We read in the Bible that Israels people had requested to hold a male monarch as their leader. Although this had non been Gods original purpose for them, he listened to their desire and Saul became their first male monarch. David was his replacement and the narrative of his reign is recorded in the book of 2 Samuel. Politically, the throne would hold seen Adonija as David ‘s replacement. However, Solomon is appointed male monarch by his male parent, despite Adonija ‘s effort to claim himself as the new male monarch. This may propose that the Davidic land was portion of the achievement of God ‘s program for his people, as seen in most Psalms excessively[ 1 ]. The purpose of this essay is to measure the life of Solomon as King of Israel, to make a opinion as to whether or non he was a good or a bad male monarch for his people. So let us analyze his Acts of the Apostless and his personality from the clip he ascended the throne to his decease.
Prosecuting THE PROMISE.
In 2 Samuel chapter 7 we read of God ‘s promise to David that his boy would come on the throne after him and he would construct the temple that David had in his bosom to construct for God. This promise becomes accomplished as Solomon begins to reign over Israel. As a affair of fact the edifice of the temple and his wisdom are the chief elements of Solomon ‘s celebrity[ 2 ]. He was really immature when David allowed him to go his replacement, but Solomon was besides cognizant of his deficiency of experience and he, hence, asks God to allow him wisdom to reign over his people. His desire to be given wisdom when he could hold asked for anything ( 1 Kings 3 ) makes the beginning of his reign a singular portion of the narrative of Israel, together with the fact that, like J.W. Rogerson and P. R. Davies write “ … the reign of Solomon was the most likely scene for the beginning of Israel ‘s history authorship. ”[ 3 ]Other writers, like John Bright, confirm that this must hold been the beginning of the authorship as it seemed necessary in term of disposal for the opinion of Israel in this period of passage and growing.
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Solomon started utilizing his wisdom right at the beginning of his opinion, by acquiring Adonijah killed, as he was traveling to be a hinderance to the prosperity of his land. With respects to the latter, J.A. Soggin provinces that “ … Solomon appears steadfastly seated on his throne, now with no enemies who could hold thwarted the operation ”[ 4 ]. The writer here refers to the edifice of the temple and the success of Solomon ‘s land and he, so, continues to depict this male monarch as holding started his new function with the Godhead approval, which empowered him with a “ peculiar wisdom ” and allowed him to be ready for the work in front[ 5 ]. Ian Williams Provan confirms this description and adds that this wisdom was granted to Solomon to assist him reign in justness and the writer besides provides a mention to demo an illustration of this, citing 1 Kings 3:4-28.[ 6 ]I believe their description is accurate as it leads to the application of his wisdom in hard scenarios, such as the one mentioned in 1Kings 3 and besides to the success of the edifice of the temple. Solomon showed assurance and intelligence in his ability to see the political and fiscal potencies of the land emerge during the first portion of his reign[ 7 ]. In world, Solomon did non hold to set up this land, but, merely demo accomplishments in maintaining it organised and see it prosper. Surely, every bit good as his approval[ 8 ], his male parent had passed on to him certain clever methods, such as the revenue enhancement one, which certain writers refer to as both David ‘s and Solomon ‘s used method[ 9 ]. On the other manus, there must hold been something greater in the disposal accomplishments of Solomon as he saw that his people “ … enjoyed a security and a material plentifulness such as she had ne’er dreamed of earlier and was ne’er to cognize once more. ”[ 10 ]His celebrity was besides extended to other popular leaders, like the Queen of Sheba, who brought him gifts after detecting his great wisdom and prosperity. In fact, W. Dietrich writes of this narrative as one that “ … praises Solomon ‘s wisdom and inventiveness… ”[ 11 ]. Solomon seems, so, to hold been a great male monarch who was led by God ‘s wisdom and who ruled over his people with the purpose of honoring God and the finding to do his people rich[ 12 ].
Switching THE SKILLS.
Although Solomon is so popular for the love he had for wisdom, as portrayed in his Psalms and Proverbs[ 13 ]and for his accomplishments in disposal over a great people, his narrative ends with a show of failure. Solomon finds himself in bureaucratic trouble as “ The province faced a chronic fiscal quandary ” , as John Bright informs us.[ 14 ]The writer besides explains that the cause of this crisis was that “ costs outran income ”[ 15 ]. We could merely reason by holding that Solomon failed, like David, in the mission of “ bridging the spread between tribal independency and the demands of cardinal authorization ”[ 16 ]. However, there was a difference between male parent and boy that could account for the ground why Solomon failed in this operation. Rogerson and Davies describe the chief difference between David and his boy to be the fact that, unlike Solomon, David had non turned his devotedness off from God to other graven images[ 17 ]. In understanding I add that Solomon ‘s attending to his many foreign adult females led him to be easy influenced by their faith and civilization, even to the point that he used his good ability as an organizer to construct temples for foreign Gods. L. Boadt adds that the people of Israel were disappointed by Solomon ‘s actions, particularly sing the “ labour packs he used to construct his great undertakings ”[ 18 ]. I believe it must hold been thwarting for his people to work for their leader, who used to be the wisest but was now transporting out his function unwisely, while they saw his imperium autumn apart due to insolvency.[ 19 ]This summarises the concluding portion of the wise male monarch Solomon. So was he a good or a bad male monarch?
Decision
Ironically what made Solomon celebrated were the same things that caused him to neglect in his function. God had specifically asked him non to turn to other Gods, but, after a piece, Solomon disobeyed this bid. He reigned for 40 old ages during which, he strategically brought Israel to their richest province but, as J. M. Miller writes, “ … the “ affluent ” Solomon developed “ hard currency flow ” jobs… ”[ 20 ]. The writer is rather dry himself in this book when speaking about Solomon ‘s wisdom. He argues that possibly the male monarch ‘s wisdom was capable to people ‘s sentiment even at the clip of his reign.[ 21 ]However, I believe that Solomon was given godly wisdom ( 1 Kings 3 ) even though he neglected it subsequently, so I agree with Boadt who, alternatively, who makes a justification for Solomon ‘s earnestness therefore:
He likely was a sincere truster in Yahweh, but he adopted so many heathen patterns of ritual and ornament for the temple that he neglected the simple and terrible demands of Yahweh ‘s religion that centered on the compact and the people as a community.[ 22 ]
Some writers, like I. William Provan for illustration, warrant Solomon ‘s failure by touching to his ageing[ 23 ]; others describe it as an act of God who facilitated Jeroboam ‘s revolution[ 24 ]. I agree with both theories as an old adult male is clearly more vulnerable and as the narrative in the 1 Kings 11confirms Dietrich ‘s sentiment. However, to the inquiry of this essay ‘s rubric my reply is that no adult male is perfect. Solomon was a good male monarch for his people while he focused on honoring God and while he sought after his people ‘s well-being. He had clearly received godly wisdom, though he failed every bit shortly as he shifted his focal point to what satisfied him as a individual. A good leader is one whose chief end is the success of his/her people, but in order to accomplish this, he or she must go selfless. Solomon started and succeeded as a selfless male monarch, but finished in failure when he began to concentrate on himself. Solomon had the pick to be obedient and remain a wise male monarch, alternatively, he chose to delight himself, instead than delight God and his people.
