The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 8:1-6,
"At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace, Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram had given him, and settled Israelites in them. Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath. He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled."
Not only did Solomon build the massive temple and his own grand palace, he engaged in these projects as well. In Ecclesiastes 2:4-9 he says of his accomplishments, "I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man's heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me."
In Solomon's wisdom, his assessment of all his accomplishments was, "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.
We might have an appreciation for his perspective, because what happened was that Solomon died and left it all to others. Those others lost it all as well as one generation passed it all to the next, and then eventually, when Jerusalem, Judea and all of Israel was destroyed several centuries later, it was all destroyed. While he may have enjoyed the fruits of his labor for a short time, the fact is that it all eventually vanished, "All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 2:17b.
I say we might have an appreciation for Solomon's perspective on the things he did, but we don't. We refuse the wisdom provided us from someone who had it all and could speak authoritatively on the amassing of wealth, etc. Solomon had it all, and as one who had it all, he turns back to the rest of us to say, "This is not where 'it' is at!", the very same thing George Harrison of the Beatles observed after they had attained amazing fame and fortune at a young age.
I am reminded of Jesus' words, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.
"At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the Lord and his own palace, Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram had given him, and settled Israelites in them. Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath. He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled."
Not only did Solomon build the massive temple and his own grand palace, he engaged in these projects as well. In Ecclesiastes 2:4-9 he says of his accomplishments, "I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man's heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me."
In Solomon's wisdom, his assessment of all his accomplishments was, "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.
We might have an appreciation for his perspective, because what happened was that Solomon died and left it all to others. Those others lost it all as well as one generation passed it all to the next, and then eventually, when Jerusalem, Judea and all of Israel was destroyed several centuries later, it was all destroyed. While he may have enjoyed the fruits of his labor for a short time, the fact is that it all eventually vanished, "All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 2:17b.
I say we might have an appreciation for Solomon's perspective on the things he did, but we don't. We refuse the wisdom provided us from someone who had it all and could speak authoritatively on the amassing of wealth, etc. Solomon had it all, and as one who had it all, he turns back to the rest of us to say, "This is not where 'it' is at!", the very same thing George Harrison of the Beatles observed after they had attained amazing fame and fortune at a young age.
I am reminded of Jesus' words, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.
Here is a great message to the "name it and claim it" crowd, the "health and wealth" folks in our midst. It is also a great message for me and you, a message to be reminded of from time to time. The purpose of this life is not to accumulate wealth or power to ourselves. The purpose of this life is to provide us an opportunity to join God's family for the wonderful things God has for us in the life that is to come. The purpose of this life is the very same as the OB ward at the hospital - we are here for a hopefully successful and healthy birth, that is, a successful and healthy rebirth.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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