Day 167 (1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8) - Year 7
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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we open with a refresher on God's promise to Solomon. He reminds Solomon that this covenant is conditional on both Solomon's and Israel's obedience. Solomon spent 20 years building the temple and his house. He also builds a separate house for his wife.

2 Chronicles 8-11 quotes Solomon as saying, When men in this day had multiple wives, they usually had a different house or tent for each wife, but the first or main wife often lived in the same house as the husband. But with Solomon, not even his main wife lives in the main house.

The house he built for her is in a different location outside the city because she's a pagan, and he doesn't want her near the Ark of the Covenant. This whole arrangement sounds terrible, honestly. Then Solomon decides to build 20 cities, as one does. These are probably supposed to be a gift for King Hiram, but he doesn't like them. It's also possible that he gave them back to Solomon. These two chapters we read today weren't exactly clear on that.

In all of his empire building, Solomon uses a lot of forced labor. God's law forbids the Israelites from enslaving other Israelites, so Solomon works with the loophole and uses Canaanite laborers instead. They build things all throughout Israel and Lebanon to the north, where his friend King Hiram lives. He also builds a fleet of ships. This guy is not afraid to branch out into new territory. Fortunately, King Hiram knows a lot of men who are skilled at seafaring, and they join forces, presumably to go do some international trade.

By the way, commentators are divided on whether international trade is acceptable or not. Does it imply that God hasn't provided for Israel and all their needs in the Promised Land? Does it mean they're joining forces with wicked nations? Who knows? In the midst of all this building, Solomon still manages to keep the calendar of feasts and sacrifices. He tries to remain faithful to all the things that were clearly marked out in the law by Moses and David. What was your God shot today?

One thing that stood out to me as we were rereading God's conversation with Solomon was this section in 1 Kings 9, 7-8, where God is discussing what will happen if Israel rebels. It says, And the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and hiss, and they will say, Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?

I've already told you that this temple will be destroyed. This all happens. God knows, we know, but Solomon probably didn't know. In that moment, I wonder what he thought about God. It's easy to think of God as harsh here, like he's saying, if you don't do what I say, I'm taking my toys and going home. But that's not what we see here, for two reasons. First, God has already laid out the plan of redemption and restoration for them. Solomon himself spoke about it on consecration day.

A selfish God doesn't act like that. A selfish God is unyielding and vengeful. Second, God's compassion and priorities are evident even in these harsh words because He always points back to the relationship He has with them. He rescued them. He brought them into this land. He came to dwell in this house with them.

The whole conversation is peppered with reminders of their relationship. We see again and again that He's not just after their obedience, He's after their hearts. I'm glad God has rules and a right way for things to be done. We're broken and we need that. And I'm also glad that He's forgiving when we inevitably fall short. We need that too. And I'm grateful He even tells us in advance how He's going to operate in His relationship with us. What a gift that we never have to wonder where we stand with Him.

Personally, I wish I spent a little more time on the obedience end and a little less time on the rebellion end, but that's on me, not on him. If I have a problem with this passage, it should be with the wicked hearts of men, not with God's response to their wickedness. Because wickedness deserves punishment, yet God still gives mercy. He's righteous and just and loving and compassionate, and He's where the joy is.

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