Day 153: The Decline of Solomon

 Today's readings: 1 Kings 11, Ecclesiastes 10-12, and Psalm 9.

I. 1 Kings 11 recounts how Solomon’s heart turned away from God, and his disobedience led to the eventual division of Israel. His foreign wives turned his heart to idolatry, which greatly angered the Lord. Solomon spent his final years in turmoil as his kingdom unraveled. The prophet Abijah told Jeroboam that God had given him the ten northern tribes. Solomon tried to have him killed, but he fled to Egypt for refuge until the old king died. When he did die, his son Rehoboam took the throne, and the troubles sparked by Solomon's faithlessness began.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, notes: 

Solomon experiences an unraveling of his faith because he gives his heart to something other than the Lord - to hundreds of wives and concubines, as well as false worship... This is why it is important to choose relationships that support rather than weaken our relationship with God. It is especially important to choose a spouse who shares our faith. (p. 68)

II. Ecclesiastes 10 observes that a little folly can undo a great deal of wisdom, so the wise person should exercise prudence, self-control, and diligence, especially when dealing with authority.

In the next chapter, Qoheleth notes that man cannot control or fully understand God's providence, so we shouldn't let uncertainty paralyze us. We should work diligently, be generous, rejoice in God's gifts, and remember that God will judge how we live.

Ecclesiastes 12 brings the entire book to its conclusion. Youth, strength, pleasure, work, and earthly achievement will all pass away. Therefore, we must remember God while we still have life, and live in light of the judgment to come.

It's a pity that the reading of this great book is now at an end.

III. Psalm 9 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A thanksgiving psalm. The speaker appears to be a king, i.e., someone whose enemies are individuals as well as nations. He is also someone concerned for the plight of the oppressed. Confidence is placed in the righteousness of God, who judges the world and defends the cause of the poor. (p. 838)

That's it for today!

Day 152: Being Forgotten

 Today's readings: 1 Kings 10, Ecclesiastes 8-9, and Psalm 8.

I. 1 Kings 10 parallels 2 Chronicles 9 in recounting the visit of the Queen of Sheba as well as Solomon's wealth and splendor.

II. Ecclesiastes 8 speaks of wisdom and obedience to authority, the apparent prosperity of the wicked, the mystery of earthly justice, and the observation that human reason cannot comprehend everything God does.

In the next chapter, Qoheleth observes that death comes for us all, to the righteous and the wicked, and from our earthly perspective we cannot see how everything will turn out. The dead no longer participate in the activities of this earthly life that we toil with. We should be grateful for God's temporal gifts despite life's brevity. He also observes that though we can have great intelligence and ability, these still don't guarantee earthly success. Finally, he notes that while wisdom is genuinely valuable, the wise aren't necessarily honored for it.

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

A main takeaway from Ecclesiastes is this: if this life is all there is, then all is vanity, all is meaningless because nothing endures... Being at peace with the recognition that we will eventually be forgotten is a gift. Our lives matter because this life is not all there is. Even if I am the smartest or strongest person in the room, this is only by chance. Eventually this moment will end - and someone smarter or stronger will come along. In such moments, we are invited to surrender to the Lord rather than to give in to our desire to be in control. (p. 66)

III. Psalm 8 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of praise. It begins and ends proclaiming the majesty of God, whose glory shines forth in the wonders of creation. The Psalmist stands in awe of the heavens and marvels that the Lord shows such loving concern for man. Even more, he is amazed that man, despite his lowliness, has been crowned and made king over all lesser creatures. (p. 837)

That's all for today! 

Day 151: Wisdom and Folly

Today's readings: 1 Kings 9, Ecclesiastes 6-7, and Psalm 7.

I. 1 Kings 9 recounts events after the completion of the temple and Solomon's palace, focusing on God's second appearance to Solomon, the dedication of Israel to covenant faithfulness, Solomon's many building projects, and his wealth and administration. In His second appearance to Solomon, God makes it clear that His promises must be accompanied by the responsibility of covenant obedience, that is, not turning aside from Him and serving idolatry.

II. Ecclesiastes 6 continues the warning that possessing good things is not the same as being able to enjoy them. Wealth, honor, long life, and even a large family cannot satisfy man if God is absent from the center of his life. Someone else ultimately enjoys what has been accumulated, for we are mortal and slated to die.

In the next chapter, Qoheleth turns toward wisdom, especially the wisdom that comes through suffering, humility, patience, and remembering death. This is not to glorify any of these, but to put money, status, resentments, temptations, and ambitions into their proper perspective. Misery isn't the goal, but suffering can form us in ways that amusement cannot (Rom 5:3-4).

The BIY Companion, Vol II, notes:

Ecclesiastes can be troubling and, at times, confusing, but it can also be inspiring if we receive it correctly. The author of Ecclesiastes says that the day of our death is more important than the day of our birth - meaning, all things will end. If we recognize this, then we can live with clarity and purpose. (p. 64)

III. Psalm 7 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm. One who is falsely accused appeals to the Lord for help and legal acquittal. Such a prayer was probably recited in the Temple, where the accused swore an oath of innocence that invoked a curse upon himself should he be guilty of the accusations brought against him. The Psalmist concludes with a vow to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to the Lord once justice has been rendered. (p. 836)

That's all for today!

Day 150: The Dedication of the Temple

 Today's readings: 1 Kings 8, Ecclesiastes 3-5, and Psalm 6. 

I. 1 Kings 8 recounts the dedication of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem and marks the moment when the Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Temple, symbolizing God's presence among His people. This is paralleled in 2 Chronicles 5-7.

II. Ecclesiastes 3 has the famous "For everything there is a season..." section, which has even been made into a song by the secular band The Byrds in the 1960s. This portion of Ecclesiastes essentially is teaching us how to live when we cannot understand or control what God is doing with our lives. We don't control everything that was created; God does.

In the next chapter, Qoheleth becomes rather dark. He tells us that God will ultimately judge injustice, yet in this fallen world, there is injustice for now: oppression, rivalry, loneliness, and the instability of worldly success.

Ecclesiastes 5 gives us what we need in this sinful world: to take God seriously, for He is eternal while we and wealth are not. Our relationship with God, money, and the things we think will make us secure are covered by Qoheleth.

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

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the "preacher" considers the passing nature of happiness on earth. The takeaway: we should have plans rather than dreams. In other words, we should set out to do what we say we will do. Ecclesiastes tells us that if we love money, we will never be satisfied with it. Many people make huge salaries but have no life outside of their work. They keep working harder, though, because they want to make even more money. We need to examine our own lives to see if we have a similar mentality regarding anything of this world. (p. 62)

III. Psalm 6 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm that Christian tradition counts as one of the seven penitential psalms, along with Pss 32, 38, 52, 102, 130, 143. The Psalmist has done wrong and feels himself under God's judgment. Sickness is the divine discipline from which he pleads to recover with tears of repentance. (p. 836)

That's it for today!

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!