This series is based on the covenant promise God gave to David that his descendants would reign on his throne forever. However, God also told David that he would not be the one to build a permanent temple building for the worship of the LORD. That responsibility and privilege would be given to his son, Solomon.

Last month, we looked at the ways in which the LORD worked to ensure Solomon would succeed his father, David, on the throne over Israel. This month, we will be looking at how God worked through the rule of Solomon to continue to fill the promise God gave to David.

To fulfill His promise, the LORD richly blessed Israel during the reign of Solomon. They were blessed financially – acquiring great amounts of wealth as the nation prospered, and they were also blessed with years of peace from their enemies. These blessings enabled Solomon to acquire the vast number of quality resources from a variety of areas around the world to build the temple according to the specifications that the LORD provided.

In 1 Kings 8, we see the dedication of the temple. In verse 65, we are told the people of Israel celebrated before the LORD for fourteen days! After that time, v. 66 says the people “blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel.” The people rejoiced that God had kept the promise He made to David that Solomon would build the temple of the LORD.

However, the greatest blessing the LORD gave to Solomon came in the next chapter. In 1 Kings 9, the LORD appeared to Solomon and renewed the covenant He had made with David. And while the LORD acknowledged that His promise to David would not fail – that the Line of David would reign over Israel forever – God also warned Solomon that if the rulers of Israel were unfaithful, and if the people turned aside to other gods, that the LORD would remove the people from the land.

Of course, today, we know that is what would happen. The rulers and people of Israel would turn to false gods, and years later, they would be removed from the land of Israel. In fact, even Solomon himself, near the end of his life, would participate in the worship of the gods of his foreign wives. However, even when God rebuked Solomon, and told him of the judgment to come, He still maintained that for the sake of His servant, David, that God would keep the promises He made to David and to his line. As it says of Christ in 2 Timothy 2:11-13, “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” God’s promises remain true, even if we do not. However, only those who are faithful will experience the blessings of God’s promises.

Blessings, Pastor Barry