Week #22 I "Solomon's Good Years"

 

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read 1 Kings 4-8, 2 Chronicles 2-7, Proverbs 17-24, Song of Solomon 1-8

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

More than just practical tips (Proverbs 17-24). The book of Proverbs is often seen as a sort of collection of practical life tips--a sort of early form of self-improvement literature. There is a sense in which that is a little bit true: if you follow the wisdom contained in these chapters, you won't always do well in life (nothing is guaranteed), but you are much more likely to do well in life if you live according to what these chapters say. But in another sense, these are not primarily instructions about what to do (practical tips), but about who or what sits on the throne of your life (worship). So we see that the LORD tests hearts (17:3), that how we treat the poor and those caught up in trouble reflects on the honor that we give to God (17:5), that God expects us to live in a way that is just (17:15), that God is our refuge (18:10), that our standing before God is more important than success in life (19:1), that God is the one who sees and ultimately rewards good deeds (19:17). In fact, God directs our steps, establishes a better reward than any earthly riches or reputation could bring us, and opens the way to a truly meaningful life (19:21-23). God turns our minds in the direction that he desires, he weighs our hearts, and his purpose prevails above all the plans of man (21:1-2. 30-31). Ultimately this is not a book of life wisdom; it's a book of wisdom about the life that's actually worth pursuing: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all" (22:1-2).

If I could re-arrange the wisdom literature (Job-Song of Songs). While the books of Scripture are inspired, the way that we have them organized in our Bibles (i.e. which book comes before or after another book) is not. In fact, from group to group, the order can change. The wisdom books, along with the Gospels, are two places where I wish things were set up just a little bit differently to benefit readers. Maybe, next time you read the Bible straight through from beginning to end, you might want to try to adjust your reading order in this way: With the Wisdom books, Proverbs shows us what is generally true, which is that if we live well, we will generally do well. Job would give us a lot of insight if it came directly after Proverbs as a sort of reply to this. What happens when we do all the right things, but suffer anyway? Ultimately, we must look to the goodness of God. Ecclesiastes shows us the opposite of what Job shows--where Job is a righteous man who suffers, Ecclesiastes is written by a worldly man who got everything he ever wanted. And yet, that book too comes to the conclusion that answers can only be found in following God. That opens us up to Psalms, which is a five-book symphony about the rise and death of David (Books 1-2), the exile (Book 3), the memory of God's faithfulness in the past (Book 4), and God's eventual provision of a new David -the Messiah- to lead His people into rest (Book 5). In laying things out this way, we'd see that all the Wisdom of the Old Testament, and the questions of life asked in Job and Ecclesiastes, come to their natural conclusion in waiting for the arrival of the Messiah (Jesus) who will set all things right. Finally, Song of Solomon in its literal sense shows that those united with God are invited to enjoy the good things that He has made. And, in its spiritual sense as taught in both Judaism and Christianity, it demonstrates the love that God has for his people (Judaism), and the love that Christ has for his church (Christianity). Taken all together, laid out just a little bit differently, the Wisdom books tell us a story that points us directly to Jesus.

The Good Years of King Solomon (1 Kings 4-8, 2 Chronicles 2-7). One of the benefits or reading the Bible in different orders is that things come across a little bit differently. When I have read the historical books (1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Esther) straight through in the past, the part where we get to Solomon's rise and fall always seems to be fairly quick and straightforward. But reading chronologically, it takes a few weeks of reading before you finally get to Solomon's decline. You first get to see the songs that he wrote, the proverbs that he compiled, the decisions that he made, the great buildings that he built, and the way that he led Israel in worship by dedicating the Temple, and you think, "This is a man of God. This guy is everything we would have hoped he'd be."  Then, seeing that even someone like Solomon can fall, it puts a sense of seriousness into us about our own walk with God. It makes each of us ask, Oh, God, if even Solomon could fall away, is there anything in me that might turn my heart against you? Is there anything that I am lifting up in my heart, or holding on to, instead of you? If even Solomon could grow cold in his love for you--don't let that happen to me, Lord. Reading the Bible chronologically, it's not so straightforward to see Solomon fall away. It really gives you a sense of how seriously we all need to do the deep heart work of examining ourselves "to see whether we are in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5), and to continually direct our hearts toward Jesus so that we might build our life upon him.

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? I won't lay out exact responses in this space because the possibilities are often endless. But it is worth it to think about application in the categories of worship, attitude, and actions. Does this reading direct me to God in worship and thanksgiving and praise, or does it direct me towards a change that I need to make here and now? If it's about a change that I need to make, is this something inward in my attitude, or outward in my actions? This helps to rescue application from just being a series of how-to tips, or one-size-fits-all instructions that go beyond what the Bible actually states. Sometimes, the most helpful application we can make is to get a different perspective on what's the most important thing, or about how we should respond inwardly to the things going on around us.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean