Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Isaiah chapter 11 - 1st Kings

As the first book of the Kings opens, David is dying, and he has anoints his son Solomon to take the throne of Israel. After Solomon consolidates his position as king by killing his brother Adonijah, we come to chapter three and find the account of Solomon’s dream, the dream in which he asks God for wisdom to rule Israel, and the dream in which God gives to him according to that request.

And, the rest, as they say, is history. Solomon did, in fact, rule over Israel with great wisdom. So much so that, according to the Bible account, he was known as one of, if not the most wise men in all the earth.

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For 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. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And 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. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (1st Kings 4:29-34)

Certainly, the primary theme of this passage is the attribute of wisdom that God gave to Solomon. We might say that the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and the spirit of counsel and knowledge were given him by God. Sound judgment was the trademark by which we all have come to think of Solomon. The proverbs he wrote down and the songs he composed attest to the depth of his understanding. The following passage is obviously a prophecy of our Lord and Savior, but in a limited way, it is also a picture of Solomon.

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:1-4)

This is the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, and 1st Kings is the eleventh book in the Bible. They are connected.

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