Temple and Palaces

1 Kings 5-9 is about Solomon's building projects, largely focusing on the temple. As God promised, David's son would build the temple, and when it was finished, God approved of it by filling the temple with His presence.

God, however, instructs Solomon, as He does us, that such sacrifices are not what He really wants, but our obedience to His commands. He tells Solomon and those who follow afterwards to keep the Law and follow Him, or the temple would be destroyed. This is what God wants out of all of us -- our willingness to practice justice, mercy, and faith.

Women and Wisdom

1 Kings 10-11 is about Solomon's dealings with women. The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon to hear of his wisdom and learn about its source, the Lord. But the other women in Solomon's life, his wives and concubines, turn his heart away from God, and he involves himself in their religious practices. This, of course, brings judgement from God, who raises enemies to harass Solomon and make his life miserable. One of these is Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who is given a chance to make a clean start with the northern kingdom.

The things we build for God mean little in comparison with the state of our hearts. God made us who we are and gave us what we have, and can take it away as He sees fit. Let us humble ourselves before Him and love Him with all our hearts.

Division and Apostasy

1 Kings 12-16 is about the division of Solomon's kingdom into north and south, and the choices of the kings of each kingdom. Rehoboam chooses to make life miserable for his subjects and drives a wedge between north and south, leaving the northern kingdom to Jeroboam. Jeroboam, fearing that his subjects will return to Rehoboam if they keep worshiping in Jerusalem, sets up his own religious system with golden calves, a new priestly class, and new feast days. Every king who follows after him will do the same, even though this results in repeated assassinations. The only ray of hope during this time is from the southern kingdom, where Asa king of Judah begins cleansing the land of idolatry and returning to the Lord.

Trying to cling to the things God has given us results in idolatry. Our true hope is in God, not the things He has given us.

The Prophet

1 Kings 17-22 sets us in the reign of the evil king Ahab and his evil wife Jezebel. Onto the scene steps Elijah, who sets out to declare that the Lord is God by praying that there be no rain on the land until the people see who truly is God. After a display of God's power, which prompts the people to kill the false prophets of Baal, the rain comes and so does Jezebel's wrath, which forces Elijah to flee for his life. God reassures Elijah, and he continues his ministry, delivering the death sentence on Ahab and his descendants for his murder of Naboth and the possession of his vineyard. The first part of this death sentence is fulfilled when Ahab goes to war against Syria, in which he is killed.

God sends His messengers often as a sign of His mercy. Every dynasty in the northern kingdom had been wiped out after two generations until this point, and Ahab was the second generation in his family to be king. God in his mercy allowed another generation, primarily to demonstrate His power and mercy through His prophets. We likewise should be grateful for those who criticize us, as it is often a sign of God's mercy.