2 Chronicles 9
- Summary
This chapter records the visit of a Queen from Sheba to King Solomon. She hadn't believed the reports of Solomon's wisdom, and so with a great show of her own importance and wealth she came to see him for herself. She evidently had many thoughts and questions in her heart which she poured out to him. Solomon was able to answer them all. Solomon's wisdom, combined with all his wealth, riches and grand living made her conclude that his men and servants must be very happy to live before him. But she also acknowledged the overruling sovereignty of God in setting Solomon on the throne and his love to his people, Israel.
The remainder of the chapter details the wealth that was brought to Solomon via trading, surrounding kings, and tribute which was brought yearly. It includes a description of the large golden shields and great throne which were made.
The chapter concludes with Solomon's death and introduction to the new King, his son, Rehoboam.
- Thoughts
I first wondered whether to write about the happiness of Solomon's men and servants, but as I progressed through the chapter I just kept thinking how all these riches were given to Solomon. I wondered if he forgot this, and then fell away from fully following God.
We see this from 1 Kings 3. God visits Solomon in a dream and asks him what he would like him to give him. Solomon expresses his feelings of inadequacy for being King of Israel and asks for wisdom and understanding to judge them. God tells him he will not only give him wisdom like has never been known or will be known after him, but also says he will give him that which he hasn't asked for - 'both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days'. This clearly shows us that all Solomon's wealth and grandeur was given to him.
But I know from my own heart, how quickly, when all starts going well, and I perhaps get praise, attention or commendation, that I almost immediately start getting proud and pleased with myself - forgetting that it was God that gave me my abilities and rewarded me - forgetting to give him the glory.
It reminds me of two verses:
Firstly, in Luke 17:9. A servant comes back to his master's house after working in the field. He isn't made a lot of and told to sit down and eat, but rather is expected to continue his work in serving his master, and then eat. He was just doing his job - what he had been told to do. In the same way when we see the rewards of our work, we should not get all puffed up about it - we are just doing that which has been given us to do. We should thank God for his rewards, as it was from him we got our skills and abilities to do that which has given us to be stewards of.
Secondly, in Proverbs 30:8-9, we read,
'Remove far from me vanity and lies; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain'.
It is thought that Solomon wrote the Proverbs - did he here recognise how pride in his wealth had led him to think he had 'made it', forgetting that the LORD had given it all to him? Had he consequently let himself be influenced by his heathen wives in their worship of other gods?
Certainly, when we have more than we need, there is a tendency to sit back and think that we don't need to worry any more. We don't feel such a need to pray to God. We think we can take care of ourselves. Doesn't this remind us of the rich man who wanted to follow Jesus? When Jesus told him to go away and sell all his riches, he went away sad. Perhaps he was trusting in them for his happiness and security. Perhaps he couldn't see that Jesus could give him a much better, eternal happiness.
Let us pray to be kept mindful of our stewardship of all we have been given, and enabled to give God the glory when all goes well. For some of us we also need to pray that fear of failure and man be taken away, that we may go forward, using the skills we have been given, to do that which God has put in our hearts.
Image taken by Leyy on Unsplash. Available at< https://unsplash.com/photos/Th2MisvdKr0> [Accessed on 12/10/2020]