It’s good to see that Solomon continued the alliance his father had started with King Hiram. Too many times when new leadership moves in old alliances are forgotten. From this account, it would seem like the bond is even stronger now between these two men and their respective kingdoms.
It starts with King Hiram extending his well wishes. Solomon seizes the opportunity and does something we see happening all the time in the business world. He had a need, and he knew the solution he was looking for. Then it simply came down to the “who do you know?” question. Solomon was networking when his perfect partner showed up to continue the relationship!
Solomon knew who was in control of the wood he wanted. He came up with a proposal that would be a win-win for both. He even threw in a great compliment for good measure. That’s smart business. We’ve probably all been witness to the business deal that is skewed one way or the other in terms of benefits. It’s a happy ending when both parties win.
Even better, Solomon is using his God given wisdom to further the kingdom. Even King Hiram recognizes that. He said, “Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.”
Solomon knew that his father had been too busy fighting wars to build the temple God wanted. He also knew God had told his father not to worry. “Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.”
Solomon took over as king knowing he had a huge undertaking already on his to-do list. It was going to take a strong alliance to pull it off in a manner that would glorify God. Solomon knew better than to try and do it all alone. In his wisdom, Solomon created an environment where two different nations worked side by side on the common goal of building God’s temple.
The last little piece of this story that I’m wrestling with is the number of workers employed for this project. It seems incredible to me. To imagine that many people working on one job blows my mind. Even to gather that many people in one location takes up so much space. How did this all work? Were there multiple shifts, short workdays, or numerous worksites?
Those are the details I try to stay away from when listening for God’s voice. My takeaway is that this is a HUGE project, one bigger than I could ever imagine. In those days, things were done a lot differently, and the need for many workers would be obvious.
For reflection instead, let’s focus on a strong alliance. Aside from our relationship with Jesus, who are the people in your life who you feel most connected to? What strong alliance would help you at this moment to reach a goal on your bucket list?
Let’s pray …
Lord, thank you for the people you have surrounded me with. Help me to be a positive influence in their lives and grow deeper in relationship with them. I long to draw closer to you, too, Lord Jesus. Give me wisdom to connect with the people you intend for me to be in alliance with. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
