Today's Reading - 2 Chronicles 9

It's All True!

King Solomon’s reputation for superior wisdom had become renown throughout Israel and its neighboring countries. So much so, that the Queen of Sheba (a territory in northwest Arabia) came to Jerusalem to put his wisdom to the test. After she witnessed it for herself, she said to the king, “It’s all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself; they didn’t exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined.”

The Queen went on to heap treasures, rewards, and praises upon Solomon and Israel. In her words of praise, she clearly gives God the glory. By her extravagant gifts and her flattering words, she acknowledges (perhaps unknowingly) three truths about God and His dealings with mankind.

First, she acknowledges that it is God’s love for Israel that has brought about such a successful and powerful kingdom. “God’s love is behind this,” she says. What a joy it is when others see something positive in our lives and it gives them a glimpse of God’s love. The very act of establishing and setting apart this one nation for God’s purpose was a show of His deep love.

Second, she acknowledges that God is the one who institutes kingdoms and rulers. She said, “He has made you king over them.” This truth is confirmed in Daniel 2:21 – “It is He [the LORD] who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding.”  This confirms that all governmental authority derives its power from God who grants such power. According to Romans 13:1, “All authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.”

Third, she recognizes that the primary purpose of human government is to “execute justice and righteousness.” The role of governments is to seek, serve, and promote the common good of the people. Based on the truth of the dignity and value of every human being, justice means to give each person that which is due and which, expressed negatively, means to punish evil and, expressed positively, to promote good. Governments aren’t there so the elites can benefit themselves. They exist to benefit the governed. Governments exist solely at the behest of God and are called to govern their citizens with justice and righteousness. Any nation that exists for any other reason or which has corrupted God’s purposes, is doomed to failure.

 

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 11

 

Solomon's Syncretism

Despite his many great qualities and his deep wisdom and insight, Solomon had a weakness – a character flaw – which led to his decline and downfall later in life. He was inclined to dabble with idolatry. He never openly or fully walked away from Yahweh. Never fully rejected his Jewish worship roots. Yet, due to the influences of the many women in his life, he was drawn away into the worship of their “strange gods.”

While Solomon continued to worship at Yahweh’s Temple in Jerusalem, he also undertook the construction of many pagan temples in and around the city. Then he would join in with his wives in the idolatrous and pagan practices of those temples. Thus Solomon, with all of his wisdom, all of his blessings, and all of his Jewish roots, disobeyed the commandment of the Lord and his heart gradually turned away from the Lord.  

Rather than blatantly turn away from Yahweh, Solomon attempted to create his “own flavor” of religion by blending together the worship of Yahweh and the worship of idols. Thus, Solomon became the author of SYNCRETISM – the merging together of two (or more) distinct and irreconcilable principles into an un-blendable composite. Syncretism is the attempt to harmonize differing or opposing ideas or principles. It is the fusion of different belief systems. The inevitable result of attempting to do so is that the composite no longer accurately represents the original belief system which must be discarded.

The lesson for all of us is this: You cannot merge God’s truth with any opposing ideas or belief systems and expect to stay true to God. The Bible clearly teaches us that we are not to worship idols nor adhere to their belief systems. To attempt to do so would be a betrayal of truth and inconsistent with the worship of God.

Syncretism is not the total abandonment of a faith.  It is way more insidious and dangerous.  It is taking aspects of a different faith and merging it into another.  Christianity is the faith about following Jesus.  Syncretism is overwriting the beliefs of other faiths or cultures onto this practice.  The intent may not be to create something new.  It may be simply to adapt to the culture.  But it is impossible to mix anything with Jesus without creating something new and unholy. Adding anything to the life and teachings of Jesus and Biblical truth simply creates heresy. A heresy which may go by the label of “Christian,” but in reality, does not conform to the original article. Jesus plus anything is not the real Jesus. We cannot create a new without abandoning the old.  God does not take idolatry – nor syncretism – lightly. 

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 12 & 1 Kings 10

 

The Point of Life

After years of painstaking research and investigation and experimentation, King Solomon is finally ready to reveal the results of his lifelong quest to understand the meaning of life. He has heard it all. He has listened closely to the arguments and lines of reasoning on every topic imaginable (beauty, goodness, health, wealth, status, relationships, sex, career, success, etc.). After weighing all the evidence and putting it all to the test, he reaches this final conclusion: Fear God and do what He tells you to do. This, he says, is the whole duty of man. The whole purpose for human existence is to discover God and enjoy a relationship with Him. There is no other point to life.

Sadly, so many people feel that life is pointless. They don’t find any meaning in life. Even if they attain to a high degree of success and personal enjoyment during their lifetime, they still wonder – what is it all for? Deep inside, despite their successes, they have a feeling of emptiness – a void at the center of their soul. I can think of nothing more tragic than for one to go through life and never discover “why” they exist.

But the truth is that LIFE HAS A GRAND PURPOSE! It is not pointless, nor meaningless, nor empty. There is a true purpose for your life here on earth. The Bible is very clear as to what our purpose in life should be. Solomon tells us that life is all about honoring God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him face-to-face. Our purpose in life, as God originally created humans, is to glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him. You can spend your lifetime searching (as Solomon did), but you will never find a purpose grander than this.  God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26–27), thus man’s purpose cannot be fulfilled apart from Him.

The ultimate purpose of man, according to the Bible, is simply to glorify God. We fulfill this purpose by living our lives in relationship and faithful service to Him. The more we get to know our Creator and the more we love Him and the better we understand who we are and what our purpose is.

So, fear God and do what He tells you to do. This is the point of life.

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 10 & 11

Keep Your Mouth Out of Trouble

The wisdom of King Solomon is renowned in human history. Throughout the writings of Solomon we have an opportunity to learn in the classroom of one of the true geniuses of all time (next to Jesus, that is).

Of course, we know the source of Solomon’s great wisdom – God Himself! In a dream, God had invited Solomon to make a request – to ask for anything he desired. Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge the people fairly and wisely. Yahweh was pleased with his request and granted to Solomon a wise and understanding heart. Solomon went on and became famous for his wise judgments. 

Solomon’s reputation spread to other lands, even as far as Sheba, in Arabia. The queen of Sheba traveled to see Solomon’s glory and riches and to test the depth of his wisdom. The queen was so impressed with Solomon’s wisdom and the prosperity of Israel that she praised the Lord for putting such a wise king on the throne. 

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon wrote most of the book of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and two Psalms. Within these writings, he captured for us many nuggets of profound wisdom. Here in Ecclesiastes 10, Solomon makes a wise observation about how one uses their words. He contrasts the “wise man” with the “fool” and tells us that wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. The words of a wise person are gracious and well though out. His/her words are carefully planned so as to bring acceptance and favor. The fool, on the other hand, just starts blurting out nonsense and ends up in self-destruction.

It has been said that, “A wise man speaks when he has something to say; but a fool speaks when he has to say something.” Biblically, this is so true. God has urged us many times in Scripture to control the words that come out of our mouth, and not to just let anything spew forth. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

So, how are the words that come from your mouth? Are they good words? Are they wise words? Are they clean words? Are they helpful words? Do they minister grace to your hearers? If not, take a moment now and surrender your tongue to God. Let the Holy Spirit speak His love and truth through you. “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Proverbs 21:23)

 

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 8 & 9

Squint Your Ears

In our society, it seems that riches, status, beauty and a show of power are the things people admire. If a person lacks these, he is often ignored or despised, even though his quiet words of wisdom may save a nation from ruin or save a soul from darkness and despair. A poor man’s words are often despised and rejected while the voice of the so-called “celebrities” are celebrated and shouted loudly in the public square.

As is often the case with Scripture, God’s truth is quite the opposite of such worldly values. In God’s kingdom, the words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of the most admired public figure. God’s truth has a way of being the polar opposite of the world’s “truth.” Just listen for a moment to the wise men and women around you – even if you have to “squint” your ears to hear them. Their whispers will prove to be rich with God’s truth and His benefits. In their words you will find life. They are to be heard quietly and patiently.

Contrast the quiet words of the wise with the “shouts of a ruler among fools.” This phrase describes Twitter and Facebook and other social sharing applications amazingly well. With these social media platforms, we give every “ruler,” every “fool,” every “misguided individual” a means to shout their ill-advised and erroneous opinions and advice on every topic imaginable. And, of course, they present their story with such flair and enticing words, it can be easy for anyone to get drawn into their flawed viewpoint.

With all the shouting, it often makes it hard to hear the quiet voice of wisdom. This is why we must use discernment to screen out the shouting voices of those who are opposed to God and His truth, and to listen intently to those whose quiet words will bring glory to God and wisdom to our souls. It is okay to turn off your social media (even if just for a season). It is okay to ignore the opinion-editorials pushed by the news media outlets. It is okay to turn off the “shouting” and just sit quietly listening for the words of wisdom.

Be still and listen. Hearken to God’s word. Pay attention to the quiet voices of the wise followers of Christ in your circle. Most importantly, listen closely for the “still, small voice” of God as the Holy Spirit speaks directly to you. Remember Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 7

Be and Consider

Many times in my life, I’ve been told, “you have to take the bad with the good.” This saying means we should accept both the positive and negative aspects of something. It acknowledges that nothing is perfect and those things that seem perfect often do not remain so. Thing don’t always go the way you think they should. So, what should we do when things aren’t going our way? Here in Proverbs 7:14, Solomon advises us to “be” and to “consider.”

Be. “In the day of prosperity be joyful.” Don’t just pretend joy, but genuinely be joyful. Here, we are reminded by God to enjoy those moments of prosperity in life. By this He means not just financial blessing, but blessings of any type. When “good fortune” falls our way, we should relish the situation we are in and soak in the joy of it all. In these times, our response should be one of joyful thankfulness to our Creator and Father in Heaven who has chosen to bless us with a season of pleasure. Remember the Lord in these seasons. Reflect on the truth from Deuteronomy 8:18, “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.”

Consider. “In the day of adversity consider that God has made the one as well as the other.” Here, the Lord is telling us to “take the bad with the good.” There will be seasons of adversity in our lives. We don’t relish these seasons, nor do we want them to come our way. But the truth is – adversity will come to all of us. And when it comes, we must not make the tragic mistake of thinking God has gone out of our lives or that He has abandoned us or that He is being mean to us. He has ordained and established the days, times, and seasons of your life. He has pre-planned your ups and downs. He knew in advance that you would be facing adversity, or poverty, or hardship. During these “bad times” you must be so careful not to “blame” God as though He is allowing something into your life that is not for your benefit. You must recognize that He is using this season of hardship as a time of spiritual growth in your life. During these times, He calls us to deepen our dependence upon Him and to trust Him to resolve our troubles on His schedule and in His mysterious ways.

So… BE joyful when things are good. CONSIDER God’s hand when things are bad. He has foreordained the ups and downs of our lives. He is still here. Trust His hand of love and grace.  

 

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 5 & 6

Finding Your Pot of Gold

Are rich people really as happy and contented as society makes them out to be? Is there really a “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”? Writer Rafael Badziag interviewed 21 billionaires for his book "The Billion Dollar Secret." What he found was that some billionaires are happy and some are miserable. And it was not because they had more money that some were happier than others. In fact, those who were happy and contented cited – not their riches – but family, freedom, and relationships as those things which brought them happiness.

The reality is that anyone who loves money and spends their life in pursuit of wealth will never be satisfied with what they have gained. There is an ever-elusive characteristic of living for money and possessions. He who has little, wishes he had more. He who has much, wishes he had more still. It is a never-ending struggle to try to find contentment through material wealth. Life will always be just "not enough." Living for riches and wealth is too big of a burden to bear. And it never satisfies the way we dream it will in our imaginations.

True contentment means to be happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. It is respecting the reality of the present, appreciating what you have, and enjoying your relationships with God and others. If you count your blessings, rather than your problems, you will realize how beautiful your life is – even if you lack great riches. The Apostle Paul, confirms this truth from Solomon in 1 Timothy 6:8 – “Do your work, and if you have food, clothes, and a place to live, be contented.”  It doesn’t take great riches to live a happy and contented life. Those who believe it does, will end up sorely disappointed with what they find at “the end of the rainbow.”

The Bible urges you to, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5) Finding contentment in Christ happens when we abide in Him. Jesus confirmed this truth when He said, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

There is nothing greater than being joyful and content in our relationship with Jesus. He can fill our hearts with joy in both times of leanness and in times of plenty. So, don’t strive for riches. Strive to know Him more intimately and you will find your “pot of gold.” It is only there you will find lasting spiritual and eternal wealth.