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Worship, Wisdom and Women:

The reign of King Solomon starts with a touch of perfection and hence the kingdom was established in his hand.

His father commanded him to govern in a certain manner, passing onto him the principles of life. David’s commanding of Solomon transcends the relationship of one father to his son, it is a commandment unto life for all who would seek life. David gives the instructions upon which society itself is framed, and in which true community is created and preserved.

In Davids instructions to his son Solomon, we find much more than the sweet psalmist or the shepherd boy who flung a stone into the giants head. It shows that Davids strength came from the covenant and it came from his forefathers, David is showing himself to be a true patriarch of Israel due to his commitment to the calling unto all. The harmony of psalm and faith in the battle blend around this pillar of theocracy.

‘Be strong, and show yourself a man’, the very statement has original commissioning, and is thus, a true reflection of whose image man was made. Therefore, it all hinges upon the cool of the day.

I like the ruggedness of the opening words of instruction, a fathers heart for his son to reveal true masculinity. But it does not drop in tone from this opening, it has to start here as the initial words are spoken as the pinnacle defining words of ‘relationship’, and relationship is the reason the Lord made man in his own image. And we must note how the initial words are full of liberty, and focus in on the individuals freedom of will. There is almost an independent note to the instruction, but it is not so rather that the Son indeed is free in deed.

From this place of legacy and liberty comes the charge to walk in the ways of the Lord.

That we live in a fallen world is a reality, and if it is fallen then it can only be due to a lie and a dominion founded upon one and in rebellion to the truth of the source of all light and liberty. The enemy of mans soul is against one seed and one seed only, Jesus Christ.

Due to adversity, it is necessary to know the truth.

David casts real light upon the laws of God, they are streams into an expansive universe, bringing life. The opening words are a Herculean transferring of a father unto the FATHER. And is not the greatest light cast upon the pinnacle of relationship seen during those hours of pitch darkness as Jesus atoned for the sins of all the world.

At the cross the laws of God are shown to bring life, life eternal. At the cross God reveals the foundation of all things is love, and that his truth is a plural sharing of all of himself with his creation, in stark contrast to the dominion of a lying thief.

The laws of God are not sacrificed at Calvary, Justice divine is satisfied, God for a guilty world hath died.

David is about to die! This is as a direct consequence of the fall, and the fact that man had disobeyed the original commandment unto everlasting life. Yet, due to him ‘sharing’ with his son the principles of life he is revealing the true image of God, who conquered death for us at Calvary. The greatest words ever spoken by David are found here, as they represent the plurality of Gods covenant unto mankind. And this is why David is so quoted as the Holy Spirit is poured out in the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus having ascended from Hades and having taken captivity captive gave gifts unto men.

The Lord called Abraham the patriarch of the people of Israel alone. It is a type of Father and Son relationship and hence why Abraham had to be separated from his. Yet, Sarah was his bride and she went with him, and together they brought forth the blessing of Gods word of promise: Be fruitful and multiply.

Scripture, focuses on the masculinity of Abraham, his calling and his obedience. But as critical to the narrative is the bride.

Having been brought into the land of promise, and having been shown that a son will come from his own loins, Abraham is prophetically shown that Gods covenant will be fulfilled despite slavery to a kingdom established upon a lie that death will not have the great day of Judgement before the throne of the great I AM.

The distinction between the Israelites, Abrahams offspring and the Egyptians is manifested through the covenant given to Moses upon mount Sinai. It is not without order that Moses who leads the sons of Abraham out of Egypt, with a one line sermon, is also the man given the Laws of God. He is given them, in between Egypt and entry into the promised land.

Solomon, obeyed perfectly the instructions of his father. The start of his reign is a perfect obedience. But having started perfectly, Solomon mysteriously makes a critical error.

Quite why Solomon turned to his natural reasoning is unclear in his alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. One might assume that he was not reading the narrative of their deliverance nor of Moses commandments.

Nevertheless, Scripture does not hold any criticism of him at this juncture. Rather God continues to bless him and establish him, and outworks for the whole world to see that he is a God who answer the prayers of a man, giving him wisdom. A great theme of the Bible is the revelation of God seeking for a man unto whom he could share all of the inheritance. And as this necessitated his own Son becoming a man, the second great theme is of the bride, the Church of Jesus Christ.

Scripture never lies. Therefore, Solomon loved the Lord and was walking in the statutes of David his father.

Here we have a wonderful revelation of the nature of God. Are acts of disobedience, or rather that which God has defined for us as his ways that lead to life, his laws, God does not issue them to expose us. God does not have a hidden agenda. God is not seeking to condemn man.

God in his ‘Wisdom’, patiently allows the fruit of are actions to be fully outworked. Not to say ‘I told you so’, but rather to lift us up when all around are casting stones and implore us to walk in his ways, the ways of light and life. To join him again in the cool of the day.

There is a key here, in 1Kings Ch 3 v1 concerning pastoral ministry and oversight of another soul. Not to stay silent, but to refrain from separating law from the liberty to love.

We may ask where was the prophet or where were the old wise councilors. But David had instructed as a Father, and God had given the txt to all Israel.

The second time the Lord appears to Solomon, it comes in response to his prayers, and with an absolute clarity concerning not serving or worshipping foreign gods. And that this is a second appearing after the completion of the temple, is speaking in some respects into Hebrews Ch 10. And also of being a prepared bride for his second coming: Love not the world nor the things of this world.

Scripture, has no criticism of Solomon, all that he has done has been blessed of God, and God powerfully endorses that which had come forth from his heart in prayer. In having set himself to fulfill this work Solomon had aligned himself with the heart of God, and thus his prayer had been inspired of God. God had prayed through him. And that is why we always have hope in Jesus, are eternal and ascended High Priest.

Immediately, after this scripture begins to shows cracks appearing in Solomons alliances. They do not materialize to be terminal in respect to cooperation.

Hiram is not impressed with Solomons gift of twenty cities in Galilee.

What does this mean? Did Solomon not have as generous a heart as Hiram had had towards him. Was Solomon selfish in wanting to establish his kingdom as the most splendid and had he used Hiram without an equal return.

Or did Hiram not realize that he had been given land close if not including where the Saviour of the world would treat and teach. Had Hiram undervalued the covenant promises of God and the blessing of incorporation: Jew, Gentile and kings.

Immediately after this in scripture reference is given to Pharaoh having captured Gezer and given it as dowry for his daughter.

So here we have territory in the north and south, that does not sound like the music of heavens harmony, neither has a harlot being saved because she heard the sound of her deliverance and freedom in the covenant keeping love of God.

Had the Lord ever spoken of Pharaoh being a part of conquering the land.

But! God has divinely inspired the word but, as all things pivot upon the finished work at Calvary.

But Pharaoh’s daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo.

The book of Chronicles states that this was done due to the temple being consecrated with the ark inside. And with the breach repaired, it makes sense. But that his wife is not fully incorporated into worship of the living God is indicative of the original fault line of the fall of mankind, Adam having failed to impart the Words of Gods Command.

Was she excluded on the grounds of birth. Or in her own heart had she not aligned herself as Ruth with Naomi, producing a mitigating inclusion.

What is without debate is the order and structure of scripture, and in Chapter 11 the first critique of Solomons reigns comes with reference to the daughter of Pharaoh first, which set a precedent. His wives turned his heart unto other gods, in his old age. They had never had a deep circumcision of heart.

Scripture kept quite about his disobedience until it turned his heart away from following the Lord. And here we see that God is not a God of law for this purpose of being a kill joy, but rather that we have everlasting Joy. We cannot circumnavigate Gods ways, he has designed us and he alone is able to fulfill us.

Just after the first inferences of the troubles ahead, north and south, the Queen of Sheba arrives from distant lands.

Despite the splendor of all that has preceded, her testimony to Kings Solomons reign gives a component that had not yet been narrated.

Despite what is going to follow the Lord draws this women from a distant land to speak unto his Church concerning his all sufficiency.

The Queen of Sheba is a crowning of Solomons reign.

To understand a women’s heart and questions you need the wisdom of God – that is sound wisdom for every man.

As a women who asked hard questions, she proved undeniably that he had been given wisdom from God – and thus apt to remove that temptation from her heart, having a help meet to teach and impart the Wisdom that is plural and is always shared according to Gods nature. In her converse with Solomon she had her desire for wisdom met, and so do we in the security of a love that supersedes knowledge, Ephesians Ch 3 v19.

She came away with praise unto the Lord, the God who loves Israel forever. The Word didn’t return void, Gods commanded blessing did not return void. And does this not echo Elizabeths exhortation. Gods blessing is the backbone of fellowship, Elizabeths words brought forth from Mary a release into worship – lest we think that God has confined wisdom for the domain of the masculine alone.

The fruit of purity is the glorification of God. The Queen of Sheba recognized that the Lord was the true husbandman.

Did the Queen of Sheba come having conquered a city with fire? No doubt she could have mustered an army, having matched Hirams gold, and having brought spices that exceeded any bounty seen before.

Perhaps, the Lord hid nothing from King Solomon because the Queen of Sheba came with a figurative type of her all. She was willing to exchange, unlike the Pharaoh’s all her material wealth in exchange for the real heart issues of life. She understood that Justice and righteousness no man will circumnavigate be they a Prince, Millionaire or eunuch under her care. She understood that Gods values are universal and plural without diluting the precious and costly sacrifice of intimacy.

Chapter ten is testimony to God having fulfilled his promises to Solomon upon his first appearing to him. His second appearing necessitated his body as the New Testament – Ephesians Ch 2.

And the Queen of Sheba did not feel affronted by the Kings response to her gifts and converse. No rather she had access to all that she asked. Perhaps this inspired Hiram to strive a little more, bringing almug! Did Hiram have any request of King Solomon?

It is of great interest that Elijah is sent to a widow women as the first real point of texture in the narrative upon his appearing. And that Elisha likewise comes to life in the same manner.

We can conclude that women must not be ignored for too long or are peril. But more so that the original purpose of God in his creation, God has not detracted from. War and its rumors may bond the hearts of men for battle, but no battle is worth winning if their is no bride to share the peace with.

John Ch 20 v15-18

‘Peace be with you’, truly a shared victory over the domain of darkness. And what a release into the masculine, a procured peace unto a world at war with itself.

He turns the world upside down.

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni’.

And likewise the Queen of Sheba turned and went unto her own, able to pass on what she had seen and been taught by the Lord, Acts Ch 16 v14.

2 kings Ch 4 v7 – A beautiful picture of femininity. She never assumed to sell the Oil. She did not use her own intellect to make an alliance to ransom her sons. Rather she wanted to carry out the instructions of the prophet ministry to her. Having come to him with her crisis she was not going to partially carry it out. And is that not a narrative of texture concerning the freedom and liberty for sons, those freeborn from Jerusalem that is above.

Worship is liberty.

Naaman had to dip in the Jordan seven times and the Shunammite’s Son sneezed seven times. No garment can be given exchanged for his righteous and cleaning in his blood, but the covenant promises to Father Abraham were not just for one Son but a blessing to return not void from every nation and family upon the earth.

A commander in chief of a butchering army. The pure word of promise given to a women who had not asked for herself, but who had had a heart for the texture of the place prophecy is at home. God made no distinction at Calvary, a finished work, an inward peace, the freedom and liberty of the resurrected Son.

Note:

Masculine or feminine one factor is a common denominator. A servant heart. How critical a role was the captive in the land. Femininity speaking into the heart of warfare. Where the veil reigns over femininity darkness is hiding within the hearts of men.

A friend at Church today was explaining about the tabernacle how everything inside was covered. And how the only light within it came from the candle stick. The tabernacle he also pointed out had no foundations and was always attached to the earth as it was moved.

In contrast the temple had foundations and three windows on either side to let light in. He likened the windows and solid stone foundations as coming together as part of the new structure.

But it got me to thinking over Jesus at Calvary during the pitch darkness. The cross attached to the earth, and the sealing blood on the ground of the doorway. He was still the light of the tabernacle during those hours. But it procured a permanent home in eternity with the Father.  Solid and a permanent abode.