“Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us.” (Is. 26:12)
Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah [Literally Beloved of the Lord], because of the Lord. (2 Samuel 12:24-25)
Solomon is derived from the word shalom. Shalom means peace, completeness, welfare, and/or health. It's root meaning is “to be whole.” In relationships, it signifies harmony and wholeness over strife and war. It is a state of being at ease that is experienced both externally and internally. [1]
In essence, peace is freedom from oppression internally and externally. According to one bible dictionary, “'peace' is obtained by following the Law (Ps. 119:165).” And it can suggest security (Ps. 4:8), contentment (Is. 26:3), prosperity (Ps. 122:6-7), and the absence of war (1 Sam. 7:14). [2]
Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah speaks of his rule, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from this time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Is. 9:7)
“Lift us up above it all” sings.
Jesus gives us His peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace [shalom], whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
According to Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, in the New Testament, peace, or 'eirene' often refers to “the inner tranquility and poise of the Christian whose trust is in God through Christ.” This source notes, “The peace that Jesus Christ spoke of was a combination of hope, trust, and quiet in the mind and soul, brought about by a reconciliation with God.” [3]
Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace [eirene] I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
And Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Commentary notes about this verse that a righteous life disarms one's enemies as it leads to their benefit as well.[4]
The word 'peace' used here is the Hebrew word shalam, Strongs #7999. It means to finish, complete or make perfect. “The Hebrew root denotes perfection in the sense that a condition or action is 'complete.'”[5] As an adjective, shalem means 'perfect' in the sense of total obedience to God. 1 Kings 8:61 says, “Let [their] heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments …” (1 Kings 8:61). [6]
When Solomon was first established as king, he cared greatly about the will of the Lord being accomplished. When Adonijah promoted himself and tried to steal the place of king from Solomon, Solomon did not put him to death. Instead Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hear of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” (1 Kings 1:52)
1 Kings 3:3 says, “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.”
One commentary notes, “High places were here used for the worship of the Lord. This was not strictly in accordance with the law; God was supposed to be worshiped only in the place which He designated. But it is here excused on the ground that there was no official house, since Shiloh had been destroyed by the Philistines about 1050 b.c. when the ark was carried away (1 Sam. 4). After the temple was built, high places continued to be used, but for idolatrous worship.”[7]
In a dream God asked Solomon what He could give him. Solomon responded, “give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9) Solomon desired more than anything to fulfill his calling to rule over the people with justice in a way that honored God.
This pleased God and He told Solomon, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.” (1 Kings 3:12-14)
Solomon was full of the wisdom of God and shared the heart of God for the children of Israel. 1 Kings 4:29 says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand of the seashore.”
Solomon deeply cared for the people of Israel's relationship to God. Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, “that Your eyes may be opened to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. For You separated them from among all the people of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers our of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon also cared for the poor and the foreigner. In 1 Kings 8:43 Solomon requests of God, “hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.”
In Psalm 72, Solomon prophesied about the coming Messiah. Solomon prayed, “Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king's Son. He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.” (verse 1-4)
Solomon's great wisdom and understanding brought him great wealth and fame. There was so much pure gold that silver was accounted for nothing in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:21). Solomon was excellent at administration of all kinds and trade. The queen of Sheba said about him, “Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” (1 Ki. 10:7-9)
And 1 Kings 10:24 says, “Now all the earth sought to presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.”
However, with all that was given to him, Solomon compromised and fail to finish well. Solomon did not listen to God's command about foreign women: “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.”
As king, Solomon was used to being able to have anything he desired. And one of Solomon's desires was foreign women. It says, “Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.” (1 Kings 11:2-3)
These women turned his heart after their gods. So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep with the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.”
So where David left a legacy through Solomon, Solomon failed to leave this same legacy for his son. Rehoboam completely lacked wisdom. Rather than having a heart that was cultivated for justice, Roehoboam had a hunger for power. He wanted to show himself 'stronger' and more powerful than his father.
When all the people came to Rehoboam upon the death of Solomon requesting him to be a servant of the people, lightening their burdensome service, Rehoboam demonstrated absolutely no concern for the people. After some consultation, Rehoboam responded, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” (1 Kings 12:14) Therefore, all Israel, except Judah and Benjamin, rebelled against him and made Jeroboam king.
“Make us instruments of peace, in darkness light for all to see” sings in the background
When Solomon was following the Lord, God gave Israel peace from oppression and adversaries under his rule. As Solomon was preparing to build the temple, 1 Kings 5:4 says, “But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.
“Your peace You give me in times of the storm. You are the source of my strength. You are the strength of my life” sings.
The 'rest' that God had given him on every side is the Hebrew word nuach, Strongs #5117. It is frequently used to refer to the physical settling down of something at some particular place. It also sometimes “indicates a complete envelopment and thus permeation, as in the spirit of Elijah 'resting' on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15), the hand of God 'resting' on the mountain (Isa. 25:10), and when Wisdom 'resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding' (Prov. 14:33).'[8]
“You are awesome, God of power, Lord of glory, come and fill this place” sings.
The Spirit of God came to rest upon the temple and brought peace to the land of Israel. Upon completing the temple, as the priest placed the Ark into the Most Holy place, under the wings of the cherubim, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (1 Kings 8:11). Solomon spoke, “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. I have surely build You and exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever.” (1 Kings 8:12-13)
After Solomon completed the temple and prayed for God to hear their prayers from that place, he blessed the people. He spoke to them, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.” (1 Kings 8:56-58)
Another commentary notes,
Solomon compromised and went after other gods. He lost that which is most important – His devoted relationship to God. So, the Lord rose up adversaries against him. He rose up Hadad the Edominte and Rezon the son of Eliadah. Also, Solomon's servant Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon. (1 Kings 11:14-25)
John Maxwell notes in my bible commentary, “How could the wisest man in history turn away from God? How could the leader whose gifts and focus once made him the talk of the world get distracted from his calling?” [10]
John Maxwell goes on to note several reasons. One of the main reasons as he notes, is that “Once we 'arrive,' it becomes easy to stop feeling hungry for growth and excellence.”[11] Solomon achieved those things that he had his heart set on completing and he became self satisfied.
Solomon's heart was set on achieving certain goals and accomplishments rather than friendship with and faithfulness to God as his primary objective. Thomas a Kempis writes, “He who seeks anything but God alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for long. You have come to serve, not to rule.”[12]
Thomas a Kempis notes that the saints that went before us were great because they had renounced and desired nothing of the world. He writes, “Strangers to the world, they were close and intimate friends of God.” [13]
“You are the source of my strength, You are the strength of my heart” sings
Paul chose intimate friendship with God over all that the world had to offer him. Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.” (Phil. 1:21-22)
James writes, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously'? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'” (James 4:4-6)
John Maxwell notes Solomon became distracted from his call “to lead and be a light to the nations.”[14] Rather, he no longer saw himself as an undeserving servant. Solomon became proud and felt entitled to foreign women if he wanted them. John Maxwell notes, he became self-absorbed and pursued his own pleasure. [15]
“Your grace has found me just as I am, empty handed by alive in Your hands” sings
Paul, on the other hand, remained grateful and humble. In 1 Cor.15:9-10 he says, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
“Fire fall down on us we pray, as we seek You Lord” sings
Thomas Kempis writes, “The footsteps they [the early saints] left behind still bear witness that they indeed were holy and perfect men who fought bravely and conquered the world... How lukewarm and negligent we are! We lose our original fervor very quickly and even become weary of life from laziness! Do not you, who have seen so many examples of the devout, fall asleep in the pursuit of virtue!”[16]
“In my life be lifted high, in my world be lifted high, in my love, be lifted high” sings
Thomas Kempis suggests “Each day we ought to renew our resolutions and arouse ourselves to fervor as though it were the first day of our religious life. We ought to say: 'Help me, O Lord God, in my good resolution and in Your holy service. Grant me now, this very day, to begin perfectly, for thus far I have done nothing.'” He goes on to note, “As our intention is, so will be our progress.”[17]
“Now how could I after knowing One so great respond to You in any way that's less than all I have to give. But by Your grace I want to love You not with what I say, but everyday, in a way that my life is lived.”
Thomas Kempis notes that during holy seasons “we ought to prepare ourselves carefully, to live holier lives, and to observe each rule more strictly, as though we were soon to receive from God the reward of our labors.”[18]
“When I see You, there's no way I'll ever be the same” sings.
Paul was persistent in pursing Christ. He put all his energy into it as long as he lived. Success, accomplishments, setbacks or failure did not detour or distract Paul from pursuing what he most prized. Paul did not become satisfied in what he accomplished. His eyes were not set on achieving accomplishments but to pursuing Christ with his whole heart.
In a recent article, John Maxwell writes that character, discipline, sacrifice, tenacity are needed for any leader who wishes to finish strong.[19] Paul was someone who demonstrated all of these characteristics.
Character & Discipline.
According to John Maxwell, people led by emotion rather than character “are concerned about protecting their rights instead of taking care of responsibilities, and they are easily discouraged by adversity.” He notes, “Emotion might drive us to make a decision, but character, or discipline, is what keeps us going when the journey gets hard.”[20]
He goes on to note that “A person with character makes decisions on principle, not on the basis of what is popular. He or she honors commitments instead of catering to convenience. High-character, disciplined individuals work steadily regardless of circumstance.”[21]
Paul writes in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Sacrifice.
Any substantial goal demands a a significant investment, especially by leadership. John Maxwell writes, “If you desire to finish strong, you will need to sacrifice earlier than expected and to give up more than is comfortable.” He notes, “Sacrifice is a leader's constant companion.”[22]
Paul was willing to sacrifice all to achieve his goals. He wrote, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” (Phil. 3:8-11)
Tenacity.
John Maxwell writes about tenacity, “Tenacity means quitting only when the job is done, not when you're tired. Much of life is spent laboring in the trenches. To reach the finish line, you must wade through tedious details, take care of thankless tasks, and tie up thousands of loose ends. Most people tire along the way, settle for second-best, and stop before reaching their goals. However, a select few push on, refusing to stop until they've taken hold of their dreams.”[23]
Paul put aside his accomplishments and failures and pressed on to the goal. He writes, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)
Forgive me for all the ways that I have been slack or compromised. Forgive me for so easily getting distracted some days. I long to be more focused and faithful to accomplish all You have for me. Thank You that You are quick to forgive and revive my heart.
Lord, You will establish peace for us. For, You have done all our works in us. Help us to not become satisfied with anything less then the fullness of all You have for us. Give us a hunger and thirst to persistently pursue You to the end. Would you give us the character, discipline, willingness to sacrifice and tenacity we need to finish well. And most of all, may Your Spirit rest in our midst and give us peace in our land.
1. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (1:203). Nashville: T. Nelson.
2-3. Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.
4. Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson's new illustrated Bible commentary (Pr 16:7). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.
And, MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 16:7). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
5-6, 8.Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. Nashville: T. Nelson.
7. MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (1 Ki 3:2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
9. Thomas Nelson Publishers. (2001). What does the Bible say about-- : The ultimate A to Z resource fully illustrated. Nelson's A to Z series (293). Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson.
10-11, 14-15. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. NKJV. Lessons in Leadership from the Word of God. Thomas Nelson. Nashville, Tennessee. 2007.
12-13, 16-18. Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
19-23. Maxwell, John. "Resolving To Finish Strong." Leadership Wired. December 2010, Issue I. Located at: http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/resolving_to_finish_strong/%20 Last Accessed: 12/7/10.
Solomon is derived from the word shalom. Shalom means peace, completeness, welfare, and/or health. It's root meaning is “to be whole.” In relationships, it signifies harmony and wholeness over strife and war. It is a state of being at ease that is experienced both externally and internally. [1]
In essence, peace is freedom from oppression internally and externally. According to one bible dictionary, “'peace' is obtained by following the Law (Ps. 119:165).” And it can suggest security (Ps. 4:8), contentment (Is. 26:3), prosperity (Ps. 122:6-7), and the absence of war (1 Sam. 7:14). [2]
Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah speaks of his rule, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from this time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Is. 9:7)
“Lift us up above it all” sings.
Jesus gives us His peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace [shalom], whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
According to Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, in the New Testament, peace, or 'eirene' often refers to “the inner tranquility and poise of the Christian whose trust is in God through Christ.” This source notes, “The peace that Jesus Christ spoke of was a combination of hope, trust, and quiet in the mind and soul, brought about by a reconciliation with God.” [3]
Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace [eirene] I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
And Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Commentary notes about this verse that a righteous life disarms one's enemies as it leads to their benefit as well.[4]
The word 'peace' used here is the Hebrew word shalam, Strongs #7999. It means to finish, complete or make perfect. “The Hebrew root denotes perfection in the sense that a condition or action is 'complete.'”[5] As an adjective, shalem means 'perfect' in the sense of total obedience to God. 1 Kings 8:61 says, “Let [their] heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments …” (1 Kings 8:61). [6]
When Solomon was first established as king, he cared greatly about the will of the Lord being accomplished. When Adonijah promoted himself and tried to steal the place of king from Solomon, Solomon did not put him to death. Instead Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hear of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” (1 Kings 1:52)
1 Kings 3:3 says, “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.”
One commentary notes, “High places were here used for the worship of the Lord. This was not strictly in accordance with the law; God was supposed to be worshiped only in the place which He designated. But it is here excused on the ground that there was no official house, since Shiloh had been destroyed by the Philistines about 1050 b.c. when the ark was carried away (1 Sam. 4). After the temple was built, high places continued to be used, but for idolatrous worship.”[7]
In a dream God asked Solomon what He could give him. Solomon responded, “give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9) Solomon desired more than anything to fulfill his calling to rule over the people with justice in a way that honored God.
This pleased God and He told Solomon, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.” (1 Kings 3:12-14)
Solomon was full of the wisdom of God and shared the heart of God for the children of Israel. 1 Kings 4:29 says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand of the seashore.”
Solomon deeply cared for the people of Israel's relationship to God. Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, “that Your eyes may be opened to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. For You separated them from among all the people of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers our of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon also cared for the poor and the foreigner. In 1 Kings 8:43 Solomon requests of God, “hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.”
In Psalm 72, Solomon prophesied about the coming Messiah. Solomon prayed, “Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king's Son. He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.” (verse 1-4)
Solomon's great wisdom and understanding brought him great wealth and fame. There was so much pure gold that silver was accounted for nothing in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:21). Solomon was excellent at administration of all kinds and trade. The queen of Sheba said about him, “Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” (1 Ki. 10:7-9)
And 1 Kings 10:24 says, “Now all the earth sought to presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.”
However, with all that was given to him, Solomon compromised and fail to finish well. Solomon did not listen to God's command about foreign women: “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.”
As king, Solomon was used to being able to have anything he desired. And one of Solomon's desires was foreign women. It says, “Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.” (1 Kings 11:2-3)
These women turned his heart after their gods. So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep with the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.”
So where David left a legacy through Solomon, Solomon failed to leave this same legacy for his son. Rehoboam completely lacked wisdom. Rather than having a heart that was cultivated for justice, Roehoboam had a hunger for power. He wanted to show himself 'stronger' and more powerful than his father.
When all the people came to Rehoboam upon the death of Solomon requesting him to be a servant of the people, lightening their burdensome service, Rehoboam demonstrated absolutely no concern for the people. After some consultation, Rehoboam responded, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” (1 Kings 12:14) Therefore, all Israel, except Judah and Benjamin, rebelled against him and made Jeroboam king.
“Make us instruments of peace, in darkness light for all to see” sings in the background
When Solomon was following the Lord, God gave Israel peace from oppression and adversaries under his rule. As Solomon was preparing to build the temple, 1 Kings 5:4 says, “But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.
“Your peace You give me in times of the storm. You are the source of my strength. You are the strength of my life” sings.
The 'rest' that God had given him on every side is the Hebrew word nuach, Strongs #5117. It is frequently used to refer to the physical settling down of something at some particular place. It also sometimes “indicates a complete envelopment and thus permeation, as in the spirit of Elijah 'resting' on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15), the hand of God 'resting' on the mountain (Isa. 25:10), and when Wisdom 'resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding' (Prov. 14:33).'[8]
“You are awesome, God of power, Lord of glory, come and fill this place” sings.
The Spirit of God came to rest upon the temple and brought peace to the land of Israel. Upon completing the temple, as the priest placed the Ark into the Most Holy place, under the wings of the cherubim, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (1 Kings 8:11). Solomon spoke, “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. I have surely build You and exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever.” (1 Kings 8:12-13)
After Solomon completed the temple and prayed for God to hear their prayers from that place, he blessed the people. He spoke to them, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.” (1 Kings 8:56-58)
Another commentary notes,
“The peaceable kingdom involves transformed relationships, places, and societies, as symbolized by peace between animals that are normally enemies (Is. 11:6–7). Moreover, the Spirit and fear of the Lord will help leaders rule with justice, righteousness, and faithfulness (Is. 11:2–5).Solomon built the temple and the glory of God filled it. The presence of God rested upon it and there was incredible transformation and freedom from oppression throughout Israel. Yet, after starting so well and accomplishing so much, Solomon failed terribly.
Ultimately, this vision cannot come about completely until Christ Himself assumes power. But even today it can serve as an ideal for God’s people to pursue as they live and work in the world’s societies, systems, and institutions. Renewal is God’s work, but God’s people can make a difference, especially if they are Spirit-led and fear the Lord (Is. 11:2–5). By promoting justice for the poor and equity for the meek, they can bring something of God’s peaceable kingdom to pass. The world desperately seeks peace, but as Isaiah shows, peace is largely the fruit of a just society.”[9]
Solomon compromised and went after other gods. He lost that which is most important – His devoted relationship to God. So, the Lord rose up adversaries against him. He rose up Hadad the Edominte and Rezon the son of Eliadah. Also, Solomon's servant Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon. (1 Kings 11:14-25)
John Maxwell notes in my bible commentary, “How could the wisest man in history turn away from God? How could the leader whose gifts and focus once made him the talk of the world get distracted from his calling?” [10]
John Maxwell goes on to note several reasons. One of the main reasons as he notes, is that “Once we 'arrive,' it becomes easy to stop feeling hungry for growth and excellence.”[11] Solomon achieved those things that he had his heart set on completing and he became self satisfied.
Solomon's heart was set on achieving certain goals and accomplishments rather than friendship with and faithfulness to God as his primary objective. Thomas a Kempis writes, “He who seeks anything but God alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for long. You have come to serve, not to rule.”[12]
Thomas a Kempis notes that the saints that went before us were great because they had renounced and desired nothing of the world. He writes, “Strangers to the world, they were close and intimate friends of God.” [13]
“You are the source of my strength, You are the strength of my heart” sings
Paul chose intimate friendship with God over all that the world had to offer him. Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.” (Phil. 1:21-22)
James writes, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously'? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'” (James 4:4-6)
John Maxwell notes Solomon became distracted from his call “to lead and be a light to the nations.”[14] Rather, he no longer saw himself as an undeserving servant. Solomon became proud and felt entitled to foreign women if he wanted them. John Maxwell notes, he became self-absorbed and pursued his own pleasure. [15]
“Your grace has found me just as I am, empty handed by alive in Your hands” sings
Paul, on the other hand, remained grateful and humble. In 1 Cor.15:9-10 he says, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
“Fire fall down on us we pray, as we seek You Lord” sings
Thomas Kempis writes, “The footsteps they [the early saints] left behind still bear witness that they indeed were holy and perfect men who fought bravely and conquered the world... How lukewarm and negligent we are! We lose our original fervor very quickly and even become weary of life from laziness! Do not you, who have seen so many examples of the devout, fall asleep in the pursuit of virtue!”[16]
“In my life be lifted high, in my world be lifted high, in my love, be lifted high” sings
Thomas Kempis suggests “Each day we ought to renew our resolutions and arouse ourselves to fervor as though it were the first day of our religious life. We ought to say: 'Help me, O Lord God, in my good resolution and in Your holy service. Grant me now, this very day, to begin perfectly, for thus far I have done nothing.'” He goes on to note, “As our intention is, so will be our progress.”[17]
“Now how could I after knowing One so great respond to You in any way that's less than all I have to give. But by Your grace I want to love You not with what I say, but everyday, in a way that my life is lived.”
Thomas Kempis notes that during holy seasons “we ought to prepare ourselves carefully, to live holier lives, and to observe each rule more strictly, as though we were soon to receive from God the reward of our labors.”[18]
“When I see You, there's no way I'll ever be the same” sings.
Paul was persistent in pursing Christ. He put all his energy into it as long as he lived. Success, accomplishments, setbacks or failure did not detour or distract Paul from pursuing what he most prized. Paul did not become satisfied in what he accomplished. His eyes were not set on achieving accomplishments but to pursuing Christ with his whole heart.
In a recent article, John Maxwell writes that character, discipline, sacrifice, tenacity are needed for any leader who wishes to finish strong.[19] Paul was someone who demonstrated all of these characteristics.
Character & Discipline.
According to John Maxwell, people led by emotion rather than character “are concerned about protecting their rights instead of taking care of responsibilities, and they are easily discouraged by adversity.” He notes, “Emotion might drive us to make a decision, but character, or discipline, is what keeps us going when the journey gets hard.”[20]
He goes on to note that “A person with character makes decisions on principle, not on the basis of what is popular. He or she honors commitments instead of catering to convenience. High-character, disciplined individuals work steadily regardless of circumstance.”[21]
Paul writes in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Sacrifice.
Any substantial goal demands a a significant investment, especially by leadership. John Maxwell writes, “If you desire to finish strong, you will need to sacrifice earlier than expected and to give up more than is comfortable.” He notes, “Sacrifice is a leader's constant companion.”[22]
Paul was willing to sacrifice all to achieve his goals. He wrote, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” (Phil. 3:8-11)
Tenacity.
John Maxwell writes about tenacity, “Tenacity means quitting only when the job is done, not when you're tired. Much of life is spent laboring in the trenches. To reach the finish line, you must wade through tedious details, take care of thankless tasks, and tie up thousands of loose ends. Most people tire along the way, settle for second-best, and stop before reaching their goals. However, a select few push on, refusing to stop until they've taken hold of their dreams.”[23]
Paul put aside his accomplishments and failures and pressed on to the goal. He writes, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)
Forgive me for all the ways that I have been slack or compromised. Forgive me for so easily getting distracted some days. I long to be more focused and faithful to accomplish all You have for me. Thank You that You are quick to forgive and revive my heart.
Lord, You will establish peace for us. For, You have done all our works in us. Help us to not become satisfied with anything less then the fullness of all You have for us. Give us a hunger and thirst to persistently pursue You to the end. Would you give us the character, discipline, willingness to sacrifice and tenacity we need to finish well. And most of all, may Your Spirit rest in our midst and give us peace in our land.
1. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (1:203). Nashville: T. Nelson.
2-3. Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.
4. Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson's new illustrated Bible commentary (Pr 16:7). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.
And, MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 16:7). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
5-6, 8.Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. Nashville: T. Nelson.
7. MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (1 Ki 3:2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
9. Thomas Nelson Publishers. (2001). What does the Bible say about-- : The ultimate A to Z resource fully illustrated. Nelson's A to Z series (293). Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson.
10-11, 14-15. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. NKJV. Lessons in Leadership from the Word of God. Thomas Nelson. Nashville, Tennessee. 2007.
12-13, 16-18. Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
19-23. Maxwell, John. "Resolving To Finish Strong." Leadership Wired. December 2010, Issue I. Located at: http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/resolving_to_finish_strong/%20 Last Accessed: 12/7/10.
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