May 11-17 Solomon

CommentaryCommentary

All the commentary in this lesson is taken

from:

The Word in LifeThe Word in Life TM

Study BibleStudy Bible

Making PreparationsMaking Preparations

1 Chronicles 22:5 NET David said, "My son Solomon is

just an inexperienced young man, and the

temple to be built for the LORD must be especially


magnificent so it will become famous and be considered splendid by

all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations

for its construction."


So David made extensive preparations before he died.

What are you doing that will enhance the effectiveness of those who follow you? As he neared the end of his life, David made extensive preparations to

allow his son Solomon to build the temple.


In fact, even though the structure was commonly known as

Solomon’s temple, it could just as easily have been called

David and Solomon’s temple,


for the site, design of the architecture, collection of

materials and even worship format and instruments

were largely prepared by David prior to his death.


David’s astute planning encourages us to ask: what sort of preparations are we

making for our successors? What kind of legacy are we

leaving behind?


At home, do we lead a life that will make it easier or harder for our children to understand and

follow God’s ways? Do we lead by example and mentor other

believers in understanding and following biblical principles?


In our work, are we leaving behind a history of

character and quality on which others can build? The

question of making preparations for our

successors raises the issue of mentoring.


By passing on godly wisdom and council to younger

people, mentors can often make the difference

between success and failure in future generations.


1 Chronicles 22:19 NET Now seek the LORD your God

wholeheartedly and with your entire being! Get up and build the sanctuary of

the LORD God!


Then you can bring the ark of the LORD's covenant

and the holy items dedicated to God's service into the temple that is built

to honor the LORD."


David’s admonition to Solomon to set his heart and soul to seek

the Lord is a good word for every believer today. It echoes

the great commandment to “love the Lord your God with all

your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.


As you consider David’s advice, on what is your heart set, and for

what does your soul hunger? To a large extent how you answer

those two questions will determine what sort of person you are and

where your loyalties lie.


Later David would claim, “With my whole heart I

have sought [the Lord].” What are you seeking

with your heart and soul?

Public AccountabilityPublic Accountability

1 Chronicles 28:8 NET So now, in the sight of all Israel, the LORD's assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I

say this:


Carefully observe all the commands of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good

land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you.


The idea that public officials need to be publicly accountable was a fundamental principle for

David. Thus he charged the leaders of the kingdom "in the sight of all Israel" to follow the

ways of the Lord.


Visibility is an essential part of accountability. By setting

themselves under the scrutiny of others, leaders help to ensure that their actions and decisions will be

aboveboard—or at least that others will be able to pass judgment on what is done.


David's charge to Israel's leadership

suggests three ways to handle accountability and maintain integrity:


(1) Allow others to review plans and performance. David had developed plans for the temple with the Lord's help.


But as he passed them on to Solomon, he pointed out that many professionals and craftsmen were available to refine the plans and carry out the work.


(2) Act within a community of others. Leaders need others for advice and perspective. David called on the entire community of Israel to work together with his son to accomplish the construction of the temple.


(3) Acknowledge God's presence in everything. This was the most important objective of all.


Solomon and his leaders needed to seek out the Lord's commandments and fear Him in everything they would do. He was the One to whom they were ultimately accountable.


Do you place yourself under this kind of accountability?

Are you involved with others in a way that protects and

promotes your integrity and development?

Spirit-Filled PlanningSpirit-Filled Planning

1 Chronicles 28:11 NET David gave to his son Solomon the

blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its

treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the

room for atonement.


12 He gave him the blueprints of all he

envisioned for the courts of the LORD's temple, all the surrounding rooms,


the storehouses of God's temple, and the storehouses

for the holy items. 13 He gave him the regulation for the divisions of priests and

Levites,


for all the assigned responsibilities within the

LORD's temple, and for all the items used in the service

of the LORD's temple.

Spirit-Filled PlanningSpirit-Filled Planning14 He gave him the

prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used

in various types of service in the LORD's

temple,


for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, 15 for the gold

lampstands and their gold lamps,


including the weight of each lampstand and its

lamps, for the silver lampstands, including

the weight of each lampstand and its lamps,


according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 16 for the gold used in the

display tables, including the amount to be used in each

table,


for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls,

and jars,


for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including

the weight for each bowl,


18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar.

He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that

spread their wings

Spirit-Filled PlanningSpirit-Filled Planningand provide shelter for the

ark of the LORD's covenant. 19 David said,

"All of this I put in writing as the LORD directed me

and gave me insight regarding the details of the

blueprints."


In today's world, planning is often thought to be a valuable skill possessed innately by born leaders

or developed over time in experienced managers.


But Scripture describes a further dimension to planning—the

wisdom of God's Spirit.As David crafted plans for the

temple, he was apparently given insight into what the Lord

wanted.


His description of the planning process is interesting: "The

LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."


It was as if God had given David a blueprint for the

project.This was not the first time that the Lord had provided

plans for construction.


Noah was told to build a boat and given details for its design and use. Likewise, Moses was

given exceedingly detailed plans for the tabernacle and the

worship to take place in it.


Does God reveal plans like that to people today? Perhaps not in

quite the same way. Nevertheless, the Holy

Spirit is available to every believer for help in planning

and preparation.


Based on what we know about the Spirit's work, especially

from the New Testament, we can identify at least three

characteristics of Spirit-filled planning that apply to most

situations:


(1) Spirit-filled planning focuses on revealing and glorifying God's character. Jesus said that one important aspect of the Spirit's work is to bring glory to Jesus by revealing the things of Jesus.


Thus as we plan with the Spirit's help, He enables us to arrange things in a way that honors the Lord and His values.


(2) Spirit-filled planning prepares the way for others to succeed. David's preparations for the temple enabled Solomon to successfully complete the project.


While it would be a mistake to say that God always wants His people to succeed in terms of success as the world measures it, He does want His people to accomplish meaningful, productive work.


Thus Spirit-filled planning seeks to help people meet needs and serve the Lord with their abilities and resources, and not just benefit themselves.


(3) Spirit-filled planning has breadth (vision) and depth (detail). In other words, God cares about the entirety of a project. He is as interested in our means as our ends.


He not only wants us to honor Him in the big picture, but in the nitty-gritty as well. As we plan, the Spirit wants to help us achieve God's ultimate objective,


the "praise of His glory", and also carry out His will in specific, measurable ways. The Spirit is not limited by our needs, experiences, or desires.

From One Generation to From One Generation to AnotherAnother

Psalms 145:4 NET One generation will praise your deeds to another,

and tell about your mighty acts!


Faith is never more than one generation away from

extinction. That's why it is crucial that parents help their children to understand who God is and to take their first steps in walking with Him.


There are many ways to do that, including telling stories about

the mighty things that God has done. What are you

communicating to your children and grandchildren concerning

the Lord and His ways?


Psalm 145 encourages older generations to pass down a legacy of praise to the Lord. Certainly the Lord is worthy,

of praise; but do our children know that?

Good To AllGood To All

Psalms 145:9 NET The LORD is good to all, and has

compassion on all he has made.


Perhaps you have the subtle belief that God's goodness

extends only to certain people. If this is your understanding, then

consider the truth of Psalm 145 —the Lord is good to

all. (Psalm 145:9)


(It is instructive to look at how many times the word "all" is

used in this psalm.)Does it seem hard to believe that

God's goodness extends to everyone in the world?


Then consider that God is the source of all goodness, (Luke 18:19;

James 1:17) and He reaches out to all the people of the world with the

good news of His love. (John 3:17; 2 Pet.

3:9) For that reason He is near to "all who call upon Him"

Praise for God the Creator Praise for God the Creator

Psalm 104 reads like an eyewitness account of God's

creation of the world. Structured much like Genesis 1,

Psalm 104 takes us on a spectacular tour in praise of the

Lord's handiwork,

Praise for God the Creator Praise for God the Creator from the immensity of star-

spangled skies to the seemingly insignificant habitats

of Middle Eastern wildlife.Psalms 104:10 NET He turns springs

into streams; they flow between the mountains.


11 They provide water for all the animals in the field; the wild donkeys quench their

thirst. 12 The birds of the sky live beside them; they chirp

among the bushes.


13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his

palace; the earth is full of the fruit you cause to

grow.

Praise for God the CreatorPraise for God the Creator

14 He provides grass for the cattle, and crops for people

to cultivate, so they can produce food from the

ground, 15 as well as wine that makes people feel so

good,


and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, as well as food that sustains people's lives. 16 The trees

of the LORD receive all the rain they need,


the cedars of Lebanon which he planted, 17

where the birds make nests, near the

evergreens in which the herons live.


18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs. 19 He made the moon to mark the

months,


and the sun sets according to a regular schedule. 20

You make it dark and night comes, during

which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.


21 The lions roar for prey, seeking their food from God. 22 When the sun

rises, they withdraw and sleep in their dens


23 Men then go out to do their work, and labor away until evening.


Not only has God created the world. He sustains it with loving attention. His concern extends even to the needs of birds and animals, for which He provides

food and drink.

God And The EnvironmentGod And The Environment

Scripture shows clearly that the Lord watches over every aspect of

the creation, including its conservation. For example:


• In the beginning, God commanded Adam and Eve to cultivate and keep the garden. That kind of stewardship will rule out wanton destruction


• Later, God was sorry that He had created humans because of their wickedness. So He determined to destroy everyone through a flood. However, He saved not only Noah and his family, but animals as well.


•After the Flood, God made a covenant that "never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood."


• Later, God instructed the Hebrews to allow their cropland to be rested (left fallow) every seventh year in order to rejuvenate it and preserve it.


• The Law also prohibited the unnecessary destruction of fruit and nut trees and the killing of mother birds even for food.


God cares about what He has created, and He has charged us as people to

wisely manage those resources, to use them for our good and for His glory.


As we face increasingly complex environmental issues, we need to view the earth as a sacred trust from God's hands, for which He will hold us accountable. If He

cares about every single creature on the planet, shouldn't we?

Rejoicing in UnityRejoicing in Unity

National unity is a valuable asset for any people. The Israelites

especially needed unity during the first days of

David's reign.


Under Saul, they had been divided over whether to

continue supporting their troubled king whom God

had rejected and who more and more rejected God.


Psalms 133:1 GNB How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God's

people to live together in harmony!


Psalms 133:1 MKJV A Song of degrees; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for

brothers to dwell together in unity!

Preserving UnityPreserving Unity

Without question, unity among relatives and members of the same community is good and

pleasant. (Ps. 133:1) But unity must not only be attained, it must be

carefully preserved.


For more on how believers can maintain unity, especially in the

face of conflict, see Christ's instructions for handling

offenses between believers in Matt. 18:15-35.


You'll find a cautious and careful process to be

pursued, with the goal of restoration driving the

entire procedure.

The Great King Is PraisedThe Great King Is Praised

Psalm 72 celebrates the zenith of Israel's kingdom under Solomon. Justice and righteousness prevail, the Israelites dominate the ancient

Middle East, the people live in prosperity, and God is worshiped

and feared.


In short, the covenant is being fulfilled. (compare Deut.

28:1-14) This psalm is also believed to refer to the reign of the Messiah.


Psalms 72:1 NET

O God, grant the king the ability to make just

decisions! Grant the king's son the ability to

make fair decisions!

An Anthem For The KingAn Anthem For The King

Psalm 72 may have been a coronation anthem or a

theme played on occasions of state. However, the king

hailed in this psalm is highly idealized.


No king from Israel's history lived up to the profile celebrated

here. Who is this ideal king? We can gain some clues to his identity by observing how this

psalm describes him:


He will bring justice to the poor.He will bring peace throughout

the land.He will save the children of the

needy.He will end political oppression.


He will bring abundance and prosperity to both the country and the city.

His kingdom will be worldwide and will last forever.

Only one ruler matches this description perfectly—"the LORD

God, the God of Israel"


He is the ideal King. Yet His righteous rule sets a pattern for human political leaders

to pursue. To that end, they deserve our prayers and

support.

The Godly Use Of PowerThe Godly Use Of Power

Psalms 72:2 NET Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed

ones equitably.Because history includes many

cases of people in authority

abusing their power,


some people are skeptical about the nature of power. They have

concluded that power by its very nature is corruptive. But

while the Bible is realistic about the tendency of sinners to

abuse power,


it also gives examples of rulers who used their authority wisely and

with godly integrity. Although it is generally believed to refer

prophetically to the Messiah, Psalm

72 also sets forth principles for a godly use of power.


The piece was composed either by or for Solomon, who exercised

more power during his reign than any the other Israelite kings,

including his father David. Psalm 72 suggests a number of practical ways a ruler can use power.


To judge with righteousness and justice.

To bring peace to the people, and to restrain crime and violence.

To bring justice to the poor and the children of the needy, and to allocate resources in a way that is compassionate


To undo the work of oppressors, and to prevent the powerful from hurting the little people.

To gain the respect and support of the citizens.


That is how a ruler can exercise power. On the other side of the

power equation are those affected by the leader's use of

power. They include:


The people of the nation, who will respond with respect and admiration.

The poor among the people.The children of the needy, who

have little stake in the community.


Those who oppress others, who will be hindered in their abusive tendencies.

Neighboring nations, who will pay respect.Many areas of life are affected:


Nature and agriculture.Human relationships.The economy.International relations.The future.


If you are in a position of authority and power over

other people, consider the influence you have,

and how you can use it in ways that honor the Lord.


Are there changes you need to make in the way you exercise authority? Are you living up to the godly ideals of Psalm 72?

The Emperor of IsraelThe Emperor of Israel

Psalms 72:8 NET May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River

to the ends of the earth!

Solomon, by whom or for whom Psalm 72 was

composed, (see the title)

The Emperor of IsraelThe Emperor of Israel

effectively controlled an empire-like territory that stretched from

the Euphrates to the Mediterranean, and from Asia Minor to the Gulf of Aqaba and

Egypt. (compare Psalm 72:8)

Gifts from ShebaGifts from Sheba

Psalms 72:10 NET The kings of Tarshish and the

coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba

and Seba will bring tribute.


The queen of Sheba visited Solomon and presented him

with an unprecedented abundance of gold, jewels, and spices. The names Sheba and

Seba (Psalm 72:10) probably referred to


two kingdoms in or near the mountainous portion of southwest Arabia (now

Yemen). They controlled muchof the trade from India and

eastern Africa with the Middle East.

The Worship of KingsThe Worship of Kings

Psalms 72:11 NET All kings will bow down to him; all nations will serve him.

The composer of Psalm 72 recognized that if Israel's king served the Lord and ruled with integrity, other rulers would be attracted to the God of Israel.


That is exactly what happened in the reign of Solomon. The queen of Sheba journeyed to Jerusalem

not merely to see Solomon's impressive building or to negotiate strategic trading agreements, but to learn more about Solomon's

God.


This responsibility of the Israelite kings to attract

other leaders to the Lord was something that

Solomon's father David originally envisioned.

Our ApplicationOur Application

What are you doing that will enhance the effectiveness of

those who follow you? What are you seeking with your heart and soul? On what is your

heart set, and for what does your soul hunger?

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May 11-17 Solomon

Spiritual