(7) Supremacy and Prosperity

Narrator: Chris Genthree

OUR blessed Lord once spoke with appreciation of “the lilies of the field.” “Consider them,” said He. “I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matt. 6:28-29²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28‑29)). From His holy heaven He had seen Solomon in his magnificent coronation robes, wrought by skillful hands; but to His mind the modest lily, work of God, presented a more attractive picture. God’s saints are likened to lilies in the Song of Songs (chs. 2:2-16). May the gracious Spirit of God work in us all the lily character. No “outward adornment” will compare with it (1 Peter 3:3³Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; (1 Peter 3:3)).

On another occasion, in view of Jewish unbelief, He said, “In this place is One greater than the temple”; and further, “a greater than Solomon is here” (Matt. 12:6, 42⁶But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)
⁴²The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42)). The temple with its “goodly stones,” and Solomon in his glory and wisdom, gave less pleasure to the heart of God than the lowly Man Who came to earth to do all His will.

But Solomon’s glory, although the veriest tinsel when viewed in the light of the heavenly glory of the exalted Christ, had nevertheless a typical character and so is instructive. Never had Israel and the nations seen the like. In Solomon’s day the blessing of the people reached its climax. They had―

1. The land of Jehovah’s promise.

2. The city of His choice―His resting-place (Psa. 132:14¹⁴This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. (Psalm 132:14)).

3. The King of His appointment.

4. The Temple.

Land, City, King, Temple! Alas, that all should have been enjoyed for so short a time! Everything was soon lost by the sins of both king and people, never to be restored until the day of the Lord Jesus.

Psalms 89 may well be carefully pondered at this point. Ethan sings and speaks with rapture of Jehovah’s purposes concerning His people. Both Solomon and Christ will be found in the Psalm. Solomon held the blessing of God on tetras of responsibility, and thus everything was forfeited. When could God ever trust flesh? The failure of Solomon and of every other into whose hands God has entrusted great things only makes it clear that Christ is the only hope. In His day He will take up all that men have handled and lost, and He will carry through to perfection every desire and purpose of God.

Solomon’s glory and power were phenomenal. “The king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays (arms) on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: and twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom” (2 Chron. 9:17-19¹⁷Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. ¹⁸And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: ¹⁹And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom. (2 Chronicles 9:17‑19)). His drinking vessels were of gold― “silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.” His dominion covered the whole extent of the land of promise. If it was not all occupied by Israel, it was at least brought under the authority of the king. “Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life... for he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him” (1 Kings 4:21-24²¹And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. ²²And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ²³Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. ²⁴For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. (1 Kings 4:21‑24)). He not only ruled the kings, but he had their respect. “His fame was in all nations round about... there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:31-34³¹For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. ³²And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. ³³And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. ³⁴And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:31‑34)). Faint picture of the gathering up to Jerusalem from all quarters when our Lord is there! What wonderful words He will have for them all!

Solomon’s daily provision, was immense, for his household was large, and his hospitality was lavish. Nehemiah’s doings in Jerusalem after the great break-up were humble by comparison. The latter entertained frequently “an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from the nations about.” For this he required one ox and six choice sheep daily, keeping everything low because of the poverty of the returned remnant (Neh. 5:17-18¹⁷Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. ¹⁸Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. (Nehemiah 5:17‑18)). This devoted governor sought nothing for himself: only the good of the people. But Solomon required daily “ten fat oxen and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, besides harts, and roe-bucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl” (1 Kings 4:22, 23²²And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ²³Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. (1 Kings 4:22‑23)). Again a picture of Christ, who, when He reigns in Zion, “will abundantly bless her provision, and will satisfy her poor with bread” (Psa. 132:15¹⁵I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. (Psalm 132:15)). His entertainment of five thousand men, besides women and children, in the wilderness, made the people desirous of establishing Him forthwith as their king (John 6:15¹⁵When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. (John 6:15)). But God’s time was not yet.

The prosperity and tranquility of the people was as phenomenal as the glory and power of the king. “Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry... [they] dwelt every man safely under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon” (1 Kings 4:20-25²⁰Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. ²¹And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. ²²And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ²³Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. ²⁴For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. ²⁵And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:20‑25)). Thus was fulfilled the word of Jehovah in Lev. 26:5⁵And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. (Leviticus 26:5): “Your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in the land safely. And I will give peace to the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.” The people, as well as the king, were the head of the nations, not the tail; and they lent to many nations, but did not borrow. Said Jehovah: “All people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of Jehovah, and they shall be afraid of thee” (Deut. 28:10-13¹⁰And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. ¹¹And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. ¹²The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. ¹³And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: (Deuteronomy 28:10‑13)).

In Isaiah’s day we hear the sigh of Israel’s God: “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken Jehovah, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward” (Isa. 1:4⁴Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. (Isaiah 1:4)). When the Saviour approached Jerusalem for the last time, He wept over it, as He spoke of the calamities that were near at hand (Luke 19:41-44⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, ⁴²Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. ⁴³For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ⁴⁴And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke 19:41‑44)). The foolish people threw away all that they enjoyed in the golden days of Solomon in order that they might “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Well-nigh three thousand years of banishment and anguish have been their portion, and the worst has yet to come. Did space permit, we would transfer the entire Lamentations of Jeremiah to these pages; for they bring home to our hearts what a pious man, taught of the Spirit, felt concerning the disasters which have overwhelmed the erring people of Jehovah.

“If” is a small word, but tremendous issues hang upon it. All Israel’s blessings were conditional upon the faithfulness of both king and people; and everything was forfeited by their evil ways, despite the earnest warnings and protests of their God. Jehovah even speaks of Himself as “rising up, early, and sending messengers to them, because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place” (2 Chron. 36:15¹⁵And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: (2 Chronicles 36:15); Jer. 35:15¹⁵I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. (Jeremiah 35:15), etc.). But it was of no avail. Here are a few of God’s solemn “ifs”:

To the people―

“If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God” (Ex. 15:26²⁶And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26)).

“If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant” (Ex. 19:5⁵Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Exodus 19:5)).

“If ye will fear Jehovah and serve Him” (1 Sam. 12:14¹⁴If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God: (1 Samuel 12:14)). “If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God” (Deut. 28:2²And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. (Deuteronomy 28:2)).

To Solomon―

“If thou wilt walk in My ways, and keep My statutes” (1 Kings 3:14¹⁴And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. (1 Kings 3:14)).

Now listen to the divine lament in Psalms 81:13¹³Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! (Psalm 81:13), “Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways!”

But mercy is in store for Israel yet. God will never go back upon His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the people are still “beloved for the fathers sake” (Rom. 11:28²⁸As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (Romans 11:28)). Woe to those who would do them harm!

The same grace which has saved both writer and reader, once guilty sinners, will yet save guilty Israel. The people will yet own their folly, and take the lowest possible place before God. The law, so long gloried in although not kept, will be surrendered as an impossible principle of blessing. Two great sins lie at Israel’s door―the violation of the law and the rejection and murder of Christ. Psalm 50 shows us God’s controversy with the people concerning the law, and Psalm 51 His dealing with them concerning Christ. In Isaiah’s prophecy chs. 40-48 deal mainly with Israel’s idolatry (in defiance of the law), and chs. 49-57 are principally occupied with the people’s rejection of Christ. Each section concludes with the solemn refrain― “there is no peace to the wicked.” Israel has proved the truth of this painfully. “I will remember My covenant with thee in the days of thy youth,” says Jehovah, “and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed” (Ezek. 16:60-61⁶⁰Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. ⁶¹Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. (Ezekiel 16:60‑61)).