This excerpt is from Chapter 2, Spiritual
Disobedience and Its Results
From Riches to Rags
When people discuss God and financial prosperity, they most often mention Solomon. Solomon was the last-born son of David and Bath-Sheba. As David approached death, he selected Solomon to assume the throne as King of Israel.
As Solomon began his rule, God was with him (2 Chronicles 1:1). He directed Solomon’s ways and began to bless him with prosperity. In 2 Chronicles, Solomon goes to Gibeon to prepare a massive sacrifice of 1000 burnt offerings. God was very pleased and appeared to Solomon later that night, as told in 2 Chronicles 1:7–12:
From Riches to Rags
When people discuss God and financial prosperity, they most often mention Solomon. Solomon was the last-born son of David and Bath-Sheba. As David approached death, he selected Solomon to assume the throne as King of Israel.
As Solomon began his rule, God was with him (2 Chronicles 1:1). He directed Solomon’s ways and began to bless him with prosperity. In 2 Chronicles, Solomon goes to Gibeon to prepare a massive sacrifice of 1000 burnt offerings. God was very pleased and appeared to Solomon later that night, as told in 2 Chronicles 1:7–12:
7
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said
unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8
And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great
mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to
reign in his stead.
9
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.
10
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?
11
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:
12
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.
As mentioned earlier, God was very pleased with the
offering that Solomon had made. Upon appearing to
Solomon, God asked him to name anything he wanted,
and He would give it to him. Solomon was still a
relatively young man. He could have asked for the
mother of all retirement packages, bought a nice
riverside palace, and watched the grass grow on the
banks of the Euphrates while he waited for the
mailman to bring him his retirement check every
month.
But Solomon did not use this as an opportunity to selfishly take care of himself. In verse 9, Solomon is very aware of the fact that God has made him king over a large number of people. Knowing what it will take to rule the Israelites and do a good job, Solomon asked God to give him wisdom and knowledge (verse 10). In verse 11, God is very pleased that Solomon did not selfishly ask for riches, wealth, honor, etc. In verse 12, He not only grants Solomon’s request for wisdom and knowledge, He also grants him riches, wealth, and honor to a degree that no king had known before him, and no king after him shall ever know.
You would think that anyone who got a personal visit from God would be obedient to Him for the rest of his life. But noooooooo, not Solomon! Sure, he started off good. But eventually, he ended up on a slow slide to disobedience that cost him his great kingdom. How did this happen? Solomon’s ego got out of control, and in this case, ego stands for Ease God Out!
With all that God had blessed him with, Solomon began to think too much of himself. He led a very luxurious life, but to extremes. He married heathen women, and eventually had 1,000 wives and concubines. Through mandatory labor and excessive taxation, he oppressed his own people.
Sadly, he turned his back on God and sanctioned idolatry. Solomon’s wealth allowed him to experience life to the fullest. He had it all. But his wisdom began to fade, leading him to make sinful choices.
Solomon’s disobedience resulted in him being a tormented soul. In all of Solomon’s writings, there is little mention of the science and business knowledge that allowed him to be a leader in commerce and the creation of financial wealth. Instead, many of his writings boil down to these themes:
As Solomon reflected on his life, he wrote about what was most important. He wrote about the lessons he learned from being disobedient.
But Solomon did not use this as an opportunity to selfishly take care of himself. In verse 9, Solomon is very aware of the fact that God has made him king over a large number of people. Knowing what it will take to rule the Israelites and do a good job, Solomon asked God to give him wisdom and knowledge (verse 10). In verse 11, God is very pleased that Solomon did not selfishly ask for riches, wealth, honor, etc. In verse 12, He not only grants Solomon’s request for wisdom and knowledge, He also grants him riches, wealth, and honor to a degree that no king had known before him, and no king after him shall ever know.
You would think that anyone who got a personal visit from God would be obedient to Him for the rest of his life. But noooooooo, not Solomon! Sure, he started off good. But eventually, he ended up on a slow slide to disobedience that cost him his great kingdom. How did this happen? Solomon’s ego got out of control, and in this case, ego stands for Ease God Out!
With all that God had blessed him with, Solomon began to think too much of himself. He led a very luxurious life, but to extremes. He married heathen women, and eventually had 1,000 wives and concubines. Through mandatory labor and excessive taxation, he oppressed his own people.
Sadly, he turned his back on God and sanctioned idolatry. Solomon’s wealth allowed him to experience life to the fullest. He had it all. But his wisdom began to fade, leading him to make sinful choices.
Solomon’s disobedience resulted in him being a tormented soul. In all of Solomon’s writings, there is little mention of the science and business knowledge that allowed him to be a leader in commerce and the creation of financial wealth. Instead, many of his writings boil down to these themes:
-
Vanity is a source of trouble and gets in the way
of your relationship
with God. - Financial wealth means nothing.
- Hold on to wisdom, for it will guide you and protect you.
- Love, obey, and serve God.
As Solomon reflected on his life, he wrote about what was most important. He wrote about the lessons he learned from being disobedient.