1 Kings 5-8
Hiram, the King of Tyre, and David, the King of Israel, had an excellent relationship. 1 Kings 5:1 says Hiram always loved David. In the early days of Solomon’s reign, he honored both his father and his father’s friend in their first official communication.
REMEMBER THIS later on, when Solomon dies!
With tact and wisdom, Solomon elicited Hiram’s help in harvesting the lumber he would need for building the Temple. And in the 480th year after the exodus, he began to build. The stones used were cut and prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor chisel would be heard on site. The foundation took four years and the temple itself seven years to build.
Once the temple building was completed, Solomon oversaw the fashioning of the furnishings. Once again, he leaned on Hiram of Tyre for help. When all was ready, it was time to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the temple; and the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (1 Kings 8:11). Here is Solomon at his best, blessing the Lord and the people, praying a humble, yet magnificent, prayer of dedication, and loudly proclaiming: Not one word has failed of all his good promise!
Solomon also built his own palace, as well as another house for the daughter of Pharaoh, whom he had married (among many others). This is what I call “a red flag,” and it would come back to haunt him.
Until tomorrow...when it does,
Pastor Gary
No comments:
Post a Comment