1 Kings 9, 10
The
era of David and Solomon was the Golden Age of Hebrew history. David was a
warrior. Solomon was a builder. David made the Kingdom. Solomon built the
Temple. In the outside world, this was the age of Homer, the beginning of Greek
history. Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, at the time were weak. Israel was the most
powerful kingdom in the entire world. Jerusalem was the most magnificent city
and the Temple the most splendid building on earth. They came from the ends of
the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom and see his glory. The famous Queen of Sheba
exclaimed, “The half was not told me.”
Solomon
made a deal with the king of Tyre, to use his navy on the Mediterranean. He
built his empire by peaceful commerce. This would be his downfall. Through a series of negotiations, he would
marry the daughters of neighboring kings, thus securing peace in the region.
Yet these wives would bring into the palace foreign gods and forbidden altars.
Over time, the worship of strange idols became common practice.
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus
Christ chose to suffer pain before going up to joy, and crucifixion before
entering into glory, mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find this path to be the way of life and peace, through Jesus Christ, Your
Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and forever.
Schnorr
von Carolsfeld Woodcut used with permission © WELS
Halley’s
Bible Handbook An Abbreviated Bible Commentary Twenty-Third Edition, © 1962
Zondervan Grand Rapids
Collect for Monday in
Holy Week, Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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