June 12- The Gold Standard

June 12, 2011

Scripture Readings:
I Kings 9:1-10:29; Acts 8:14-40;
Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 17:2-3

Some of my best deals were made by my son, Donald. Everything he touches turns to gold.  
~Frederick Trump

I Kings 9:1-10:29

"You're fired!"  Many people only know Donald Trump as the television personality of The Apprentice, but Donald Trump became famous in the business world by taking his inherited real estate business and turning it into an empire.  Beginning in the 1980's, Trump started developing properties that now include Trump Tower, Trump Place Apartments, Trump Tower in Chicago and Trump Casino and Resorts.  He is also a best selling author of a book entitled The Art of the Deal.  Now, as an executive producer of a hit television show, it seems that Donald Trump is at his zenith.  Today, we read about Solomon and his empire.  Solomon is also at his zenith and the nation of Israel under his rule is a witness to the world.

As our story begins, Solomon has completed the Temple and his personal palaces.  The Lord meets with Solomon and confirms his covenant with David to always have one of his descendants on the throne of Israel.  We see through the genealogies that God has kept His promise to David, even up until the Lord Jesus Christ assumed his position as King of the Jews and as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  God warns Solomon that if his descendants abandon Him and follow other gods, He will reject the Temple and make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.  "When the people ask why, I will answer because they forgot the Lord their God."  If you go to Israel today, you will see that the Temple mount today does not have Solomon's Temple there, but has the Mosque of Omar in its place.  Why? Because Israel forgot their God, but God did not forget His promise.

Solomon is at the height of his power and glory.  We see that he builds towns, cities, ships, and apparently has cornered the gold market in the ancient world.  Hiram of Tyre has given Solomon nine thousands pounds of gold, as did the queen of Sheba, who came to visit all the way from Africa. The Bible indicates that Solomon received twenty-five tons of gold each year. That did not include the additional revenue he received from traders and merchants. Utensils and drinking cups were made of gold in his household.  The Bible tells us that nothing was made of silver because it was considered of little value in his day.  Solomon  became richer and wiser than any other king in all of the earth. 

Solomon and the Temple of God that he built served as a witness to the world about God.  The visit of the Queen of Sheba illustrates how Solomon's power and wisdom drew people to worship God.  The Queen of Sheba comes bearing gifts and hard questions.  Solomon is able to answer her inquiries. The Queen marvels at the greatness of God and relays her understanding that He has an eternal love for Israel and that by following God Solomon,the king, rules with justice and righteousness. In the New Testament, we see Jesus asking the disciples to go out into the whole world as witnesses, but in the Old Testament the Israelites were to live a set apart life in order to be witnesses.  Their obedience to God was to draw people to them.  Rather than the Israelites going into the world, the world was to come to them.  Solomon was the pinnacle of this idea.  Solomon's prosperity and wisdom really did draw the whole world to Jerusalem to witness the blessings of the One True God.  In many ways, Solomon is an example of living life on the gold standard.

Lest we begin to think that everything is perfect, God shows us that great wealth can bring frivolity, and a wealthy entertainment culture can corrupt.  Along with building up his horses and chariots, which was forbidden by God, the Bible tells us that Solomon also collected apes and peacocks.  These represent entertainment and vain beauty.  Great wealth is the downfall of many. Materialism corrupts. We begin to get soft and relaxed as we slip into a total entertainment mentality, 24/7.  Certainly in our prosperous culture with the Internet, television, video games, iPods, and tablets we are at risk of collecting apes and peacocks, 24/7.

Lessons:  We are to go out into the world to witness about the good news of Christ. In addition to this, our lives can be an example of diligent work and wisdom that creates prosperity and draws people to God.   The flip side of this is that prosperity can lead to leisure.  With excessive leisure, we risk becoming an entertainment culture that forgets God.

Does your life reflect prosperity born out of hard work and dedication to God?  Are you falling into being a person who collects apes and peacocks?  Do you buy more clothes than you need?  How about the number of hours you spend being entertained?

Acts 8:14-40

In the book of Acts, we see the apostles going out into the world as witnesses of Christ.  When the apostles learn that Philip has converted the Samaritans, they send Peter and John to lay hands on them so that they will receive the Holy Spirit.  Simon, the sorcerer who was intrigued by Philip's miracles and was converted to Christ, now wants to buy the power to lay hands on people so that they will receive the Holy Spirit.  Peter gives a mighty rebuke to Simon, accusing him of having a bitter heart that is held captive by sin.  He admonishes Simon to ask for forgiveness.  Simon demonstrates humility and repentance when he asks Peter to pray for him.

Are you ever tempted to buy your spirituality by giving to poverty programs, doing good with the idea of promoting yourself, or buying books and programs that promise "name it and claim it" prosperity so that you can benefit monetarily from your faith in God?  The apostle Peter would rebuke this type of activity.  Ask forgiveness from God if your own bitterness and unrepentant heart is getting in the way of you maturing spiritually.

Today, we see another person from a royal court in Africa seeking to know the One True God.  A eunuch from the court of Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia, is reading the book of Isaiah.  Here, we have proof that the Old Testament Scriptures were widely circulated in the ancient world.  He does not understand the beautiful passage he is reading from the book of Isaiah which speaks of a person being led to slaughter like a lamb with his life taken from the earth.  Philip is once again used by God to evangelize this person and explain that this passage is speaking about Jesus Christ. 

The eunuch believes Philip's testimony about Christ and orders his chariot stopped by water so that Philip can baptize him.  After baptizing the man, Philip is whisked away by the Holy Spirit, but the eunuch goes on his way with joy. With this conversion, another believer in Jesus will go back to influence the royal courts in Ethiopia.  Africa will once again have a witness about the One True God, just as it did with the Queen of Sheba. God's will that the gospel of Jesus Christ be spread throughout the world cannot be thwarted.

What is your part in spreading the gospel of Christ?  Have you helped your children come to know Jesus? How about inviting someone to read the Bible with us this year?

Psalm 130:1-8

I love these verses, "If the Lord kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you."  "I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word."

Have you put your hope in His word?

Proverbs 17:2-3

"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart."  Have you been tested with fiery trials in your life.  Has God found you to be made of pure gold?

What did you notice today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
© 2011