 5:14 NLT). He would eventually become Solomon’s official chief of conscription, and he would hold this position when Solomon's son, Rehoboam, took the throne. Early in this reign, Rehoboam was warned that the people were disgruntled with the way Solomon had treated them. 

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” – 2 Chronicles 10:4 NLT

But rather than listen to their demands, Rehoboam took the advice of his counselors. 

“This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” – 2 Chronicles 10:10-11 NLT

The people rebelled, and Rehoboam was forced to send Adoniram to quell the unrest. 

King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. – 2 Chronicles 10:18 NLT

Solomon had set the precedent, and his son followed his lead. Solomon was God’s chosen successor to King David, and he had been blessed with godly wisdom and insight. Yet, even this divinely appointed king would still end up making unwise decisions. Solomon was the king, but he was just a man and proved to be a poor substitute for the King of the universe. In demanding that Samuel appoint a king over them, the people of Israel had rejected God as their sovereign ruler. Now, even under the wise and godly leadership of Solomon, they were going to discover that their demand for a human king came with a cost. The price for building the Temple was going to include blood, sweat, and tears. It would take nearly eight years to construct this architectural masterpiece, a period filled with pain, sacrifice, and suffering. The Temple David envisioned would become a living nightmare for many of the people of Israel. They would ultimately sacrifice their sons and daughters to the cause. Some likely died during the construction of the temple. Others probably suffered debilitating injuries, some of a permanent nature.

Solomon employed the wisdom given to him by God and benefited from the preparations made by his father, David. However, even his best efforts, undertaken with the best of intentions, still harmed God’s chosen people. The Temple would be built, but at a high price. The people had their king, but his reign did not come without consequences. It should not be overlooked that the construction of a house for God, the one true King of Israel, also came at a cost.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Putting Godly Wisdom to Good Use

1 King Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend; 6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

7 Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year. 8 These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-hanan; 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); 11 Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); 16 Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land. – 1 Kings 1:1-19 ESV

Through his record of Solomon’s deft handling of the dispute between the two prostitutes, the author has provided an example of Solomon’s Spirit-imbued wisdom. Solomon would put that wisdom to use in various ways, including the formation of his royal administration. His father’s death had left him as the sovereign authority over a large nation with a sizeable population spread over a vast area. To understand the nature of Solomon’s actions, as outlined in this passage, it is essential to recall the historical context that led to the establishment of the royal position in Israel.

Until the day Saul had been anointed the first king of Israel, the nation had functioned as a loose coalition of 12 tribes, with God as their King and sovereign. Israel was a theocracy. The tribes, while varying in size, each maintained independent control over the land they had been allotted by God. As the priestly tribe, the Levites were not given any land; instead, they were allocated cities within the territories of the other 11 tribes.

When the tribes first entered the land of Canaan, they had to defeat the existing inhabitants before they could occupy the land that had been awarded to them by God. To achieve this, the tribes formed alliances with one another, fighting side by side until they could settle in their respective territories. Once this task was accomplished, the tribes tended to operate independently of one another. There was no centralized governing body or system of government in place to provide guidance or regulate behavior. Over time, each of the tribes began to drift away from God and adopt the pagan practices of the land’s former inhabitants. They began worshiping false gods, a decision that forced Yahweh to judge them for their disobedience and unfaithfulness.

…the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. – Judges 2:14 ESV

This led to a period in which God governed the tribes through the administration of judges. These judges were comprised of a diverse and disparate group of individuals sent by God to deliver His disobedient people from their enemies and call them back into fellowship with Him.

Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. – Judges 2:18 ESV

This arrangement persisted for hundreds of years, until the day when the people demanded that God give them a king.

“Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” – 1 Samuel 8:5 ESV

Samuel, who had been God’s official spokesman and the last of the judges, was offended by their demand; he took it as a personal slight. But God told him, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7 ESV).

During their years as a confederation of independent tribes, Yahweh had been functioning as their sovereign authority. He had been their King. But as Samuel grew older and his two sons proved to be wicked, the people demanded a change in leadership. They wanted a human king, which meant they would be ruled over by a fallen, sin-prone man whose actions would have devastating implications. God had Samuel warn the Israelites of the consequences of their request.

“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the LORD will not help you.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-18 NLT

They demanded a flesh-and-blood king, but God warned them that they would end up regretting their wish. But they refused to take God seriously and reiterated their demand for a king.

“Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” – 1 Samuel 8:19-20 NLT

So, God gave them Saul, who was precisely what they had been looking for, a tall, good-looking man who had all the outward characteristics of a king.

Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. – 1 Samuel 9:2 NLT

Saul looked like a king, and after receiving his anointing by Samuel, he gave all the indications that he would rule wisely and effectively. But, in time, his true nature revealed itself. He would prove to be headstrong and stubbornly disobedient, refusing to rule according to God’s will. So, God was forced to remove him as king over Israel.

“I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” – 1 Samuel 15:11 NLT

When faced with the prospect of his removal, Saul attempted to assuage God by begging His forgiveness, but it was too little, too late. Samuel had to break the news to Saul that his refusal to obey God was unforgivable and his kingship was irredeemable.

“What is more pleasing to the LORD:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the LORD,
    he has rejected you asking.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

To make matters worse, Samuel told Saul that God had already chosen his replacement.

“The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.” – 1 Samuel 15:28 NLT

God had shown the people what happens when they get what their hearts’ desire. He gave them a king who resembled the rulers of other nations. Now, they were going to see what a king looked like whose heart beat fast for God. God even warned Samuel that when looking for Saul’s replacement, he could not allow himself to be swayed by outward appearances. He had to look beneath the surface – at the heart.

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

This wasn’t a beauty contest. It had nothing to do with good looks, pedigree, charisma, or natural abilities. Samuel was to look for a godly man, not just a good man. And God had already decided who that man would be.

…the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people. – 1 Samuel 13:14 NLT

God chose David to be the next king. He wasn’t a perfect man, and he would prove to be anything but an ideal king. But he had a heart for God. He attempted to live his life in obedience to God, and God chose to make Solomon his successor. Early in his reign, Solomon also revealed himself to be a man after God’s own heart. He was faithful to Yahweh and attempted to operate his kingdom in submission to Yahweh's will. He utilized his God-given wisdom to establish a royal administration that provided structure and stability, enabling the nation to thrive. This entire section of Chapter 4, with its list of difficult-to-pronounce names and obscure titles, is meant to reveal how Solomon utilized his divinely ordained wisdom to establish a system of government that would enable him to rule justly and righteously over the people of God.

Solomon did not take his responsibilities lightly or use his kingly powers selfishly. He ruled with wisdom and discernment, and the end result was that “Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy” (1 Kings 4:20 ESV). 

Solomon was demonstrating the truth of one of the proverbs he later recorded.

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. – Proverbs 11:14 NLT

Solomon surrounded himself with wise and capable men who shared his vision of building a strong kingdom that operated under Yahweh's divine authority. These verses detail Solomon's plans to establish a centralized government, operating out of the capital city of Jerusalem. He was replacing the former system of independent tribal authority and creating a more streamlined and responsive means of governance and administration. Under David's leadership, Israel had become a large nation with millions of inhabitants spread across a vast and extensive region. Solomon instituted a system of taxation and oversight to fund his royal administration.

“. . . this was a radical and decisive step, and that not only because it imposed upon the people an unprecedented burden. It meant that the old tribal system, already increasingly of vestigial significance, had been, as far as its political functioning was concerned, virtually abolished. In place of twelve tribes caring in turn for the central shrine were twelve districts taxed for the support of Solomon’s court!” – John Bright,
A History of Israel

But despite the burden these taxes placed on the people, they were content because their personal needs were met.

…they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. – 1 Kings 4:20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Off to a Great Start

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father’s affliction.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the LORD forevermore.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar. – 1 Kings 2:26-35 ESV

After having dealt decisively with his half-brother’s continued deceit by having him put to death, Solomon turned his attention to the accomplices in Adonijah’s failed coup attempt. First, he took care of Abiathar, the priest. But rather than ordering Abiathar’s execution, Solomon decreed that this traitor be removed from his priestly role. The new king was willing to spare Abiathar’s life because he was well aware of his long and faithful service to David. However, he would not allow the guilty to go unpunished, so he humiliated Abiathar by having him stripped of his priestly office. Solomon’s decision had far greater ramifications than he could have known. The author of 1 Kings reveals that Abiathar’s removal from the priesthood fulfilled a prophecy made by God concerning the descendants of Eli, the priest who had served at Shiloh. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who served alongside their father as priests, but they were “worthless men” who “did not know the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12 ESV).

These two brothers used their priestly role to fulfill their own selfish desires, and “the sin of these young men was very serious in the LORD’s sight, for they treated the LORD’s offerings with contempt” (1 Samuel 2:17 NLT). They were even guilty of committing sexual sins with “the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle” (1 Samuel 2:22 NLT). Their father, fully aware of their indiscretions, tried to reprimand them, but his words fell on deaf ears. They refused to listen to his warnings or change their wicked ways, so Yahweh stepped in and delivered a sobering statement of judgment against the house of Eli.

“I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age.” – 1 Samuel 2:30-31 NLT

In the short term, God took the lives of Hophni and Phinehas. But with Solomon’s removal of Abiathar, another descendant of Eli suffered the humiliating loss of his priestly role. He was allowed to live but would have to bear the constant shame that accompanied his fall from grace.

Having dealt with the prodigal priest, Solomon turned his attention to Joab, the former general over the armies of Israel. This man had been a close friend and ally of David, having served alongside him for many years. But Joab had fallen out of favor with the king because of insubordination. Against the wishes of King David, Joab had taken the lives of two men, Amasa and Abner, both of whom he perceived as threats to his power and prestige. Years later, Joab had chosen to align himself with the king’s son, Adonijah, lending his reputation and military expertise to an attempted takeover of David’s throne. When Joab heard that Adonijah was dead and Abiathar had been stripped of his priesthood, he knew it was just a matter of time before Solomon came looking for him. So, he sought refuge in the tabernacle, just as Adonijah had done.

But Solomon was not about to show mercy to this murderer and traitor. Instead, he commanded that Joab be executed on the spot. In ordering Joab’s death, Solomon was clearing his father’s dynasty of any responsibility for the unwarranted deaths of Amasa and Abner. As long as Joab remained alive and unpunished for his crimes, his guilt would be shared by the house of David. By removing Joab, Solomon hoped to avoid God's condemnation and restore the hope of future blessings on Israel.

“May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.” – 1 Kings 2:23 NLT

Unlike his father, Solomon wasted no time addressing the issues that surrounded him. He had just ascended to the throne, but took decisive action to clean up the mess his father had left behind. Solomon was quick to deal with the guilty, delivering the appropriate punishment and, in doing so, ensuring the spiritual health of his kingdom. He was also faithfully fulfilling his father’s dying wishes, meting out justice, and repaying the guilty for their crimes.

But Solomon didn’t just purge the sin from their midst. He quickly filled the vacancies created by the removals of Joab and Abiathar by promoting “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army” and anointing “Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar” (1 Kings 2:35 ESV). He surrounded himself with faithful men he could trust and began the critical task of establishing the identity that would mark his reign as king.

Years later, Solomon would include the following statement in his collection of proverbs. 

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline. – Proverbs 1:7 NLT

Early in his reign and at a relatively young age, Solomon exhibits an uncharacteristically wise outlook on life. He seems to know the proper steps to take and displays a willingness to do what needs to be done without hesitation. Much later in his life, Solomon would declare his unwavering belief in the benefits of living an obedient and faith-filled life. 

Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT

But at that point in his life, Solomon had failed to fear God and live obediently. Instead of fearing God, he had chosen to worship the false gods of his many wives. He used his great wealth to build shrines and high places to these pagan deities, causing his loyal subjects to turn their backs on Yahweh.

Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done.

On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods. – 1 Kings 11:6-8 NLT

As a result of Solomon’s disobedience and unfaithfulness, Yahweh vowed to split his kingdom in half.

“Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.” – 1 Kings 11:11-13 NLT

What a contrast. Solomon began well but finished poorly. He started his reign with a strong sense of reverence for God and a commitment to doing the right thing. He purged his kingdom of evil and paid back all those who deserved judgment. He wisely dispensed justice and restored integrity and righteousness to the crown and the kingdom. 

However, over time, Solomon's reverence for God would become diluted by his passion for pleasure and possessions. He took his eye off the prize and replaced the fear of God with a fixation on worldly things. He recounts his obsession with material things in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 NLT

At the beginning of his reign, Solomon was off to a great start. He had his priorities in order and displayed a fear of the LORD that would serve him well. But like all God-followers, Solomon ran the risk of allowing his love for the world to replace his love for God. He would do the very thing that the apostle John later warned believers to avoid.  

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Perils of Procrastination

10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the LORD. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died. – 1 Kings 2:10-25 ESV

Why bother doing something today if you can simply put it off until tomorrow? And why do it at all, if you can leave it for someone else to do? Procrastination can be a powerful temptation, and King David appears to have succumbed to it regularly. Before crowning his son Solomon as successor, David gave him a series of unpleasant tasks to perform after his death. He ordered Solomon to avenge him by putting to death Joab and Shimei, two men who were both guilty of having offended him. But David’s passing of the buck wasn’t because he suffered from the lack of energy that can accompany old age. Procrastination and avoidance had been lifelong struggles for him. He seemed to have a knack for avoiding the unpleasant and delaying the inevitable. When looking back over his life, the examples of his penchant for procrastination are numerous, such as the time when his son, Amnon, raped his half-sister Tamar. David had actually been complicit in the immoral affair because he had sent Tamar to care for Amnon, whom he believed to be sick. To fulfill his lustful obsession with Tamar, Amnon had convinced David that he was ill and needed his sister's care. When David heard what Amnon had done, he was incensed. 

When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry… – 2 Samuel 13:21 ESV

Yes, David was enraged by the news of Tamar's rape, but he did nothing to deal with his son’s actions. For two years, David acted as if nothing had happened, leaving Tamar to live with the shame of her violation while her attacker went unpunished. But eventually, Tamar’s brother Absalom took matters into his own hands and murdered Amnon. When the news of Amnon's death reached David, he “mourned for his son day after day” (2 Samuel 13:37 ESV), but he took no steps to have Absalom arrested for his crime.

Absalom fled Jerusalem and lived as a fugitive for three years, and, the entire time, David did nothing to avenge the death of his son. When Absalom eventually returned, David continued to put off his legal responsibilities as king, refusing to punish Absalom for murder. This lack of moral fortitude was interpreted by Absalom as weakness, causing him to lose all respect for his father. Eventually, he decided that he would make a better king and led a successful takeover of his father’s throne.

Now, as Solomon prepared to begin his own reign as the king of Israel, he found himself with the unpleasant task of cleaning up some of his father’s unfinished business. On top of that, he had his brother Adonijah to deal with. Just as he had done with Amnon and Absalom, David had left Adonijah unpunished for his crime. This ambitious and conniving young man had almost succeeded in stealing the kingship from Solomon, and yet David had taken no steps to mete out justice. By the time David died, Solomon found himself sitting on the throne, but with his former enemy living in the palace as if nothing had ever happened. Adonijah's nearly successful coup attempt had gone completely unpunished. Both David and Solomon had allowed him to live, but Solomon had been wise enough to add one clear condition.

“If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” – 1 Kings 1:52 NLT

But eventually, Adonijah showed his true colors. He made his way to the palace and approached the queen-mother, Bathsheba, to whom he made what appears to be a simple request. First, he reminded her that, as David's oldest living son, he had been the rightful heir to the throne.

“As you know, the kingdom was rightfully mine; all Israel wanted me to be the next king.” – 1 Kings 2:15 NLT

Adonijah’s desire for the throne had not diminished. But he knew he needed to tread carefully if he wanted to stay alive long enough to make another attempt at stealing the crown from his younger brother. So, he wisely and cleverly admitted to Bathsheba that the failure of his attempted coup had been Yahweh's will.

“But the tables were turned, and the kingdom went to my brother instead; for that is the way the LORD wanted it. So now I have just one favor to ask of you. Please don’t turn me down.” – 1 Kings 2:15-16 NLT

He appealed to Bathsheba for one concession. Having been forced to give up his rightful place on the throne, he asked for one thing in return: That Solomon would give him permission to marry Abishag, the maiden who had cared for David during his final days of life (1 Kings 1:1-4).

“Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to let me marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem.” – 1 Kings 2:17 NLT

Bathsheba agreed to take this seemingly benign request to her son but the reaction she got from Solomon must have surprised her.

“May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request. The Lord has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; he has established my dynasty as he promised. So as surely as the Lord lives, Adonijah will die this very day!” – 1 Kings 2:23-24 NLT

To Bathsheba, this must have come across as a bit of an overreaction on Solomon’s part. After all, Abishag was just a Shunnamite servant girl. What difference did it make if Adonijah married her? But Solomon, evidencing the wisdom for which he would become world-renowned, saw through Adonijah’s seemingly innocuous request.

“Although Abishag had been only David’s nurse, in the eyes of the people she passed as his concubine; and among the Israelites, just as with the ancient Persians (Herod. iii. 68), taking possession of the harem of a deceased king was equivalent to an establishment of the claim to the throne . . .” – C. F. Keil, The Books of the Kings

This same scene was played out when Absalom had entered Jerusalem after having stolen the kingdom from David. One of the first pieces of advice Absalom received was to violate the concubines that had belonged to the former king.

“Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” – 2 Samuel 1621 NLT

Solomon was not fooled by Adonijah’s ploy. He knew precisely what his conniving brother was attempting to do and dealt with him accordingly. He ordered the immediate execution of Adonijah, eliminating any further possibilities for his brother to usurp his throne.

Unlike his father, Solomon acted decisively. He did not put off until tomorrow what needed to be done today. While he knew his actions might be questioned by others, he did what needed to be done. He refused to allow this cancer to remain in his kingdom, choosing instead to remove the threat before it could do severe damage. In doing so, Solomon displayed a level of decisiveness that his father had lacked. Even at an early age, Solomon revealed a degree of wisdom and discernment that would serve him well for many years to come.

Procrastination and avoidance are constant threats in the lives of every God-follower.  Putting off those things we deem unpleasant and challenging is a persistent temptation for those who claim to be believers in Christ. Obeying God’s Word promptly and faithfully is not always easy; yet, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). David knew what to do, but chose not to do it. Instead, he passed the buck to his son, expecting him to clean up the mess he left behind. But Solomon proved to be decisive and deliberate, wisely seeing through his brother's ruse and eliminating the threat before it had time to become a problem. 

Laziness lies at the heart of procrastination, and the Bible has much to say about those who exhibit this dangerous characteristic. 

Work hard and become a leader;
    be lazy and become a slave. – Proverbs 12:24 NLT

Lazy people want much but get little,
    but those who work hard will prosper. – Proverbs 13:4 NLT

A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers,
    but the path of the upright is an open highway. – Proverbs 15:19 NLT

A lazy person is as bad as
    someone who destroys things. – Proverbs 18:9 NLT

The apostle Paul reminds us that all we do in life is to be done as if we were doing it for the Lord, as an act of service and sacrifice to Him.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. – Colossians 3:23 NLT

Solomon could have taken his mother's advice and allowed his brother to marry Abishag, but he realized doing so would only delay the inevitable. In his heart, he knew that Adonijah still posed a threat to his throne. While allowing his older brother to live would have been the easier path to take, Solomon did what needed to be done. He refused to put off what needed to be done today until tomorrow. In doing so, he likely disappointed his mother, but he fulfilled God's will and protected his kingdom.  

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praise the LORD!

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8     the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 146:1-10 ESV

The last five psalms are anonymous and form the final Hallel (praise) section of the Psalter. Due to the similarity of their content, they were likely written by the same author. Each begins with the same call to action: “Praise the LORD.” This imperative statement is not intended as a suggestion, but as a command to give Yahweh all the dignity, honor, worship, and praise He rightly deserves. The psalmist calls for wholehearted worship on the part of the people of God, and he sets the tone by declaring his sold-out allegiance to the Almighty.

I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. – Psalm 146:2 ESV  

His statement of devotion to Yahweh is reminiscent of the address Joshua gave to the Israelites near the end of his life. Ever since the death of Moses, Joshua had served as the God-appointed leader of the Israelites, helping them cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the land of Canaan. Over the years, Joshua led the Israelites in their effort to conquer the inhabitants of the land so they could take possession of the inheritance promised to them by Yahweh. They had fought and won many battles, and successfully occupied a large portion of Canaan, but Yahweh reminded them that He had been behind it all. 

“It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.” – Joshua 24:12-13 NLT

Despite his leadership role, Joshua knew that he had been little more than an instrument in Yahweh’s hands. He had led the people into battle, but the victories had been the LORD’s doing. So, Joshua commanded the Israelites to show their gratitude to Yahweh by treating Him with honor and unadulterated reverence. 

“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:14-15 NLT

Like the psalmist, Joshua tried to spur the people’s obedience by using himself as an example. He declared his intention to live out his final days in total submission to and reliance upon Yahweh, and he committed his family to follow his lead. 

Joshua warned the Israelites about the dangers of idolatry because he knew their history of spiritual infidelity. He had been there when Aaron made the golden calf in the wilderness, and he had witnessed the people’s response to this false god they had crafted from the plunder taken from the Egyptians.

The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. – Exodus 34:6 NLT

Yahweh had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and given them victory over their enemies, but they gave their allegiance to a nonexistent god they had made with their own hands. 

The psalmist stressed a different problem facing his peers. He was less concerned about idolatry and the worship of false gods than their tendency to worship men. 

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them. – Psalm 146:3-4 NLT

While idolatry continued to be a problem for the Israelites throughout their existence as a nation, their real struggle was the worship of men. Ever since the day they rejected Samuel's leadership and demanded, “Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have” (1 Samuel 8:5 NLT), the people of Israel had exhibited a preference for human kings over the King of kings. Yahweh would repeatedly warn them about their tendency to replace His authority with that of mere men.

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.” – Jeremiah 17:5-6 NLT

The psalmist knew his people well and wanted them to think twice about putting their trust in powerful men who could never measure up to Yahweh’s standards. As far as the psalmist was concerned, there was no comparison between mortal men and the infinite, all-powerful God of the universe.

He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
   The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The LORD loves the godly.
The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. – Psalm 146:6-9 NLT

No man could ever hope to compete with Yahweh. No king who ever lived could claim to hold a candle to Yahweh's glory and greatness. The anonymous author of Psalm 2 exposed the futility of earthly kings trying to oppose the one true King. 

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the LORD
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The LORD scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury. – Psalm 2:1-5 NLT

The prophet Isaiah declared Yahweh’s superiority and supremacy over all mankind.

God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing. – Isaiah 40:22-23 NLT

In Isaiah’s estimation, the worship of men was unwarranted and a waste of time. They would always be poor substitutes for Yahweh because they couldn't measure up to His glorious standards. Even Yahweh declared Himself to be incomparable and irreplaceable.

“To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. – Isaiah 40:25 NLT

The psalmist understood that Yahweh’s immensity and eternality set Him apart from all false gods and every man with god-like aspirations. He deserved man’s praise because He was praiseworthy. Yahweh wasn’t a figment of man's fertile imagination and had not been formed by human hands. He was the maker of “heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Psalm 146:6 NLT). Yahweh is the uncreated Creator of the universe who has no beginning and end. He is eternal and all-powerful. He is holy and wholly righteous. He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV). With those thoughts in mind, the psalmist closes his song in the same way he opened it, with a call to praise the eternal, always-present, forever faithful God.

The LORD will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 146:10 NLT

Father, I must confess that I do not always recognize and honor Your greatness. I say I believe in it but, far too often, my actions and attitudes reflect something altogether different. I don't praise You enough. I fail to trust You fully. I tend to put my hope in men, even in myself, rather than trusting in Your proven track record of greatness and goodness. While I could easily deny any worship of false gods, I know it would be a lie. My idols are far more subtle than those of the Israelites, but they are idols all the same. Anything I turn to instead of You is a false god that will always provide false hope. No man or human institution can replace you. No idealogy, political party, or human leader can replace You or hope to compete with You. Yet, it is so easy to put my trust in those things that will always prove untrustworthy. Help me to heed the psalmist’s call and learn to praise You for who You are and all that You have done. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A God of His Word

A Song of Ascents.  

1 Remember, O LORD, in David's favor,
    all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the LORD
    and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
    we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
    let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
    and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
    do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath
    from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
    I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
    and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
    shall sit on your throne.”

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion;
    he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
    here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
    I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
    and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
    I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
    but on him his crown will shine.” – Psalm 132:1-18 ESV

This psalm of ascent opens with a prayer for David, the king of Israel, who arranged to have the Ark of the Covenant moved to his capital city of Jerusalem. David’s intention was to relocate the Ark and then to build a Temple dedicated to Yahweh in which to place it. His dream of constructing a “house” suitable for Yahweh is described in 2 Samuel 7.

When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” – 2 Samuel 7:1-2 NLT

This story really begins during the days when Samuel served as the judge of Israel. He was their de facto leader and served as the spokesman for Yahweh. During one of their many battles with the Philistines, they experienced a devastating and unexpected loss. 

After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.” – 1 Samuel 4:3 NLT

To sway the conflict in their favor, they decided to send for the Ark of the Covenant, which was kept in Shiloh. By bringing the Ark into battle with them, they treated it as a talisman or idol, hoping it would assure them of Yahweh’s presence and power. But instead, the Ark was captured by the Philistines. It remained in their possession for seven months and was later returned to the Israelites when Yahweh sent a devastating disease on the Philistines. After its return, the Ark was placed in the home of a man called Abinidab, who lived in Kiriath-jearim.

So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the LORD. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the LORD had abandoned them. – 1 Samuel 7:1-2 NLT

Years later, when David had become king and relocated his capital to Jerusalem, he made the decision to move the Ark and planned to construct a glorious Temple in which to house it. But God had other plans, and He ordered Nathan the prophet to inform David that his dream of building a Temple would not happen.

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’” – 2 Samuel 7:5-7 NLT

The psalmist opens his psalm by reminding Yahweh of David's good intentions. He repeats what appears to be an oath David made regarding his plans for building the Temple. 

“I will not go home;
    I will not let myself rest.
I will not let my eyes sleep
    nor close my eyelids in slumber
until I find a place to build a house for the LORD,
    a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.” – Psalm 132:3-5 NLT

But David later gave his son and heir, Solomon, the real reason why his dream would never come to fruition.

“My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name.” – 1 Chronicles 22:7-8 NLT

Whether the psalmist was privy to this information is unclear, but he focuses his attention on David’s attempt to do the right thing and bring the Ark into the royal city.

We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah;
    then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
Let us go to the sanctuary of the LORD;
    let us worship at the footstool of his throne.
Arise, O LORD, and enter your resting place,
    along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. – Psalm 132:6-8 NLT

For 20 years, the Ark had resided in obscurity in the home of Abinidab. The psalmist recalls the day when the Israelites, under David's leadership, made the decision to restore the Ark to prominence by relocating it to the city of David. These verses help to explain the Israelites’ fascination with and reliance upon the Ark as the symbol of Yahweh's presence and power. They were thrilled to have it back in their midst because it provided them with assurance that Yahweh was with them. The day the Ark arrived in Jerusalem had been one of celebration and joy.

David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. – 2 Samuel 6:15 NLT

The psalmist reflects the hearts of all the people of Israel when he prays to Yahweh, “May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.
For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed” (Psalm 132:9-10 NLT). He expresses gratitude for David’s efforts in bringing back worship and sacrifice to the people of Israel. Because the Ark was near, so was their God, and they had David to thank for it. 

In verses 11-12, the psalmist seems to remind Yahweh of the promise He made to David after having denied him the honor of building the Temple. 

“But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.” – 1 Chronicles 22:9-10 NLT

David would not have the privilege of building a house for Yahweh, but Yahweh would make a “house” for him – a royal dynasty that would last long after David was gone. But the psalmist adds the condition that God placed on this promise.

“If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant
    and the laws that I teach them,
then your royal line
    will continue forever and ever.” – Psalm 132:12 NLT

The presence of the Ark would not be enough. After all, its presence on the battlefront against the Philistines had done nothing to prevent defeat. Yahweh expected obedience. The Ark was not some kind of good luck charm or rabbit’s foot to be paraded out in times of trouble. It was to be a reminder of Yahweh's presence and a symbol of His holiness and mercy. The Ark had always been intended to be kept within the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle. It was there, in that sacred place, that Yahweh’s Shekinah glory appeared above the Mercy Seat. And it was on the Mercy Seat that the High Priest was to sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the Day of Atonement each year. 

Yahweh had given the people of Israel strict instructions regarding the Day of Atonement and the need for cleansing from their sin and rebellion.

“Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. Through this process, he will purify the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites.” – Leviticus 16:15-16 NLT

The psalmist understood that obedience was a non-negotiable requirement if the people of Israel wanted to enjoy God's abiding presence. He also knew that the Ark of the Covenant played a vital role in their ongoing relationship with Yahweh because it was the only way their inevitable and unavoidable sins could be atoned for and forgiven. The Ark provided them with an assurance of Yahweh’s ongoing presence. 

And the psalmist reminds Yahweh of His promise to bless Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

“This is my resting place forever,” he said.
    “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.
I will bless this city and make it prosperous;
    I will satisfy its poor with food.
I will clothe its priests with godliness;
    its faithful servants will sing for joy.” – Psalm 132:14-16 NLT

In the end, the psalmist is expressing his confident belief that Yahweh will keep His covenant commitment to David and continue to bless His people. David had played a significant role in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem and had also made elaborate preparations for the construction of the Temple that would become its new home. In doing so, David had helped secure the favor of the LORD and solidify the Israelites’ status as His chosen people. 

Little did the psalmist know that Yahweh would keep His word and fulfill every aspect of His promise to David. It would not turn out quite as the psalmist expected, but in the end, David would have a descendant who would sit on his throne, and his reign would be eternal.  

“I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.” – 1 Chronicles 17:14 NLT

The Messiah, the Son of God and the Son of David, would come to earth in the form of a baby in a manger, but grow to be a man who served as the atoning sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus, a descendant of David, would become the ultimate fulfillment of Yahweh's promise, and He will one day return to Jerusalem and rule over the world from the throne of David in Jerusalem. 

Father, Your plan is perfect. Long before the Temple was built and the Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, You were preparing a different Temple where the ultimate sacrifice would be made. Jesus, Your Son, became the Temple not made with human hands, that was destroyed and rebuilt. He gave His life as an atonement for the sins of mankind, so that we might have forgiveness and receive the promise of Your abiding presence. David was the foreshadow of something greater. The Ark was the symbol of a more permanent form of Your mercy that was made possible through Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. And Jerusalem will one day be replaced with the New Jerusalam where You and Your Father will dwell with mankind for eternity. You work is not yet done, but You will keep Your promises. We’re counting on it. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Fear of God and Fruitfulness

A Song of Ascents.

1 Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
    who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the LORD.

5 The LORD bless you from Zion!
    May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children's children!
    Peace be upon Israel! – Psalm 128:1-6 ESV

In this song of ascent, the psalmist links the fear of the LORD with fruitfulness. The concept of the fear of God is often misunderstood and misrepresented, but it is found throughout the Scriptures. Beginning in the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden by God and privileged to enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him. That is, until they disobeyed His command not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Once they had eaten the forbidden fruit, their relationship with God was forever altered. 

Aware that they had violated the LORD's command, Adam and Eve attempted to hide from His presence.

…they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. – Genesis 3:7-8 NLT

Rather than revering God for His power and provision, they feared His judgment. The one who created them and gave them life suddenly became unapproachable and an object of fear. Their sin produced guilt, which caused them to run away from God rather than to Him. For the first time in their short lives, they felt shame and a sudden desire to cover their nakedness and to distance themselves from their Creator.

When God had created Adam and Eve, He gave them a mandate to fulfill.

“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 2:28 ESV 

Fruitfulness was a key element in their mission as His vice-regents. He had placed them in the garden with a job to do, and as long as they maintained a reverential awe for who He was, they would enjoy a life of fruitfulness and blessing. 

When the Bible speaks of the fear of the LORD, it describes a willing submission to His power and authority. The author of the Book of Hebrews provides a succinct definition of what it means to fear God.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. – Hebrews 12:28-29 NLT

For the child of God, to fear Him is to revere Him. It is not a knee-shaking, run-and-hide kind of fear that expects judgment, but it is an awe-inspiring, knee-bending, eye-averting awareness of His glory and greatness. This positive fear of God is seen throughout the Scriptures as various individuals came into contact with the Almighty. At the age of 99, Abram had an encounter with God that left him prostrate in reverential fear.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Genesis 17:1-3 NLT

When Moses met God at the burning bush on Mount Sinai, he “covered his face because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:6 NLT). When the prophet Ezekiel was given a glimpse of God's glory, he “fell face down on the ground” (Ezekiel 1:28 NLT). These men were not exhibiting a fear of God's judgment; they were responding to the glory of His divine presence. They knew they were standing before the righteous God of the universe and recognized their own unworthiness. That is a healthy fear, the kind described in Psalm 33.

Let the whole world fear the LORD,
    and let everyone stand in awe of him.
For when he spoke, the world began!
    It appeared at his command. – Psalm 33:8-9 NLT 

Yet, not everyone fears the LORD in this way. There are many, especially unbelievers, whose fear of God is based on the threat of judgment. If they believe in His existence at all, they view Him as a demanding and vindictive judge who is never satisfied. They envision Him as a capricious deity who is inconsistent in His rulings and weilds His authority like an all-powerful despot. 

But the fear of God described in Psalm 128 is a healthy, heart-based fear that balances an awareness of His holiness and transcendence with a reliance upon His love, grace, and mercy. Abram and Ezekiel bowed before God; they didn't run from Him. Their goal wasn't to get away but to worship Him for who He was: The God of the universe.

So, when the psalmist writes, “Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways,” he is describing those who recognize their unworthiness and understand God's holiness. They obey, not under duress or out of some sense of compulsion, but because they appreciate His unmerited love for them. They “walk in His ways” because they believe He knows what is best for them. That is why Asaph could say, “Oh how I love your law!” (Psalm 119:97 ESV) and “I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold” (Psalm 119:127 ESV).

Those who have this kind of relationship with God will be fruitful. Their obedience will stem from reverential awe and respect, not abject fear. And, according to the psalmist, they will enjoy the fruit of their labor and experience God’s blessing on their lives. He is not promising a trouble-free existence or immunity from trials and tribulations; he is simply stating that a proper fear of God results in a life of fruitfulness, in every area of life. 

Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
    flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
    as they sit around your table.
That is the LORD’s blessing
    for those who fear him. – Psalm 128:3-4 NLT

This promise of a fruitful family life is based on a promise God made to the people of Israel and recorded in Deuteronomy 28. 

“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God:

Your towns and your fields
    will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
    will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
    will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
    will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
    you will be blessed.” – Deuteronomy 28:1-6 NLT

The Book of Deuteronomy contains several calls to fear God, which are linked to submission to His will and obedience to His commands. 

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.” – Deuteronomy 10:12 NLT

“You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise…” – Deuteronomy 10:20-21 NLT

What makes this kind of God-fearing relationship possible is a proper perspective that recognizes who God is and what He has graciously done for us.

“Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the LORD your God. Yet the LORD chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today. Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.” – Deuteronomy 10:14-16 NLT

The psalmist understood that God's continued blessings were tied to continued obedience. However, he also knew that faithful obedience stemmed from an accurate understanding of God's holiness and righteousness. A proper perspective of God is the key to having the right response to God. 

To fear God is not to be scared of Him. It is to recognize His glory and transcendence. It is to show the proper respect for His power and to share His hatred for sin. A helpful analogy is to consider the power of electricity. We all know that electricity can kill us if misused, but we don't run from it or avoid the benefits it can offer. We still plug in our appliances and turn on our air conditioning in the summer. When there is a power outage and the electricity goes off, we eagerly await its return. We appreciate its benefits and recognize that, in many ways, our lives depend upon its power and presence. It keeps our homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It prevents our food from spoiling. It provides light in the darkness and allows us to prepare meals and prolong our lives. We fear electricity when we treat it with proper care. We take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer, but with a constant awareness that it can be deadly if misused or without the proper precautions. 

The same is true of our relationship with God. We are not to take Him for granted or treat Him with disrespect. He is all-powerful and can be highly beneficial to our lives, but He deserves to be treated with reverential fear. Those who fear the LORD will be blessed, and it was the psalmist’s prayer that God-fearing people would continue to experience His many blessings for generations to come. 

May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
    May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
    May Israel have peace! – Psalm 128:5-6 NLT 

Father, You are all-powerful and worthy of our praise, honor, reverence, and fear. The Proverbs state that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Until we fully understand who You are and develop a healthy fear of Your holiness, we will never obey You properly. Our obedience will come from a sense of obligation or duty, but not from the heart. We will not appreciate Your mercy and grace and, therefore, we will not respond in thankfulness for all You have done. Open our eyes to see You clearly so that we might obey You more willingly. You bless those who fear You and for that I am grateful. Now, show me how to fear You the right way and for the right reasons. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD Has Done Great Things

A Song of Ascents.

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
    like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him. – Psalm 126:1-6 ESV

This psalm appears to have been written sometime after the Israelites returned from their captivity in Babylon under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. After conquering the Babylonians in 539 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus issued a decree allowing the former citizens of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. 

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” – Ezra 1:2-4 ESV

As the Persian king acknowledges, his decision was divinely ordained by “the LORD, the God of heaven.” Seventy years earlier, Yahweh had told his people that their captivity was imminent but that it would be followed by their return to the land. 

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:10-11 ESV

Yahweh kept His word and influenced Cyrus to use his royal powers not only to command the release of the Israelites but also to return all the plundered items taken from the Temple. 

King Cyrus himself brought out the articles that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods. Cyrus directed Mithredath, the treasurer of Persia, to count these items and present them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah. – Ezra 1:7-8 NLT

Yahweh also “stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD” (Ezra 7:5 NLT). The small remnant of Israelites who were moved by God to make the arduous journey back to Judah were assisted by their neighbors, who donated silver, gold, food, supplies, and livestock to support them on the journey. It is estimated that Zerubabbel led 50,000 Israelites back to Judah to begin the process of rebuilding the Temple and repopulating the city of Jerusalem. 

In 458 B.C., Ezra, a scribe and an expert in the Mosaic Law, led another contingent of 5,000 Jews back to Judah. By this time, the Temple had been rebuilt, but the people were unfamiliar with Yahweh's laws and the sacrificial system. 

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. – Ezra 7:8-10 NLT  

In 445 B.C., Nehemiah, who was serving as the cupbearer to the new Persian king, Artaxerxes, received a disturbing report about the state of affairs in Jerusalem. 

“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 NLT

Moved by this news, Nehemiah appealed to Yahweh for His divine intervention.

“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

“The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” – Nehemiah 1:8-11 NLT

Yahweh heard and answered Nehemiah's prayer, and prompted King Artaxerxes to sanction the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. 

It is unclear at what point during this nearly 100-year period the psalmist wrote his song of ascent, but he describes the initial return of the exiles as a dream-like experience. After 70 years in captivity, it must have been a surreal experience to enter the gates of Jerusalem. For many of them, this would have been their first time seeing the City of David, as they had been born in captivity. And despite the dilapidated conditions of the walls and buildings, they were filled with laughter and sang for joy (Psalm 126:2). Even the surrounding nations were stunned by the unexpected repatriation of Judah by the Israelites and recognized it as a divinely ordained event. “The LORD has done great things for them,” they exclaimed. 

But the psalmist recognizes that all is not well. The initial wave of enthusiasm gave way to concern over the less-than-ideal conditions in the land. While some of their neighbors praised Yahweh for His divine deliverance of His people, others were not so happy to have the Israelites back in the land. During the 70 years the people of Judah had been in exile, their lands, homes, and properties had been taken over by neighboring nations. Fearful that the Israelites would prosper and repopulate the land, their enemies sent a letter to King Artaxerxes, accusing the Israelites of insurrection.

“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.” – Ezra 4:12-13 NLT

These very same people had stringently opposed all the rebuilding efforts instituted by Zerrubabel and Nehemiah. But nothing they did curtailed the rebuilding of the Temple or the walls and gates of the city. This led them to seek Artaxerxes’ intervention. 

Their ploy worked because the king issued a decree ordering all rebuilding efforts to cease. This work stoppage would remain in effect until Darius ascended the throne in 520 B.C. He reinstituted Cyrus’ original decree and authorized the Jews to continue their restoration of the Temple and the city.

The psalmist’s words seem to reflect the sadness that accompanied the initial joy of returning to the land. He prays, “Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!” (Psalm 126:4 NLT). Their return had been met with opposition, and the taunts and accusations of their enemies had turned their joys to tears. But he continued to trust in Yahweh's faithfulness.

Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy! – Psalm 126:5 NLT

He acknowledges that the days ahead will be difficult, but he expresses his conviction that Yahweh will have the final say. Their enemies can shout, scream, threaten, and write letters of accusation, but Yahweh is sovereign over all. The same God who moved the hearts of Cyrus, Artaxerxes, and Darius would ensure their success and secure their future.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,
    but they sing as they return with the harvest. – Psalm 126:6 NLT

It is easy to see why this psalm was one of the songs of ascent. It expresses a confidence in Yahweh that every generation of Israelites needed to hear and embrace. The enemies of Israel would always be there. The opposition to Yahweh's power and the existence of His people would never dissipate. The Israelites’ return to the land had been a wonderful, God-ordained experience. It was a joy to no longer be in exile, but that did not mean the troubles and trials of life were over. 

One of the things the Israelites had to contend with was their own culpability for their suffering. They couldn't blame all their problems on their enemies. The whole reason they had gone into exile in the first place was because of their sinfulness. Now that Yahweh had returned them to the land, they would need to do more than rebuild the house of God; they would need to clean house. Ezra recognized the seriousness of the problem and called the people to repentance.

“But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

“And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands!” – Ezra 9:8-10 NLT

They were back in the land and had rebuilt the Temple, but they were still living in open rebellion against Yahweh. Seventy years had passed, but nothing had changed. Ezra knew that the blessings of God would mean little if the people refused to change their ways. 

“O LORD, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence.” – Ezra 9:15 NLT

Any attempts to renovate the Temple and restore the city would be futile if the people refused to repent and return to the LORD. The dream would turn into a nightmare if God’s people failed to learn the lessons of the past. However, Ezra's prayer had a profound impact on the people. They responded appropriately, saying, “We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope for Israel” (Ezra 10:2 NLT).

There is always hope because Yahweh is faithful. He is loving, gracious, patient, and forgiving. But He requires repentant hearts and a willingness to submit to His will. All the way back at the dedication of the Temple, God had made a promise to Solomon.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

And that promise still stood. The LORD would forgive their sins and restore their fortunes if they would only return to Him in repentance and humility.

Father, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You never change and You never fail to keep Your promises. Thank You for this reminder that I can trust You at all times. And thank You for reminding me that You still expect obedience, humility, and faithfulness from Your covenant people. Forgive me for demanding restoration and reward without repentance. I confess that, far too often, I cheapen Your amazing grace by treating it with contempt and taking it for granted. Help me live in keeping with who You are and who You have called me to be. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Faithful God

A Song of Ascents.

1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the LORD surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
    on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
    and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
    the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel! – Psalm 125:1-5 ESV

In this song of ascent, the psalmist uses Mount Zion as a symbol of Israel’s unique status as God's chosen people. But his focus is on those who “trust in the LORD.” He describes the faithful and trustworthy as being like Mount Zion, the location of Jerusalem. This spot on earth was sacred to the Israelites because it housed Yahweh’s Temple and was considered His dwelling place on earth. After Solomon had dedicated the newly built Temple, he received a word from Yahweh, assuring him that the LORD’s presence would always abide there.

“I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.” – 1 Kings 9:3 ESV

So, when the psalmist states, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,” he is reminding them of their status as Yahweh’s “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). Throughout their history, the Israelites had heard Yahweh affirm their unique status as His covenant people.

For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. – Deuteronomy 7:6 NLT

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure. – Psalm 135:4 NLT

“The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.” – Deuteronomy 26:18-19 NLT

But notice Moses’ emphasis on obedience. They were to be a covenant-keeping people. That is what the psalmist means by “those who trust in the LORD.” Trust requires faith, and faith demands obedience. Moses instructed the Israelites to obey all of Yahweh's commands, not just some of them. They were to be faithful to Him alone and faithfully live up to His holy standards, and if they did, they would “receive praise, honor, and renown.” 

The Israelites were to be holy and set apart, just as Yahweh's Temple was. In fact, the only thing that made the Temple unique was the faithful adherence of Yahweh's covenant people as they obeyed His commands concerning the sacrificial system. The Temple was holy, but could only remain so as long as the people who worshiped there lived holy, set-apart lives. However, the Israelites had a track record of disobedience, and, at one point, God accused them of going through the motions when it came to their worship.  

“I hate all your show and pretense—
    the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
    I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
    an endless river of righteous living.” – Amos 5:21-24 NLT

During the reign of Josiah, God warned the people of Judah that He was weary of their apostasy and idolatry. Even though Josiah had instituted many reforms aimed at restoring the faithfulness of God's people, Yahweh warned, “I will also banish Judah from my presence just as I have banished Israel. And I will reject my chosen city of Jerusalem and the Temple where my name was to be honored” (2 Kings 23:27 NLT). 

Yet, during the days of Isaiah, Yahweh spoke of redeeming His disobedient people and restoring the glory of Jerusalem. 

“And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” – Isaiah 62:12 NLT

And that is the point of this psalm. While the Israelites were directly linked to Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem, Yahweh is compared to the mountains that surrounded the City of David.

Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever. – Psalm 125:2 NLT

“Mount Zion is not the highest peak in the mountain range around Jerusalem. To its east lies the Mount of Olives, to its north Mount Scopus, to the west and south are other hills, all of which are higher than Mount Zion. Surrounded by mountains, Mount Zion was secure, by its natural defensibility. So the psalmist compares the Lord to the hills around Jerusalem and the people to Mount Zion.” – Willem A.  VanGemeren, "Psalms." In Psalms-Song of Songs. Vol. 5 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary

As significant as Mount Zion was, it would be nothing without the terrain that surrounded it. What made it so impregnable was its location. In the same way, the people of Israel were significant because of their relationship with Yahweh. Without Him, they would be just another people group. What set them apart was Yahweh's strength and stability. Like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, the God of Israel was an immovable and reliable source of security for His people. In one of his psalms, Asaph described Yahweh as more resiliant and dependable than the mountains themselves.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!  – Psalm 46:1-3 NLT

At one point in Israel's history, God allowed the Temple to be destroyed by the Babylonians. It was part of His cleansing of the land, as He purged the wickedness from Judah. Yahweh used the Babylonians to destroy the city of Jerusalem, desecrate His House, and deport His disobedient people into captivity. Yet, despite their unfaithfulness, Yahweh remained faithful.

Long before the fall of Jerusalem, the psalmist optimistically wrote, “The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong” (Psalm 125:3 NLT). But he would be proved wrong. The day came when God allowed the wicked to rule the land of the godly. The Babylonians conquered Judah and placed its people under their dominion. For 70 years, the Israelites would be subjected to the whims of their Babylonian overlords. The land would become desolate, and the city of Jerusalem would be uninhabitable and inhospitable to life, all because the chosen people of God had chosen to be unfaithful. 

Unaware of the dark events that lie in Israel's future, the psalmist begs God to spare them from tragedy.

O LORD, do good to those who are good,
    whose hearts are in tune with you.
But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD.
    Take them away with those who do evil. – Psalm 125:4-5 NLT

In a way, the psalmist's prayer was answered. God did banish those who turn to crooked ways. Yahweh purged the land of wickedness when He ordained the fall of Jerusalem. This was in keeping with the warning He gave to Moses and the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land.

“You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.

“All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now.” – Leviticus 18:26-28 NLT

Yahweh, the faithful One, was forced to deal with His unfaithful people. The powerful protector became their judge, jury, and executioner. 

“You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. And now the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever.” – Jeremiah 25:7-9 NLT

But despite Yahweh’s judgment and punishment of His disobedient people, He would not abandon them forever. In the Book of Jeremiah, the prophet records Yahweh's promise to keep His covenant commitment to His people. He will one day return them to the land and restore His relationship with them. 

“When I bring Israel home again from captivity
    and restore their fortunes,
Jerusalem will be rebuilt on its ruins,
    and the palace reconstructed as before.
There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving,
    and I will multiply my people, not diminish them;
I will honor them, not despise them.” – Jeremiah 30:18-19 NLT

This promise was partially fulfilled when a remnant of Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. But the final phase of its fulfillment lies in the future. 

The prophet Isaiah foretold of this event when he delivered this message from Yahweh concerning Israel's future redemption and restoration. 

Go out through the gates!
    Prepare the highway for my people to return!
Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
    raise a flag for all the nations to see.
The LORD has sent this message to every land:
    “Tell the people of Israel,
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
    See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
They will be called “The Holy People”
    and “The People Redeemed by the LORD.”
And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”
    and “The City No Longer Forsaken.” – Isaiah 62:10-12 NLT

The Savior is coming. Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world, will one day return to earth and complete the redemptive plan of His Heavenly Father. That will include the restoration of Israel and the redemption of His covenant people. At the second coming of Jesus, the fate of Israel will be finalized, and it will answer the psalmist’s prayer for God to “do good to those who are good” and “banish those who turn to crooked ways” (Psalm 125:4-5 NLT). 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:1-4 ESV

Father, You are like the mountains surrounding Mount Zion. You are firm, unchanging, reliable, and trustworthy. You provide protection and security to those You call Your own, and while we so often prove unfaithful and disobedient, You remain unchanging in Your commitments to us. You love us unconditionally. You provide for us abundantly. You put up with us patiently. And You keep Your promises to us faithfully. Thank You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Revelation of God

Ayin

121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the LORD to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.

Pe

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man's oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.

Tsadhe

137 Righteous are you, O LORD,
and right are your rules.
138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140 Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is true.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live. – Psalm 119:121-144 ESV

While the psalmist continues his practice of using three new letters of the Hebrew alphabet to start each sentence of these three sections, his theme remains unchanged. In fact, one might say he is somewhat repetitive. These three strophes contain little in the way of new information but simply reiterate and reinforce his overall message. 

He begins by defending his faithful adherence to Yahweh's commands. He is not claiming sinless perfection but is declaring his commitment to make the word of the LORD his highest priority. In his mind, he has done nothing to deserve judgment or punishment for disobedience.

Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies,
for I have done what is just and right. – Psalm 119:121 NLT  

Yet, he finds himself oppressed by arrogant people who violate the instructions of the LORD. These law-breakers are making his life miserable, and he can think of nothing he has done to deserve their wrath. He continues to be perplexed by Yahweh's delay in providing deliverance.  

My eyes strain to see your rescue,
to see the truth of your promise fulfilled.– Psalm 119:123 NLT

There is a sense of urgency in his words. Like a watchman on a tower, he strains his eyes scanning the horizon for some sign of his rescuer’s arrival. From his study of the Scriptures, he knows that Yahweh is faithful and redeems His people from their troubles. He has read the passages that speak of Yahweh's lovingkindness.

“I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” – Exodus 20:6 NLT

“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” – Exodus 34:6-7 NLT

So, he begs Yahweh, “Deal with me in unfailing love” (Psalm 119:124 NLT). But even as he waits for Yahweh's intervention, he desires to grow in his understanding of Yahweh's words and ways.

…give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies! – Psalm 119:125 ESV

The word “testimonies” is another synonym for the Ten Commandments. In Hebrew, it is the word ʿēḏûṯ, and it speaks of God's witness two His divine character through His righteous Law. The Book of Exodus often refers to the Ten Commandments as the Tablets of Testimony.

And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. – Exodus 31:18 ESV

In a sense, the tablets “testified” to Yahweh's expectations of His people. They contained the written code of conduct that would set them apart as His chosen people. The words covenant and testimony refer to the conditional agreement made between God and the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. 

God’s commands were clear, concise, and etched in stone, but that didn't mean His people understood or obeyed them. That is why the psalmist repeatedly asks Yahweh to teach him so that he might understand His testimony. He knew God's laws were far more than imperatives and prohibitions to be obeyed; they were a witness to God's glory and goodness. Each command revealed some aspect of Yahweh's character and was designed to aid the Israelites in their understanding of and appreciation for His holiness. 

The psalmist knew the Ten Commandments were more than a list of shalls and shall-nots. Yahweh had given His commands, not to see if the Israelites could live up to them, but to expose their sinfulness and their need for His help. The apostle Paul would later write, “Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins” (Galatians 3:19 NLT). He explained to the believers in Rome, “Am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet’” (Romans 7:7 NLT). 

The psalmist wanted to look behind the curtain and understand the purpose behind God's commands. Why had God forbidden coveting, adultery, lying, and stealing? If an ungodly person refrained from adultery, did that suddenly make them godly? Was a relationship with God based solely on one's ability to adhere to a set of rules? The psalmist knew there had to be more to it than that. He wasn’t satisfied with knowing God's commands; he wanted to understand them.

The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.– Psalm 119:130 ESV

The psalmist was a simple man who longed to know Yahweh better. He was doing everything he could to live up to Yahweh's exacting standards, but he somehow knew that was not enough. Law-keeping did not necessarily produce a knowledge of and love for God. So, he begged Yahweh to be His teacher, enlightening him to the more profound truths hidden within the word. 

Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes. – Psalm 119:135 ESV

The psalmist longed for enlightenment. He knew that God’s revelation required explanation. Adherence to a list of commands was not enough. Knowing what God expected of His people was not the same as understanding the why behind it. The Israelites prided themselves on their knowledge of God's word. They were well-versed in the stories of Scripture and able to recite God's commands. But according to God, their hearts were far from Him. 

“These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

Because they knew God's laws and half-heartedly attempted to keep them, they claimed to have a relationship with Him. They boasted in their status as God's chosen people. They took great pride in their knowledge of His law. They bragged about the many blessings He had showered on them as His treasured possession. But Yahweh warned them that they had missed the forest for the trees. 

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV

The psalmist wanted to know God. He longed for an intimate and personal relationship with the Lawmaker. While he might not be able to grasp the intricacies of God's laws, he was convinced of the integrity of the One behind them.

O LORD, you are righteous,
    and your regulations are fair.
Your laws are perfect
    and completely trustworthy. – Psalm 119:137-138 NLT

Your justice is eternal,
    and your instructions are perfectly true. – Psalm 119:142 NLT

He understood that the law was an extension of the Lawmaker. They were a means to an end, not the end itself. The laws were not the point – God was. But he loved God’s commands because they revealed God's justice, righteousness, lovingkindness, patience, and power. As he searched the Scriptures, he saw examples of God's faithfulness and love. As he examined his own life, he could see proof of God’s presence and power. Yahweh had a track record of faithfulness. 

Your promises have been thoroughly tested;
    that is why I love them so much. – Psalm 119:140 NLT

So, despite his less-than-ideal circumstances and his far-from-perfect adherence to God's commands, he remained committed to pursuing obedience and seeking understanding. 

As pressure and stress bear down on me,
    I find joy in your commands.
Your laws are always right;
    help me to understand them so I may live. – Psalm 119:143-144 NLT

Difficulties have a way of breeding disobedience. When things don't go as planned, we tend to replace God's will with our own. Disappointed in God's failure to deliver results, we devise our own strategy for success. We bend the rules or reject them altogether. We compromise our convictions and cut corners. We make spiritual concessions and choose worldly means to solve our problems. But the psalmist encourages us to stay the course and remain faithful to God's word. He promotes commitment over compromise and obedience over abandonment of God's commands. 

Knowing God is the key. Trials can either draw us to God or away from Him. Life's difficulties can reveal His presence and serve as opportunities to experience His power, or they can drive us to seek our own path. The psalmist would remind us of this timeless truth found in God's word. 

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
 – Proverbs 14:12 ESV 

Father, like the psalmist, I want to know You better. I want to grow in my knowledge of Your will and ways, and You have chosen to reveal Yourself through Your word. Give me an ever-increasing love for the Scriptures because they reveal You. As Jesus Himself said, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39 NLT). The Scriptures are a means to an end and You are that end. I want to understand and know You better with each passing day. I want to discover the truth of who You are in the revelation You have provided. Produce in me a growing love for Your word so I will grow in my knowledge of You. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power to Obey

Daleth

25 My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
    let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!

He

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
    that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,
    for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts;
    in your righteousness give me life!

Waw

41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,
    your salvation according to your promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    for my hope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
    forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk in a wide place,
    for I have sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
    and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
    which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will meditate on your statutes. – Psalm 119:25-48 ESV

The psalmist's life was anything but easy. Following Yahweh's law had not guaranteed him a trouble-free life or provided him with immunity from sin and sorrow. He flatly states, “My soul clings to the dust” (Psalm 119:25 ESV), describing his current state of mourning. He provides no specifics as to his predicament, but adds, “My soul melts away for sorrow” (Psalm 119:28 ESV). He is struggling with deep depression and reaches out to Yahweh for help and healing.

“Revive me by your word,” he pleads (Psalm 119:25 NLT) because he is filled with doubts and doing battle with his own inner demons. False ideas fill his mind, and wrong conclusions about his problems wreak havoc with his self-confidence. He can't seem to decide whether his pain is self-induced or the result of disobedience to God's commands. Is he being punished for his sins or simply reaping the consequences for his unfaithfulness?

It almost seems he is grasping at straws as he searches for an explanation to his dilemma. He even brings up the love of money and materialism.

Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word. – Psalm 119:36-37 NLT

This is a man in turmoil, who longs to be restored to a right relationship with Yahweh. But he knows the key to his restoration is found in God’s commands.

…revive me by your word – vs 25 (NLT)

…encourage me by your word – vs 28 (NLT)

…give me the privilege of knowing your instructions – vs 29 (NLT)

Teach me your decrees – vs 33 (NLT)

Give me understanding – vs 34 (NLT)

Make me walk along the path of your commands – vs 35 (NLT)

Give me an eagerness for your laws – vs 36 (NLT)

…give me life through your word – vs 37  (NLT)    

The psalmist knows that something is missing. He understands the value of God's decrees but seeks more than mental assent to a set of regulations. Knowing God's laws and keeping them are not the same thing. Knowing what God commands is useless if the heart doesn't grasp the why behind it. That’s why he pleads, “Help me understand the meaning of your commandments” (Psalm 119:27 NLT) and “expand my understanding” (Psalm 119:32 NLT). 

Laws can do little to regulate the lives of those who fail to comprehend their underlying purpose. Without understanding why God gave His statutes, men will always view them as restrictive and repressive. They will become a burden rather than a delight. But the psalmist inherently knew God's laws were not just a list of prohibitions to be obeyed; they could bring joy, pleasure, peace, comfort, security, and an overwhelming sense of God's presence and delight.

That is why the psalmist says, “I have determined to live by your regulations” (Psalm 119:30 NLT). He claims to cling to them like a drowning man grasps a life preserver. He pursues them with a vengeance because he comprehends their value. He knows true happiness is found only when one obeys God's commands. Disobedience doesn't bring delight. Freedom from the law doesn't emancipate or make one the master of one's fate; it enslaves and entraps. The apostle Paul understood this reality and warned the believers in Rome not to allow their desire for freedom to end up enslaving them to sin.

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. – Romans 6:16-18 NLT

The psalmist also understood the danger of pursuing freedom at all costs.

Help me abandon my shameful ways;
    for your regulations are good.
I long to obey your commandments!
    Renew my life with your goodness. – Psalm 119:39-40 NLT

He knew that God's laws were good, holy, and had a divine purpose behind them. They were not a set of arbitrary rules designed to restrict and repress, or the sadistic musings of some cosmic kill-joy intent on keeping humanity from having a good time. They were the gracious gift of a good God who longed for His children to experience His blessings by living according to His holy standards. Once again, the apostle Paul provides insight into man's love-hate relationship with God's law. 

…it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. – Romans 7:7-12 NLT

The psalmist was content to give Yahweh the benefit of the doubt. He didn't fully understand all that was going on in his life, but he knew that the answer was to be found in the law, not apart from it. He longed to experience God’s love as salvation from his doubt, despair, and difficulties.

LORD, give me your unfailing love,
    the salvation that you promised me. – Psalm 119:41 NLT

His salvation would be found in keeping the law. But to keep the law, he would need help. He described God's laws as his only hope (vs 43) and understood Yahweh was his only source of help to live obediently. This entire psalm is a tribute to the efficacy and integrity of God's law and a declaration of the psalmist's commitment to remaining obedient in the face of opposition and uncertainty.

I will keep on obeying your instructions
    forever and ever.
I will walk in freedom,
    for I have devoted myself to your commandments. – Psalm 119:44-45 NLT  

This anonymous psalmist represents all God’s children who have ever wrestled with doubts concerning God's commands. Even New Testament believers, who embrace the doctrine that they have been set free from the law of sin and death, wrestle with the concept of obedience. When they hear Jesus say, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT), they question the validity of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus’ words sound a lot like works, and it doesn't help when He later states, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me” (John 14:21 NLT).

The disciples wrestled with Jesus’ words because they did not yet have the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. In fact, Jesus told them their ability to obey would be made possible through the Spirit's power.

“All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.…when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:23-24, 26 NLT

But even with the power of the Spirit of God present within him, the apostle Paul described the ongoing state of confusion and conflict that would plague the life of every believer, including himself.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. – Romans 7:21-25 NLT

But Paul knew that Jesus was the solution to his ongoing sin problem. Jesus was not just the source of salvation, but also of being restored to a right relationship with God the Father. He was the key to our ongoing sanctification, the transformation of our lives into His own likeness as we live in obedience to His commands in the power of the Holy Spirit. For the psalmist and Paul, obedience was the key to God's blessing, and God was the key to obedience, so none of us might be tempted to boast (Ephesians 2:9). 

Father, You demand obedience but You also supply the power. Your law is not onerous or impossible; it is holy, righteous, and good. And while we are incapable of keeping it in our own strength, You sent Your Son to live according to Your law – without sin. He kept every aspect of Your law. He was fully obedient at all times, even to the point of suffering death on the cross in keeping with Your will for Him. And because He obeyed and we believed, we have received His righteousness. We are made new and fully acceptable to You. Not only that, we have received the presence and power of Your Spirit, empowering us to live obediently to Your commands – not perfectly but persistantly and willingly. With the psalmist I pray, “Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good.
I long to obey your commandments!” (Psalm 119:39-40 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The ABCs of God's Word

Alef

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
    who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
    to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
    in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
    when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
    do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD;
    teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

Gimel

17 Deal bountifully with your servant,
    that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am a sojourner on the earth;
    hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with longing
    for your rules at all times.
21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
    who wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
    they are my counselors. – Psalm 119:1-24 ESV 

This anonymous psalm contains 175 verses, making it the longest chapter in the Bible. Another unique feature of this psalm is its acrostic arrangement around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The author has painstakingly arranged each set of eight verses around a different Hebrew letter, with the first word of each verse beginning with that letter. Verses 1-8 start with the letter aleph, verses 9-16 begin with the letter beth, and verses 17-24 use the letter gimel. This pattern continues to the final eight verses, which feature the letter taw. 

This acrostic arrangement could have served as a catechismal tool, providing an easy-to-remember format for teaching doctrinal truth to children. The author uses a variety of synonyms throughout the psalm to encourage obedience to and reverence for God's word.

• The law 

• Testimonies

• Way(s)

• Precepts

• Statutes

• Commandments

• Rules

• Word

• Works

• Promises

Each of these synonyms refers to God's spoken word as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, which included the Law and the Prophets. The Law was how the Israelites referred to the books written by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Prophets includes the prophetic and poetic books that form the rest of the Old Testament. In his gospel account, Luke records the journey of two of Jesus’ dejected disciples who were making their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They had just witnessed the death of Jesus and were mourning their loss when suddenly, Jesus appeared before them. At first, they failed to recognize Him, but when they finally realized they were talking to their resurrected Rabbi, they were shocked. This led Jesus to gently rebuke them, saying, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26 NLT). Then Luke adds, “Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NLT). 

So, when the psalmist refers to “the word” of God, he speaks of the Old Testament, the same Scriptures Jesus used to instruct His two disciples on the road to Emmaus. But his emphasis on the Word should not be mistaken for worship of the Word. The psalmist goes out of his way to use synonyms that illustrate the spoken word of God. The Israelites believed that the Law of Moses was received directly from Yahweh on Mount Sinai. It was divinely inspired and, therefore, sacred. The prophets spoke on behalf of Yahweh, having been called and commissioned by Him to declare His message of repentance to His people. But Yahweh also “spoke” through His actions, demonstrating His power, holiness, and transcendence through His “wondrous ways.” 

Yahweh wasn’t just a character from the stories recorded on ancient scrolls. He was the living God who made Himself known through creation and His mighty acts of judgment and deliverance. He made promises and kept them because He is trustworthy and true. He gave laws and expected them to be obeyed because He is righteous and just. He provided rules for living because He was sovereign, all-wise, and knew what was best for His children. 

This entire psalm is one man's testimony to Yahweh's praiseworthiness. For 176 verses, covering every one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the psalmist encourages unbridled worship of Yahweh in the form of willing obedience. 

Joyful are people of integrity,
    who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
    and search for him with all their hearts. – Psalm 119:1-2 NLT

He expresses his own longing to live in keeping with the laws of God, but acknowledges his incapacity to do so.

Oh, that my actions would consistently
    reflect your decrees! – Psalm 119:5 NLT

He makes a personal promise to do everything in his power to remain obedient but confesses that he may need help.

As I learn your righteous regulations,
    I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your decrees.
    Please don’t give up on me! – Psalm 119:7-8 NLT

In the second set of eight verses, the psalmist admits how difficult it is for sinful man to live up to Yahweh's holy standards. He opens verse eight with the proverbial question: “How can a young person stay pure?” The psalmist would have been well acquainted with the psalm of David.

The LORD looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 14:2-3 NLT

He would have also known about the prophet Isaiah's less-than-flattering assessment of humanity.

We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
    and our sins sweep us away like the wind. – Isaiah 64:6 NLT

When he asked how any young man might live a pure life, he already knew the answer: Obedience to the word of God. Purity wasn't self-determined and could not be self-produced. Left to their own devices, sinful men and women will follow the desires of their sin-prone hearts. The prophet Jeremiah provided a stark assessment of the human heart.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9 BSB

And the Book of Proverbs describes the futility of pursuing self-purification.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”? – Proverbs 20:9 BSB

The psalmist knew that his only hope was in the Word of Yahweh.

I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11 NLT

This is about more than inculcating knowledge or storing up information. It's about life change that comes through heart transformation. The psalmist knew from experience that behavior modification was not enough. Reformed habits were not a long-term solution to a sinful heart. 

For the psalmist, the law was a means of knowing Yahweh better. Like creation, Yahweh's Word was intended to be a revelation of Himself. His righteous statutes, commands, and precepts were designed to reflect His holiness. When God gave the law to Moses, He told him, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2 NLT). 

The written law was a reflection of Yahweh's character. It was the code of conduct He required of His chosen people. They were to live set-apart and distinctively different lives from the nations around them. In living in obedience to His commands, they would reflect their status as His treasured possession. Their lives would mirror His glory and righteousness to a world mired in darkness and sin.

In the third set of eight verses, the psalmist acknowledges his dependence upon Yahweh. Not only does he need Yahweh's Word, but he also requires Yahweh's help to understand and obey it.

Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.
I am only a foreigner in the land.
    Don’t hide your commands from me! – Psalm 119:18-19 NLT

He doesn't gloat in his set-apart status as a child of God or boast in his identity as a descendant of Abraham. Instead, he refers to himself as a foreigner, an undeserving stranger who needed Yahweh's help to know and obey His commands. This mindset is starkly different from that of the Jews with whom Jesus spoke and recorded by John in his gospel account. 

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32 NLT

Notice that Jesus ties true discipleship with obedience to His Word or teachings. He offers His audience freedom in exchange for faith in His words concerning Himself. Jesus would later claim, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:6-7 NLT). He was the Living Word that provided access to the Father and the power to live in obedience to His commands. 

But the Jews to whom Jesus spoke took exception with His words.

“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” – John 8:33 NLT

They were cocky and bit overconfident in their status as God's chosen people. They took great pride in their heritage as Abraham's descendants and viewed themselves as Yahweh's treasured possession.  Yet, Jesus was unsparing in His assessment of their true status.

“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” – John 8:34-38 NLT

Even in Jesus' day, the Jews put a higher value on their inheritance than on obedience. Their status as Jews was of more importance than Yahweh's command to obey. Jesus was speaking the words of His Father, but they refused to hear and obey. They prided themselves on their adherence to the Mosaic Law, but Jesus had come to fulfill the law and the prophets. He was the latest revelation of God. According to the opening lines of John's gospel, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14 NLT).

Long before Jesus appeared in human form, the psalmist wrestled with a desire to know and understand God's truth. He desperately desired to obey God's Word as revealed through the Scriptures. But he knew how difficult this could be.

You rebuke the arrogant;
    those who wander from your commands are cursed. – Psalm 119:21 NLT

Despite setbacks, personal attacks, and struggles with disobedience and unfaithfulness, the psalmist remained committed to knowing and keeping God's word. He also knew that any attempts to obey were hopeless without God's help.

Even princes sit and speak against me,
    but I will meditate on your decrees.
Your laws please me;
    they give me wise advice. – Psalm 119:23-24 NLT

He didn't view God's commands as onerous or burdensome. They were a delight because they reflected God's wisdom, glory, goodness, and power. God's laws were a window into His very nature, providing earth-bound humans with a glimpse into His majesty, holiness, grace, and mercy. As the psalmist will later confess, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NLT).

Father, I love Your Word because it reveals You. When I open Your Word, I get a glimpse into Your character, a reminder of Your power, and encouragement that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are the unchanging, all-powerful, gracious, and merciful One who saves, sanctifies, redeems, restores, loves, and disciplines. Your written Word and the Living Word reveal You in all Your glory. Give me a greater desire to know both better so that I might obey You more readily and willingly. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Blessing and Obedience

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
    he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
    eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
    noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
    feet, but do not walk;
    and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.

12 The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD,
    both the small and the great.

14 May the LORD give you increase,
    you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the LORD's heavens,
    but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,
    nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
    from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 115:1-18 ESV 

The anonymous author of this psalm opens with a prayer requesting Yahweh to glorify His own name for His own sake. While this petition sounds selfless and focused on God's glory alone, the request has an ulterior motive. The psalmist is asking Yahweh to reveal His unfailing love and faithfulness for His chosen people by performing an act of divine intervention. Some unforeseen situation has taken place that requires a literal act of God, and the psalmist unashamedly begs Yahweh to do the impossible. 

Whatever their dilemma, the psalmist was willing to let Yahweh get all the glory for delivering His people. They needed help, not credit. In a blatant attempt to appeal to Yahweh’s pride, the psalmist poses a hypothetical scenario in the form of a question.

Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?” – Psalm 115:2 ESV

He suggests that any inaction on God's part will come across as impotence to their pagan neighbors. These idol worshipers will view Israel’s God as powerless in the face of their superior deity. If Yahweh doesn’t do something spectacular and sooner rather than later, their enemies will end up mocking Him and glorifying their own gods. 

The psalmist knew that Yahweh was a jealous God who refused to share His glory with anyone or anything else. The prophet Isaiah had recorded Yahweh’s unequivocal perspective on the matter. 

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.” – Isaiah 42:8 NLT

When He gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Yahweh clarified His views on idol worship. 

“You must not have any other god but me.

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” – Deuteronomy 5:7-9 NLT

Almost as if he is trying to prove his allegiance to Yahweh, the psalmist provides his personal opinion on the idiocy of idolatry.

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear,
    and noses but cannot smell.
They have hands but cannot feel,
    and feet but cannot walk,
    and throats but cannot make a sound.
And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them. – Psalm 115:4-8 NLT

Unlike Yahweh, who is all-powerful and not of this earth, these lifeless manmade statues are mute, blind, and completely impotent. They are the figment of a man's imagination and the work of his hands, and Yahweh ridiculed the pagan nations that placed their hope in these harmless and helpless symbols of hope. 

“Their ways are futile and foolish.
    They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
They decorate it with gold and silver
    and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
    so it won’t fall over.
Their gods are like
    helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
    and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
    for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” – Jeremiah 10:3-5 NLT  

Yet, the psalmist knew that his own people were guilty of trusting in the false gods of their enemies. Apostasy and idolatry had been an ongoing problem within the nation of Israel from the very beginning. That is why he addresses the Israelites directly and challenges them to place their hope in the one true God: Yahweh.

O Israel, trust the LORD!
    He is your helper and your shield.
O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the LORD!
    He is your helper and your shield.
All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD!
    He is your helper and your shield. – Psalm 115:9-11 NLT

He knew Yahweh would not act if His covenant people remained stubbornly disobedient and unfaithful. So, he calls on the people and the priests to repent and return to Yahweh. If they wanted to see the LORD’s salvation, they would need to treat Him with the dignity and honor He deserved. 

Long before the people of Israel set foot in the land of Canaan, Yahweh had warned them to remain faithful to the covenant commitment they had made with Him. Moses left nothing to the imagination when he declared the non-negotiable conditions of the covenant. 

“The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, just as he promised.” – Deuteronomy 26:18-19 NLT

That is the point the psalmist had in mind when he wrote: “The LORD remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the LORD, both great and lowly” (Psalm 115:12-13 NLT). Obedience brings blessing. If the Israelites wanted to see God act, they would need to obey. If they wanted to experience the blessings of God, they would need to treat Him with honor and respect. 

While this psalm opens up by addressing Yahweh directly, its message is aimed at the disobedient and disengenuous people of God. The entire discussion about idols was for their benefit and intended to remind them of the futility of placing their hope in anything or anyone other than Yahweh, “the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 115:15 NLT). 

It seems likely that the psalmist had Deuteronomy 28 in mind when he penned the words of his song.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields
    will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
    will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
    will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
    will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
    you will be blessed.” – Deuteronomy 28:1-6 NLT

They had experienced Yahweh's blessings over the years. But now they faced an uncertain future because they had been unfaithful to their covenant commitments. But it was not too late. They could change their ways. They could reverse course. All that was required was repentance, a rejection of their false gods, and a return to their commitment to worship Yahweh alone. And to drive home his point, the psalmist gives them the choice between death and sold-out devotion to their God.

The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD,
    for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
But we can praise the LORD
    both now and forever!

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 115:17-18 NLT

Continued disobedience would bring God's judgment and, ultimately, death. But repentance would result in redemption and a restoration of God's covenant blessings. The choice was theirs. 

Father, we love to see You perform powerful acts of deliverance. We like reading the stories that record Your miraculous interventions on behalf of Your people. But we tend to forget that You desire faithfulness from those who bear Your name and benefit from Your goodness. We love the idea of unmerited favor and undeserved grace, but tend to take your favor for granted and cheapen your grace by treating it with contempt. Like the psalmist, we want to see You intervene on our behalf, but we fail to recognize that You still require obedience and sold-out worship from Your people. You remain a jealous God who will not tolerate unfaithfulness or spiritual infidelity. Show me how to live with expectation of Your power while maintaining a passion for Your glory. It seems odd to expect deliverance from the God we so often treat with disinterest. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.