Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself.
Subject: Godly purpose vs Personal purpose
In chapter one of this book Solomon is commended by God for seeking wisdom over treasure. God tells him that since he requested wisdom and knowledge from God rather than great wealth that God would give him wisdom and knowledge AND great wealth. As we move into chapter two of the book we see Solomon begins to build the temple for God. However, in the above verse do we not have both the greatness of Solomon's walk with God and the beginning of his own personal failures? The verse states that he purposes to build a temple for God AND a royal palace for himself. There is, of course, nothing wrong with building something for yourself. We all build houses, careers and families and they are blessings to us. However, there is a contrast here about Solomon. Later he will build his own royal palace and it will be great than the the Temple in size and majesty. He will fill the Royal Palace with 700 wives and over a thousand mistresses. His wives will turn his heart and he will fail to teach his son. His son will act in a way to split the kingdom. The above verse may be the beginning of the fall of Solomon. In chapter one he had one purpose: Seek wisdom from God. In chapter two he had two purposes: Build something for God and something for self. Perhaps the Royal Palace was no real heart issue. However, it seems it led to a heart issues. The lesson here is to be careful what you purpose in your heart to do and make sure God is at that center of it ... all of it.
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