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1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part III: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Reign Of Solomon, 2 Chronicles 1-9
A. Learning To Stay Mentally Dependent On Scripture Versus Our Own Wisdom
(2 Chronicles 1:1-17 with Deuteronomy 17:14-20)
- Introduction
- God gives us wisdom when we ask it of Him so that we can handle various trials we face, James 1:2-5.
- However, due to the deceptiveness of sin in the world and our own sin natures, the best human wisdom is an INADEQUATE source of insight if we fail to focus on what God's written Word reveals. No better illustration and proof of this fact is supplied for us than in the case of Israel's king Solomon (as follows):
- Learning To Stay Mentally Dependent On Scripture Versus Our Own Wisdom, 2 Chron. 1:1-17 et al.
- After David, his son, Solomon was strengthened by God and greatly magnified as king, 2 Chronicles 1:1.
- Solomon realized this blessing on him, and responded to God by taking Israel's leaders with him to the tabernacle at Gibeon where he worshiped the Lord with a thousand burnt offerings, 2 Chronicles 1:2-3, 6.
- God appeared that night to Solomon to say He would give him whatever Solomon asked, 2 Chron. 1:7.
- In view of Solomon's concern about his inadequacy to govern the large nation of Israel (2 Chronicles 1:8-9), he asked God for the "wisdom" and "knowledge" to judge his royal subjects, 2 Chronicles 1:10:
- By "wisdom," hokima, Solomon meant insight into God's fixed moral order by which it was believed that if a leader aligned himself he would know blessing; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 620 with Bruce K. Waltke, "The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature," Bib. Sac., 136:543, p. 221-238.
- By "knowledge," or madda', is meant "practical know-how in everyday affairs," Ibid., B. K. C., O. T.
- Solomon thus sensed his need for greater insight into God's fixed moral order to which he could align his thinking for blessing and insight into its practical applications, so he asked God for these things!
- God appreciated the fact that Solomon had not asked for riches, honor, the lives of his enemies or a long life, selfish things that kings often sought, but rather insight to do God's will for blessing; thus, God gave him greater "wisdom" and "knowledge" than any man before or after him, and added riches, wealth and honor besides such insight in further blessing, 2 Chronicles 1:11-13.
- Yet, as God began to bless him, Solomon came to rely on his great wisdom and knowledge at the neglect of heeding written Scripture, starting a long slide into apostasy, 2 Chron. 1:14-17 with Deut. 17:14-20:
- God began to bless Solomon with riches (2 Chron. 1:15), so he obtained horses, 2 Chron. 1:14, 16a.
- However, Moses long before revealed that when God gave Israel a king, he was NOT to multiply horses so as to rely on them and not God for national security, Deuteronomy 17:14, 16a; Ibid., p. 295.
- Moses even expressly forbade a king from returning to EGYPT to multiply horses in Deuteronomy 17:16b, a command Solomon extensively disobeyed according to 2 Chronicles 1:16b!
- This sin began a long slide into apostasy where Solomon eventually worshiped idols, 1 Kings 11:4-6.
- Now, the reason Solomon had begun to sin is found in studying Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (as follows):
- Moses had required Israel's king to write his own copy of the book of the Law possessed by the priests so that he might keep his own copy of the Law for personal daily reading, Deut. 17:18-19a.
- These daily readings of God's Word would keep the king revering God so that he would obey God's written Word, a function that would keep him humble before his subjects and heeding God's directives precisely with God's consequent blessing on him and his line after him, Deut. 17:19b-20.
- Accordingly, we know that Solomon's involvement with horses had come from his reliance on the great human "wisdom" and "knowledge" God had given him at the expense of his daily focus on written Scripture, and Solomon's sin nature and the sin in the world around him left him slipping into the error on multiplying horses that only opened the door to eventual apostate idolatry!
Lesson: As Solomon relied on the great HUMAN insight God had given him AT THE COST OF a FOCUS on WRITTEN SCRIPTURE, Solomon's own sin nature and the sinful world around him left even his greatly endowed HUMAN mind open to errant directions that produced eventual apostasy!
Application: If SOLOMON with his HUMANLY UNSURPASSED insight (2 Chron. 1:12) NEEDED to STAY FOCUSED on SCRIPTURE to STAY UPRIGHT, WE ALSO must CONSTANTLY SATURATE our MINDS with WRITTEN SCRIPTURE to AVOID EVENTUAL SPIRITUAL FAILURE, Isa. 8:20!