Next, is one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament. First, note that at the beginning of Solomons reign, there was no temple, and the Israelites were still sacrificing and worshipping at sites the Bible calls the high places. And indeed, the Bible acknowledges that Solomon himself sacrificed at the high places (rather than at the tthe ark of the covenant, or the tabernacle, as you might expect). The most prominent example is when he went to the high place at Gibeon and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar. That night, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and told Solomon who would grant him anything he asked. It takes a truly wise and thoughtful man to wish, above all else, for wisdom! The LORD was pleased to grant this wish. And when Solomon later woke and returned to Jerusalem, he offered the proper sacrifices, before the ark of the covenant. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court. (1 Kings 3:2-15)
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 13:17:29 +0000
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