The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord

1 Kings 11:9-25

The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.  Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.

And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram and was hostile toward Israel.

Solomon's reign is not wholly problem-free. In the south there is trouble from Hadad of Edom; a story reminiscent of Joseph's; om the north from Rezon of Damascus.

Why?

For Solomon turned away from the Lord, even the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, so the Lord became angry with Solomon.

For the Sake of David, God did not tear his country during his lifetime, bur tear it out of the hand of his son. It is a tragedy in Israel.

Why? it is because Solomon missed his way in his wisdom and his wealth. And Solomon married so many foreign wives.

Downfall from his heart and his mind.

How?

May the Lord keep me obey God's word and consistently follow the way to honor God.

From rich and wisdom nation to downfall king

1 Kings 10:14-11:8

All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.  As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

Solomon's revenue through trade and taxes is enormous. But consumer spending more than keeps pace. The country's position made him a convenient middleman for chariots from Egypt and horses from Turkey.

Solomon's political marriage alliance no doubt contribute to the country's peace and security. But foreign wives bring with them foreign gods. And Solomon in his old age turns from God to worship idols - a sin which will cost his son the greater part of his kingdom and divide the nation.

Why?

Much wealth and peace make Solomon turn away from the Lord, and his foreign marriage makes his heart turn to worship idols. It is the king's downfall.

Rich and women are the easy way to make God's people downfall. 

We are living to honor the name of the Lord, instead of to pursue the money and joy in this world.

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所羅門得到財富非常龐大，超過14億5千萬美元。每年得到666他連得金子，這個是不好的數字。

所羅門很會做生意，養那麼多馬為了戰爭準備，同時賣給其他國家賺錢。也是自己愈來愈沒有安全感，怕百姓造反！

各國來朝貢、來付費聽所羅門的話，都要大把金子、銀子的費用。他的臣子每天都在聽，他們是否珍惜，沒有用智慧教導百姓。我們每天可以讀經、聽道，我們是否珍惜這些智慧的話呢?我們不用花錢就可以聽，讓我們像這些外邦人珍惜神的證話。

所羅門花費金子，一方面是神賜給，另一方面展示自己的財力。然而這些財富沒有用在百姓身上，沒有用在屬靈生命上，百姓生活沒有改善，減輕百姓負擔，反而使百姓賦稅很重。神給他這麼多，卻沒有用在對的地方。

只有智慧的言語才是真財富！

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How?

Step forward to the target the Lord has given to us. We do not belong to this world but have eternal life when we walk with the Lord.

A king to maintain justice and righteousness

1 Kings 10:1-13

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.

And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Intriguing reports of Solomon's wisdom and splendor bring the queen from Yemen to Jerusalem. Unlike the people of Chris's day, this woman was prepared to undertake a long journey to find out for herself the truth of what she had heard.

Why?

Under the blessing of the Lord, Solomon has wisdom and wealth, so queen Sheba came to Jerusalem to see Solomon. After she came and met Solomon she was overwhelmed and praised the Lord!

Solomon was a king of Israel who maintain justice and righteousness. If a king can't do it his nation will ruin.

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示巴女王等於踢館的，準備許多難題來問。後來態度轉變，折服在所羅門及神之下，帶來的禮物本來想要炫耀的。120他連得(4080kg,9000磅)，約值240億美元黃金。寧可追求神的愚拙也不要世上的小聰明。示巴女王真正是被所羅門的智慧震憾到，不是其排場。

有時候人送禮物，不是真的要送，而是來炫耀的。

示巴女王好像許多不信的人來教會踢館的，結果被神的愛折服，到完全的相信，甚至於覺得自己給的不足。從抗拒到折服，從不信到信，我們一直以為能夠為首主做什麼？奉獻什麼? 原來主已經為我這個人做許多，給我更多、建造我這個人。我能為主做什麼呢? 什麼都不能做，只能被主更新、建造！

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How?

A nation needs a leader to maintain justice and righteousness!

The trade and forced labor

 1 Kings 9:10-28

At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold he wanted.

Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[f] the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.

There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites).  Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate]—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.

Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

For all his wealth, Solomon has his balance of trade problems. On this occasion, he makes 20 cities over to Hiram of Tyre as security against a loan.

The vase labor force needed for new building and defense works is raised from two sources. Native Canaanites provide permanent slave-labor. And the Israelites are pressed into short-term forced labor.

Solomon is the first of Israel's kings to create a merchant navy. His ships traded with Arabia and beyond.

Why?

There is no commend and no criticism, The writer described the real situation of Solomon's actions in his country.

The force labor strategy makes this country divided into two, Israel and Judea.

Solomon's political marriage with Egypt makes his country turn away from the Lord and closer to idol worship.

For Solomon has wealth and strong force makes him proud and forgot the Lord, to be a leader is the sample to all his people.

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所羅門記載他的經濟、建設等工作，在信仰上沒有任何工作在進行與教導，一直到亡國以後才開始教導律法。發展經濟固然重要，但是愈來愈世俗化，經濟繁榮是神的祝福，但是不注意卻容易成為世俗化的原因。教人得生命最重要，否則容易迷失在繁華中，失去祝福！

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How?

To be a father, a minister in a church,, a general manager in a company should be a sample model of the Lord to honor his Holy Name! Do my best to honor God's name.

The Lord appear to Solomon and told him the promise an warning words

1 King 9:1-9

When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. 

“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“But if you or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.’”

If... if not - God repeats the promise made to David, with a warning. Solomon ignored this and suffered the consequences, though God did not break his promise of a lasting family line.

Why?

The pray of Solomon to the Lord is great and accepted by the Lord, the Lord promised "My eyes and my heart will always be there", but a warning message is followed.

If your or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I... This temple will become a heap of rubble.

The Temple is a building, more important is observing the command of the Lord. The church is a building either. How the Christians observe the word of the Lord and honor God's name is more important than the building. Our heart is the temple of the Lord!

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若沒有神同在，這個殿只是空殼，神在乎的是聽神的話。無論聖殿蓋的如何宏偉高大，沒有人遵行神的話，也必捨棄，摧毀。神自己的名是否被彰顯?神寧可叫聖殿被毀，神的名被羞愧，為了要人悔改！建造教會也是如此。恩賜能力好像外表的聖殿，但是生命更重要，價值觀，如何待人，如何面對苦難、挫折，是否謙卑?是否堅持神的道，一個傳道人不是看台上所說的更是在台下生活中如何的作為?

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How?

Consecrate my heart and my mind to be a temple of the Lord in my life, may the Holy Spirit guides my way.

 

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

1Kings  8:22-66

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord.

On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.

Solomon's prayer, for the total house and for the nation, echoes the language of Moses. He asks that God will hear the prayers and forgive the sin of his people when they focus on the Temple even though no building on earth could ever contain the God of heaven.

Prayer is followed by blessing' blessing by sacrifice' sacrifice by creating and rejoicing throughout the land.

Why?

Until now Solomon did what is good to the Lord and to his people, and the Lord is favor his worship and offering and dedicated the Temple.

Yes, there is no God like our God in heaven above or on earth, our God keeps the covenant of love with all his servants.

The prayer of Solomon to the Lord is so wonderful and great!

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所羅門的禱告：聖殿成為萬國萬民禱告的殿。有認罪悔改的地方就是聖殿的地方。國家民族犯罪後，向神禱告的地方就是聖殿。神的居所是在天上。這個殿其實很小，容不下神的。所羅門竟為外邦人禱告，這個殿不是以色列人的專門，希望外邦人也來聖殿禱告

三個特點：聖殿完工是神的工作、作為。所羅門不居功自傲、不自誇。更多提到人的軟弱，因為我們是有罪的，求主赦免，這看到所羅門的謙卑。今天不是我為主計劃什麼，做什麼，只求主來改變我，使我成長，討主的喜悅。我們所做的事，不用沾沾自喜，因為這些都是神的工作，即使教會服事沒有成果也不要灰心。

所羅門為百姓的祝福：四個願：願你的眼目看顧僕人、願你垂聽，願耶和華─我們的神與我們同在，願耶和華─我們的神晝夜垂念。一個吩咐：你們當向耶和華─我們的神存誠實的心，遵行他的律例，謹守他的誡命，至終如今日一樣。

所羅門的獻祭：

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How?

God is good, give thanks to the Lord, Thank the Lord blesses the wedding of Zoe and JJ last Saturday, blessing all the guests who attended this wedding. Our God listens to our prayer!

The glory of the Lord filled his temple

 1 Kings 8:1-21

Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. Then he said: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’

“The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

Work is complete, and the Ark is brought from the citadel and installed in the inner sanctuary. And the whole Temple building shines with the light of GOd's presence - the same bright could that once rested on God's Tent in the desert.

Why?

The Temple is built and it is a building, more important is the Lors with Israel and with the Temple.

When the ark was moved into the Temple with so many priests and king Solomon, the could of the glory of the Lord filled his temple. It is a great image and power with them.

For the church is a building, more important is there is the Holy Spirit of the Lord with us. When we pray in name of the Lord and the name of Jesus and obey God's word, the Holy Spirit be with us.

How?

Worship the Lord only, for God is good and Jesus has shed blood for us. We can do nothing without the Lord!

The Temple's Furnishings

 1 King 7:31-51

It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace

1 King 7:1-12

It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.  

He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling. And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.

All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces. The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits and some eight.

Solomon builds the House of the Forest of Lebanon - a great hall paneled in cedar where weapons and golden vessels were stored - the Hall of Pillars, Hall of Judgment, and palaces for himself and for the pharaoh's daughter. This may also have housed the rest of the harem.

Why?

Because Solomon is rich and prosperous so he spent many resources on the nation to build the palace for himself, the palace for Pharaoh's daughter, and others.

Solomon built his palace thirteen years more than building the Temple.

If Solomon obeys the word of the Lord all his work is blessed by the Lord, if he does not follow the decrees of the Lord all he has are gone soon.

How?

The blessing and joy and peace are the grace of the Lord, focus on the Lord is the fountain of blessing in this world.

If you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them

1 King 6:11-38

The word of the Lord came to Solomon: “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”

Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.

And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.

The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.

Highlight the point of it all: God with his people.

V11-13 picture for us the beautiful furnishings, the carved and decorated cedar panels, the walls gleaming with gold, and the creatures whose great golden wings spanned the sanctuary. Seven years and all was finished exactly to plan.

No noise: Even at this stage the place was regarded as holy. The sone was quarried close to the site, but so deep underground that no sound would carry.

Why?

King Solomon devoted his best to building the Temple, with no noise to keep it as the Holy place from the beginning.

The Lord said to Solomon to follow God's decrees, observe the laws and keep all God's commands, the promise God gave to David will be fulfilled. This is more important than this Temple.

Solomon used much gold to cover the Temple and precious stones and woods. This is the place for the Lord is with us.

How?

Temple is a real place to symbolize God is here, but Jesus brings the Holy Spirit to us, God is with us if we obey the words and decree of the Lord.

Solomon Builds the Temple

1 Kings 6:1-10

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the Lord.

The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high. (about 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 27 meters long, 9 meters wide and 14 meters high)

The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, and projected ten cubits from the front of the temple. He made narrow windows high up in the temple walls. Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary, he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms. The lowest floor was five cubits wide, the middle floor six cubits and the third floor seven. He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.

In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.

The entrance to the lowest floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third. So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar planks. And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.

In size, the Temple was a chapel rather than a cathedral. It was intended as a house for God, not a building to hold vast gatherings of people. The climate allowed the people to gather outdoors in the courtyards around the building at festival times. It measured about 27x9x13 m, divided into two sections, with part of the inner section curtained off to form the sanctuary. In front was a 4.5mx9m entrance porch, and along the sides were store-rooms.

Why?

Finally, Solomon built the Temple for the Lord. After four hundred and eighty years after Israelites came out of Egypt.

It is according to the word of the Lord, that the Temple was built.

No hammer, chisel, or other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. For the Lord is holy, so everything in this Temple has to be with peace and love.

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建殿工程中沒有敲打石器、鐵路、木頭的聲音，只有組合！

聖殿的宏偉，不在乎大小，而在於神的榮耀，神的同在！天地都不足以成為神的殿！

內殿是至聖所，外殿是聖殿，旁屋廂房是祭司及利未人宿舍，吃祭物的地方，儲藏東西的地方，神為祭司及利未人的需要而設立。

聖殿從建造開始一直是肅靜、莊嚴、祥和氣氛的場所，這也代表神同在，代表耶穌基督，神與人同在、神與人和好。聖殿只是象徵神與人同在，當神與人和好時，人願意敬畏神，聖殿已經完成。因此在建造時，就像已經建造好一樣。同樣教會在建造時，就要有教會成熟時的樣式，例如宣教不是教會聚會穩定後才開始宣教！同樣從小開始就有主日學！

聖經從來沒有說神看內心，不看外表，神看內心也看外表。我們不能說我內心很好，強調外表不重要。只是內心比外表重要。人因為看不到人內心，所以神會對重視外表忽視內心的人說的。

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How?

The Lord gave us the symbol of Temple in this world, but more important is the grace and the love has given to us. What we can do is to be a good witness of this love and wisdom among people.

To build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God

1 Kings 5:1-18

But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

So Hiram sent word to Solomon: “I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household.”

In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel—thirty thousand men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. 

Friendship with the Phoenician kingdom of Tyre, to the north, is further cemented by a trade pact: Hiram will supply raw materials for the temple in return for foodstuffs.

Why?

Solomon follows the word of David to build a temple for the Name of the Lord.

God did not allow David to build a temple for the Lord, for David had shed the blood of men in the war, so asked Solomon to build the Temple for the Lord.

Solomon made trade-pact to get materials for the temple in exchange for foodstuffs.

Building the Temple for the Lord is good, but later Solomon built his temple and spent more material and labor which cause many Israelites to build his palace.

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所羅門向推羅購買木材：香柏樹，建造聖殿是神的應許，這是建殿的根據。用糧食換木料。持續7年，4百40萬公升麥子。大衛與希蘭王有好的外交關係，私交也好，正好彼此各取所需。這也是教會的精神。其實建殿材料神早在大衛時期已經預備。我們不用擔心，我們所需用的神早已預備。

以色列人做一個月，休兩個月，既照顧聖殿與經濟的需要。這也是所羅門很聰明的地方。雖然重要，家庭更重要。

15萬人鑿石料應該是外邦人，似乎沒有如以色列人那麼照顧了。如何在教會中做一個好的肢體。成為合一的教會。

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How?

Wisdom and health and wealth are the grace of the Lord. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Solomon’s Wisdom

1 King 4:29-34

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

The king outshone his greatest contemporaries in wisdom, which he expressed, as they did. In proverbs and songs and sayings based on natural and animal life, both of whose titles ascribe them to Solomon,  Proverbs.

Why?

Wisdom for Solomon is given by the Lord, so his wisdom is beyond all people in the world. He wrote so many proverbs and songs.

All of these songs and proverbs described the great of the Lord's creation as beautiful and complemented.

Solomon is proud of the history of Israel, but it also is the downfall of Israel after Solomon.

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神賜給所羅門極大的智慧、聰明，是曉得從知識中推斷更多的事！博學多才！

東方(幼發拉底河一帶)古文明有許多格言，關係為人處世，甚至生命永恆等，埃及人比較多科學的見解，奧秘。但是這些都不如所羅門王。

從神的創造性中，看到神的創造偉大，最大的香柏樹到啟示微小的牆邊牛膝草都看到神的智慧，領受許多格言。每件事物都有神的哲理在當中。不限於科學、生物學，乃與哲理、生命有關係。超越世上所有人。敬畏神就是智慧的開端！

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How?

Be humble, I am nothing without the Lord!

Serving the Solomon King

1 Kings 4:1-28

So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. And these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok—the priest;

Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.

The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

The district governors, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.

In contrast to the simple regime of King David, Solomon introduces a vast bureaucracy to administer his kingdom. The court included not only the trial family but ministers, civil servants, and domestics, and must have numbered several thousand. No wonder elaborate arrangements are necessary for their maintenance.

Why?

For the wisdom has given from the Lord, Solomon as king of Israel and Judea has numerous people as the sand on the seashore. There is nothing was lacking, it is the most prosperous in the history of Israel.

When there is nothing lacking, it is something that happened for people is easy to fall into the proud and selfish.

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內閣編制： 很齊全，先講祭司，書記史官，以外交為重心，不同於大衛時期： 以軍事為中心。表示所羅門時代政權穩定。

12支派變成12個地區，中央集權制度：12區目的在提供王室的需要。猶大支派沒有在內，猶大相當於特別行政區，沒有向王納頁的義務，這後來國家分裂的原因。

政治與經濟情形：政治清明，各按各分，沒有人中飽私囊。各國也都進貢服侍，所以國家富強。

如果教會、基督徒生命強，自然可以影響世界，反過來教會、基督徒生命有問題，不但不能宣教，反而受到世界的影響。

所羅門每日要各區提供的糧食數量龐大，對於12支派變成重擔，種下禍因，以致造成後來分裂、獨立的原因。所羅門漸漸心高氣傲。大衛多半在戰爭中，因此常常警醒，大衛會出錯就是在戰事平和下來後發生。

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How?

Always be humble and give thanks to the Lord for all we have is under the grace of the Lord. 

A Wise Ruling

1 Kings 3:16-28

The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

A particularly hard case serves to illustrate Solomon's God-given gift of wise judgment. Where it is one woman's word against another, special insight into human nature is needed to uncover the true facts. The incident also shows the king's accessibility to ordinary folk, even two prostitutes.

Why?

Wisdom is a gift from the Lord, even I need the wisdom to face every day in my life. 

Face the argument between men is my weakness, I need God to give me the wisdom to be a manager in my working place.

Identify the motivation and personal requirements are the base, then include the love among them, with the strength of the Holy Spirit. I can face the tomorrow!  

How?

Dear Lord, I need the wisdom either, if under your permission please give me wisdom in my life.

Solomon asks for wisdom

1 King 3:1-15

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 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. 

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. 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?

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.

Solomon is at Gibeon, a town 10km northwest of Jerusalem making his sacrifice when God appears to him in a dream offering a gift which is his to choose. He asks for wisdom to rule his people justly. It is the choice of a man whose heart is right before God and so he is given more than he asks for. Solomon will be renowned for wise judgment. And his kingdom will enjoy economic prosperity as never before.

Why?

It is the Lord who chose Solomon as king of Israelites, but when Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married his daughter is the beginning of destruction to his country.

Solomon answers the Lord and gives him wisdom, it is the right answer and a good choice. when people has wisdom then he almost has everything.

What is the real wisdom, it is walking in obedience to the Lord and keeping God's decrees and commands.

Offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places was existing in Israelites make this country fall.

 與法老王結親：是未來的隱憂。為了拓展外交關係，同時取得基色城，也是港口。種下了禍因，隨從外邦人偶像。

在邱壇獻祭，神規定在會幕獻祭。所羅門用自己方便的方法敬拜神，敬拜是把神放在最高價值的。

How?

Carefully walking in obedience to the Lord and keeping God's decrees and commands. Be humble before the Lord and men.

Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing

1 King 2:12-46

Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”

“As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.” So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.

The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the Lord forever.”

Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died.

Adonijah, supported by Abiathar the priest and army commander Joab, has already laid claim to the throne. This time he pays dearly for what may have been an unthinking request. Solomon sees it as a second bid for kingship since possession of his predecessor's harem was part of the eastern king's title to the throne. Abiathar is dismissed. And Joab dies the violent death he has meted out to others.

Shimei, another potential troublemaker, is put on parole in Jerusalem to keep him away from fellow Benjamites. When he breaks parole, even though for an innocent reason. Solomon has him killed.

Why?

All of these three persons are filled with selfishness in their minds. They killed innocent men for their benefit. Shimei has not relied on the truth but depends on his own benefit. Adonijah still thought this kingdom should be his, so when he asked "give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife" induced his dead.

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亞多尼雅表面上在所羅門王之下，但是對於王位卻念念不忘王位。當時只有接任的國王才有權利接收前任國王的妃嬪。這是欺君之罪。

處理祭司亞比雅他，除去他的職位，要他歸鄉。

處理約押，當他看到大衛年紀老邁，不能打仗，於是站在亞多尼雅一邊。約押跑去抓住祭壇的角，通常那裏不會有人敢動刀，但是同樣那裏也是祭物宰殺處。他自己要死在那裏

處理示美，所羅門王軟禁示美，他是騎牆派。

所羅門顯然沒有大開殺戒，讓人以為他除去異己，沒有主動要去殺他們。他都給這些人機會。示每可能讓僕人去亞吉王那裏探路，可能亞吉至王不想收留，所以又回來了，結果自己的籌算破滅。

三個人都是暴露出自己的罪惡。不用等到神來追討，定人的罪，人自己就是把自己罪惡暴露出來。只有亞比雅他收斂自己，得以終老一生。所羅門給他們機會，正如神給人機會悔改，人最後還是自尋死路，顯出自己的惡，將自己陷在危險中。神有神的計劃，任意一些事發生，顯出問題，才能解決問題，掃除障礙。

求神幫助我們顯出自己的問題，並且解決我們的問題。

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How?

Rightness and mercy and obeying the word of the Lord are the base to build a great kingdom.