BEYOND THE WEALTH. 2nd Chronicles 9 What is the purpose of a lifetime spent in this world? How can we measure the value of time, truth, intellect, character, or even a single hour and a person's role in God's plan? When material things, such as gold and vast accumulations of assets, become nearly incomprehensible, it helps to understand the distinction between what is human and what is divine. "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul," perfectly captures this perspective from God's point of view. It wouldn't be worth a billionaire's time to stop and pick up a $1000 bill if he dropped it. He or she would need to spend more money each day than a middle-income worker earns in a year to exhaust $1 billion over a lifetime. So, when we read about Solomon's wealth, we tend to think only of extraordinary luxury rather than of the promise of God.
As a young man, Solomon was concerned about the people of God he was called to lead, and he recognized his need for wisdom from God to guide them effectively. By the time he was halfway through his reign, he was immensely wealthy yet still devoted to God and the temple, which was the nation's focal point. By the end of his life, Solomon had become the center of his attention. His fame, splendor, wealth, wisdom, palace, and throne amazed visitors, including the Queen of Sheba, who came to see if what she had heard was truly the case.
The writer of the Chronicles closely copied the historical account from the Book of Kings to emphasize the significance of the future and the potential value of what lies ahead. Instead of mourning the loss and capture of Israel by Babylon and lamenting what could never be restored, he provided a brief historical summary that would remind the current generation of their ancestors' achievements. He did not mention their failures or the idolatry that Solomon allowed, as doing so would not have served a useful purpose at present.
Unless there is a genuine need or a spiritual lesson to learn, dwelling on the failures and faults of the Lord's people has no value. Typically, when someone does this, their goal is to make themselves appear better in comparison. Self-exaltation in any form serves no real purpose and is likely to be disliked by most people over time. If we choose to focus on what is right and beneficial, positive results can follow from positive choices.
Our Lord referenced the visit of the Queen of Sheba (Yemen) when He was here, noting that she came to hear Solomon's wisdom. The wisdom of our Lord is available to us and surpasses Solomon's. Wealth, honor, power, and fame are temporary and can be lost quickly. Solomon received twenty-five tons of gold in a year, yet all that was taken from Israel in a much shorter time. Eternal things always outweigh the temporary. Spiritual matters take precedence over physical ones.
The Queen of Sheba. It must have been impressive when the Queen of Sheba arrived. And when she opened up to him—admiring his wealth and fame—she reached that part of the male ego where flattery is believed. Our focus shifts from heaven to earth and to the benefits we receive. When one begins to attend to blessings instead of the Blesser, the world quickly takes its place. Those who symbolize what man's treacherous heart desires soon gain powerful influence. Over someone who tends to judge success by “things” and achievements, the world enters to cloud our view, and we try to explain away God’s commandments.
The questions they ask often seem sincere, as worldly people try to test our faith. But they come from a different perspective that places the flesh in a leading position. “If it pleases me,” the person of the world says, “then it must be right.” And just behind the flesh, comes the lust of the eyes wanting everything in sight. Perhaps more vulnerable and open to flattery is the deceitful pride of life. When others can adore someone, we love the attention without noticing the knife in the hand of the one whose smooth words flow like a rolling tide. Over the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride itself—until the knife is driven into one’s side.
Then we begin to believe the flattery; we focus on the world’s primary goal. Before long, we are persuaded by sneaky words and forget God’s primary claim — that if we honor Him, He will honor us — without falling for the world’s praise. When we think that the flattery we receive is sincere, we are only one step away from God’s condemnation. The life of a Christian is not truly successful if he is only successful in business. Nor should we assume we are the person God intends us to be just because people praise us with words. In God’s plan, the measure is based on how much treasure we have in heaven. The things that please God — worship, service, and prayer — contain salt and light.
The world won’t stop trying to conquer me as long as I live for the Lord. The cosmos often distracts my mind from listening to God’s Word. It constantly confronts me with things that cause dissatisfaction. These things appeal to my fleshly side and, for a price, promise to be mine. But I am a new creation in Christ and can find joy where God finds His. It is the work of the Holy Spirit within to make those attractions of the world cease to be attractive to me. He lifts my eyes above the asphalt streets to where they are paved with gold. And when my focus is on Christ, truly, “The half has not been told.”
The Queen of Sheba left with more than she brought, but what truly mattered was the impression made by witnessing Solomon's wisdom, the happiness of those who served him, and God's love for His people, the Israelites. She understood that God wanted that kingdom to endure and to uphold justice and righteousness in the nation.
We may hear people say, "God is among you in truth," but that might not mean they want to be part of what they see. Unless someone can see beyond the outward evidence of a gathering of God's people to the One whose witness we uphold, they will not want to pay the price of "buying the truth and selling it not." It is not what is outward that matters, but He who is the focus of our faith. We come together to Him "whom having not seen, we love." The external symbols cannot keep people committed to the truth. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ alone can do that.
What is greatness? Two leaders of nations met to discuss the day's events. There seemed to be a connection; each listened attentively to what the other had to say. The economy was not their concern; each had peace in their land. They exchanged pleasantries and information; she presented him with a wonderful gift. He, in turn, answered her questions and responded to everything she asked. She held nothing back, and from his wisdom, he told her that he relied on his God.
His insight and understanding came from the Lord he gratefully served; God from His vast storehouse gave him far more than he deserved. His servants and leaders all appeared eager to serve their king and to listen to all the teachings and instructions he could provide, gladly taking on responsibilities. The Lord God, who chose that small nation and whose wisdom the king was able to share, was pleased when this king, as a servant, was humble rather than proud, and wore the cloak of wisdom.
From God, we receive daily blessings, and many envy our peace of mind. When people ask, we share in conversation that it is in Christ that we find satisfaction. Trying to explain to someone living in darkness what light looks like when the sun shines brightly is about showing how salvation and grace become clear to the spiritually blind. If I said it is like stepping out of the darkness of night into the bright light of summer day, or like building on a solid rock instead of wet clay, or like moving from a roadless desert onto a well-marked path—still, I haven’t even begun to express half of the blessing and joy.
The character and work of Christ far exceed anything I could imagine. The greatness of the redemption He paid for with His blood has saved me from the brink of hell. The gift of salvation He provided, which I have received, defies description by any pen or ink. No, the half has never been—and will never be—fully known, for His greatness surpasses all. I cannot describe the indescribable; I can worship at the thought of the greatness, majesty, and glory of the Lord, and the immensity of all His work and power. I am in awe of Him, yet I can say, ‘Abba Father’ and not be out of place. I honor and worship, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Chronicles suggest that the writer was aware Solomon was focused on accumulating increasing riches. Although he does not explicitly condemn the collection of gold, horses, splendor, and fame, he contrasts his wealth with that of "all the other kings of the earth." The gifts they brought "year by year" might seem at first glance to be tokens of appreciation. However, in reality, these were forms of taxes paid by those under Solomon's rule. Heavy taxes, without any tangible benefits except for the extravagance of leaders, can quickly lead to discontent and rebellion.
Although Ezra's purpose was not to condemn Solomon's actions, which ultimately led to his distancing from God, it is wise for us to consider the dangers we face. The desire for pleasure can never be fully satisfied. The pursuit of wealth and everything that accompanies it will never be enough. A person's ambition for self-fulfillment won't stop unless something or someone of greater value replaces our current priorities. Outward signs of success often don't impress others as much as we believe, and certainly not as much as they feed the ego. Usually, they attract criticism and resentment from others. Foolish spending on trivial items only fills traders' pockets and provides a fleeting moment of amusement. Excessive military spending ends up being used either for defense against those trying to take what we have or for aggression to protect our possessions.
The entire story of Solomon reads like an unreal tale of someone who had everything but left nothing truly valuable behind for his family and children. Various people documented events and details about Solomon and his forty-year reign. Those forty years passed quickly, like a brief flash in God's ongoing history with humanity. All the good and right things he did during the first twenty-plus years of his reign lost their true worth by the time of his death. The golden buildings still stood when he died. Thousands of horses remained in their stalls, waiting to be fed.
A significant number of government workers, along with cheap labor used to support his extravagance, continued to maintain the outward appearance of Solomon's success. But beneath the surface, seeds and whispers of discontent among God’s people began to emerge. The allure of foreign dignitaries coming and going concealed the resentment caused by heavy taxation. Religious rituals and idolatry had replaced the genuine worship of God by the king and his followers. Instead of worshiping "in spirit and in truth," it was merely for show and often involved compromise with evil.
What started well ended poorly. What could have been a blessing if Solomon's mind had been "stayed on Thee" became a travesty and perversion of righteousness. Instead of "them that honor Me, I will honor," it ended in "they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." We need to understand and accept what God says is right: "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."