Solomon

A Gift From God

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Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.  Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.  For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Did you know that all good things come from God?  Do you practice recognizing this?  Do you know that God is good all the time?

Where does greed come from?  It comes from a rebellious heart, against everything that God does, and everything that He says.  The heart of wicked men say, “I am going to tear down my old barns, and build bigger  and better ones so that I can accumulate all that I desire.” The story is in Luke 12:18-21.

Solomon was a wise, wealthy, and troubled man.  As a king he was an example for the people to follow.  Ecclesiastes is almost a journal of his life of wisdom, wealth and knowledge.  In chapter five and verses 18-20 we see Solomon having the wisdom to recognize the gift God gives us for our labors.  If you and I have food on the table, or in the pantry or in the field you have a gift from God.

Solomon is telling us that God gives us His gifts that we might have some personal worth.  Our labor is a gift of God.  Some people believe that work is part of the curse since the Garden of Eden.  It is not.  The curse is upon the land, and it requires harder labor than it would have been without sin coming into the world, through Adam.

Enjoy the blessings, the fruits of your labor.  Yes!  Be sure you know the One who gave it to You.  His name is Jesus Christ.  He died for our sins on a cross, was buried, and He rose from the dead, and He is alive forever more.  From the bondage of sin, turn to Him and receive  eternal life.  Thank You Jesus.  Thank You Jesus Christ Son of the Living God.

Fear Of The LORD

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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.  If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

Proverbs 9:10-12

The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Proverbs 10:27

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Provoerbs 14:26-27

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Proverbs 15:33

Our loving the LORD means that we fear Him, and we trust Him, because He will always do what He says He will do.  His positive as well as His negative promises will come to pass, just as He has said.

Someone has said, “If we fear GOD we need to fear nothing else.”

Hate What God Hates

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The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8:13, 35-36

Proverbs eight and nine personifies wisdom, and she is speaking of the need, for we descendants of Adam, to possess her.  She is mentioned in chapter one verses 20 through 33; and she says quite a bit there for us to hear.

Wisdom is a gift from God, that comes with knowledge, and understanding.  In chapter six we are given seven things which God hates.  I do not believe this is an exhausted list, but that each of these evil things include all the evil that we do; and God hates it.

As you can see in verse 13 of chapter 8 above, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.”  Wisdom is telling us that we are to hate everything that the LORD hates.

God hates sin and evil so much that he sees us in the bondage of wickedness of evil, and knows we cannot defeat it on our own.  So seeing us in the condemnation of sin, evil, wickedness, sent His holy,  ownly begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die in our place to purchase our salvation.

Jesus died on that old wooden cross as the propitiation for our  sins, by becoming sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  When we turn away from sin to Christ Jesus that is repentance and faith, then we are no longer in condemnation.  We are freed from the bondage of sin and evil.

The wisest thing we can do is to find life through Him.  The greatest evil you can do is to reject wisdom and turn down God’s greatest gift.  That is the mind of a fool.

God Gives Man’s Portion

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Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.  Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.  For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Every good thing is a gift from God. Especially the gift of life, and life eternal through faith in His Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins. He was buried, and He rose again.

What Would I Have Asked For?

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In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him,
“Ask what I shall give thee.”
And Solomon said unto God, “Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O LORD God, let Thy promise unto David my father be established: for Thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this Thy people, that is so great?” And God said to Solomon,
“Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge My people, over whom I have made thee king: wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.”
2 Chronicles 1:7-12

Solomon is now the king of all Israel. God came to Solomon, and said, basically, “Ask Me for anything,” I believe it was a test of his character, his heart.

What would I have asked for? Solomon was probably a very young man. We are not told anywhere I can find where we are told his age, at the time he became the king. As a young man of 18 through 30 or so, I am not so sure that I would not have asked for God to make me wealthy. I know in my heart, and I knew then, that wisdom and knowledge were two of the greatest things you could ask God for. Now, I no longer want to be wealthy. That would be a trap for the ruin of my family,  and my life.

Solomon was wise before God even gave him this offer. He had a large task ahead of him as the king of Israel, judging the people, and leading them in the way of the LORD God, and building the temple, which his father David had planned and designed.

Over the years, I am now 70 years of age, I have asked God many times for wisdom and knowledge,  and God has met our needs, and I look back at my twenty or so years, and I can see I am much wiser than I was back then, and I pray more knowledgeable at least in the ways of the Lord,  and His word.

God answered Solomon’s request, and gave him more than what he asked for. God gave Solomon wisdom and knowledge. He also gave him great wealth, and honor before kings. Solomon, even as wise as he was, was not a perfect, nor a sinless man. He is believed to have been the human author of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and many of the Proverbs in that book of wisdom.

There is a great need in today’s world for godly wisdom. There is much earthly wisdom that is foolish in God’s eyes. Earthly wisdom is like, “Grab all you can, while you can,” “Do unto others before they do unto you,” “My golden rule is that he who has the gold makes the rules,  and such frivolity as that. While the wisdom of the God who has made all things, says, “Love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” He also says, “Love your neighbor as you do yourself,” and to “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all His righteousness.”

The wisdom of the world says, “I have no sin that needs forgiveness.”  The word of God and wisdom says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

I have chosen to believe and live for God and His word and wisdom, and shun the world and its so called wisdom. I have done that by turning from my sin to Christ Jesus; who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and He rose again; and have confessed that He is Lord and thoroughly believe that He rose from the dead. Now I have assurance that I will be with Him forever.

Will you join me? Call on His name and be saved from sin, death, and hell.

Let Your Heart Be Perfect With The LORD Our God

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Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto His people Israel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant. The LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers: let Him not leave us, nor forsake us: that He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.  And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that He maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day.
1 Kings 8:56-61

Be Strong, and Of Good Courage…

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And David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.”
1 Chronicles 28:20-21

His Banner Over Me Is Love

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As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.  Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.  His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake love, till he please.

Song of Solomon 2:3-7

…With them that fear God

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Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him.

Ecclesiastes 8:11-12

What Ever God Does, It Is Forever

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What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.  He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.  And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15

The Wicked and the Upright

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An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

Proverbs 11:9-11

Wisdom and Understanding

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Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.  Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Proverbs 3:13-18

Fear Not

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And David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”         1 Chronicles 28:20

King David had the desire to build a house for the glory of the LORD, but GOD would not allow him to build because his reign in Israel had been filled with much warfare, thus bloodshed. God told David that his son Solomon would be permitted to build the house of God.

The verse from First Chronicles 28:20 is some of the final words the king spoke to Solomon before he assigned the reign of the kingdom to him. They are words of encouragement. Words that build faith and courage for any task, and the grief and pain that might come along with it.

Be strong and of good courage, and fear not are encouraging words for God’s people today, as well. Just as Solomon had a large task ahead of him, so does the Christian. There is a life of faith, hope, and love to live to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. We can only do so faithfully as we stand on the trues of the word of God, and do not falter from them.

God’s word is faithful and true, because God is faithful and true. We can be encouraged, emboldened, strengthened, and fearless as we live according to His holy word.

Let us commit ourselves to the word and will of God in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus came as God’s gift to Adam’s race to save us from our sins and condemnation; He died on the cross, was buried, and He rose again.  Praise the LORD, He is coming again (Acts 1:9-11).

Now is the time to call on the Holy name of Jesus for salvation, deliverance from your sin.

Those Who Dwell Safely Hear Wisdom

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“……Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”  Proverbs 1:28-33 (KJB)

The Never Satisfied; More Of The Godly Wife

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“The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, ‘Give, give.’ There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: the grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, ‘It is enough.’
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.”  Proverbs 30:15-17  (KJB)

THE GODLY WIFE

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”  Proverbs 31:23-28

The Virtuous Woman

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“She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.”  Proverbs 31:12-22 (KJB)

The Poor, The Law and The Upright

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“He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. 

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. 

Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.”  Proverbs 28:8-10 (KJB)

The Hungry Soul, The Wanderer, and A Man’s Friend

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“The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.”   Proverbs 27:7-9  (KJB)

The Fool, The Mischievous, and The Scorner

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“Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.”  Proverbs 24:7-9  (KJB)

Troubles, Children, and Rulers

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“Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”   Proverbs 22:5-7  (KJB)

Getting Wisdom Versus Speaking Lies

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“He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.”  Proverbs 19:8-9  (KJB)