[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]
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"They told the king, saying,
"Here is Nathan the prophet." And when he came in before the king, he
prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground."
Nathan, a prophet of God, bowing
down before the King!
Daniel served Nebuchadnezzar very
well! Joseph served Pharaoh very well!
Man of God respects, honors, and
obeys the rulers. Men of God are humble people. They respect everyone! They
behave kindly, gently, and humbly in all situations with all people!
Oh! How we ought to be known for
our respect and regard for one another!
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"So the king commanded Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him so that he died. Thus the
kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon."
What a political strategy! Killing
every potential rebel in chapter 2. David instructed him, and so, it was done!
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"When all Israel heard of the
judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw
that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice."
Wisdom is feared, respected,
adored, admired, and loved by people. You may be young or even poor, if you are
wise, you are better than great!
Wisdom is not just the intellectual
reasoning capacity, but also the capacity to apply it in a real-life situation.
Wisdom, righteousness, integrity, and
character, all belong to the same family, in the biblical understanding!
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"Men came from all peoples to
hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of
his wisdom."
He asked for wisdom, God granted
him wisdom; everyone wants to listen to him.
Notice, they didn't ask for wisdom (they should have),
they just came to him [Solomon the Wise].
James tells us to ask God for
wisdom!
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"The LORD gave wisdom to
Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and
Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant."
Wisdom builds one's relationship.
Wisdom builds one's house. Wisdom builds one's community. Wisdom builds peace.
Wisdom prospers.
Wisdom builds, while folly
destroys!
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"Concerning this house which
you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and
keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with
you which I spoke to David your father. I will dwell among the sons of Israel,
and will not forsake My people Israel."
Who wants to live with lazy people?
We don't enjoy those who keep procrastinating, telling lies, are disobedient,
and are wicked in their deeds.
Certainly, you don't want to share
your bed with a filthy, smelly, dirty guy. Why would God want to dwell with us
when we are disobedient?
However, God's Spirit lives in us
permanently. Oh, how often have we grieved Him! When we live in our own way, we
are restraining the blessings of the Spirit in our life!
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"Solomon left all the utensils
unweighed, because they were too many; the weight of the bronze could not be
ascertained."
How rich was Solomon! He never
asked for it. God blessed upon those who pleased Him. May we live to please
God, not for blessing, because blessing will follow after it. And even if it
doesn't follow, that's alright because we aren't after blessing but to please
Him who made us and redeemed us!
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"When they sin against You
(for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver
them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy,
far off or near;"
A long prayer but a good one.
Theology [doctrine] of man and sin is revealed in this verse: that everyone is a sinner! π
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"And this house will become a
heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss and say, 'Why
has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?'"
And so, the Israelites disobeyed
God, and the temple was destroyed; they were taken into captivity. If God was
strict towards His chosen people whom He had delivered with wondrous work from
Egypt, why do the Gentiles expect leniency from Him?
Jesus repeated the [demand of] seriousness
of being a follower of God: to enter the narrow gate, even after that is to
walk the narrow way. Furthermore, He said “only a few” find it, forget about
walking, even finding – only a few find it.
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"How blessed are your men, how
blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your
wisdom. Blessed be the LORD your God who
delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved
Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness."
Here, two groups are blessed
because of a wise man. Those who are around him, and the God of heaven who
gives wisdom upon him.
BTW, the Hebrew has different words
for “blessed,” the first one means the people around him were fortunate to have
a wise king; and then the second one means God is to be spoken well of, to be
praised for raising up a wise king.
That's what will happen if we are
wise! Let's be wise. It's good for yourself, for people around you, for your
visitors, and for the fame of God's name!
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"Solomon clung to these in
love."
One of the saddest lines in the
Bible. What a tragedy! The wisest king couldn't walk out of them. Consequently,
the anger of God was upon him. Followed by the rebellion in the land. Then the
kingdom got divided. And he also died in this chapter!
What are we clinging to which God
forbids us?