Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders would buy them from Kue for a price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150. Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
The above passage is the same passage from 1 Kings 10:26-29. That passage is given at the end of the story of Solomon’s reign. The above is given at the beginning of Solomon’s reign, here in Chronicles. The point of the passage is to demonstrate God’s faithfulness to Solomon, by keeping His promise to bless Him. Solomon, when confront to God and offered a “make-a-wish” moment, did not ask for riches. He, in his youth, asked for wisdom. God gave him wisdom AND riches, however. The above statement is a glimpse at what those riches looked like. A remarkable line in the above verses is that Solomon was so rich, that he made “sliver and gold” as common as stone in Jerusalem. That means something. God was not kidding when He promised Solomon riches and splendor. God has the power to change the entire economy of the world the way He wills it. We think, as intelligence investors and business minds, that we control the world’s assets and stock market ups and downs. But, in reality, God makes the rich and the poor. Solomon is an example of this truth about God. He even wrote about it, because this truth did not escape him:
The rich and the poor meet together;
the LORD is the Maker of them all.
God is in complete control of the finances of the world. Those with the placard names of finance think that their wisdom and investment strategies are what makes the market fluctuate. It is not. It is the God of the universe who makes rich and poor. Solomon is exhibit A for God about this truth.
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