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. 6:28-29). 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 3:3).
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, 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. 132:14).
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. 9:17-19). 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 4:21-24). 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 4:31-34). 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. 5:17-18). 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, 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. 132:15). 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 6:15). 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 4:20-25). Thus was fulfilled the word of Jehovah in Lev. 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. 28:10-13).
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. 1:4). 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 19:41-44). 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. 36:15; Jer. 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. 15:26).
“If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant” (Ex. 19:5).
“If ye will fear Jehovah and serve Him” (1 Sam. 12:14). “If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God” (Deut. 28:2).
To Solomon―
“If thou wilt walk in My ways, and keep My statutes” (1 Kings 3:14).
Now listen to the divine lament in Psalms 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. 11:28). 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. 16:60-61).
Peace will return when the true Solomon sits upon “the throne of His father David.” Once more they will “sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of hosts hath spoken it” (Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10). “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing” (Isa. 35:1-2). Men shall say, “The land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced and inhabited. Then the nations that are left round about you shall know that I Jehovah build the ruined places, and plant that which was desolate: I Jehovah hath spoken it, and I will do it” (Ezek. 36:35-36). Jewish industry apart from God seeks to antedate this, but the overwhelming Northern invasion in the day of the Antichrist will devastate the land again, but for the last time (Joel 2:1-3). The coming of the long-rejected One cannot be much longer delayed. In His hands is fullness of blessing even for the most unworthy.