The Royal Kingdom and

Wise King Solomon

 David and Bathsheba
• David’s sin with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah (Ch. 11-12)
– David was not about his duty of war “When the kings were out in
battle” (1 Sam 11:1)
– He began walking along the roof of the king’s house and saw a
woman (Uriah’s wife) bathing and had a messengers to take her to
him and Bathsheba becomes pregnant
– He called Uriah back from battle to sleep with his wife hoping to
deceive him but he does not out of a sense of duty to the kingdom
his general and his fellow soldiers
– Uriah is sent back to the battle with a
letter which said, “Set Uriah in the
forefront of the hardest fighting, and
then draw back from him, that he may
be struck down, and die.” (11:15)
• David’s sins build on top of each
other from sloth to lust to
deception to murder
 Nathan Confronts David
• The prophet Nathan tells David a case between a rich man
who had many flocks and a poor man who had only one
lamb whom he cared for
– The rich man had a guest and wanted to prepare a lamb but not
from his own flocks so he took and killed the poor man’s only lamb
– David became very angry and said “As the LORD lives, the man who
has done this deserves to die…”
– Nathan responded, “That man is you!”
– This story showed David his own guilt
• David immediately repents of his
sin, writes Psalm 51 seeking God’s
mercy, and the Lord forgives him
• God punishes David - his son by Bathsheba dies, his son
Absalom turns against him, he has to fight wars for the rest
of his life, but the Lord delivers him from everything
• Bathsheba conceives another son, Solomon, who will
become king and have a peaceful reign
 Solomon Becomes King
• Adonijah, one of David’s sons, tried to exult himself
as king
– Nathan and Bathsheba approach David who was very old
to ask why Solomon has not been appointed king
– David gave his mule to Solomon to have Zadok the priest
and Nathan the prophet anoint him king and blow
trumpets and proclaim in the city “God save king
Solomon”
– David reigned 40 years and died after exhorting
Solomon to live the commandments of God
• Solomon is then established as king and his
mother as queen
– He avenges his and his father’s enemies, e.g. Shimei,
Joab, and Adonijah
 The Wisdom of Solomon
• LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God
said, "Ask what I shall give you." 1 Kgs 3:3-14
– Instead of a long life, riches, or the lives of his enemies he asks for
understanding and council to be a good ruler
– Since what he asked for something holy God gave him not only
exceeding wisdom but also riches and honor
• Solomon shows forth his kingly wisdom in judging hard
cases, proverbs, science, and administration
– A mother came to him saying that another
mother took her son and replaced him with her
dead child; Solomon said to cut the baby in two
knowing that the real mother would want to
save her son
– He wrote the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
the Song of Solomon
– The Queen of Sheba heard of his wisdom and
tested it with difficult questions and he
answered all of them and she gave him gifts
– He made the great temple, a huge palace,
many alliances, and a great kingdom
 Proverbs Activity
• Individually choose any three proverbs from
the book of Proverbs and explain their
meaning
– 1. Write out the proverb
– 2. Then explain the meaning below it
– 3. Make sure your name is on the paper
– 4. Activity will be due tomorrow (1-12-12)
 Solomon’s
Temple
• Solomon’s greatest accomplishment is
the construction of the Temple
– It was a sign of God’s covenant with his
people and a fulfillment of God’s promise to David
– It was constructed by the famous craftsmen of Phoenicia with white
limestone, Cedars of Lebanon, and gold
– This was paid for and built through the taxes
imposed on the people
• The temple symbolizes a New Eden
– It took 7 yrs. to build; 7 is symbolic of a new creation
– Carved wood, floral engravings, cherubim and the
Ark of the Covenant recall the garden of Eden
– In the Temple people can again be close to God
• Dedication of the Temple (1 Kgs 8-9)
– Shekinah - The cloud of the Lord’s glory which filled the temple
– Solomon prays – that God will hear all prayers prayed there
whether they be from sinners, foreigners, soldiers, the suffering, or
the holy and the Lord accepted his prayer
Western Wall / Wailing Wall
 Solomon’s Apostasy
• Despite Solomon’s great wisdom, blessings, and
achievements he falls into idolatry
• Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (wives of
2nd rank)
– He had so many because he married women from many other
nations, e.g. Egypt, Phoenicia, Edom in order to form
alliances with those nations even though God commanded the
Israelites not to marry outside their nation
– As Solomon gave his love to these foreign women they took his heart
away from God
– The women missed their homeland and the gods of their country
• Solomon built high places (pagan shrines) to all the different
goes of his many wives
– E.g. Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom of the
Ammonites Molech the abomination of the Ammonites
– Solomon proved to have only half a heart for God and would loose
much of his dynasty