Solomon, A Type of What?

[NeitherFirstnorLast]

Amen!

Brothers and sisters, I promised a few days to continue my personal exploration of the book of 1 Kings... and I do not to suggest that what I am seeing is THE truth of the matter, and certainly not to prop myself up as anything other than another brother who is simply fascinated by the Lord's speaking in His Word. No, I wish to continue this journey not alone but in fellowship, that we might all enjoy a portion and share as the Lord leads; all to His glory!

When I last left off (on another thread); I'd gotten to 1 Kings 6:12 - and the Lord's speaking to Solomon there "As for this house that you are building, if you walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My word with you, which I spoke to David your father; And I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel, and I will not forsake My people Israel."

Of this Word from God, I want to further say that for Him, an If/Then statement is very particularly significant. God doesn't make idle threats. He doesn't need to, because He already knows every outcome. If God says If/Then, you're in a lot of trouble - because He's basically saying you are not going to measure up; and that's not His fault. If you were going to succeed, He'd have no reason to give you a warning.

Also note that the only person who ever could and did live up to the standards Jehovah God sets here is Christ Himself; the Son of David who WOULD raise up God's Temple (the Body) - and do so in three days, just as He prophesied. And through Christ God kept this very promise. God here is pointing to the coming efficacy of Christ: "This is what it will take to establish My Word, and ONLY I can do it."

Nonetheless, God's warning falls on deaf ears - Solomon's reaction to these words isn't even apparently worth recording. 1 Kings 6:14 "So Solomon built the house and finished it." (with a shrug?)

The rest of chapter 6 goes on about the details of the temple itself, and the RcV footnotes go on about the significance of each of the details in terms of Christ.... Many other bible commentators don't see this. I must confess I don't either. From what I've seen so far, Solomon doesn't know anything about Christ. He seems to see himself as a kind of Messiah for his people, and glories in himself... But I digress; the point is he had built a very large temple, covered in images of animals, plants, and angels... covered in gold, and worked with bronze. It took seven years to complete(1 Kings 6:38).

In contrast, it took Solomon 13 years to build his own house (1 Kings 7:1) - and then he had built the "Lebanon Forest House" - (getaway cabin?) - and then a house for his wife (the daughter of Pharoah).

As for HOW the temple was built, well, Solomon hired a man who's mother was a Napthalite, but who's father was of Tyre, to cast the bronze for the pillars. This man, named Hiram (in Hebrew: "Exalter of Life, Destroyer") was renowned for his craftsmanship. We have no idea whether or not he was a follower of the God of Israel, but we might suspect not from the attitude he displays at the reward Solomon later gives him). We do know that the vast majority of the workers on this temple certainly were not followers of the Most High God - because it is revealed in 1 Kings 9:15 that it was built with "forced labour", and that this workforce consisted of "all of people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites who were not of the children of Israel." 1 Kings 9:20. So Pagans were enslaved to build this Temple. When they finished, the children of these slaves were kept on in perpetual slavery (at least, those whom the "children of Israel were not able to destroy utterly") 1K9:21....

...but I race ahead. Look what occurs now, as the Temple is made complete: Solomon goes to the plains of Jordan to cast the pots and shovels and bowls to be used in service in the Temple; and Solomon summons the elders of Israel and the heads of the tribes to Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah from the City of David, which is Zion (1K8:1). The priests take up the Ark, and it is brought into the Holy Place in the innermost sanctuary. There, apparently, it is opened.

What do you suppose was in the Ark? We all remember what should be there, but look at what is found within:

1 Kings 8:9 "There was nothing in the Ark except the two stone tablets, which Moses placed at Horeb when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt."

What?

Where is the omerful of manna, which the Lord had commanded Moses to keep for all generations:

Exodus 16:32-34 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’” So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.” As the LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved."

Hebrews 9:4 "...This ark contained the gold jar of manna..."

The manna is not here. It is hidden... (Revelation 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna...")

The manna, in type, is the Life Supply of Christ. Christ Himself told us He was the bread of life; Christ was the real manna. Christ is not here.

Where is the budding almond branch?

Numbers 8:10-11 "The LORD said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” Moses did just as the LORD commanded him."


Hebrews 9:4 " ...This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant."

The almond branch signifies the resurrection life, which having, we will not die. There is no resurrection life here either.

The only thing Solomon brought into the Temple was the letter that kills; but there is no life here. God Himself is absent.


...To be continued...

In fellowship,

Neither First nor Last

[NeitherFirstnorLast]

...My beloved God, thank You for showing me more, Lord. I do not understand all Your ways, nor all Your thoughts. Lord, You reveal in part... for now... I suppose it is why we must live by faith. All of Solomons wisdom - surely more wisdom than any man on Earth has ever been given, availed him nothing. You choose to reveal Your wisdom through the weak, the foolish; and through the despised.

Lord, why did You allow Solomon to bring in Your ark - but hide away the manna and the budding almond branch? Why did You bring Your cloud of Glory into the Temple after it was built, and then suffer the boastful words of Solomon?

"Jehovah has said that He would dwell in deep darkness. I have surely built You a lofty house, a place for You to dwell in forever... I have risen up in the place of David my father... I sit upon the throne of Israel... I have built the house for the name of Jehovah the God of Israel... I have set a place for the ark..."

Solomon finishes his proud prayer before the people, and blesses them. God does not respond to him until chapter 9. Again, the Lord uses "if" and "then"... and His warning grows more dire:

1K9:3-9 "I have heard your prayer and your supplication which you have made before Me; I have sanctified this house which you have built by putting My name there forever*; and My eyes and My heart will be there continually.

*UNLESS OF COURSE

"But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me and do not keep My commandments and My statutes, which I have put before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, Then I will cut Israel off from the face of the land which I have given them, and the house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all the peoples. And this house will become heaps, and everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss and say, 'Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house?' And they will say, 'Because they forsook Jehovah their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold of other gods and worshipped them and served them; therefore Jehovah brought all this evil upon them."

Of course, this is exactly what would come to pass. The Temple would be destroyed, utterly. What is interesting, is that the Lord said He would put His name there forever, IF Solomon and/or his sons walked in His ways... Have you ever heard of this Temple today (or the second Temple, for that matter), being called the "Temple of Jehovah"?, or the "Temple of Adonai", or of "Elohim", "I AM", El Shaddai", "YHWH"? any of God's names? No. It is called "Solomon's Temple", or "The First Temple"... but it doesn't carry God's name. He did not leave His name there because Solomon had failed to live up to the "If".

And Solomon exalted himself.

Three times a year Solomon offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar in place of the High Priest. He built ships for trade and accepted the gifts and praise of the likes of Queen of Sheba; who, while she acknowledged that "Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delighted in you and set you upon the throne of Israel" 1K10:9, did not herself go to worship God. Rather, she gave her gifts, her worldly worship, to Solomon.

1K10:14 "Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold."

Saints, this number only appears in one other place in scripture. No other number is assigned to Solomon's earnings in another year, so here we have a number associated with Solomon not coincidentally: 666.

Why? If "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," II Timothy 3:16, then we cannot imagine that this number assigned here to both Solomon and likewise later to the AntiChrist can possibly be coincidental.

Solomon, enslaved with lust for women and Mammon, commits fornication also with the demon-gods of the nations whom he gathers to himself in alliance. He takes 700 princess wives and 300 concubines from the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Sidonians, and the Hittites. He built high places of worship to these hideous false gods, and offered sacrifices to them.... and so, our Lord God, who long suffered the pride and vanity of Solomon, does at last fulfill His promises. He will take away the Kingdom. He will give it to Solomon's servant. He will leave only the tribe of Judah... and that because of His promise to David. 1K11:9-13


Is Solomon really a Christ-type in the Old Testament? What do you say? Did Solomon start off with a proper heart for God, and then fall - or was he fallen from day one, and no one wanted to see it. Did people only see what they wanted to see... a man who certainly talked the talked and sure appeared to be blessed... but whose actions and heart revealed something more sinister.

Do we do that, today? Do we look at spiritual leaders and think we see Christ in them? Do they go around building and proclaiming and seemingly prospering; and all the while there is a big "BUT THEN" hanging over them... a threat that this blessing will be removed if they don't truly turn their hearts to Him? Are we like the Queen of Sheba - recognizing the Blessing of God in someone elses life - but then giving the glory to the blessed rather than the blesser?

I don't feel like I can answer that for anyone else. It's between you and God; we need to ask for His heart on this matter.

To be continued,

In Christ.. I pray ever in Christ. Lord, don't let me drift...

Neither First nor Last

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by NeitherFirstnorLast

...My beloved God, thank You for showing me more, Lord...

There is archaelogical evidence that the industrial revolution was actually started during Solomon's times. The mines of Solomon have been discovered and they were a large operation involving what can only be described as a factory style operation with perhaps 1,000 workers. Now consider what would have happened if they had also begun to mine oil and gas? Petroleum had already been discovered (Pitch was used on Noah's ark) and the process to refine petroleum is essentially the same as the distillation process used in making hard alcohol (which was already a process that had been discovered at the time of Solomon). Mining and smelting are energy intensive processes, discovering the value of petroleum could have been a game changer.

Israel was commanded through Moses to focus on the Good land, the boundaries of which were defined as the the River Euphrates on one side and the Mediterranean on the second, and the Red Sea on the third. This means that Solomon could have focused anywhere in the Arabian Peninsula. If he had limited himself to this region, having already discovered the industrial revolution and mining it is very likely they would have also discovered the fantastic EROI (energy return on investment) for petroleum.

Now imagine for a minute that the wisest man on Earth discovers the riches locked up in petroleum along with the industrial revolution. They would have discovered concrete, steel, trains, diesel engines, combustion engines, and electricity. They would have made these discoveries 700 years before the Babylonians had invaded. By contrast we basically discovered the industrial revolution 150 years ago. Regardless of how you want to make the calculations you would have to realize that Israel would have had no reason for slaves or outside resources eliminating the need for costly wars. By the time the Babylonians showed up they would have had a highway and train network along with cars and helicopters.

There is a word from the Lord where He says "O that my people had listened to me, I would have fed them with the finest of wheat and their enemies would have come cringing to them. They would have been established forever."

The entire world is paying the price for Solomon's insubordination. If Israel had made these discoveries and advancements at the time of Solomon, all the issues with pollution would have been resolved before the rest of the nations adopted the technology. It would have been done at a time when the population was so small it wouldn't have had global ramifications to the climate and ecosystem. Also, having a superpower located in Israel would have eliminated the wars from the Babylonian empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Greek, and Roman empires. All those wars would have been held in check or completely avoided.

[NeitherFirstnorLast]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

The entire world is paying the price for Solomon's insubordination. If Israel had made these discoveries and advancements at the time of Solomon, all the issues with pollution would have been resolved before the rest of the nations adopted the technology. It would have been done at a time when the population was so small it wouldn't have had global ramifications to the climate and ecosystem. Also, having a superpower located in Israel would have eliminated the wars from the Babylonian empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Greek, and Roman empires. All those wars would have been held in check or completely avoided.

I don't think we're paying a price for Solomon's failure, brother. This is a theology from the Local Church. That we, fallen man, have to attain to something and THEN God can fulfill a promise. That we, fallen man, must achieve something first for the Lord to come back.

This is not so. God is ALWAYS in control. Remember, God didn't want His people to have a King. He told Samuel that His people's desire for a King was a rejection of Him. Could He have changed His mind so quickly, and actually blessed Israel as a Kingdom under any man? There is only One King - and it is Christ Jesus the Lord. His is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory.

God told Rehoboam not to gather an army against Jeroboam, because "this matter is of Me." God caused the division, caused the break up of the human kingdom.... and God planned all along to sow His people amongst the nations. I'm convinced of it. He plans also to regather them... the twelve tribes rejoined. The stick of Jacob and the stick of Judah.

Is the Local Church right? Did Satan cause the "turmoil" that drew away so many from LSM's ministry? If he did, he was only able to do so because God allowed it. God has permitted it again and again. Why is that? Because this matter is of Him.

Jesus Christ is Lord and King!

Neither First nor Last

[ZNPaaneah]

Are we paying a price for the failure of Adam and Eve? Surely you can argue that God had forseen the fall, and that it was all part of his plan of redemption. But, without a doubt we are all paying the price for the Fall. How about Abraham's children, are they paying the price for his sin in having Ishmael? Of course they are. Is that part of God's plan sure. These are not mutually exclusive. If we play a chess game, it may be that you could have won the game in 7 moves but you missed it by making a foolish move, then you could have won at move 23 but again another blown opportunity, finally you could have won at move 35 and again you missed this opportunity. It doesn't mean that you won't ultimately win the game. It just means there are missed opportunities and as a result there are consequences. This is why I quoted the verse where God says "O that my people had hearkened unto me to obey my voice...". When Saul sinned in not slaying the ones that God told him to slay, ultimately their descendant was Haman who almost wiped out the Jews at the time of Esther. A failure to listen to God will have consequences, that should not be confused with meaning that God will not ultimately accomplish his goal.

[NeitherFirstnorLast]

Amen brother, I hear what you are saying... and thank you for clarifying. We do indeed have consequences for our sins, and I don't mean to suggest that consequences are not our fault but could be sloughed off on God.

...That said, I don't imagine an Industrial Israel one thousand years ago would have been any more blessed than the Industrial world is today. Industry, which has been defined as "Energetic devotion to a task or an endeavor", has become a kind of universal slavery in our modern world. I have freedom physically, but I am financially enslaved, in a literal way - and governments and corporations seek to keep it that way - so that they can profit off of our labour. We have to pay taxes, insurances, fuel, heat, food, water, electricity, basic living, child care, education, etc. etc. All this working and spending becomes a distraction, and that distraction is one of the enemys most potent tools. God wants a relationship with us, which He accomplishes through Christ and His counterpart, His bride, the Church which He wishes to marry. Our industry doesn't get Him any closer to accomplishing that goal; in fact, I think it's the reason our society is in the deplorable spiritual state it is in.

I met a brother once from Africa, who came to our door selling books from his church. We invited him in for fellowship, and he said "I don't understand the people in this country. I try to talk to them about God but they don't want to hear anything about Him. They say they don't need it."

I said, "People in North America, they're rich - they have so many other things, that they really do believe they don't need Him. They think they've got it all."

"They should come to my country." he replied, "We know we need God."

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven, brother.

Originally Posted by NeitherFirstnorLast

Amen brother, I hear what you are saying....

I find this to be a very confusing response. The path that Solomon took resulted in the Kingdom of Israel being split and then to them being defeated by the Babylonians and carried off to captivity. I would think, as king, that Solomon would be held accountable for that.

You then describe the hardships of our current life in which we are benefitting from the industrial and technological revolution. I think if you compared our hardships with that of the hardships at the time of Solomon it would sound like a farce. Our lilfe expectancy is 70 years old, at the time of Solomon what was it? 25? What was the likeliest cause of death at his time, infection from a cut? What was the life expectancy of babies, less than 50% made it to the first year? How many women expected to die in childbirth?

But to be fair, you are comparing our standard of living. Oil has a EROEI of around 100. (EROEI is energy return on energy invested) this means that oil is like having all kinds of energy slaves that serve us. A car having 300 horsepower is in fact a reasonable calculation of power. The reason slavery has been widely eliminated relative to Solomon's time is because of the energy stored in oil.

So then you talk about poverty and enslavement in our modern world. If Israel controlled all the oil of the Middle East they would have had the wealth of most of the Opec nations. Even the poorest of poor in Israel would have had a standard of living far above that of any contemporaries of the time and above most Americans. If someone from Africa, as you referred to in your story, knows that they need God, you can imagine what people would have thought 3,000 years ago coming to technologically advanced Israel. That would have been a powerful testimony.

So finally you give a super spiritual response that it is easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. I would argue that the proof of that is Solomon. He was the richest king of the day and he was "rich" in wisdom. As a result it was very hard for him to obey the word of God.

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by NeitherFirstnorLast

Amen brother, I hear what you are saying....

The life expectancy at the time of Solomon was probably around 25. The death rate for babies and mothers giving birth was probably many times higher than it is today. By every single measure the standard of living is probably significantly higher today than at Solomon's time. Likewise, taking the route he took led to the nation of Israel being divided and then defeated by the Babylonians and carried off as captives. It is difficult for me to believe anyone could argue that these things don't matter.

You give a story about someone from Africa realizing how much he needs God. Imagine 3,000 years ago such a one went to a modern, technologically advanced Israel with the wealth of the entire middle east, I am pretty sure that he would have come cringing, just as the verse said, saying how much he needed God.

But then you give a great verse reference about how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, how it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. This is truly illustrated in the story of Solomon. How difficult was it for such a rich king, a man that was "rich in wisdom" to count it all loss and heed God's word. Had he done it all of Israel would have entered the kingdom of heaven, but it was just too hard to lay aside everything else and focus whole heartedly on God word and his commandment.

[NeitherFirstnorLast]

I am sorry Saints, I suppose I need to write with more clarity sometimes, rather than letting muse take me.

Rather than saying industry enslaves us, let me say more specifically this:

"Our Creator has a purpose, for our being here on Earth." - and I think we agree that this purpose is not that we live our lives in the lap of luxury. It is not for us each to attain a fancy title, a shiny new car, a two-story house on a gorgeous acreage with a swimming pool in the back yard and 2 1/2 kids playing X-box in the living room. His purpose is not that we get to cruise the Caribbean, jet to Miami or New York or Chicago or Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver. It isn't for us to enjoy the finest exotic dining. It isn't that we get to have fantastic family holidays, work nine to five, and spend money like it's going out of style.

Do you know people like that? I do. Intimately. I've been one. How much time did I make for Him back then? None. I had it all, what did I need Him for? That's what I thought, anyway. Am I the only one who ever thought that way? I don't think so.

Solomon thought that way. Look at what happened to him. I have to say now also brothers, that Witness Lee though that way too - and look at what became of the 'temple' he built. Why do men crave human wisdom, when it is clear:

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27

At the end of his life, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. He tells us, because he knows, his kind of living was "vanity of vanities". If we are honest, the living we have here today is too. "What advantage does a man have in all his work which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the Earth stands forever." Ecc 1:3-4

Praise the Lord, He was quick to discipline me and I didn't have to wait until the end of my life to see how useless my "wisdom" really was. I rent a house now - and I am blessed, because it is a beautiful home and it suits our needs perfectly. I do enjoy time with my family, but it is a blessed time - because He is very much a part of it. I don't have a shiny new car, but He has provided a rugged old truck that does the job just fine. I don't have a fancy title, but that's okay. I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me - what could be greater than that!?

Israel struggled and fell under her kings - because the only King God ever wanted His people to have was our Lord Jesus Christ - the Saviour - the True Temple-builder whose prophecy Solomon usurped for himself.

God brought Israel to her knees; but did He do it because he wanted to hurt them for what they did? When my children cross a line, and do something wicked or foolish, do I punish them just to hurt them? Of course not! My punishment for their sins is given because I LOVE them - I want so much better for them and sometimes the only way to correct a behaviour is to allow the consequences of that behaviour to be suffered.

When our Lord speaks in His Word, He will say important things more than once. "Verily verily", He always spoke this way. Three times in His Word, He tells us He chastises or rebukes or disciplines those whom He loves. He said it through Solomon in Proverbs 3:12, He says it again in Hebrews 12:6, and lastly He reminds us of it again in Revelation 3:19. The Lord loves Israel - He's still not done with them, and they still haven't all turned to Him (although many more are coming every day, Praise Him!)

Power corrupts men, gentlemen, and angels - and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Idle hands are the devil's playthings. Not only familiarity but also comfort breed contempt... Etc. etc. Platitudes we remember well because they ring true.

Israel suffered for her sins as a people - but that suffering was not without purpose. God worked on that generation as He does on ours, to effect His purpose. He is seeking an intimate relationship with His people - and while this life may be brief, or it may be lengthened to all of 120 years, it still makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme - because it isn't over when you die, is it? If you live twenty years of misery on Earth but gain the Kingdom, you WIN FOREVER. If you live one hundred and twenty years on Earth in luxury and wealth and power, and die without a relationship with Him - you LOSE FOREVER.

Lord, I want to be like Lazarus and not the rich man. I want to be in Abraham's bosom, and not parched and dry and burning, regretting every opportunity I ever missed to gain You.

Jesus Christ is LORD!

Neither First nor Last

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by NeitherFirstnorLast

I decided to just focus on your verse references

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27

My point exactly, had Solomon listened to God and been faithful to His word this would have happened.

At the end of his life, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. He tells us, because he knows, his kind of living was "vanity of vanities". If we are honest, the living we have here today is too. "What advantage does a man have in all his work which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the Earth stands forever." Ecc 1:3-4

Ecclesiastes is a book in which Solomon is looking for an investment. Some worthy goal for him to invest his time, life, energy, strength, etc. into. He wants an investment that will "give him an advantage" not only to himself but also to the generations that follow him. This is the principle I used in my previous posts. Solomon chose a path that resulted in the generations that followed becoming divided, and then conquered. The path I suggested, which was clearly commanded Solomon by the books of Moses, would have conferred that advantage.

When our Lord speaks in His Word, He will say important things more than once. "Verily verily", He always spoke this way. Three times in His Word, He tells us He chastises or rebukes or disciplines those whom He loves. He said it through Solomon in Proverbs 3:12, He says it again in Hebrews 12:6, and lastly He reminds us of it again in Revelation 3:19. The Lord loves Israel - He's still not done with them, and they still haven't all turned to Him (although many more are coming every day, Praise Him!)

Surely we should learn from these rebukes? The lesson was clear, have faith in the word of God and do not lean unto your own understanding or your own wisdom.

Jesus Christ is LORD!

Neither First nor Last

Yes, Jesus Christ is Lord.