1 Kings 9

Paul writes these words to the church in Ephesus: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8) Because of the grace of God, we have the security of a final verdict in God's courtroom. We are more than “not guilty.” The verdict is “perfectly righteous” because the righteousness of Christ has been credited to our account.

How did that happen? For us to have that secure verdict credited to us, a Son of David needed to live out a life of perfect righteousness and die the death that our unrighteousness deserved. This is what Christ has done for us.

When God appeared to Solomon a second time, He spoke to Him not of eternal grace, but of the necessity of Israel's obedient works in order to keep the land, the temple, and the king. How could this be? The relationship with Israel had a works component to it. God would bring disastrous consequences to Israel if they turned away from Him by disobeying His commandments and following idols.

Even when the Law was given through Moses, Israel was warned that the arrangement of the Old Covenant would be temporary. In Deuteronomy 31:29 Moses said to the people, “I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

How did the failure of Israel and her kings according to a system of works fit in to the Lord's eternal plan of grace? The Old Covenant system of worship and Law was destined to failure, exposing all the world as lawbreakers deserving eternal death. But a Son of David would come who would be a Law-Keeper. By His life and death, the promises of God to His elect would be established.

Disobedience still has consequences for the church today. God disciplines those He loves. But nothing will ever separate us from the legal verdict that God has won on behalf of His chosen people. We are “righteous” in Jesus Christ forever and ever.

The working out of God's drama of redemption required the end of Old Testament Israel and the beginning of the era of resurrection in Jesus Christ. Now the good news of a perfect Son of David is spread all over the earth, and the ancient promises of God to Jews and non-Jews are upheld forever in Jesus Christ. Solomon had an important role to play in this drama. He showed the failure of even a very great and glorious king as we will soon see. Solomon could not have saved us. He Himself needed a Redeemer. He also gave us a brief glimpse of what it would be like when the true King would finally come in glory.

The picture of glory in the reign of Solomon had some cracks in it. Hiram was disappointed in the cities that Solomon gave him. None of the citizens of heaven will be disappointed in the glory of Christ and His kingdom when He comes to establish a renewed heaven and earth. Solomon had forced labor and there were people in the land who were not supposed to be there. The glorious kingdom of Jesus is a kingdom of willing sons of God. Those who are enemies of that kingdom will be separated forever from the Lord's children.

Finally, despite the fact that the word of Solomon's glory would reach foreign shores and attract much attention in its day, his kingdom was very small compared to the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ. Even now as we wait for His coming, millions upon millions of His children in heaven and on earth have eagerly dedicated to Him all that they are and all that they possess. We have been declared to be a rich inheritance for a King who is far greater than Solomon. (Ephesians 1:18)