The Personal Implications of
First Kings 12:1 to 16:34 and Second Chronicles 10:1 to 17:1

Today, believers must decide what ideas, practices, and attitudes erode, then obliterate, biblical faith. As Paul House relates in his commentary on First Kings, it should be obvious that certain worldviews, lifestyles, theologies, and organizations are hostile to a distinctive faith in Yeshua Messiah. Basically, such affections deny the uniqueness of God’s covenant with His people and the universal Church, encourage the worship of other things or gods, or destroy the authority of ADONAI in everyday life. Certainly, individuals must decide for themselves what constitutes essential faith, but some broad guidelines exist in First Kings Chapters 12 through 16. Whatever leads one away from clear biblical teaching about the Lord constitutes an opportunity for losing distinctive faith.

One way of not ending up in a theological ditch is to have gratitude for what God has already done. Jeroboam and Baasha illustrate this truth. Both men were elevated to the throne through YHVH’s direct intervention, yet neither man served Ha’Shem, who considered them both to be extremely ungrateful (First Kings 14:8-9 and 16:1-2). They failed to remember that responsibility and privilege go together, and the beginning of this “amnesia” began when they didn’t thank ADONAI for their position by serving Him exclusively.

People who disobey God, reject the covenant, adopt a syncretistic attitude toward their faith (see the commentary on Galatians, to see link click Aj – No Other Gospel) and are ungrateful, contribute to the long-term problems in their lives, the family’s lives, and their nation’s life. Each of the northern kings helped guarantee their country’s demise by what they did. Jeroboam and Baasha created an atmosphere of rebellion and violence that harmed their descendants. Omri’s plan for national expansion and security included an alliance with Tyre, which included the worship of Ba’al, which ultimately caused Isra’el more problems than it solved. Sin leads to short-term inconvenience and long-term tragedy. Asa’s life demonstrated, though, that the reverse is also true. Those who follow ADONAI, even stumbling now and then, dignifies Isra’el in the long run. They are not shielded from battles, fears, and hard decisions (First Kings 15:16-22), yet they do more good than harm.

Modern readers have a hard time accepting the notion that the real fabric of history is not the interplay of economics, or the march of national destiny, but the issue of faithfulness to ADONAI. Certainly, most rational people understand that actions have consequences. Still, many hope that somehow individual and national sin will not lead to tragedy. First Kings does not have an automatic theory of retribution. Rather, the author seeks to warn apostates and give hope to the faithful. The book’s original readers needed to know that they suffered for a reason, but that their situation was not permanent if they obeyed the LORD in their own era. Today’s reader needs to hear the same message.³²⁴

Historical Details Related to
First Kings 12:1 to 16:34

Four issues need special consideration. First, the division of the division of the nation into two parts has had a tremendous impact of the history of Isra’el. As Paul House relates in his commentary on First Kings, the separate entities never regained the prestige David and Solomon had established. They were also less able to fend off foreign invaders. Of course, First Kings 11:1-40 discusses the religious roots of the breakup. The Bible also notes that Jeroboam, a northerner, was already a likely candidate to take Solomon’s place. His position was supervisor over a forced labor project (11:27-28) underscored why northern Isra’el were tired of Solomon’s policies. They were drafted to work in the south, their tax burden was heavier than Judah’s and their love for the Davidic dynasty was always tenuous at best. Only spiritual commitments would keep the nation united, and those commitments had already been weakened by Solomon.

Second, because of the division of Solomon’s kingdom, other nations moved in against Judah and Isr’ael. That Pharaoh Shishak of Egypt favored Jeroboam meant that Solomon’s trade pact with Egypt was no longer valid. In fact, in Rehoboam’s fifth year Shishak attacked Judah with such force that the only payment of tribute induced him to withdraw (1 Kings 14:25-28). This invasion also greatly diminished the Isra’el-Egypt trade alliance. Egypt’s era of submissive weakness was over. To make matters worse, smaller nations rebelled against their former masters. Syria became impossible for Isra’el to control and soon became a threat in the north. Judah could not hold neither Ammon nor Philistia, and only Mo’ab continued to pay tribute. Each part of the divided kingdom had to face the future with less income from trade, with more external threats from countries small and large, and with turmoil between each other, a difficult future lay ahead.

Third, Jeroboam’s apostate religion made covenant keeping even more difficult than it had been. Jeroboam was clever enough to realize that if his subjects traveled to Jerusalem for the religious festivals their loyalty might revert back to the house of David (First Kings 12:26-27). Therefore, he set up shrines in Dan on the extreme northern border and a more significant one at Bethel on his southern boundary. Jerusalem’s uniqueness in God’s sight was ignored. Jeroboam also set up golden calves to represent God’s presence in the new sanctuaries (to see link click Dd – Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan). Those images quickly became used as idols (First Kings 12:30), thus shattering the first two of the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words). New priests were appointed who were not Levites (First Kings 12:31), and he changed the date of the feast of Booths from the seventh month to the eighth month (First Kings 12:33). Jeroboam’s changes were a compromise between Canaanite idolatry and traditional Judaism. Such syncretism led to loyalty to neither tradition. Ultimately, this false religion sapped Isra’el’s spiritual fiber to the extent that they did not have enough character to endure as a nation.

Fourth, the prophetic movement began to have more importance in both kingdoms. Ahijah, the prophet who declared Jeroboam’s rise to power in Chapter 11 returns in First Kings 14:1-8 to denounce Jeroboam and predict the end of the king’s dynasty. Unnamed prophets reaffirm God’s sovereignty over kings and governments in Chapter 13. Given the tension that already existed between monarchs and prophets, greater conflicts in the future appeared to be inevitable.³²³

The Gold Furniture of Solomon’s Temple
First Kings 7:48-51 and Second Chronicles 4:7-10

The gold furniture of the Temple DIG: Why was it necessary for the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to record for us the furniture of the Temple? Which took longer to build, the Temple or Solomon’s palace? Why? From its construction what seems to be the function of this palace?

REFLECT: Are you involved in a project taking “years to finish?” Does faith make a difference? Do you resent other people “living like kings?” Why? What does Yeshua Messiah say about such power displays (see Matthew 20:25-28). How is your soul well furnished?

Is your soul well furnished?

Solomon had all the objects made of gold that were inside the house of ADONAI. Here, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh makes a clear distinction between Solomon and Hiram (to see link click Bd – Hiram, a Master Craftsman) where the furniture of gold and bronze are concerned. Hiram only takes responsibility for the work in bronze; it is Solomon who is in charge of the work in gold. Hiram may have been full of wisdom and understanding and knowledge himself, and a worthy successor to Bezalel and Ohaliab (see the commentary on Exodus Ew – The Appointment of Bezalel and Ohaliab), but the Ruach is anxious that we should remember who is the foremost picture of those qualities (see As – Solomon’s Wish). At the close of the account about building the Temple, as it was in the beginning, the spotlight falls on Solomon.¹⁴⁸

First, the golden altar of incense (see the commentary on Exodus Fp – Altar of Incense in the Sanctuary: Christ, Our Advocate with the Father). In effect, the high priest was approaching the mercy seat – the very place where YHVH answers prayer. As the incense rose from that gold altar, it ascended to heaven with his prayers. In the words of King David, referring to the worship of Isra’el’s priests: Let my prayer be counted as incense before You, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2; Rev 5:8 and 8:3-4).

ADONAI has furnished us with a golden altar for prayer in the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. Yeshua said that His house should be called a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13). If our souls have become His temple by the indwelling of the Spirit of God, then our lives should be full of prayer. Every time we receive any blessing from the LORD – even something as simple as a good meal – our prayers of thanksgiving should rise like sacred incense. Every time we see someone in need, our prayers of intercession should be lifted up like the arms of a holy priest. Every time we are feeling anxious or guilty, we should ask God to send His merciful help from heaven. In this way, we make our heart an altar of prayer.¹⁴⁹

Second, there were ten tables of gold on which the showbread was displayed, five on the right and five on the left (First Kings 7:48; First Chronicles 28:16; Second Chronicles 4:8a). Every week the priests put twelve loaves of sacred bread on this golden table, presumably to represent the twelve tribes of Isra’el. The bread was a reminder of the provision of ADONAI. The same God who gave His children manna in the wilderness, continued to provide life-giving bread. The bread was also a sign of God’s presence, and of His desire to have fellowship with His people. Each week the priests would eat this sacred bread in the presence of YHVH (Leviticus 24:9), sharing their table fellowship with their covenant God.¹⁵⁰

The table of bread is yet another way ADONAI furnishes our souls with His grace, for God still gives bread to His people. Yeshua said that He Himself is the bread of life, (see the commentary on Exodus Fo – The Bread of the Presence in the Sanctuary: Christ, the Bread of Life). The true bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:33 and 35). If we have received Messiah by faith, our souls will never go hungry again. In the same way that bread gives us physical life, Yeshua gives us spiritual life forever. We are reminded of this every time we eat the daily bread we pray for God to provide (Matthew 11), or eat the bread of the Lord’s Supper, where Messiah feeds our souls with the bread of His grace.¹⁵¹

Third, Solomon made ten menorahs of pure gold. The Tabernacle in the wilderness had only one menorah (see the commentary on Exodus Fn – The Lampstand in the Sanctuary: Christ, the Light of the World). But the Temple was bigger, so Solomon installed five menorahs on the right and five menorahs on the left in front of the Most Holy Place. They were placed there for three reasons; first, providing light in a dark place because the Holy Place had no windows, secondly, it added beauty to the room, and thirdly, it symbolized the concept of life through both the tree of life and light.¹⁵² And on them were the flowers, lamps and tongs of gold. And he also made of pure gold the cups, snuffers, incense pans, fire pans, and hundreds of basins for the various rituals in the Temple (First Kings 7:49; Second Chronicles 4:7-8b and 20-22a).

Now we see the light of ADONAI in the person of Yeshua Messiah. The same Yeshua who said that He was the bread of life, also said that He was the light of the world (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gr – I AM the Light of the World). Yeshua Messiah is the true light who enlightens everyone entering the world – the Light has come into a dark world for our salvation (John 1:9). When we put our trust in Him, the light of God starts to illuminate every dark corner of our lives. Messiah gives us the light that shows us the truth, uncovers our sin, reveals the right path for us to take in life, and makes us shine for God in a dark world.¹⁵³

As for the entryway to the house, the hinges for the inner doors for the Most Holy Place and the doors of the Sanctuary were of gold. Solomon made the courtyard for the priests and the great outer courtyard, also the doors to the courtyard, which he overlaid with bronze. The Sea he placed on the right side of the Sanctuary, toward the southeast (First Kings 7:50; Second Chronicles 4:9-10 and 22b).

Thus, all the work that King Solomon did in the house of ADONAI was finished. After this, he brought in the gifts which David his father had dedicated — the silver, the gold and the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of ADONAI (First Kings 7:51: Second Chronicles 5:1). Solomon honored his father’s long term commitment to ADONAI and His house. Thus, his faith continued to be a witness to Isra’el and to the readers of First and Second Kings.

This is the way that God wants to furnish our souls; with stability like the mighty pillars (see Be – Two Bronze Pillars), with the cleansing grace of the Bronze Sea (see Bf – The Bronze Sea), with prayer like rising incense, with spiritual food like holy bread, and with shining light like a Sanctuary full of holy menorahs. Is your soul well furnished? If so, then use the furniture ADONAI has given you, making it part of everyday life. When life seems to be falling apart, and you are not sure how much longer you can stand, remember that Yeshua Messiah is your pillar of strength. When you are defeated by sin and feeling so unworthy that you doubt there is anything you can do for God, remember that the blood of Messiah purifies you from all sin. Use the spiritual furniture that the LORD has given you every day. Go to the sweet altar of prayer. Feed on His bread and live by the light of His Word.¹⁵⁴

The Summary of Hiram’s Work
First Kings 7:40-47 and Second Chronicles 4:11-18

The summary of Hiram’s work DIG: What were the smaller items used for? Who was Hiram compared to during the days of constructing the Tabernacle? Why weren’t they weighed?

REFLECT: What is your spiritual giftedness and how are you using it? In what ways are you presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God in spiritual worship?

We too should give our first and our best to God.

Hiram made the ash pots, shovels and sprinkling basins. With that, Hiram completed all the work he had done for King Solomon in the house of God – the two columns, the two tops of the columns, the two nettings covering the tops of the columns, and the 400 pomegranates for the two nettings, two rows of pomegranates for each netting, to cover the caps of the columns. He also made ten mobile bronze wash-carts, the ten basins for them, the one Bronze Sea, the twelve oxen under it, the ash pots and the shovels for removing the ashes from the bronze altar (see the commentary on Leviticus, to see link click Ao – The ‘Olah Offering), the forks, the sprinkling basins, probably for the catching of the blood. All these articles that Hiram the master craftsman made for King Solomon in the house of ADONAI were of burnished bronze (First Kings 7:40-45).

The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan River in the clay ground between Sukkot and Zarethan about 35 miles north of the Dead Sea and on the east side of the Jordan. His craftsmanship took planning and skill and required him to know how to transport his molds and finished products from the plain of the Jordan back to Jerusalem. Surely this man on loan from Tyre deserves to be remembered with Oholiab and Bezalel (Exodus Ew – The Appointment of Bezalel and Ohaliab) as one whose wisdom was revealed through the artwork and practical items he created.¹⁴⁶

The clay was used to make the molds into which the bronze was cast. Thus, the furniture for Solomon’s Temple was made much the same way that man himself was created: out of the ground. Given the large number of sacred articles that Solomon used to furnish his Temple, perhaps it is not surprising that they were never weighed because there were so many of them; thus, the total weight of the bronze could not be determined (First Kings 7:46-47; Second Chronicles 4:11-18).

The sacred furniture in Solomon’s Temple were part of the sacrificial system in the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah). We too are called to a life of sacrifice – not of our animals or our grain, but of our very selves. Yeshua Messiah has offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. In joyful response, we now offer everything we are and have back to Him. Somewhere in the sacred interior of our souls, we tell our Savior that we are totally available for His service, in whatever way our lives can be used for his glory: giving, praying, singing, teaching, organizing, discipling, or simply showing up and caring for people in need. By the mercy of ADONAI, we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). Nothing we could offer could ever be good enough for God, and Solomon was wise to give in proportion to the relative worth of the Recipient of his gifts. We too should give our first and our best to God.¹⁴⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, What a wise and loving Father You are! For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Psalms 57:10). What a joy it is to abide in You by listening, and following You so that I might please You and bear much fruit! I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). 

You are worthy of all my time, thoughts and love. In heaven, earthly trials will be forgotten. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). We will be so glad when we say no to personal pleasures for the joy of spending our time and our money on pleasing You! You are so glorious and wonderful to live for! In Your holy Son’s name and power or resurrection. Amen

Ten Mobile Bronze Wash-Carts
First Kings 7:27-39 and Second Chronicles 4:6

Ten mobile bronze wash-carts DIG: What was the purpose of the ten mobile bronze wash-carts? Why did God require so much washing? What did water represent in such an arid land?

REFLECT: If you could tackle any task for ADONAI, what would you like to do and why? Does your place of worship offer everything you need to use your spiritual gift(s)?

We need God’s cleansing every day.

Hiram’s third project was to make ten beautifully decorated bronze mobile wash-carts to be filled with water from the Bronze Sea (to see link click Bf – The Bronze Sea) that was needed for various Temple rituals. Each one is seven feet long, seven feet wide, and five-and-a-quarter feet high (to see a video of Solomon’s Temple in 3D click here). They were designed with panels that were set between the corner-posts, and on the panels between the corner-posts were lions, oxen and priests and cherubim. The corner-posts above were similarly designed. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hammered work. Every wash-cart had four bronze wheels and bronze axles, and its four legs each had cast supports which were under the bronze basin, with wreaths next to each. The opening was a circular ring on top of the wash-cart into which an eighteen inch basin was inserted; the stand was round, resembling a pedestal, and it was two-and-a-half feet in diameter (First Kings 7:27-33).

On the stand were carvings, and the outside was square, not round. The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles for the wheels were attached to the wash-carts; each wheel was two-and-a-half feet. The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all cast metal. Since the wash-carts were on wheels, they could be used in different parts of the Temple court. There were four supports at the four corners of each wash-cart; the supports were attached to the wash-cart itself. In the top of the wash-cart was a circular support ten-and-a-half inches high, and the wash-cart’s corner-posts and panels were attached to its top. Even these utterly functional objects were given elegance, style, and beauty. Hiram decorated the sides of the panels with carved cherubim, lions and palm trees, with wreaths surrounding. According to this design he made the ten mobile bronze wash-carts; all of them were cast from a single mold, so that they had the same size and shape. Holy objects in Solomon’s Temple were useful and attractive (First Kings 7:34-37).¹⁴³

Hiram designed the wash-carts to hold a smaller basin for washing; each basin’s capacity was two-hundred-twenty gallons of water and had a diameter of seven feet; there was a basin for each of the ten wash-carts. The wash-carts were kept in the Court of the Priests right next to the Temple, five of the wash-basins on the south side of the house and five on the north side. The dirty water could then be wheeled away and disposed of in a proper place and the wash-carts could then be filled again with clean water from the Bronze Sea. Their purpose was to supply water for the ritual rinsing of animal sacrifices and the removal of blood and refuse from the area around the Bronze Altar. But the Bronze Sea itself was to be used by the priests for washing. Solomon placed it on the right side of the Temple, toward the southeast (First Kings 7:38-39; 2  Chronicles 4:6). Notice that in Ezeki’el’s Temple the river flows from the southeastern corner (Ezeki’el 47:1-2).¹⁴⁴

The huge amount of water in all these basins shows that ADONAI has an all-encompassing concern for personal holiness. At the Temple, cleanliness really was “next to godliness,” because in order to perform their sacred duties, Solomon’s priests had to keep themselves ceremonially pure through ritual cleansing. So in order to do their kingdom work at the Temple of God, both the priests and the sacrifices needed to be washed in water. First, they washed themselves (Leviticus 16:4), but they also washed the animals they presented as clean offerings to the LORD (see the commentary on Leviticus Ah – The Offerings from the People’s Perspective).

God’s priests still need cleansing today, except that there are two major differences. The first difference is that now all of God’s people are priests. In the days of Solomon only the descendants of Aaron could perform priestly duties, but today ADONAI has a whole Kingdom of priests. Every believer in Yeshua Messiah has been called into the holy service of YHVH. Ha’Shem is building us into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua Messiah (First Peter 2:5). Now that the atonement has been made for our sins through Messiah’s sacrifice on the cross, there is no further need for us to offer God any more animal sacrifices. But we do offer Him the sacrifice of our praise, with a life given to His holy service. Our priestly duty is to proclaim the Gospel to the world and to pray for people who need God’s saving grace.

In order to offer ADONAI service that is truly holy, we must be clean, which brings us to the second major difference between Solomon’s Temple and the invisible, universal Church of Yeshua Messiah. The cleansing at the Temple was only skin deep; it washed the outside of the priest’s body. But now that we have become the temple of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (First Corinthians 6:19) – the place where God dwells – the cleansing takes place right inside of us. The various washings that went on at the Temple could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper (Hebrews 9:9). But now, the great sea of God’s cleansing grace is furnished to our souls. Through faith in Messiah, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh makes our hearts clean from sin.

We need cleansing every day – not just the day we were saved, but every day we sin and need to be forgiven. Every day. God declares that the blood of Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all sin (First John 1:7). We receive this cleansing at the very moment we trust in Messiah for our salvation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith). The blood that Yeshua shed on the cross gives us spiritual cleansing from all the guilty stains of our sin. Yet, we continue to sin, and therefore we continue to need our Savior’s cleansing, not as a matter of salvation, but as part of the holy work of the Spirit in making us holy for the service of God. He has promised us that the blood of Messiah will purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your wisdom in showing to the Israelites that before the lamb was killed as a sacrifice to atone for sins, purity of the one making the sacrifice was important. People live in a busy world with so many things to do and to go to. Time is squeezed between earning a living at a job and handling the many family activities and needs. You deserve great respect and honor! Worship of You is so crucial. When we can meet openly in congregations of God that is good to do, but we must first have our hearts washed clean by the blood of Jesus who purifies us from all sin (First John 1:7).

Praise You for how great the cost for You to cleanse me by Your own pain and shame of death on a cross. Praise You that it was not an afterthought to have Yeshua die, but You planned it even before You created the world! He chose us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love. . . He made known to us the mystery of His will, in keeping with His good pleasure that He planned in Messiah. The plan of the fullness of times is to bring all things together in the Messiah – both things in heaven and things on earth, all in Him (Eph 1:4, 9-10). I am so humbled by Your love and Your washing me clean. I desire to abide in You so that I can bear much fruit to please You. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

When believers sin, we sometimes start to doubt whether ADONAI can still accept our service. But whenever we are tempted by these doubts, we need to remember the furniture God has provided for our souls. As often as we sin, there is cleansing for our forgiveness in the face of God’s grace: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (First John 1:9). Knowing the promise of forgiveness encourages and enables us to obey the Bible’s command for our sanctification: Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God (Second Corinthians 7:1).¹⁴⁵

The Bronze Sea
First Kings 7:23-26 and Second Chronicles 4:2-5

The bronze sea DIG: What was the function of the bronze sea? Given the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32:1-35, do you think it was a good idea to furnish the Temple with bronze bulls?

REFLECT: Have you ever had an encounter with the sea? Saved through the sea as the Israelites were? Rescued from the sea as Jonah was? Has God calmed the waters for you?

We have been cleansed by the washing with water through the Word.

The second item that Hiram made for Solomon’s Temple was an enormous basin. The cast metal “Sea” was circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarter feet high (to see a video of  Solomon’s Temple in 3D click here). This beautiful bronze sea (as it was called) was one of ancient Isra’el’s great technical achievements. Anyone who knows the history of America’s famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, which was cast and then recast, knows how hard it is to fabricate a large metal object, especially one with a curved edge. The bronze basin in Solomon’s Temple was much larger than the Liberty Bell, with a circumference of fifty-two-and-a-half feet.¹⁴⁰

Under its rim, three hundred gourds encircled it in two rows; they were cast when the Sea was cast. It rested on twelve oxen representing the twelve tribes of Isra’el, three looking north, three looking west, three looking south and three looking east, all with their hindquarters toward the center. The Sea was set on top of them. It was a handbreadth thick, or the thickness of the palm (about four inches), its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily (First Kings 7:23-26a: Second Chronicles 4:5a). The capacity of the Bronze Sea was two thousand baths, or about 11,500 gallons (First Kings 7:26b). The Chronicler, however, gives us a different number of three thousand baths, or about 17,500 gallons (Second Chronicles 4:5b). Therefore, either there were two sorts of baths, as there are two types of cubits, the one common, the other sacred, and the sacred held half as much as the common; or possibly, he speaks of what it did actually and usually contain, or two thousand baths, which was sufficient for use. In Second Chronicles 4:5 the Chronicler speaks of what it could contain if it were filled to the brim, as it is implied in the Hebrew words, which differ from these, and properly sound like strengthening itself, (that is, to receive and hold as much as it could, or being filled to its utmost capacity,) it contained, or could contain, three thousand baths.¹⁴¹ There must have been a system for removing small amounts of water, but this system isn’t explained in the text. Perhaps there were spigots at the base of the basin, or coming out of the mouths of the oxen.

As Philip Ryken relates in his commentary on First Kings, the Bronze Sea may have reminded the Israelites of their own encounter with the sea. When they made their famous exodus from Egypt, the people of God walked through the Sea of Reeds on dry land, while Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen drowned (see the commentary on Exodus Ci – The Waters Were Divided and the Jews Went Through the Sea). We can give a similar testimony, for we too have passed through a symbolic sea. For believers in Messiah, baptism is a deliverance from death – a saving passage through water (First Corinthians 10:1-4; First Peter 3:20-21).

The water may also have represented the peace of YHVH controlling the chaotic troubles of a fallen world. The sea was a threatening force for people in ancient times, as it still is today, and thus it represents the forces of chaos. We find similar imagery elsewhere in the Bible, where the sea is sometimes regarded as an ominous, threatening force. Its waters roar and foam, wrote the psalmist; the mountains tremble at its swelling (Psalm 46:3). Or consider the desperate prayer of Jonah, “You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounding me; all Your waves and Your billows passed over me (Jonah 2:3).

But since ADONAI is Lord of the sea, He is able to bring its waters under His control: You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them (Ps 89:9). Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, ADONAI on high is mighty (Ps 93:4)! The mighty power of God was on display at Solomon’s Temple, where a large volume of water was symbolically stilled. The chaos of the sea was kept in its place by a bronze basin, much the way God keeps the waters of the sea within the boundaries of land.

The same is true for our own troubles in life. No matter how chaotic things may seem, ADONAI is still in control and wants to furnish us with inner peace. Rather than getting thrown around by all kinds of turmoil, tossed up and down in an ocean of anxiety, we can trust our Savior to calm the trouble of our worried thoughts. Knowing that Yeshua is the commander of the winds and the waves, who stilled the storm on the Sea of Galilee (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ff – Jesus Calms the Storm), we are able to heed the apostolic command: Let the peace of Messiah rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:15).

One further aspect of the sea’s symbolism is perhaps the most important of all: the Bronze Sea emulated the bronze basin in the Tabernacle (see the commentary on Exodus Fh – The Bronze Basin: Christ, Our Cleanser). The water in the basin made Aaron and his sons holy as they performed their priestly duties. When they enter the Tabernacle – they are to wash with water, so that they won’t die. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for ADONAI, they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won’t die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations (Exodus 30:20-21). And as we are sanctified, being cleansed by the washing with water through the Word (Ephesians 5:26), we also become holy for His service.¹⁴²

Dear heavenly Father, Praise You that You wash us clean thru the blood of the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Though my life is very busy, making time for You is the most important and wonderful thing I can do. To be cleansed by You is so refreshing. It takes away the burdens of our sins when I submit to You as my Lord and Savior. For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

It is wisest to give You the glory and honor that is due You by planning to begin and end each day in meditation of Your greatness. You are Awesome and worthy of my making the time for You! It is important to check often to ask You to help us see what we can do to walk closer with You and have You show me any little sins in my life that I need to daily cleanse.

No matter what is happening in my life, it is always a joy to bow in my heart, giving You all the praise. David praised You and wrote Psalm 57 while he was in great trouble and fleeing from the king. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will make music. Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, my Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is great up to the heavens, and Your truth to the skies. (Psalms 57:8-11). You are always worthy to be praised! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Two Bronze Pillars
First Kings 7: 15-22

Two bronze pillars DIG: Since they do not seem to be holding anything up, what is the purpose of the two bronze pillars? Where were they located? Why name them? What do their names mean? How would their names be a source of encouragement to Isra’el?

REFLECT: Why does the writer seem to delight in the details of the Temple? What was their symbolic meaning for Solomon and their spiritual connection to Yeshua and our life of faith? What names in your life conjure up thoughts and feelings of faith, hope, and love?

Our pillar is Yeshua Messiah.

Hiram made the two bronze pillars, each one was approximately twenty-seven feet tall, eighteen feet around, and several inches thick (to see a video of Solomon’s Temple in 3D click here). Together they stood on each side of the entrance to the Temple. Each pillar was topped with an ornate cap eight-and-three-quarters feet high made of melted bronze. He also made checker-work nets and chained wreaths, seven for the top of each capital (First Kings 7:15-17). We delight in the beautiful artistry of these caps, for although it does not give enough detail to produce an exact replica, the Bible does show how intricate they were. They were decorated with rows of fruit and chains of flowers – more echoes from the garden of Eden to remind us that the Temple was the gateway to Paradise.

When he made the pillars, he made two rows of pomegranates to put at the top of each pillar around the netting covering its cap. The pomegranates identified the pillars with the priests who served inside the Temple, for their garments were fringed with pomegranates (Exodus 28:31-34). Those fruits were symbols of the Promised Land (Num 13:23; Deut 8:8). The caps on the pillars in the hall had shapes like lilies and were seven feet high. The lilies were symbols of life, and also of love, for in the Song of Songs, that flower is closely associated with youthful romance (Song of Songs 2:1-2 and 6:2-3). As for the caps on the two pillars, there were 200 pomegranates in rows around each capital near the molding by the netting (1 Kgs 7:18-20). 

What about the pillars themselves? He erected the freestanding pillars in the porch of the Temple. But what was their symbolic meaning for Solomon and their spiritual connection to Yeshua Messiah and the life of a faithful believer? I’m glad you asked. The meaning of the pillars can be explained by their unusual names. On erecting the south pillar, he gave it the name “Jachin,” and on erecting the north pillar he named it “Bo‘az” (First Kings 7:21).¹³⁷

The name Jachin means it is firm, or he establishes. The same verb is used in the history of Isra’el to describe the promise of ADONAI made to King David and then later fulfilled for his son Solomon – the promise to establish his throne (Second Samuel 7:12-13; First Kings 2:12 and 24). Thus, Jachin is closely associated with God firmly establishing David’s throne. To call a pillar by this name is to encapsulate YHVH’s promise that David’s dynasty would be the vehicle through which God would bring His Kingdom on earth.¹³⁸ To say Jachin, is really another way of saying: Your Kingdom come (Matthew 6:10). It means He will establish His Kingdom on the earth through the royal family of David.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your Almighty power! Praise that You are our mighty pillar of strength and power. Your kingdom will come! The world is full of wars, fighting, famines and power struggles, yet Your coming as the Supreme Ruler of the world is not a maybe, not even a probably or a I hope so. Your Coming Rule of the entire world is a sure thing, an absolute positive future event, a one-hundred percent certainty!

When life gets hard, money is tight, work is heavy, relationships are not going well, I know that I can lift my eyes to focus on my loving and All-powerful Daddy! I can trust and rest in the fact that You are in total control of the world, even when it looks otherwise. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33c)! At the end of the seven year Tribulation, when the Beast and the False Prophet will gather all the armies of the earth and demonic spirits to come and fight against You at Armageddon (Revelation 16:16), You will take out all who fight against You by the sword of Your mouth! There will be no battle, just a slaughter by Your sword! From His mouth comes a sharp sword- so that with it He may strike down the nations- and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and He treads the winepress of the furious wrath of Elohei-Tzva’ot (Revelation 19:15).

You are not anxious by any amount of opposition against You. No ruler can out-plan You, nor surprise You. You cannot be deceived. You not only have a sure plan of victory, You have even planned for the cleanup of Your enemy after You kill them with the sword of your mouth. Then the beast was captured, and along with him the false prophet . . . These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the One riding on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh (Revelation 19:20-21). Your Kingdom will come and we bow in love and in worship of You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

We can take this idea one step further by comparing First Kings 7 with one of the royal psalms of David. Psalm 21 begins and ends with bo’az, meaning in His strength. The key word in both the first and last verse of the psalm is the same word used for strength that Solomon used to name his pillar. So it is at least possible – maybe even probable – that Bo’az was intended to remind the Israelites of this psalm. Therefore, if we want to understand the full meaning of the pillar Bo’az, we need to sing David’s psalm, “ADONAI, the king finds joy in Your strength . . . Arise, ADONAI, in Your strength (Psalm 21:1 and 13)!

What is the pillar of your life? The pillars of Solomon’s Temple were Jachin and Bo’az – the strength of YHVH Himself, and the stability of the king who sat on his throne. Our pillar is (or ought to be) Yeshua Messiah, the greater Solomon and the royal Son of David who now rules as the King of God’s Kingdom. By faith in Messiah, the believer’s life has become the Temple of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, the dwelling place of the living God (First Corinthians 6:18-20). The pillar of that inner temple is Yeshua Messiah. He is our pillar when everything else in life seems to give way. He is our pillar of strength when we feel weak, the pillar of mercy when we need forgiveness, the pillar of comfort when we suffer loss and grief, and the pillar of hope when we feel as though we have missed our chance in life and do not have much of a future.

When Yeshua Messiah is the pillar of our souls, then whatever trouble may come, we are able to say: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26). By the strength of ADONAI we will persevere through all the troubles of this life until the day when Yeshua fulfills this promise for us in glory: The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the Temple of My God (see the commentary on Revelation Be – The Church at Philadelphia).¹³⁹

Hiram, a Master Craftsman
First Kings 7:13-14 and Second Chronicles 4:11

Hiram, a master craftsman DIG: Who was Hiram? Why was he an ideal worker for this project? Who else does he sound like in the Bible? What does that say about the Ruach Ha’Kodesh?

REFLECT: What is your spiritual gift? How are you currently using it? How do you feel when exercising your gift? Has God given you any “heavenly assignments lately? Are you willing?

Solomon sent for Hiram and brought him from Tyre.

The people of Tyre were famous for their skill in working with metal. The most famous of them all was Hiram – not the king, but a different man of the same name. Strangely enough, although Hiram was from Tyre, his mother was Jewish. He was the son of a widow who was of the daughters of Dan (Second Chronicles 2:13), but her deceased first husband was from the tribe of Naftali, but he had remarried and his father-in-law was from Tyre. This detail may have been provided to reassure us that Hiram was not simply a Gentile with no Israelite roots. The fact that his mother was a widow, indeed, leaves open the possibility that he was a child of her first marriage, and therefore completely Jewish. But the most important thing to know about him is not his ethnic background, or his family connection to the people of God, but his gift as a master craftsman who designed the furniture in Solomon’s Temple. Solomon sent for Hiram and brought him from Tyre.¹³³

He was a bronze-worker filled with wisdom, understanding and skill for all kinds of bronze craftsmanship. Second Chronicles 2:14 adds that he was likewise skilled in working with gold, silver, iron, wood and various dyes of fine linen. He came to King Solomon and did all his bronze work (First Kings 7:13-14). Notice that Solomon not only utilized the finest materials, but he also spared no expense in hiring the finest workmen, and Hiram’s craftsmanship was a God-given talent.¹³⁴

The language that First Kings uses to describe his artistic gift is virtually identical to the language Exodus uses to describe two other famous artisans: Bezalel and Oholiab, who were the leading architects and interior designers for the Tabernacle that Moses built in the wilderness. Bezalel and Oholiab were filled with the Spirit of God, with the ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft (Exodus 31:3-5). The author wanted his readers to know that a man of similar skill was now on the job.

Hiram made a bronze altar thirty feet square and fifteen feet high (Second Chronicles 4:11). As you approached the Temple from the east, you came to the entrance to the courtyard of the priests. It was to this entrance, at the Nicanor Gate, that the people brought their sacrifices and offerings to be presented to the LORD. On the right, toward the north, stood the bronze altar, where the fire was kept burning and the priests offered the sacrifices (First Kings 8:64 and 9:25; Exodus 27:1-8).¹³⁵ As the population of the nation grew, so did the size of the bronze altar. In the Tabernacle, the bronze altar was only seven-and-a-half feet square and four-and-a-half-feet high (Exodus 27:1). But the time Herod’s Temple was built the bronze altar had grown to an incredible fifty-two-and-a-half feet square and sixteen-and-a-half feet high. This was necessary because of the sheer volume of sacrifices and offerings being made daily by the whole nation.

Dear Heavenly Father, Wow! The bronze altar of sacrifice was thirty feet square – the size of some homes! When planning the layout of a building – if something is important – it is given much space. You guided Solomon in the Temple design. You placed much emphasis on being clean from sins by making the altar so huge. People could smell the burning of the sacrificial animals in the Temple Court. It would have left a big impression on the mind as to how awful sin is and that only thru the shedding of blood could it be forgiven. It clearly showed that no one may approach a holy God without their sins covered by a sacrifice. He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so that it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf (Leviticus 1:4).

Too often today, people do not respect Your Holiness and Almighty power. They think they can talk to You as if You are just one of us. They forget how powerful You are and that You are King of Kings (Revelation 19:16). Your ways are so far above our thoughts and understandings (Isaiah 55:9). You are perfectly Holy, All-knowing, All-Wise and an All-Caring God! I bow in wonder and in awe of You!

How grateful we are that You choose to make Yourself the lamb of sacrifice to take the punishment for our sins. The next day, John sees Yeshua coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)! What great love You have to give me Yeshua’s righteousness so that I could come to live with You in Your holy home in heaven! He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). I love You and delight to follow and obey You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen 

Whenever it was time to build a house for God, be it the Tabernacle or the Temple, ADONAI gave certain people the gift and calling to do the job. Today, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh gives each believer at least one spiritual gift when we are saved. Usually it ends up being one strong gift and a lesser secondary gift (see the commentary on First Corinthians, to see link click Ci – The Source and Purpose of Spiritual Gifts). You know you are operating within the giftedness of the Spirit by the joy it brings you and the fruit it produces.

Hiram fulfilled his God-given calling as an artist by making beautiful furniture for Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. We do not know enough about him to be certain whether he had saving faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But what we do know is that everything Hiram made testified to the goodness of ADONAI and can help us understand how the Spirit of God wants to furnish our souls with His grace.¹³⁶

The Furniture in God’s House
First Kings 7:13-51 and Second Chronicles 4:1 to 5:1

The writer takes the opportunity to underline the connection between the Tabernacle and the Temple. Since Solomon’s Temple is larger and more lavishly equipped than the Tabernacle, it was clearly not a mere imitation in a more permanent form. However, separate basic information is given on Hiram (to see link click Bd – Hiram, a Master Craftsman), the Bronze Pillars (see Be – Two Bronze Pillars), the Bronze Sea (see Bf – The Bronze Sea), ten Bronze Mobile Stands (see Bg – Ten Bronze Mobile Stands), as well as items not described elsewhere (see Bh – The Summary of Hiram’s Work), and lists given from different sources of the gold-work (see Bi – The Gold Furniture in the Temple).

There are also three principles emphasized in this section. First, the Temple’s structure and furniture signify the various ways that it means to be in the presence of YHVH. The need to be washed, the symbolism of the lampstands and the bread, the doors of the Most Holy Place, and even things like sprinkling bowls and censers, speak of God’s grace drawing near to us as well as His glorious holiness.

Second, the emphasis on the Temple furniture, as well as the association between the Tabernacle and the Temple, underlines the continuity represented by the Temple itself. The return of the Temple furniture to the Second Temple was one of the chief signs that post-exilic Isra’el remained a worshiping community of covenant people (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Bm – Ezra Reads the Scroll of Deuteronomy). The ongoing significance of the furniture is underlined by the reference of various kings restoring and repairing it for use in worship (Second Chronicles 13:11. 23:18-19, 29:18-19, and 33:1-16).

Third, the detail shows that Solomon was careful to follow the written instructions of ADONAI, with almost every item listed in First Chronicles 28:11-29 repeated here (see a video of Solomon’s Temple click here). The pattern of Moshe’s obedience in constructing the Tabernacle (Exodus Chapters 25-31 and 35-40) is therefore continued, in both cases culminating in God’s house being filled with His Sh’khinah glory (First Kings 8:11; Second Chronicles 5:13-14; Exodus 40:34-38).

The Temple’s interior also helps us understand what it means to worship ADONAI in His heavenly Sanctuary. Although the way was not fully revealed during the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), as a result of Yeshua’s death, the way to heaven is now available to Gentiles as well as Jews. Its earthy point of entry is the cross outside the camp (Hebrews 13:11-14). There, Messiah died for sins once and for all (John 19:30), rendering any further earthly Temple and bronze altar moot (Hebrews 8:13). This Most Holy Place in heaven is to be a place of continuing worship as well as completed atonement. Here every believer may enter as a priest (First Peter 2:5-9), confident of never being turned away from the presence of Yeshua, the Bread of Life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fr – Jesus the Bread of Life) and the Light of the World (see The Life of Christ Gr – I Am the Light of the World). Believers are therefore encouraged to draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith (Heb 10:22).¹³²

Inside Solomon’s Temple
First Kings 6:15-38 and Second Chronicles 3:8-14

Inside Solomon’s Temple DIG: In what ways does Solomon demonstrate the importance he attaches to the Temple? Why is so much value given to this building? What art adorns the Temple (1 Kings 6:23-29)? What are cherubim (Gen 3:24)? Why does Jewish art avoid any human depictions (Deut 5:8)? Does the Temple say anything about the character of God?

REFLECT: What kind of “temple” is God building (Ephesians 2:19-22)? How is the progress in the corner of the project assigned to you? To your place of worship? Is the project “noise-free” or “full of static?” Explain. How will the laborers be supported? What sacrifices will be needed? When you enter the presence of God do you have a sense of awe? Why? Why not?

Seeing the cherubim would impress anyone of the holiness of ADONAI.

The fire that devastated England’s Windsor Castle in 1992 was a costly disaster. To help pay for the repairs, which cost millions of pounds, Queen Elizabeth II opened her home to visitors. For the first time in history, common tourists could pay a small fee for the unprecedented privilege of walking through Buckingham Palace. The opening of the palace offered a rare glimpse of the queen’s royal splendor. To know what people are like, it helps to see where they live, and for the queen of England, home is where the majesty is. People who were fortunate enough to visit Buckingham Palace saw the queen’s royal apartments, with their gilded ornaments and famous masterpieces. They walked through her stately private gardens. They encountered her receiving room to gaze upon her golden throne. To see the royal palace was to experience the glory of Queen Elizabeth’s kingdom.

The Bible gives us a similar experience by taking us on a guided tour of Solomon’s Temple, the house of God. Sometimes people wonder what YHVH is really like. Since we have never seen Him face-to-face, it can be hard to get a clear impression of his true and awesome glory. Visiting the house that Solomon built can help us to know God better, for when we look at the building carefully, seeing the plan for its structure and the details of its design, we learn the character of ADONAI who made His home there.¹²³

Natural beauty: The first thing we notice inside Solomon’s Temple is its natural beauty. The insides of the walls of the house he built with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the joists of the ceiling he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress. The thirty-five-foot back portion of the house he built with boards of cedar from the floor to the joists and reserved this part of the house to be a sanctuary, the Most Holy Place; while the rest of the house, that is, the Temple in front, was seventy feet long. The cedar covering the house was carved with gourds and open flowers; all was cedar; no stone was visible (First Kings 6:15-18). 

Solid gold: In the inner part of the house he set up the Sanctuary, so that the ark for the covenant of ADONAI (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Fr – The Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace), containing the Ten Commandments, could be placed there (First Kings 6:19). On top of the ark was the mercy seat (see Exodus Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace). It was there that the high priest sprinkled the blood on the Day of Atonement (see the commentary on Leviticus Ef – Yom Kippur). Thus, the ark in the Most Holy Place was the focal point of the Temple and its ritual, not as an object of worship itself, or superstitious awe, but as the place where His Sh’khinah glory, the very presence of God, dwelt among His people.¹²⁴

Dear Heavenly Father, How spectacular and beautiful the Most Holy Place, all covered in gold! Yet even more awesome is that Your very presence, Your Sh’khinah glory that resided in the Most Holy Place above the ark. Your presence is even more spectacular than gold! What a privilege it is that You dwell in my heart: Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23) – now that sin has been paid for by Yeshua, the Lamb of God (John 1:29). How important it is to always keep any place of worship clean. In the same way, it is so important to keep my heart/life clean because You live inside me. Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own (First Corinthians 6:19)? It is a joy and delight to please You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Holy, Holy, Holy: The Temple was the guardian of, and witness to, the Torah. In common with ancient Near Eastern principles of religious architecture, the holiest place was to be a perfect cube which symbolized the perfection of its design as well as its purpose.¹²⁵ Then he made the Most Holy Place thirty-five feet long, wide and high; and it was overlaid with twenty tons of pure gold. In front of it, Solomon set an altar, which he covered with cedar. He overlaid the interior of the house with pure gold and had chains of gold hung across the doors that led to the Most Holy Place, which itself he overlaid with gold. The entire house he overlaid with gold until it was completely covered with it. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar that belonged to the Sanctuary. All around the walls of the house, both inside the sanctuary and outside it, he carved figures of cherub, palm trees and open flowers. He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, both inside the Sanctuary and outside it (First Kings 6:20-22 and 29-30; Second Chronicles 3:8-9). 

Inside the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of olive-wood, then cast metal, overlaid with gold. These two magnificent statutes dominated the Most Holy Place. The wings of the cherubim were thirty-five feet long, completely spanning the inner Sanctuary — the wings of both cherubs was eight-and-three-quarters feet long and touched the wall of either side of the house and met in the middle of the room. Each cherub was seventeen-and-a-half feet tall and stood on their feet facing the door (First Kings 6:23-30; Second Chronicles 3:10-13). These two figures (Ezeki’el 1:4-14) represented the cherubim associated with the throne and government of YHVH (Ezeki’el 1:22-28). They also served as the guardians of the way to God (Genesis 3:24). The impact on the beholder of these representations of the cherubim would be to impress on that person the awesomeness of ADONAI’s holiness. Approaching the LORD is not a light or frivolous matter and must be undertaken in the exact way He has prescribed – through the blood of the sacrifice.¹²⁶

Just before the two cherubim, and hiding them and the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place, was a richly embroidered veil made of blue, purple and crimson material and of fine linen, with a design of cherubim worked into it (Second Chronicles 3:14). Only here in the TaNaKh is this mentioned. Of course, the Tabernacle had an inner veil (see Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body). Herod’s Temple also had this veil (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lw – The Accompanying Signs of Jesus’ Death). The Chronicler was interested in the veil because its continuity with the Tabernacle, but for believers, the tearing of the veil when Yeshua died (Matthew 27:51) supersedes all other associations (to see a video of Solomon’s Temple in 3D click here).¹²⁷

Leaving the Most Holy Place, we can see that the doors were made of olive-wood, set within a five-sided door-frame. On the two olive-wood doors he carved figures of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers. He overlaid the doors with gold, forcing the gold into the shapes of the cherubim and palm trees as well. For the entrance to the Temple, he also made doorposts of olive-wood, set within a rectangular door-frame, and two doors of cypress-wood; the two leaves of the one door were folding, as were the two leaves of the other. On them he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, overlaying them with gold fitted to the carved work (First Kings 6:31-35). From this and the following verses in this chapter, and in Chapter 7, it is quite evident that Solomon spared no expense in building the Temple; he used the finest and costliest materials available. His prayer in Chapter 8 makes it clear that in doing so, Solomon was giving expression to his sincere love for, and devotion to, ADONAI. Though God could not be enriched, Solomon was demonstrating in a practical way that nothing but the best is owed to the LORD. This is an enduring principle for believers in every age and ought to find expression in every area of our lives.¹²⁸

Having quickly toured the interior of the Temple and passed through the two doors of cypress-wood that stand at its entrance, we find ourselves once more in the inner courtyard, passing between two free-standing pillars Jachin and Boaz (see Be – Two Bronze Pillars). He built the inner courtyard with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams (First Kings 6:36). It was an open plaza surrounding the Temple. This inner courtyard, also called the courtyard of the priests (Second Chronicles 4:9), was separated from the great outer court by the wall described here. The size of the inner courtyard is not given, but if the dimensions of the Temple are proportionate to those of the Tabernacle courtyard, as the dimensions of the Sanctuaries of the Temple and Tabernacle are, the inner courtyard was about one-hundred-and-fifty feet wide and four-hundred feet long.¹²⁹

The foundation of the house of ADONAI was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (the eighth month), which is the eighth month, all parts of the house were completed exactly as designed. Thus, he spent seven years building it (First Kings 6:37-38). About seven years and six months were needed to complete the Temple. An enormous amount of labor and funds were involved. All the plans of David were carried out. It must have been a moment of great satisfaction to Solomon to see the desires of his father’s heart come true; and when ADONAI acknowledged the Temple by filling it with His Sh’khinah glory, Solomon’s joy, I am sure, knew no bounds.¹³⁰ The Temple stood for nearly four centuries and was the only structure that was rebuilt after the exile in Babylon. As time passed, the nation learned to look at the Temple as a sign of their relationship with YHVH. For the time being, however, the people needed to make the transition from a more basic Tabernacle to the new, ornately decorated Temple.¹³¹

This New House
First Kings 6:1-14 and Second Chronicles 3:1-7 and 15-17

This new house DIG: Why was the building of the Temple dated in reference to Exodus? How was the Temple different from any other building in the world? Why was the Sanctuary smaller than most of the congregations of God today? Why such a large portico? Such small windows? Why side rooms? Why is no iron tool heard at the construction site? Regarding the promise in verse 12, how is this promise fulfilled?

REFLECT: Are the buildings that believers meet in today as important as the Temple was in Solomon’s time? Why? Why not? How do you balance the money going to the building where you worship and the ministry of your congregation? Is one more important than the other? If so, which one and why? Since Isra’el is a very secular society today, has God abandoned His people (see the commentary on Romans, to see link click Cy – The Jealousy of the Gentile Believers)?

Yeshua is the Promise Keeper.

True spiritual vitality depends on the living and working presence of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. With the Spirit, the congregations’ ministry of word and deed have the power to bring people to faith in Messiah, and help them grow in grace. Without the Ruach, however, nothing that is done in ministry will make any lasting difference for the kingdom of ADONAI. It all depends on having the Spirit of Messiah in the life of the congregations of God. Unless the LORD is in the house, the Church will fail.

Breaking ground: We see the vital importance of the Spirit’s presence in the story of Solomon’s Temple. As construction begins, the Bible gives precise details about the new house that Solomon built for God. But the Bible also makes it clear that the living presence of God is infinitely more important than any building that is raised in His Name. First Kings 5 told how the king wisely arranged for all the materials and labor he needed to build his Temple (to see link click Az – Materials and Labor for the Temple). Then in Chapter 6 Solomon broke ground. It was in the 480^th year after the people of Isra’el had left the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Isra’el, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of ADONAI (First Kings 6:1). This verse, with its careful identification of time and place, uses the kind of formal language that people use when something important is happening. And the Temple was important. This was a new era for the people of God. Solomon was constructing sacred architecture – a new house for the living God.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your indwelling presence in those who love You (John 14:23)! How great that You are eternal, and never get old. What a comfort it is that the One who lives within us is always Holy, All-powerful and All-wise! I can always call to You for advice and help and You are right there within me! Friends are often busy or far away, but because You live within me, we are never alone. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” Hebrews (13:5c).

We do not ever have to fear the dark for You see right thru it. If I say: “Surely darkness covers me, night keeps light at a distance from me,” even darkness is not dark for You, and night is as bright as day – darkness and light are alike (Psalms 139:11-12). If I get on a plane and fly across the ocean, even there You are with me. If I take the wings of the dawn and settle on the other side of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me (Psalms 139:9-10). What a wonderful privilege to have you always with me to help and guide me.

It is a joy and a delight to love and to follow You, our Awesome Savior. Your word says: Delight yourself in ADONAI, and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4). Thank You that as I delight in You, my heart will desire things that delight You – making a bonus of delight for both You and for me. It is such a joy to meditate on You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

From a historical standpoint, the information in this verse is useful for determining when these events took place. That year would be around 967 to 966 BC. The chronology of this verse also provides a crucial piece of evidence for establishing the date of Isra’el’s exodus from Egypt in 1447 or 1446 BC. Taking this as a literal 480 years strengthens the case for an early, fifteenth-century date for the Exodus.

But as important as this verse is for biblical chronology, it is even more important for biblical theology. What Solomon did in building a house for God is directly connected to what God did in bringing His people out of Egypt. First Kings is part of the ongoing history of the one true people of God. As he tells the story of Solomon’s Temple, the biblical writer looks back to the historic day when His people were released from their bondage by His grace. It was a direct fulfillment of the promises of YHVH.

Going back to the days of Abraham, God had promised that He would give His people a land to call their own (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land). During their long bondage in Egypt, the people of God often wondered when that promise would ever come true. But eventually ADONAI brought His people out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He led them safely through the wilderness, until finally He brought them into the Promised Land.

When Solomon began building a house for ADONAI, it was clear that God had fulfilled His long-standing promise of Land for His people. Now they were not just saved from Egypt, but also settled in Isra’el. In the wilderness when they were still wandering, Ha’Shem made His residence in the Tabernacle – a portable structure suitable for that stage of Isra’el’s pilgrimage. But now it was time to settle down. Isra’el had established a permanent place of residence, and therefore YHVH would no longer dwell in a tent, but in a Temple.

This Temple was part of God’s promise (see the commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David). But the promise of God’s dwelling went all the way back to the days of Moshe. When Moses sang his victory song on the shores of the Sea of Reeds, celebrating God’s triumph over the horses and riders of Egypt, he prophesied that YHVH would dwell with His people: You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain which is Your heritage, the place, ADONAI, that you made your abode, the Sanctuary, ADONAI, which Your hands established (Exodus 15:17). The promise of Moses was fulfilled on the mountain of Zion, where Solomon built a Sanctuary for the worship of God.

Moshe often referred to this promise in the book of Deuteronomy. There he prophesied a time of rest for God’s people, at a place where God’s name would dwell and His people would bring their sacrifices (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ct – The Place to Worship ADONAI). From time to time, as Moses gave instructions for Isra’el’s worship, he would mention the place where ADONAI will choose to make His name dwell there (Deuteronomy 14:23, 16:2, 6 and 11, 26:2). He was referring to Jerusalem, but more specifically, to the place of worship that God would establish there. These promises were a long time in coming, but they began to see their fulfillment in the second month of Solomon’s fourth year.

God makes a similar promise to us today. The most basic promise of His everlasting covenant is that He would come to us and be our God. When ADONAI comes to dwell with us – when He comes into our lives by the powerful presence of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh – then we have the best of all blessings, which is God Himself living within us. Yeshua said: If someone loves Me, they will keep My word; and My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home in them (John 14:23).

This is the promise of Yeshua Messiah for anyone who loves Him and believes the word of the Good News: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit of God will come and make their home in your body (First Corinthians 6:15) and in your life. They will come with forgiveness for all your sins, help for all your troubles, and comfort in all your sorrows. They will come with strength and grace for every important thing you are called to do in life. They will come to guarantee everlasting joy in the kingdom of God.¹¹⁸

The house that Solomon built: Solomon’s Temple was to serve as a dwelling place for God, which is why it is repeatedly called a house (First Kings 6:1). A house is a place where someone lives, so this new house was the dwelling place of God. It was the one place on the earth that YHVH chose to receive the worship of His people and make His presence known.

One sign of the Temple’s importance was the sheer number of details the Bible gives about its construction. The Bible doesn’t provide all the details needed for an exact reconstruction. At most there is enough information for an architectural rendering, we don’t have a full set of blueprints. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh is obviously not interested in the Temple from an archeological standpoint, but from a theological standpoint. However, from what the Bible says, we can easily imagine the simple beauty and stately grandeur of Solomon’s Temple (to see a video of Solomon’s Temple click here).¹¹⁹

Then Solomon began to build the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim on Mount Moriah, where ADONAI had appeared to David, his father. Provision had been made for this at the place David had chosen, the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. He began building in the fourth year of his reign, on the second day of the second month. These are the foundations Solomon laid for building the house of God: the length in old-standard cubits was 105 feet long, thirty-five feet wide and fifty-two-and-a-half feet high, about double the dimensions of the Tabernacle. Then the Spirit of God provides a simple tour of the building, beginning with the porch. The length of the porch in front of the house was the same as the house’s width, thirty-five feet and 210 feet high so that its seventeen-and-a-half width extended frontward from the house. And he overlaid it with pure gold (First Kings 6:2-3; Second Chronicles 3:1-4).

After giving the Temple’s dimensions, the Bible proceeds to describe its structure. The windows he made for the house were wide on the inside and narrow on the outside. Against the wall of the house, he built an annex all the way around; it went all the way around the walls of the house, including both the Temple and the Sanctuary. Here is how the Bible describes this three-tiered structure. The lowest floor of the annex was eight-and-three-quarters feet wide, the middle floor ten-and-a-half feet wide and the third floor twelve-and-a-quarter feet wide; for he had made the outer part of the wall of the house step-shaped, so that the beams of the annex would not have to be attached to the house walls. For the house, when under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; so that no hammer, chisel or iron tool of any kind was heard in the house while it was being built. The entrance to the lowest floor was on the south side of the house; a spiral staircase went up to the middle floor and on to the third (First Kings 6:4-8).

So, he built the house, and after finishing it, he put its roof on – cedar planks over beams, which he overlaid with fine gold and embossed with palm trees and chains. Each floor of the annex surrounding the house was eight-and-three-quarters feet high and was attached to the house with beams of cedar. He also decorated the building with precious stones and gold from Parvaim, overlaying the house and its beams, thresholds, walls and doors with gold and carving cherubim on the walls (First Kings 6:9-10; Second Chronicles 3:5-7).

The preparation of those stones may also remind us of the work that ADONAI is doing in our spiritual lives. The Bible says that when we come to faith in Messiah, we are like living stones that God is building into a spiritual house (First Peter 2:5). The LORD is not finished with us yet. All through our lives the Ruach Ha’Kodesh is shaping us in the quarry of sanctification, using suffering and temptation to chip away everything that is still unholy. He uses our quiet times of prayer, with the reading and meditation of Scripture, to construct our character. As we confess our sins and grow in godliness, Ha’Shem is getting us ready to be a perfect fit for our eternal home.¹²⁰

As we turn and make our way out of the Sanctuary, we pass between the two free-standing pillars. In Second Chronicles 3:15-17 we learn that in front of the house, he made two pillars sixty-one-and-a-quarter feet high, with a capital of eight-and-three-quarters feet on top of each. He made chains in the sanctuary and added them to the tops of the columns, and he made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains. He erected the columns in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left; the one on the right he called Jachin, and the one on the left he called Bo‘az (see Be – Two Bronze Pillars). So Solomon finished building the house (Second Chronicles 3:15-17; First Kings 6:14)

Since the Bible goes on to devote more space to the opening ceremonies (see Bk – Solomon’s Prayer) than to the building of the Temple, it is clear that the author’s real concern was with the Temple’s meaning rather than its architectural details. In other words, the Temple would be complete, not when the last stone was set in place, but when ADONAI took up residence.¹²¹ The Temple was for His glory, not for the pride of the people who built it.

If/then: Suddenly, ADONAI interrupted Solomon’s building project to make an important announcement: Concerning this house which you are building: if you (Solomon) will live according to My regulations, follow my rulings and observe all my mitzvot and live by them, then I will establish with you My promise that I made to David your father. If Solomon were obedient, then the Messiah would come from his line. But since he was disobedient (see Bx – Solomon’s Wives), the Messiah would come through the line of Nathan instead (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ai – The Genealogies of Joseph and Mary).

Then, the next verse concerned Isra’el: if you (Solomon) will live according to My regulations, follow my rulings and observe all my mitzvot and live by them, then I will live in it among the people of Isra’el, and I will not abandon my people Isra’el.” So Solomon finished building the house (First Kings 6:11-13). God was concerned with Solomon’s heart. He didn’t tell Solomon to stop what he was doing. Nor did He disapprove of Solomon’s Temple. But God wanted to make sure that as the king undertook his worthy project, that he didn’t lose sight of what should have been his top priority . . . to do everything in obedience to His will. This is an important reality check for all of us, not just King Solomon. We are often tempted to think that what really matters is what we do. Of course, what we do does matter. But what matters most is who we are – the obedience of a heart that is surrendered to God. What matters at work is not just getting the job done, but doing it with a sincere desire to honor our Savior.

If Solomon was faithful to obey, then ADONAI would be faithful to bless. God promised three particular blessings, which are some of the greatest blessings that He ever has promised to His people. The first promise was an everlasting dynasty for Solomon on the throne of his father David. If you will live according to my regulations, follow my rulings and observe all my mitzvot and live by them, then I will establish with you My promise that I made to David your father (see the commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David). If Solomon was obedient, then his kingdom would never fail.

The second promise guaranteed God’s presence: I will live in it among the people of Isra’el. This was the very reason Solomon was building the Temple: so that ADONAI would dwell with His people. The best gift that God can offer is the gift of himself, in all His love and grace. He made that promise to His people in the time of Moses (Leviticus 26:11-12). Now Ha’Shem was repeating His covenant promise to Solomon. The LORD’s presence with His people depended on the faithfulness of their king. If Solomon obeyed, then the whole nation would enjoy the blessed dwelling of their God among them.

The third promise was God’s perseverance. Having told Solomon what He would do, Ha’Shem also told him what He would not do. . . I will not abandon My people Isra’el. This verse cannot be avoided by those who believe in Replacement Theology (see the commentary on Acts Ag – Replacement Theology and Acts). This promise went well beyond the second promise and made it more secure. It is one thing to go and live with people; but it is quite another to live with them forever and never leave. This is something that YHVH had promised His people before (Psalm 94:1-23), and now He was promising the same thing again. As long as Solomon obeyed His statutes and ordinances (see Deuteronomy Bb – Hear and Obey), ADONAI would dwell with His people in the Temple.

The Promise Keeper: The obvious question to ask about these promises is whether Solomon kept God’s conditions or not. For as the king went, so went the country. This is why knowing the grammar of First Kings 6:12 is so crucial to understanding this whole passage. The commands in that verse are all given in the second-person singular, speaking specifically to Solomon. So how did Solomon do? Tragically, the king failed to keep God’s statutes and ordinances. We have already seen some early warning signs that Solomon’s heart was not fully devoted to the LORD. Later, we will see that for all His wisdom, his reign did not end nearly as well as it began (see By – The Fall of the House of David). He did not walk in the mitzvot that forbade the king to marry many foreign wives, to trust in horses and chariots for his national security, or to acquire excess gold and silver for his personal use (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). Nor did he obey God’s commandments about worshiping foreign idols.

As a result of Solomon’s unfaithfulness, the people of Isra’el didn’t receive the full blessing that would have been theirs if the king had kept God’s covenant with Moses (Exodus 19:3-25), which is a conditional divine pledge to be Isra’el’s God, protector, the advocate and sustainer of her blessing and destiny. Solomon’s throne did not last forever, and when he died, Isra’el became a divided kingdom (see Cz – The Divided Kingdom: The Rise of Idolatry). Although ADONAI lived with His people for a time, eventually His Sh’khinah glory departed from the Temple (Ezeki’el 8-10). Near the end of Kings we hear Him say: I will reject this City, which I chose, Jerusalem, and the house concerning which I said, “My name will be there” (Second Kings 23:27). So the Temple was destroyed (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gb – The Destruction of Solomon’s Temple on Tisha B’Av in 586 BC) and God exiled His people from Jerusalem all the way to Babylon (see Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule). It was all because of the failure of their king. First Kings 6:11-13 explains most of Isra’el’s subsequent history.

As we study the TaNaKh we look in vain for a faithful king who keeps God’s covenant with Moses (Exodus 19:3-25). David and Solomon were two of Isra’el’s best kings, but both had fatal flaws. David was a murderer and an adulterer; Solomon married many foreign wives and worshiped many idols. Most of the other kings were even worse. They didn’t walk in God’s statutes, obey God’s ordinances, or keep God’s commands. The kings of Isra’el didn’t secure an everlasting dynasty for David or enjoy the permanent living presence of God in their midst.

Yet all these promises did come true, and ADONAI is with His people today, by the power and presence of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. The promises came true in Yeshua Messiah, the descendent of David and the greater Solomon of the kingdom of God. He kept all of the commandments of YHVH (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dg – The Completion of the Torah). So, Solomon’s failure points us to the faithfulness of Yeshua Messiah.

Now we have God’s promise that Yeshua will sit on David’s throne forever, ruling heaven and earth for His Father’s glory (see the commentary on Isaiah Db – The Nine Missing Articles in the Messiah’s Coming Temple). We have God’s promise that He will live with us and be our God, that Messiah will live in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17). We also have His promise that He will never leave us or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). Yeshua said: I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Then He sent the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to be His guiding and comforting presence in our lives. Yeshua is able to make all these promises because He has met all the conditions for our salvation. The Torah has been completed, the debt has been paid: He is the Promise Keeper. Now God is with us forever.¹²²

Historical Details Related to
First Kings 3:1 to 4:34

This section is lengthy and describes the first years of Solomon’s rule and the fame he gained during that time. Foreign and domestic political situations are mentioned as are religious, literary and commercial issues. Since First Kings Chapters 1-2 establishes Solomon as the successor of David, then First Kings Chapters 3-4 indicates how Solomon began to fill the rather large void left by his father.

Most of the events of Chapters 3-4 occur during the first three years of Solomon’s rule (970-966 BC). At least they are told before construction on the Temple began in the fourth year of Solomon’s rule (First Kings 6:1). Three historical details deserve mention: Solomon’s relationship to Egypt, Solomon’s organization of Isra’el into twelve districts, and the extent of the cost of Solomon’s kingdom. These details are interspersed between the chapters’ most important ideas, which are the origin, emergence, and fruit of Solomon’s wisdom.

As has been stated, David left a significant kingdom to his son. He had built a nation largely through conquest. Philistia, Mo’ab, Ammon, Edom, and Syrian had all fallen to his armies. Those nations continued to be under Isra’el’s authority during the first decades of Solomon’s rule, which presented the new king with an administrative problem, not a military one. Since he controlled virtually all the land between Egypt and the Hittite kingdom, Solomon was a major player in international affairs.

Egypt’s pharaoh, most probably Siamun (978-959 BC),⁷¹ recognized Solomon’s significance and made an alliance with him by marrying one of his daughters to Isra’el’s king (First Kings 3:1). Perhaps Egypt was weak and needed Solomon’s support at that time, or maybe Egypt thought it would be easier to gain access to Isra’el’s trade routes through negotiation rather than through war. But whatever the reasons, peaceful relations existed with Egypt and Isra’el for some twenty years – until the twenty-first dynasty was superseded by Shishak in 945 BC.⁷² Having Egypt as an ally enhanced Solomon’s status even more. When this alliance ceased, however, Egypt actually helped support Jeroboam who eventually split Isra’el into two rival nations (to see link click Dc – A House Divided).

Before Solomon, Isra’el’s government was fairly informal. Sha’ul and David’s kingdoms were not disorganized, but they were forced to focus on waging war rather than managing a peaceful empire. Solomon, on the other hand, was determined to accomplish normal peacetime goals, such as trading and building. Therefore, he divided Isra’el into twelve districts, each of which was ruled by a governor, who was in charge of providing food and supplies for the king and his household; each one was in charge of provisions for one month out of the year (First Kings 4:7). In other words, the governors collected the taxes in their districts that went to support the central government. These districts roughly corresponded with the old tribal areas, but tribal boundaries were often disregarded. Resentment over this redistricting undoubtedly arose, then grew as certain districts struggled to pay their portion.

In any event this was a radical and decisive step, because it imposed upon the people an unprecedented burden. It meant that the fading old tribal system was virtually abolished as far as its political functioning was concerned. In place of the twelve tribes caring in turn for the Temple and the priesthood, there were twelve districts taxed for the support of Solomon’s court.⁷³

Without question, Solomon’s court needed vast sums of money to support its many interests. Besides the king, his harem, and his officials, there were chariot horses and regular army horses to feed (First Kings 4:26). In addition, the nation’s population grew (First Kings 4:20), which required further administrative costs. Since funds could not be gained through warfare, taxes and trade had to provide all the government’s income. Only an extremely wise king would fund all those various interests. But even that type of ruler could not do so for an indefinite period of time.⁷⁴

The Divided Kingdom: The Rise of Idolatry
First Kings 12:1 to 16:34 and Second Chronicles 10:1 to 17:1

Solomon’s death left a gigantic hole in Isra’el’s leadership structure. David’s son, the man who gave Isra’el political cohesion, wealth, prestige, and religious unity, was dead. Who could possibly fill his place? The Bible has already introduced what would occur (see the commentary on the Life of David, to see link click Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David). ADONAI would continue to honor the covenant with David, so Solomon’s son would have a two-tribe kingdom (First Kings 11:32-36). Because of Solomon’s idolatry, however, Jeroboam would rule the other ten tribes (First Kings 11:26-31). God had sent these infallible promises through Ahijah the prophet, so the prophecies must come true. What remains to be seen is how they will come to pass.

Sadly, Solomon’s son Rehoboam’s lack of political skill opened the door for the split (see Dc – A House Divided). Just as sadly, Jeroboam did not appreciate what Ha’Shem had done for him, for he would establish an alternative religion in his new kingdom (see Dd – Golden Calves at Dan and Bethel). Though the LORD sent prophets to warn Jeroboam to change his ways, he refused to do so (First Kings 13:1-10). As a result, YHVH condemned Jeroboam’s actions (see Dg – The Prophecy of Ahijah) and ended his dynasty after a few short generations (First Kings 15:29-30). Jeroboam’s deeds are particularly unacceptable to God because he was told that he came to power because of Solomon’s disobedience (First Kings 11:26-31). Indeed, Jeroboam’s sins are so far-reaching and repulsive that the author uses him as the example of how to define a morally deficient king (First Kings 16:7, 9 and 26).

After Jeroboam passes from the scene, several other rather nondescript kings come to power in Isra’el, and David’s dynasty continues to rule Judah. Judah’s kings, Asa (see Dk – Asa’s Reforms) and Jehoshaphat (see Dm – Jehoshaphat King of Judah), impresses the author in a positive way. None of the northern kings are righteous (see Dn – The Kings of Isra’el), yet one is significant. Omri builds a new capitol, makes an alliance with Tyre, and places his son, Ahab, on the throne (see Ds – Omri King of Isra’el). He thereby provides a stable dynasty for Isra’el. Ahab will become one of the major characters in the rest of First Kings.

Overall, these chapters present a picture of moral decline among God’s people. Certainly the nation’s division spells political decline. More importantly, Jeroboam’s decision to form a new religion tears the people apart from ADONAI, which meant that their political situation would get even worse. Prophets rebuked the kings but were ignored. A confrontation between God’s messengers and the monarchs loomed in the future.³²¹

As the Chronicler entered the Divided Kingdom, he left behind the reigns of his ideal kings. Although the number of kings during this period accomplished some remarkably positive achievements, this material is much more balanced between positive and negative events. Instead of providing the post-exilic community with extended models of faithful living, the kings of the Divided Kingdom offered contrasting scenarios of obedience and disobedience which led to divine blessing and judgment.

In addition, at this point it is important to point out that the greatest difference between Kings and Chronicles in this section is that Chronicles omits all the materials dealing exclusively with northern Isra’el. Events in the North appear only as they touched on the life of Judah. As a result, this material nearly exclusively focuses on conditions within Judah during the Divided Kingdom. This orientation reflected the Chronicler’s keen interest in Jerusalem and Judah as the center of the post-exilic restoration. From his point of view, his readers needed to concentrate their attention on events in the South so that they could learn how to further the restoration of the Kingdom in their day.³²²

The Conclusion of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 12: 9-14

The conclusion of the matter DIG: How is the Teacher described? Who is the Shepherd in 12:11? Who is speaking in 12:9-14? How does the speaker summarize his interpretation of the book in 12:13-14? How does that compare to the rest of the book living under the sun?

REFLECT: In retrospect, how do you respond to the reflections in this book? How do you feel about Solomon? Which scriptures had the most impact on your thinking? How do you think the Teacher would want you to apply his teachings to your life? How would God?

Here is the conclusion of the matter, now that you have heard everything:
fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.

Modern Gentile scholars are divided on the authenticity of this section as an original part of the book. Some consider it an editorial addition by a scribe who sought to defend the worth of the Teacher’s writing at the time when the question was the subject of debate. On the other side the famous German Lutheran theologian Franz Delitzsch (1813-1890) has written, “The spirit and tone of the book and epilogue are one. The epilogue only seals the distinction between the pessimism of the book and the modern pessimism which is without God and without a future.” He is supported by S. R. Driver, the Hebrew scholar from England (1846-1914), who asserts, “There does not appear to be any sufficient reason for doubting that 12:9-12 is written by the author of the book . . . and the author himself may have appended the two closing verses with the same purpose in view as the supposed editor.

Authority of the book (12:9-10): Solomon first referred to his personal qualifications as a wisdom Teacher – one of the three kinds of leaders (prophets, priests, and teachers) through whom ADONAI revealed His will to Isra’el (see the commentary on Jeremiah, to see link click Cw – At the Potter’s House). Solomon said he was . . . wise and imparted knowledge to the people. He took thoughtful care in producing his book; he said he pondered (carefully weighed in his mind) and searched out and set in order (carefully arranged) many proverbs, searching to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

Wisdom with a point (12:11-12): Solomon related this book to the purpose and goal of other wisdom books. The sayings of the wise are as sharp as goads, and those given by leaders of assemblies are like firmly planted nails. Like ox goads and firmly planted nails, Solomon’s teaching, like the words of the sages, provides a guide and stimulus to godly living (see Acts 26:14 for an illustration of goads) and a secure basis for living (see Jeremiah 10:4 for an illustration of nails). Moreover, like some other words of the wise, these words have divine authority; in this case, they are given by a single Shepherd. This refers to ADONAI and His care and concern (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 80:1; and in Psalm 95:6-7 the concepts of Shepherd and Creator are combined as they are in Ecclesiastes 12:1 and 11). Because of the unique value and authority of the words of the wise – of which this book is an example – Solomon warned his son (Proverbs 1:8, 10 and 15, 2:1, 3:1, 11 and 21, 4:10 and 20, 5:1 and 20, 6:1, 3, and 20, 7:1, 19:27, 23:15 and 19, 23:26, 24:13 and 21, 27:11) and all his readers not to seek answers beyond those God had given through the wise. If they would keep looking for life’s answers in many other books – there’s no end to it; they would wear themselves out.

King Solomon’s final advice (12:13-14): The book ends, here is the conclusion of the matter, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot. These words were not added by someone other than Solomon, as some have claimed, but are the culmination of many other implicit references in Ecclesiastes to fear God and serve Him (2:24-26, 7:15-18, 11:9-10, 12:1). Here, Solomon said such reverence and service are everyone’s duty, this is what being human is all about (12:13).

The fact that revering ADONAI is every person’s responsibility is underlined by the truth that God will bring to judgment (3:17 and 11:9) everything we do (every human act), including every secret, whether good or bad (Matthew 10:26). Everyone is responsible for everything we do, whether obvious or concealed. Though this is often taken as referring to a future judgment after death, a comparison of Psalm 90:7-8 and a proper understanding of Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, 7:15-18 and 11:9-10 will show that this is doubtful.

Though a future judgment after death is indeed a solution to the mystery Solomon had observed in the unequal distribution of justice in human history (7:15 and 8:14), no evidence suggests that the Teacher believed in such a judgment. Life after death was as mysterious to him (11:8) as the unequal distribution of justice. His emphasis was on this life under the sun, and its opportunities for service (9:10 and 12:17) and enjoyment (2:24-26, 3:12 and 22, 5:18-20, 8:15, 9:7-9 and 11:7-10). He thought life after death offered no such opportunities. Therefore, he didn’t comment on any differences after death between the righteous of the TaNaKh and the wicked, the wise and the foolish, man or beast.

Many other Scriptural passages, of course, do not point out the eternal blessings of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked. But Solomon lived on the other side of the cross and in comparative darkness of the progressive revelation; nevertheless, he affirmed belief in God and in His justice (3:17 and 8:12b-13). He was content to leave judgment, along with everything else, to God’s timing for He has made everything appropriate in its time (3:11). So Solomon counseled his readers to enjoy life in the fear of God as He enables. O, would the people who live on this side of the cross be as content as the Teacher was to leave the mysteries of life in God’s hands, to serve Him appropriately, and to enjoy life as He enables!³²⁰

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that knowing and loving you brings peace and joy into life. Even when things do not go as we planned, we can rest in your love and your wisdom to guide the paths of Your children. We surrender our lives to You. What a joy it is to trust You and to live our lives focused on pleasing You. Only one life will soon be past. Only what’s done for Messiah will last! In the holy and loving name of Yeshua and by the power of His resurrection. Amen

Work Diligently, Live Joyously and Responsibly
Ecclesiastes 11:1 to 12:8

Work diligently, live joyously and responsibly DIG: What does “bread” symbolize? What happens when you “cast your bread” in verse 1? What are “the many days of darkness” and why remember them? How are youth and vigor pointless? What does the long sentence from 12:1 to 15:5a describe? In 12:8 the motto is repeated from 1:2. What does this signal?

REFLECT: How well do you manage your time? Money? Emotions? In what areas of life are your “investments” too concentrated? Spread too thin? How much do “eternal concerns” affect your daily decisions? What areas of your life are least influenced by your faith in God? Which are most? How can you remember your Creator in the days of your youth?

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.

Solomon closed his discussion on people’s ignorance of the future (9:1 to 11:6) with some practical advice about their activities in view of such ignorance. To emphasize that mankind is ignorant of the future, he said: You don’t know four times in 11:2 and 5-6. But he counseled that ignorance of the future should not lead to inactivity or despair but to diligent labor.

1. Work diligently: Solomon noted that people are as ignorant of God’s dealings in human affairs as they are of the way of the wind and the formation of a baby in its mother’s womb 11:5). Moreover, people don’t know which of their ventures will succeed (11:6) or what disasters may come on the land (11:2) and wipe out the results of their labor. But in view of the possibility of disaster, a person should make prudent investments in numerous ventures into seven or eight shares, rather than putting all his “eggs in one basket,” as it were. With this strategy, a person can minimize their risk. Therefore, go ahead and cast your bread upon the waters, engage in business, because eventually you will reap a return by following this advice (11:1).

Switching to an example of planting seed and reaping a harvest, Solomon urged his readers not to sit around waiting for the most opportune moment to work, but to be diligent constantly. The future is beyond one’s control as the acts of God in nature. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth. Whether a tree falls toward the north or the south, the place where the tree falls is where it stays. So waiting for just the right moment to plant (when there is no wind to blow away the seed) or to reap (when there is no rain in the clouds to threaten the ripened harvest) would result in inactivity (11:3-4).

In watching for the wind a farmer has no idea which way it will go. He is as ignorant of that as he is something he cannot see such as a baby’s bones being formed in its mother’s womb. Mankind cannot know the future or the work of God, the Maker of everything. Using another merism – the polar opposites of morning and evening to indicate total days – Solomon urged his readers to work diligently, planting their seed all day long until evening, because they couldn’t know which planting would succeed, this, or that, or if both will do well (11:5-6). Thus, in two examples, one from maritime trade (11:1-2) and one from farming (11:3-4 and 6), Solomon urged people toward constant, diligent effort and prudent diversified investment of their energies and resources, recognizing that all is in the sovereign control of ADONAI.³¹⁷

Solomon has shown that human effort is futile because its results are not permanent and the prospect of enjoying those results are uncertain (1:12-6:9). He has also shown that people cannot know which of their efforts will succeed because they are ignorant of God’s plan and what the future holds (6:10-11:6). Now the Teacher returns to the theme of the enjoyment of life (2:24-26, 3:12 and 22, 5:18-20, 8:15 and 9:7-9), and explicitly relates it to the idea of living responsibly before God. This is similar to what he had done at the first mention of this theme (to see link click Ci – The Life of Faith). The latter theme, that of living responsibility before God, is found at both the beginning (11:9) and the end (12:13-14) of this section.

2. Live joyously: Solomon wrote metaphorically of light and darkness as figures of life (Job 3:20 and 33:30) and death (Ecclesiastes 6:4-5; Job 10:20-22 and 18:18). He characterized the future after death as obscure and mysterious, saying: everything to come is pointless (8:10). Therefore, the Teacher encouraged his readers to enjoy life as long as they live because life, like the sweet light of the sun, should be enjoyed before the coming many days of darkness, or death, their eternal home (12:5) will last forever (11:7-8).

Solomon reiterated his advice to enjoy life, emphasizing that people should do so in their youth. Elsewhere, Solomon had said that living joyously consisted of eating and drinking (2:24, 3:13, 8:15, 9:7), wearing nice clothes and pleasant lotions (9:8), enjoying marital bliss (9:9), and finding satisfaction in one’s work (2:24, 3:22, 5:18). Now he encouraged his readers to do whatever their hearts desired. Young people, if you spend your youth only having fun, if you use your early years just to entertain yourself, if you follow your heart as you live your life, and let your eyes be your guide. However, those desires should be tempered with an awareness that God will judge their sinful actions (11:9).

As previously noted in 2:24-26, 3:17, and 7:15-18, there is no reason to believe from either explicit or implicit arguments in this book that Solomon believed this judgment would take place in the afterlife. Instead, like other wisdom writers of his era, he emphasized temporal judgment within a person’s lifetime. This may even be indicated in 11:10 where the Teacher said a person should remove anger from your heart (psychological); and keep from harming your body (physical); for neither adolescence nor youth has any lasting value.

Solomon underlined the thought of responsible living in one’s youth by vividly depicting in a series of word pictures the increasing gloom and declining power of old age which culminate in death. These word pictures are arranged in three groups, each containing the word before, and modifying the basic duty: Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.³¹⁸

3. Live responsibly: So remember your Creator in the days of your youth. The command to remember your Creator means to revere ADONAI, to keep His mitzvot faithfully, to serve Him responsibly, remembering that because He created people, everyone owes Him their lives. The description for God, your Creator, emphasizes Him as the Author of life, who gives it and takes it away (12:7). Solomon advised responsible living in one’s youth, before the evil days come, that is, the days of old age when you will say, “They no longer give me pleasure” (12:1).

Using various figures to depict the declining joy and waning physical powers of old age, Solomon advised responsible living before old age set in. The miseries of old age and the approach of death are likened to recurring rainstorms. Before the sun and the light grow dim, also the moon and the stars; before the clouds return after the rain. As clouds often block out the sun, the moon, and the stars, so old age is a period of diminishing joy (light) and increasing gloom (dim), heralding the approach of the long night of death under the sun. On the day when the guards of the house are trembling, and men of courage are bent over double; when the women stop grinding grain, because there are so few; when the women at the windows can no longer see out. When the doors to the streets are kept shut; when the noise from the grain-mill fades because of loss of hearing; when a person is startled by the chirp of a bird, yet their singing is hard to hear; When they will be afraid to go up a hill because of lack of stamina, and terrors will stalk the way, even though the almond tree is in bloom as their hair turns white; when the locust can only drag itself along, and the caper berry has no [aphrodisiac] effect – because the person is headed for his eternal home, and the mourners are already gathering in the marketplace (12:2-5).

Solomon urged people to live responsibly before death comes, before the silver cord holding a golden bowl (in which the light burns) is snapped and the bowl is broken. Death is also referred to by water being unavailable: the pitcher, which holds the water, is shattered at the spring, the pulley which it is drawn from, is broken at the cistern (12:6). The final description of death, by which Solomon sought to motivate people to live responsibly was that of a reversal of creation. The dust of the body returns to earth, as it was, and the spirit (Hebrew: ruach, also meaning breath) returns to God, who gave it (12:7)! Obviously, this alludes to part of the Genesis account (see the commentary on Genesis Au – God Formed Man from the Dust of the Ground, and Breathed into His Nostrils the Breath of Life). This makes it clear that Solomon was not referring to the return of individual human spirits to Ha’Shem for judgment. Similar descriptions of the dust of the body returning to the earth are found in Job 34:14-15 and Psalm 104:29-30.

Having demonstrated the limitations of all human efforts (1:12 to 6:9) and of all human wisdom (6:10 to 11:6), Solomon then reiterated the motto with which he opened the book (1:2): Pointless! Pointless! Nothing matters at all (12:8)! As stated before, this applies to all human endeavors under the sun, and cutting God out of the picture. Obviously, however, not included in this assessment is the advice to enjoy life as God enables, a course which the Teacher repeatedly recommended (2:24-26, 3:12 and 22, 5:18-20, 8:15, 9:7-9), and which he had just discussed explicitly above. But apart from enjoying one’s lot in life (see Cr – The Crook in the Lot), life under the sun is indeed pointless.³¹⁹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your great wisdom! You made the great, powerful and fire-breathing dinosaurs. “Look now at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He eats grass like an ox. Now look at his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. (Job 40:15-16). What wisdom it must have taken to create Leviathan that can breathe out fire! Out of his mouth go flames, sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke pours from his nostrils, as a boiling pot over burning reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze and flames dart from his mouth (Job 41:19-21).

Your wisdom knows and understands the future as if it was the past. You foretold thru Dani’el the future kingdoms of the world and how the last kingdom would be iron mixed with clay, but You most powerful God, will set up Your Kingdom that will never be destroyed. Now in the days of those kings [fourth kingdom-partly strong and partly brittle] (Daniel 2:40 and 42), the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will this kingdom be left to another people. It will crush and bring to an end all of these kingdoms. But it will endure forever. For just as you saw a stone cut out of a mountain, yet not by hands, crush the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen in the future. Now the dream is certain, and its interpretation is trustworthy (Daniel 2:44-45). Though mankind does not know the future – You know the future with complete certainty and as we follow and trust You to lead our lives, we can rest in Your love to guide us in our lives. We love to trust and to follow You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Interlude: Be Sensible
Ecclesiastes 10: 1-20

Interlude, be sensible DIG: What two things are contrasted in verses 1-3? What is the main point here? What is evil in verses 5-7? Where is it found? In 10:6-11, where do you see poetic justice? Random events? Cause and effect? Dry humor? What makes a good leader? What application is there between secretly talking about the king and today’s society?

REFLECT: How skilled are you in the various areas of life? In which areas do you need to develop greater skills? How can this best be done? How has something foolish you said affected others and yourself? To whom do you need to apologize because of it? What practical steps can you avoid such “foolish” conversation? What is the duty of a leader?

A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.

This chapter takes a calm look at life, sampling it at random, so as to help us to keep our own standards high, without being too surprised at the oddities of others, or taken off guard in our dealings with the powerful people of this world.

The fool: Just as dead flies make perfumed oil stink, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor (10:1). This verse pictures the principle on which the previous chapter ended; that it takes far less to ruin something than to create it. This, incidentally, is part of the advantage enjoyed by evil, and of its appeal to the vicious side of us. To put it bluntly as the Teacher does, it is easier to make a stink than to create sweetness. But in this verse, it is the sudden lapse or foolish impulse that is the trouble. There are endless examples of prizes forfeited and good beginnings marred in a reckless moment – not only by the irresponsible, such as Esau, but also by the greatly tried, such as Moses and Aaron.³¹¹

A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left (10:2). This verse has a typical proverbial form that looks at the same truth from two different directions. The wise go to the right and the fools go to the left. The right hand is the place of protection (Psalm 16:8, 110:5, 121:5) and honor (Matthew 22:44). After the Great Tribulation the Judge, the judgment and those judged are identified in Matthew 25:31-33. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne as the Judge in heavenly glory. All the Gentiles still living on the earth will be gathered before Him for judgment, and He will separate the people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats based on their treatment of the Jewish people during the Great Tribulation. He will put the pro-Jewish sheep on His right and the anti-Jewish goats on His left. As far as the anti-Jewish goats, Matthew 25:41-45 states that all who aid the antichrist in the Jewish destruction will be killed and sent to hell. Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They will lose out on the blessings of the Messianic Kingdom.

And when a fool travels, he has no good sense, thus showing everyone that he is a fool (10:3). Comedy breaks through here, as it has often done in Proverbs of this theme. To the sharp eye of Solomon, the fool has no way of disguising what he is, except perhaps by total silence (Proverbs 17:28). Even then, his general bearing would probably give him away. But, in fact, he is too full of himself to stop from running his mouth to everyone he meets. To judge from Proverbs, his fine phrases will sound odd (Proverbs 17:7). his tactless remarks are hostile (Proverbs 18:6); and when you talk to him, he is not really listening (Proverbs 18:2). If he has a message for you he will get it all wrong, and if he comes out with a sage remark, it will backfire (Proverbs 26:6). Fortunately, you can sense his approach and get away from him as fast as you can (Proverbs 17:12).

The social tightrope: If a ruler gets angry at you, stay at your post, because calmness soothes great offenses. The Teacher, here, advises those who serve the king to counter his anger with gentleness. Solomon offers another example of how foolishness can wreak havoc in society, the placement of fools in positions of authority. This practice has not stopped and we can see evidence of it even today. The Teacher describes it as being evil. Another evil I have seen under the sun, cutting God out of the picture, the kind of mistake rulers make, is that fools are promoted to high positions, while the rich occupy low places. This thought continues as he presents us with a vivid picture of this social tightrope. I have seen servants riding horses, while princes walk on foot like slaves (10:4-7). Usually, the most important and privileged people rode horses (Second Chronicles 25:28; Escher 6:8-9), while slaves or servants walk alongside to tend to their masters’ needs. Here, however, we have the exact opposite, the ruler’s simple mistake results in a totally chaotic society.³¹²

Plain facts of life: He who digs a pit may fall into it; he who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a serpent. He who quarries stones may get hurt by them, he who chops wood puts himself in danger (10:8-9). If the hatchet’s iron blade is blunt, and its user doesn’t sharpen it, he will have to exert more effort (10:10); but the expert has the advantage of his skill. If a snake bites before it is charmed, the snake-charmer has no advantage (10:11). The outlook behind these pointed remarks is not fatalism, as verses 8 and 9 may suggest on their own, but elementary realism. The blinding glimpse of the obvious in verse 10, backed up by the dry humor of the next verse, dispels any doubt. We are asked to use our minds, and to look a little way ahead. For there are risks in any vigorous action and the person we call “accident-prone” usually has himself to blame, rather than his bad-luck. He should have known; he should have taken care. But Solomon drops a hint of a parable by talking of a pit and of a serpent; for the pit that traps its maker was a proverbial picture of poetic justice, and the unnoticed serpent was the very image of lurking retribution. This is how the prophet Amos saw it (Amos 5:18-20 and 9:3); so too did the witness of Paul’s encounter with the viper (Acts 28:4).³¹³

Sense and nonsense: Solomon has stated elsewhere his belief in the relative superiority of wisdom over folly, though such sentiments are usually accompanied by an indication that wisdom itself is not ultimately to be prized. Such qualifications are not found here; these proverbs are remarkably similar to those found in Proverbs 10:8 and 21, 15:2 and 18:7. While the words of the wise result in positive effects, the fool’s speech ends in disaster. The words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of a fool swallow him up (10:12). Using a merism, a figure of speech in which polar opposites are chosen to indicate totality, Solomon characterized a fool’s speech as starting with foolishness and ending with wicked madness (10:13). While the fool’s speech might seem insane or silly to start with, the end result is insanity. A fool keeps talking and talking, yet no one knows what the future will bring – can anyone tell a person what will happen after he’s gone (10:14)? In other words, the fool is going on and on about something for which he has no information and about which he can gain no knowledge – the future, a subject about which the Teacher has already told us that is no knowledge (6:12, 7:14, 8:7). The efforts of a fool wear him out; he doesn’t even know the way to town (10:15)!³¹⁴ This is a proverbial expression for extreme ignorance, like the modern proverb, “He doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain.” This is why the fool finds his work such a chore.

The immature ruler: Woe to you, land, when your king is immature, and your leaders start their parties in the morning! Such a land is in trouble. It is not only the king who lets the nation down, however, it is also the leaders. In contrast to the gluttonous leaders, happy are you, land, when your king is well-born, and your princes eat at the proper time, in order to stay strong, not to get drunk! In good, practical wisdom, Solomon warns against laziness by pointing out the consequences. When the owner is lazy, the roof sags; when hands are idle, the house leaks (10:16-18). People who sit around and do nothing will end up with disaster on their hands. The book of Proverbs considers such sluggards, at least implicitly, to be fools (Proverbs 6:6, 26:16).³¹⁵

In the proverb of verse 19, the first two lines may tie in with the feasting scenes, good and bad, he opened the paragraph in verse 16. Parties are made for having a good time, wine adds cheer to life, and silver has an answer for everything (10:19). The point is not that every man has his price but that every gift has its use – and silver, in the form of money, was the most versatile of all. Feasting for happiness is a good thing, but excess is pointless. God’s wholesome gifts are good, and their proper use is delightful. Then, we are back at it again with men of power and intrigue. Don’t insult the king, not even in your thoughts; and don’t insult the wealthy, not even in your bedroom; for a bird in the air might carry the news, a creature with wings might repeat what you said (10:20). They are not comfortable company. To the twentieth-first century reader there is something familiar in their too-sensitive ear for whispers, but they need no electronics for their espionage. They would not have reached their dizzying political heights, and stayed there, without a sixth-sense for dissidents. Practical as ever, Solomon sees this as a fact of life, and ends the chapter with advice on managing to live with it. To survive is the first step, even if it is by no means the last. Now the Teacher can lead us on towards the climax of the book (to see link click Cy – The Conclusion of the Matter).³¹⁶

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You, Almighty God, are the most powerful Ruler in the universe. You are also totally holy. Seraphim . . . called out to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is full of His glory (Isaiah 6:2a, 3). The wise person is the one who fears and loves You! The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7). Thank You that in Your love and Your wisdom you choose to adopt as your children (Ephesians 1:4-5) those who fear and love You (John 1:12). We love to worship and follow You, our wonderful and wise Heavenly Father. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

A Third Summary: A Backward Glance Over
Ecclesiastes 7:1 to 9:18

The Teacher’s calling, like Jeremiah’s, could be summed up as to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant (Jeremiah 1:10). By the end of Chapter 9, he has made his case against our self-sufficiency. In the first half of the book, whose progress we briefly recalled in the first (to see link click Cm – The First Summary: A Backward Glance Over Ecclesiastes 1:1 to 4:8) and second summaries (see Cp – A Second Summary: A Backward Glance Over Ecclesiastes 4:9 to 6:12), left us little reason to be complacent, and the past three chapters have been sharpening the issues.

Unlike their predecessors, the Proverbs and reflections in 7:1-22 brought us no rest from our main preoccupation. With few exceptions the sayings were harsh (7:1-4); even, at one point, cynically asking, “Who can be compared with a wise person (8:1); pushing the worldly up against the harsh implications of death (see Cu – Love or Hate?). Chapter 2 had already made the point that the wise man is as mortal as the fool (see Cd – The Search for Satisfaction). But now comes the pressing question, whether wisdom, in any serious sense, is attainable at all. Wise as a man might be in the many details of life (8:1-6 and 9:13-18), it became clear that he would never find his way through to the heart of the matter, never even be sure that the truth, if he ever did discover it, would be worth looking at. Who can discover it? (7:24); Who can tell someone else what is to come? (8:7); No one knows whether love or hate awaits them when they die (9:1).

In other respects as well, the picture has darkened. Now there were glimpses of immorality: of injustice not only widespread, but admired (8:10), and of humanity not merely being weak but fully planning to do evil . . . with foolishness in their hearts (8:11 and 9:3). And along with the ravages of death which had been emphasized throughout the book there emerged the hazards of time and chance (9:11-12), to make further havoc of man’s calculations.

Despite all of this, there were a few flashes of better things, keeping some hope alive in us, to be fostered and justified in the remaining chapters. For at last, Solomon has finished his work of demolition. The site has been cleared: now he can turn to building and planting. Whether we regard the next chapter as the modest beginning in that process, or as an interlude to relieve the tension, comparable with 4:9 to 5:12 and 7:1-22, it will allow us to catch our breath before returning to the burning question of the book:

Does life have any point to it, and if so, what is it?

For starters, then, there are matters of common sense for us to take notice of, which are as much a part of wisdom and sound living as are the questions we must face to stretch our understanding of God. We steady ourselves with reminders to be sensible (10:1-20), so that we may step out more surely upon the call to be bold (11:1-6), joyful (11:7-10) and godly (12:1-14).³¹⁰

Love or Hate?
Ecclesiastes 9: 1-18

Love or hate DIG: What is the crucial question that the Teacher asks here? Why does Solomon say that our world under the sun gives us no clue as to what God thinks of us? What does the statement, “For God has already accepted your deeds” mean? Why are time and chance paired together? What do we learn from the little parable at the end of the chapter?

REFLECT: Do you feel you deserve a reward in this life for your righteousness? Or would some kick-in-the-pants be more appropriate? In what ways do you feel you receive the benefits of faith in this life? Given the unexpected nature of life, how do you prepare yourself for such disruptions? How can you best help others through them?

In a life under the sun, apart from God, no one can tell if He loves, or hates us.

Before the positive emphasis of the final three chapters can emerge, we have to make sure that we shall be building on nothing short of hard reality. In case we should be cherishing some comforting illusions, Chapter 9 confronts us with the little that we know, then with the vast extent of what we cannot handle: in particular, with death, the ups and downs of fortune, and the erratic kindnesses of those around us. But first it asks the crucial question, whether we are in the hands of Friend or Foe.

Love or hate? So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them (9:1). When we read the words of David in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the dome of the sky speaks of the works of His hand,” it is obvious that we have a powerful and glorious Creator. But it takes more than that to know what He thinks about us? Whether we take the words love or hate here to be a biblical way of saying “acceptance” or “rejection,” or to have their simple, primary sense, we shall have, either way, only an uncertain answer about the Creator’s character from the world we live, with its mixture of delight and terror, beauty and ugliness. But then Solomon makes matters more difficult for us, supposing that we are reasoning only by what we see under the sun, cutting God out of the picture. Then, for good measure, he presents us with three uncomfortable facts before he ends the chapter.

Death: Anything can happen to anyone; the same thing can happen to the righteous as to the wicked, to the good and clean and to the unclean, to someone who offers a sacrifice and to someone who doesn’t offer a sacrifice; it is the same for a good person as for a sinner, for someone who takes an oath rashly as for someone who fears to take an oath (9:2).  Our world under the sun gives us no clue as to what God thinks of us. Things that are supposed to matter most to Him turn out to make no difference – or none that anyone can see – to the way we are disposed of in the end. Moral or immoral, religious or profane, we are all mowed down like grass. In a thousand years, as we say, it will all be the same thing.

Yet, while death seems to say this – and it has a way of getting the last word – we find ourselves protesting immediately. The Teacher speaks for all of us when he cries out: This is another evil among all those done under the sun, that the same events can occur to anyone. Truly, the human mind is full of evil; and as long as people live, folly is in their hearts; after which they go to be with the dead (9:3). When we look at the world as it reveals itself to us, with death being the universal obliterator, and with evil running riot, those two things are not unrelated. To live in an apparently pointless world is deeply disillusioning, and disillusion breeds destructiveness or despair – the madness of the violent or the hopelessly withdrawn.

As a result, is despair all that’s left? Apparently not, for the human race would have perished long ago. And Solomon agrees. Life is decidedly worth living. After all, even at its worst, life is better than nothing, which is what death appears to be. For as long as a person is linked with the living, there is hope – better to be a living dog than a dead lion (9:4)! The robust good sense of this popular proverb paves the way for a spirited refusal in the next two verses to let death browbeat the living before their time. The sarcasm seems obvious to most. For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; there is no longer any reward for them, because all memory of them is lost. What they loved, what they hated and what they envied all disappeared long ago, and they no longer have a share in anything done under the sun (9:5-6).³⁰⁶ The advantage to the living is simply consciousness; they are aware and the dead are not. Thus, while the living may be better off than the dead, they are nonetheless miserable.

Under the cloud of death, the next three verses brighten up the passage as far as anything under the sun can. So go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God has already accepted your deeds (9:7). At first, this jars the reader. Does this mean that Solomon believes that God gives people unlimited approval of their actions? Heaven forbid! This merely summarizes what he had previously said about the enjoyment of life: (a) wealth and possessions, which stem from one’s labor, ultimately are gifts from God (5:18-19); (b) only ADONAI gives the ability to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor (2:24, 3:13, 5:18); and (c) the ability to enjoy those things depends on whether one pleases YHVH (2:26). So the statement: for God has already accepted your deeds means that possessing God’s gifts and the ability to enjoy them are evidence of God’s prior approval that one can do so. If God had not approved of the gifts, one could not enjoy them.³⁰⁷

The Teacher continues his call to enjoy life. He warns his readers to waste no opportunity or expense to seize whatever good things life has to offer. Let your clothing always be white, and never fail to perfume your head. Enjoy life with the wife you have loved throughout your meaningless life that he has given you under the sun, all the days of your futility; for that is your allotted portion in life and in your labor that you work at under the sun. Whatever task comes your way to do, do it with all your strength; because in sh’ol, where you will go, there is neither working nor planning, neither knowledge nor wisdom (9:7-10). This ends Solomon’s appeal to enjoy life in the present, especially in view of death. He urges his listeners to act now, because death brings everything to an abrupt stop.³⁰⁸ But death is not the only hazard.

Time and chance: Yet another thing I observed under the sun is that races aren’t won by the swift or battles by the strong, and that food doesn’t go to the wise or wealth to the intelligent or favor to the experts; rather, time and chance rule them all. For people don’t know when their time will come any more than fish caught in the fatal net or birds caught in a snare; similarly, people are snared at an unfortunate time, when suddenly it falls on them (9:11-12).

Time and chance are paired, no doubt, because they both have a way of suddenly taking matters out of our hands. This is obvious enough where chance is concerned – for providence operates in secret, and to our human perspective is largely made up of steps into the unknown and events out of the blue, any of which may change our lives forever. With regard to time, it has already been shown (to see link click Cj – All in Good Time) how relentlessly our lives are swung from 0ne extreme to another by the tidal pull of forces we do not control. All this counterbalances the impression we may get from the maxims about hard work, and that we can achieve success. It seemed to Solomon that in this life, we are truly like fish taken in by an evil net, or else unaccountably spared by the masters of our fate and captains of our souls.

Wisdom and folly: The third fact to upset our calculations is presented to us rather sadly in a little parable. Here is something else I have seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me: there was a small town with few people in it; and a great king came to attack it; he surrounded it and built massive siege-works against it. Now there was found in it a man who was poor but wise, and by his wisdom he saved the city; yet afterwards, nobody remembered that poor man. So, although I say that wisdom is better than strength, nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised; nobody pays attention to what he says (9:13-16). We can immediately identify with the people in the small town, and feel their relief when the amateur strategist brings off his masterpiece. If we are honest, we may still see ourselves in the last scene, when they totally forget the man who saved them. But the parable is not a moral tale to show what people should do; it is a cautionary tale to show what they are like. If we are to identify with anybody, it is with the poor wise man – not as though we should imagine that we are universal consultants; simply that, sadly enough, we should learn not to count on anything as fleeting as public gratitude.

In the pattern of this chapter this is one more example of what is unpredictable and cruel in life, to sap our confidence in what we can make of it on our own without God in the center of it. A wise man speaking quietly is more worth heeding than the shouts of a ruler commanding fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but a person who makes a mistake can destroy much good (9:17-18). The last two verses give an extra boost to the parable by showing first how valuable and then how vulnerable wisdom is. We are left with more than a suspicion that in human politics, the last word will regularly go to the loud voice of verse 17 or the cold steel of verse 18. Seldom to truth, seldom with any value.³⁰⁹

Frustration
Ecclesiastes 8: 1-17

Frustration DIG: What reasons are given for obedience in verses 2-5? How will the wise person know the right time and judgment? Who seems to be the subject of Solomon’s frustration? What is the problem in verse 11 and who is responsible for it? In verses 12 and 13 what injustice does the Teacher see? In what ways will it go better for the God-fearer?

REFLECT: What sort of injustices (personally, family, occupationally, nationally) are most likely to arouse you to act? Where do you draw the line? How does your search for answers to life’s problem affect your relationship with God? How easy is it for you to trust in Him when the answers are unattainable? What can be done to develop such trust?

Solomon gives us a ray of hope in the midst of our frustration.
Even with limited knowledge, we can see for Whom we have been made.

At every turn in this chapter we will face our inability to master our own affairs. In one instance after another we see our inability to control our life under the sun, cutting God out of the picture.

Beyond our reach (8:1): In the previous teaching (to see link click Cs – The Search Goes On) Solomon informed his readers that wisdom was ultimately beyond their reach, saying: Whatever exists is far off and most profound – who can discover it (7:23-24)? What he did discover was the deep depravity of mankind. In light of the end of Chapter 7, the only possible answer to the rhetorical question at the beginning of Chapter 8: Who can be compared with a wise person? Is no one! Understanding this, the second part of the verse, then, must be sarcastic. Who else knows what a thing means? Wisdom lights up the face and softens a grim appearance (8:1). One can imagine the cheery, happy-faced king, at this point in the book, rejoicing in the carefree expression of others who claimed to be wise.³⁰¹

No choice (8:2-9): Solomon begins this section on the word of the king by warning that his hearers should be careful to obey, because of the oath before God. Don’t be in a hurry to leave his presence and don’t persist in doing what is wrong, for he does whatever he pleases. Then he adds another reason for the reader to obey the king quietly: After all, his word is final; who can challenge him, “Why are you doing that?” Thus, it would be fruitless, even dangerous, to question his actions, and better just to do what he says. Whoever obeys his command will never come to harm, and the wise person will know the right time and judgment. For everything there is a right time and a judgment, but there is no real benefit to anyone since people are greatly troubled by uncertainty over the future. Now we come to the crux of the matter. Solomon stated his belief that there is a right time for everything. But now he admits a paradoxical truth: since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? No one knows the right time. It’s beyond our ability.

Now the Teacher shows us four other instances where we have no control. Just as no one has the power to keep the wind from blowing, so no one has power over the day of death. If one is drafted to fight a war, one can’t send a substitute; likewise, the wicked won’t escape death by their wickedness. Solomon ends with a summary statement. He asserts that his remarks are based on his observation of life. All this I have seen, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun where people have the power to hurt each other.³⁰²

Frustration (8:10-13): There are few things more obnoxious than the sight of wicked men flourishing and complacent. Yet wickedness respected and given the appearance of holiness is even more sickening. The villains are honored at the very scene of their sinful behavior. The dictator or the corrupt politician may have bent the rules, it will be said; but after all, they got things done, they had flair, they lived in style. This is too much for Solomon. He is stung into one of his rare declarations of his own faith, dropping the veil of secularism which he normally adopts for the sake of the discussion. It has happened before (2:26; 3:17; 5:18-20; 7:14), and in the final chapters it will no longer be the exception, but the rule.³⁰³

Thus, I saw the wicked buried; they had even come from the Holy Place. This verse clearly pinpoints the source of Solomon’s frustration. He sees an unusual connection between the Holy Place and the wicked that contributes to his feeling that the wicked do not get what they deserve. The wicked may in fact die, but even then, they are praised in the city where they did their evil deeds and religious posturing. It is the fact that the wicked continue to receive the praise owed the righteous that frustrates the Teacher. But those who had acted uprightly were forgotten in the city. Thus, it leads him to utter his conclusion that everything to come is pointless (8:10).

Solomon asserts that when there is no apparent punishment for evil, then it will flourish because the punishment decreed for an evil act is not promptly carried out; therefore, people who plan to do evil are strengthened in their intentions. The lack of retribution was at the heart of the Teacher’s frustration. For a sinner can do evil a hundred times and still live a long life; although I know that in the end things will go well with those who fear God, because they fear Him (see Psalm 73). But things will not go well with the wicked; and, like a shadow, he will not prolong his days; because he doesn’t fear God (8:11-13). The image of a shadow is appropriate here because as the day ends, the shadows gradually lengthen. Thus, the lives of the wicked will not grow longer as they approach the end of their days.³⁰⁴

Small expectations (8:14-15): There is something frustrating that occurs on earth, namely, that there are righteous people to whom things happen as if they were doing wicked deeds; and, again, there are wicked people to whom things happen as if they were doing righteous deeds. I say that this too is pointless. No one gets what they deserve! The righteous do not get rewarded, they get punished; the wicked do not get punished, they get rewarded. So I recommend enjoyment – the simple satisfactions are the soundest – a person can do nothing better under the sun than eat, drink and enjoy himself; this is what should accompany him as he does his work for as long as God gives him to live under the sun (8:14-15).

The riddle remains (8:16-17): If we needed reminding that hard work and simple living can only postpone our ultimate questions, never settle them, then this sequel to the bland advice of verse 15 should be enough. The very busyness of life worries us into asking where it is all taking us, and what it means, if, indeed, it does mean anything. When I applied myself to gain wisdom and to observe how people occupy themselves on earth, that people’s eyes don’t see sleep either by day or by night, then, on looking over all of God’s work, I realized that it is impossible to grasp all the activity taking place under the sun; because even if a person works hard at searching it out, he won’t grasp it; and even if a wise person thinks he knows it, he still won’t be able to grasp it (8:16-17). We hardly need the Teacher to point out that this is the very question that defeats us. The world’s long line of philosophies, each one in turn exposing the omissions of the ones before them, makes this all too clear.

But Solomon gives us a ray of hope. He says, “For it is God’s work that puzzles us.’ It is not a fable told to us by some idiot. Yet, what if it is told to an idiot. The chapter seems to end on such a note. It allows our wisest men and women no prospect of success. Nevertheless, we can pick up its meaning much better if we catch Solomon’s illusion that it is impossible to grasp all the activity taking place under the sun, and then compare that to 3:11, “but in speaking in human terms, we can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does.” Even though we have limited knowledge, we can contemplate eternity. Although in time, we can see God’s work in frustrating flashes. However, the very fact that we can think about the big picture of the universe and long to see it, is evidence enough that we are not entirely prisoners of our world. In more promising words, it is evidence of not only how, but for Whom we have been made.³⁰⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are both holy and love. You do not let evil go unpunished, but wisely allow evil’s pain and suffering to draw me closer to Yourself during hard times, and cause me to look to You for wisdom and comfort. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). You looked down on Isra’el during the days of the prophet Jeremiah and saw with great sadness that Your people worshiped idols, though the prophets warned them not to. In wisdom, You disciplined them to bring them back to the love and joy that You had for them. Now all discipline seems painful at the moment – not joyful. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). You used Babylon to conquer Isra’el and Your wise discipline worked, for after the 70 years captivity Isra’el never again worshiped idols. Thank You, loving Father, that You are Almighty! Evil will be punished and Your righteousness will triumph! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Search Goes On
Ecclesiastes 7: 23-29

The search goes on DIG: What are Solomon’s goals? What is meant by “the scheme of things?” How are both men and women responsible for “the scheme of things?” What is the result?

REFLECT: Are you ignorant of “the scheme of things” or all too aware? In what positive ways can you increase wisdom in your life? Are you a snare to others, or upright? How so?

Sense futility was not the first word about our world, it doesn’t have to be the last.

The honest admission of failure to find wisdom – of watching it, in fact, recede with every step one takes, discovering that none of our investigations ever gets to the bottom of things – this is, if not the beginning of wisdom, a good path to that beginning. After the ambitious quest of Chapter 2 (to see link click Cd – The Search for Satisfaction), the search has moved to less exotic areas, delving into common experience, pausing at times to see what can be made of life from day-to-day, whatever its ultimate secrets. At this level the findings may have been shrewd enough, even too shrewd. But tested by wisdom, they have not given even a hint of a reply.²⁹⁷

Inaccessible wisdom: All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise” – but this was beyond me. Whatever exists is far off and most profound – who can discover it (7:23-24)? Solomon realized that wisdom cannot answer the ultimate questions, especially about death. This confession has a devastating finality. It could be the epitaph of every philosopher, and set on their mantle like an urn full of ashes.

The search goes on: So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. Solomon, in his search into the nature and reason of things had been miserably duped. I find more bitter than death, the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. Here the Teacher speaks with godly sorrow. He now discovered, more than ever, the evil of the great sin of which he had been guilty, the loving of many foreign women. “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things – while I was still searching but not finding – I found one upright man (Hebrew: adam) among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all” (7:25-28).

Like any unanswered question, this riddle about life had been a stimulus at first. The series of verbs, to understand . . . to investigate . . . to search out, conveys the eagerness of the quest. But it is part of man’s condition that though he may try and pursue wisdom in a kind of detached inquiry – trying to get his mind around it while still being aware of evil as folly and madness – he must also turn to human relationships in his search for the world’s meaning, yet see them through the distorted lens of sin.²⁹⁸ Using hyperbole, therefore, Solomon said that such upright men are extremely rare, hence, one in a thousand.

Then the Teacher added that not one such woman may be found. This does not mean that one out of every thousand men are pleasing to God and that no women at all please Him. Such a point hardly fits Solomon’s argument. Instead, in the last line of 7:28, Solomon used (a) a kind of complementary parallelism in which the generic term for man (Hebrew: adam) is explained as also including the feminine gender in the sense of mankind, and (b) a kind of graded numerical sequence in which the second of two terms gives the climax or point, such as in Proverbs 30:15, 18, and 21. In this parallelism and numerical sequence his purpose was to say that upright people – both men and women – are not only scarce, but are nonexistent; there is not one among them all. This is also supported by the fact that the Hebrew word for they is used in 7:29.²⁹⁹

In the last verse of Chapter 7 Solomon gives us a more concrete conclusion on human nature than he could reach solely by his experience. Only this have I found: God created mankind upright, but they (both men and women) have gone in search of many schemes (7:29). He turns to what has been revealed in the Torah, drawing on Genesis Chapters 1-3, although the vocabulary is different. For instance as God completed His acts of creation, including man and woman, He pronounced the results were very good. There were no problems with the work of His hands. This relates to the Teacher’s statement that humanity was created upright, in a moral and not an intellectual sense.

However, while ADONAI created humanity without any moral blemishes, men and women have gone in search of many schemes. When we hear this phrase it reminds us of Genesis 6:5 when ADONAI saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The word for schemes in Ecclesiastes is related to the word thoughts in Genesis, in that both are words formed from the verbal root hsb, meaning to think or to calculate. There is an obvious contrast with the word upright, which determines the morally negative tone of hsb.³⁰⁰ But sense futility was not the first word about our world in Genesis, so it doesn’t have to be the last (see Cy – The Conclusion of the Matter).

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that all wisdom is in Messiah. In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Colossians 2:3). When we do not know what to do, we can run to Yeshua who has promised to give us wisdom. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him (James 1:5).

Real wisdom is listening to You, God, and walking in a holy fear of You. The fear of ADONAI is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7). It is wise to honor You as our Lord and to believe in Messiah’s death and resurrection. For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:9-11).

Thank You that in Your omniscience wisdom You knew what a great and costly sacrifice it would be for You to redeem people, but You chose to be the Lamb of God (John 1:29), paying for our punishment (Second Corinthians 5:21). We worship You! Wisdom tells us to trust in You even when this world laughs at us, mocks us, or martyrs those who love You. Loving You is well worth whatever it costs. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). An eternal home in heaven (John 14:3, 6) awaits all who believe in Your Name. Thank You for being so wise and so loving. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen