SOLOMON: A SON OF DAVID POINTS TO THE SON OF DAVID
In God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7), He says that David’s son, “Will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Sam. 7:13). The promises in this covenant include Solomon, David’s son and successor, but go beyond him and point to the ultimate “son of David” who was born in the fullness of time (see Galatians 4:4); the Son who would reign as the Messianic king forever.
After leading Israel as king for many years, David dies and is succeeded by his son Solomon. When the Lord appears to Solomon and encourages him to ask for something, Solomon famously asks for the wisdom to know how to lead the people and nation (see 1 Kings 3). God is pleased to grant this request and Solomon is known throughout the land as a wise king and ruler. Most of the Book of Proverbs is associated with Solomon and his wisdom. He is also granted the privilege to build God’s temple.
Though Solomon is granted this great privilege, the narrative suggests that even then his heart is divided and his priorities suspect. When one compares the temple with Solomon’s palace, it is clear that the size of the palace and the time to construct it far exceeds the size and time it takes to build the temple.
In spite of all this, God is gracious in His dealings with His people and condescends to blessing the construction and inauguration of the temple. Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple (see 1 Kings 8:22-53) reflects on God’s faithfulness to keep His covenant and promises. It also recognizes that the temple he built cannot contain the grandeur and majesty of God. Perhaps most significantly, Solomon prays that the temple can be a place for repentance and forgiveness, a theme that continues to be necessary in Israel’s history, as well as the human race and all people’s history.
Solomon’s time is a great season of fulfilled promises. Israel is now a great nation with a homeland, a center of power and worship (Jerusalem) and rest from her enemies. Solomon testifies: “May the Lord be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed.”[1] God’s promises to Abraham, and later to Moses, have been accomplished. But will Solomon and the people of Israel remain loyal to the Lord?
Sadly, Solomon’s heart is drawn to things other than God which leads him to idolatry. God declares that much of his kingdom will be torn from his successors (1 Kings 11:13, 36), so that following Solomon the kingdom is rent in two. Eventually, both the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom go into exile as a consequence for their own idolatry and breaking of the covenant relationship. The Northern Kingdom falls to Assyria around 722 BC and the Southern Kingdom to Babylon around 586 BC.
Solomon was wise, but at this point in the storyline, we still await Christ, “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (see 1 Cor. 1:24). Solomon built the temple, but the Story awaits the One who is the true temple of God (see John 2:19-21) and who indwells God’s people (God’s temple) both corporately and individually (see, for example, 1 Cor. 3:16-17 and 6:19-20). Today, believers still worship as the people of God gathered, and we also understand that worship is a lifestyle not an event. Though worship under the new covenant is ever more glorious, we too await the day when there is no need for a temple because the unmediated presence of the Lord God and the Lamb are the temple (see Revelation 21:22). We now see through a glass darkly, but then we will see Him face to face! Hallelujah!