Day 149: All is Vanity

Today's readings: 1 Kings 7, Ecclesiastes 1-2, and Psalm 5.

I. 1 Kings 7 describes the construction of Solomon's palace complex and the furnishing of the Temple after the Temple building itself is completed in the last chapter.

II. Ecclesiastes 1 opens with one of Scripture’s great reflections, essentially that everything we do in the world if solely of this world is vanity, or meaningless. We live, we die, and with the passage of time no one in this world will even know we existed.

In the next chapter, with the problem stated in the previous chapter, the Preacher conducts an experiment: can pleasure, wealth, achievement, or wisdom give man lasting happiness? He finds that the answer is no apart from God.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has some good commentary on this:

We need to keep in mind that one day no one on earth will even know our names. If we are living for a legacy to be remembered, this is vanity, meaningless. The ultimate point the preacher highlights is this: If we are living in this world simply for this world, it is meaningless. Time will erase everything if we are living apart from God. But there is more than time; there is more than this life. If our choices in this world matter in eternity, then our lives matter. Only if God exists and has a purpose for our lives do any of our choices matter at all. (p. 60)

III. Psalm 5 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A morning prayer for God's help. It contrasts evildoers, who have no right to stand before the Lord in his Temple, and the righteous, whose admittance to the sanctuary is due to the Lord's kindness and brings his blessing. As often in the Psalms, the sins of the Psalmist's enemies are sins of speech. (p. 835)

That's all for today!

Day 148: Solomon's Wealth

Today's readings: 1 Kings 6, 2 Chronicles 9, and Psalm 4.

I. 1 Kings 6 describes the construction of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, and parallels 2 Chronicles 3-4.

II. 2 Chronicles 9 recounts the climax and conclusion of Solomon's reign, his extraordinary wealth, international fame, and death. Most interesting to me was the story of the Queen of Sheba, who visited and put his God-given wisdom to the test. After he died, he was buried in the City of David, and his son Rehoboam took over as king of Israel.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has some good commentary on this:

Solomon built the Temple for the glory of the Lord. Now, though, we read that he amasses wealth for himself and his own glory. Here, we can ask whether Solomon is becoming an image of strength rather than actually being strong. We need to ask ourselves whether we are seeking to project an image of wisdom, holiness, or strength - rather than being truly wise, holy, or strong. (p. 58)

III. Psalm 4 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

Combines elements of a lament psalm and a psalm of trust. The Psalmist appeals to the Lord for vindication from false accusations that are made by his adversaries... The Psalmist admonishes enemies to examine themselves and repent. Paul quotes the Greek LXX version of this passage in Eph 4:26. (p. 835)

That's it for today! 

Day 147: Temple Worship

Today's readings: 1 Kings 5, 2 Chronicles 7-8, and Psalm 66.

I. 1 Kings 5 recounts how Solomon prepared to build the Temple, fulfilling what his father David had desired to do. This included making an alliance with Tyre and obtaining timber from them. Solomon also organized the labor for the materials in building the Temple.

II. 2 Chronicles 7 followed the completion and dedication of Solomon's Temple. It had two major events: God visibly accepted the Temple and then privately warned Solomon that covenant faithfulness matters more than the building itself. 

In the next chapter, Solomon puts his kingdom, especially its worship, into proper order. He did many construction projects to benefit the Israelites, and placed the surviving non-Israelite peoples under forced labor. He implemented David's liturgical organization for the Temple and cooperated with his ally in Tyre on maritime trade.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has some good commentary on this:

Though the Lord has given Solomon a direct warning to remain close to him, we know that he does not. Solomon takes foreign women as his wives, but instead of bringing them into the covenant, he allows them to continue to worship their false gods. This opens Solomon up to idolatry. The worship God desires is obedience. While Solomon is the wisest man in Israel, he is unwilling to be obedient to the Lord. There is only one way to love God: to obey him and love our neighbor. (p. 56)

III. Psalm 66 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A thanksgiving psalm. The speaker invites the world to sing of God's greatness; he celebrates God's gifts and miracles on behalf of Israel; he vows to offer the Lord sacrifices in gratitude; and he tells how the Lord rescued him from peril in answer to prayer. Even Gentiles are invited to bless the God of Israel. Note that the worship of God is expressed in both word and deed, song and sacrifice. (pp. 883-884)

That's all for today! 

Day 146: The Universal Church

Today's readings: 1 Kings 4, 2 Chronicles 6, and Psalm 65.

I. 1 Kings 4 recounts the organization and prosperity of King Solomon's reign after he became king. Basically, we learn of his main officials, the peace and prosperity in Israel during his reign, and the fame his wisdom gained.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has a rather puzzling note on this:

Solomon delegates his authority by selecting twelve men to serve as leaders in Israel. As Catholics, we can see ourselves as members of the universal Church; other times, though, we might think in more territorial or "parochial" ways - "I go to St. Martin's. I would never go to St. Luke's." While we belong to our parishes, we always need to remember that we belong to a universal Church. (p. 54)

I say "puzzling" because though the statement is correct, I am unsure of how this connects to 1 Kings 4.

II. 2 Chronicles 6 takes place immediately after the completion of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. This is established as the sole place of sacrifice. We also find one of the great prayers of the Old Testament, which strongly emphasizes God’s presence, the Temple, repentance, forgiveness, and intercessory prayer.

III. Psalm 65 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of praise. The Lord is acclaimed (1) for his mercy, which he grants to worshippers in the Temple, (2) for his power, which is revealed through his mighty acts of creation and redemption, and (3) for his goodness, which is manifest in the rains that produce a bountiful harvest. Creation itself gives praise because God's sovereignty is not confined to Israel or its capital but extends to the whole earth. (p. 883)

That's it for today!

Day 145: Solomon Builds the Temple

Today's readings: 1 Kings 3, 2 Chronicles 4-5, and Psalm 64.

I. 1 Kings 3 recounts how Solomon asked God for wisdom rather than wealth or power, to which the Lord responded by gifting him all three. One of the most famous demonstrations of Solomon's wisdom comes from his ruling between two women who disputed the motherhood of an infant (3:16-47). However, we also get some early hints that his reign will not be without problems. The first being his marriage to Pharaoh's daughter. That meant an entangling alliance with pagan Egypt and a mother of his children who herself was raised pagan. 

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has some good commentary on this:

For the first time, we begin to sense that Solomon, for all his wisdom. is going to do something unwise. The Lord has given Solomon the wisdom to know the difference between right and wrong, but he does not necessarily choose what is right over what is wrong. Like Solomon, we might know the right thing to do, but this does not mean that we will always do the right thing. We need God's grace both to know the truth and choose to live it. (p. 52)

II. 2 Chronicles 4 continues the account of the construction of the Temple, concentrating not on the building itself but on the objects used in its worship and sacrifices. The sacred furnishings are completed for the worship of God and placed in the Temple.

In the next chapter, the Temple was completed, the Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, and God made His presence known as the glory of God filled the Temple.

III. Psalm 64 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm. The speaker prays for God's protection against the treachery of enemies who plot to harm him with evil words - presumably by slanderous accusations. He is confident, not only of his innocence, but that God will dole out a fitting punishment on his persecutors. Then the righteous will rejoice that justice has been served. (p. 882)

That's all for today!

Day 144: David's Last Words

 Today's readings: 1 Kings 2, 2 Chronicles 2-3, and Psalm 62.

I. 1 Kings 2 recounts the final instructions of King David to his son Solomon and the beginning of Solomon's reign. David then dies. For the latter, Solomon has Adonijah executed after the latter made a final "power-play" for his throne. He also has Joab executed for his past murders and Shimei for breaking his oath not to leave Jerusalem. He removes Abiathar the priest from the priesthood, and finally, installs a new high priest along with a new military commander.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has some good commentary on what will come into play shortly: 

We often hear that children pay more attention to the example we set than the advice we offer. David advises Solomon to stay close to the Lord and heed his commands, but his example to his son was that of a divided heart and a distant father. We will soon see that Solomon follows his father's example rather than his advice. (p. 50)

What I really found interesting was this one when Bathsheba went to King Solomon:

In the previous chapter, we saw Bathsheba bow in the presence of David. Here, though, King Solomon rises to meet Bathsheba and bows to her. We read that there is a throne for her to the right of his. Since the king has many wives, his mother is the queen of the kingdom. The Church on earth and in heaven is the fulfillment of the kingdom of Israel. In this new kingdom, Jesus is the king and Mary is the queen. We give Mary honor - not worship - because Jesus himself gives her honor. 

II. 2 Chronicles 2 tells about how Solomon prepares to build the Temple, including the organization of the labor to be employed.

In the next chapter, with the preparation work done, the construction of the Temple is described. What was most striking to me is that the Temple is located on Mount Moriah, where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son Isaac on the Lord's command, only to stop when told to (Gen 22). 

III. Psalm 62 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of trust that bemoans how powerful people seek security for themselves by deceiving and taking advantage of others. They are misled, the Psalmist implies, since God is the only secure basis for our trust and happiness. No confidence can be placed in wealth and unjust gain. God, after all, will judge all according to their actions. (p. 881)

That's it for today! 

Day 143: Solomon Asks for Wisdom

 Today's readings: 1 Kings 1, 2 Chronicles 1, and Psalm 43.

I. 1 Kings 1 recounts the transition from David's reign to Solomon's as king of Israel. David is old and weak. Another son, Adonijah, tried to become king in place of Solomon, but ultimately failed. Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba interceded for Solomon. David intervened to see Solomon anointed and installed as king. I must say, David had many successes in his life, except when it came to his family. His sins caught up with him in his family life.

II. 2 Chronicles 1 begins Solomon’s reign and emphasizes that his kingship is established by God. It parallels 1 Kings 3, although Chronicles gives special attention to worship at the sanctuary in Gibeon. I do like how he starts off by asking God for wisdom, something a good leader needs. Yet, as the BIY Companion, Vol II, notes:

We might ask how Solomon starts out wise and later falls away from God. The problem begins when he starts amassing treasures. In direct disobedience to Deuteronomy, he collects horses from Egypt. While wisdom is a great virtue to have, obedience is more powerful. Disobedience to the Lord will be Solomon's downfall. All of us have been given gifts from God - but they mean nothing unless we use them to accomplish his will. (p. 48)

III. Psalm 43 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm. It may have originally formed the second half of Ps 42. The Psalmist's prayer is twofold: he asks that God would defend him from the scheming of evil men; and he asks that God would guide his steps back to the Temple and its joyful worship. (p. 866)

That's all for today!