Introduction
For years psychologists have told us basic things about ourselves so we can better relate to our own thinking and that of others so we can get along better. For example, men think of themselves basically in relation to their jobs. I identified myself as a brickmason for about twenty years and as a building code enforcement officer for the past 32 years. However, women have the tendency to relate more to their families to find fulfillment in life. Some people really go overboard with this identification concept. Have you seen the commercials on TV where someone will say, “My name is Doctor so-and-so”? I would like to see that person’s birth certificate wouldn’t you? Did his parents really name him “Doctor”? Of course not, this is his title not his name.
Message
Today I want to talk with you about a man who searched for meaning to his life. He accomplished many great things in life while searching for meaning. His name was Solomon.
Beginning in 1 Kings 1, we find that before he died David made Solomon king. Solomon’s reign started very successfully. In Chapter 3, we read that Solomon went to Gibeon to worship God. That night God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom, and God gave it to him.
Solomon showed great wisdom in his early years as king. We remember the story of how two prostitutes came to him both claiming to be the mother of the same baby. Solomon solved that problem quickly by suggesting a solution that proved who the real mother was. He also impressed the Queen of Sheba with his wisdom and wealth.
In chapter 1 of Proverbs, we find why Solomon wrote the book. “These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”
You would think that such a wise person as Solomon would have written a great book of philosophy, but instead he wrote short sentences of common sense that could be easily retained by children and adults. His first chapters seem to have been written specifically for his children. There are twenty-nine chapters written by Solomon and two written by others that Solomon thought enough of to include them in his book giving the authors full credit.
But as we continue to read in 1 Kings, we find Solomon married many women; he ended with 700 wives and 300 concubines. He built many buildings, planted many gardens and vineyards. But he found no purpose in his life, that thing he tried to discover that would make his life meaningful. It appears from scripture that in looking for meaning to his life, he decided to build places for his pagan wives to worship in, and 1 Kings 11 says that he joined them in their worship. Because of his idolatry, God chose to split the kingdom after Solomon’s death and confronted Solomon with this news.
Can you imagine that someone like Solomon who had spiritual experiences with God and who was so wise could screw up so badly that it split his nation apart? But what happened to Solomon after God rebuked him with the consequences of his sin? While the historical writings don’t tell us, Solomon repented and now for the rest of the story.
After repenting in the latter years of his life, Solomon wrote two more books that are in our Bible. The first of these is Ecclesiastes, a book of wisdom as great or greater than Proverbs. Solomon identified himself in the beginning of chapter 1; “These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who lived in Jerusalem.” In verse 12, he again identified himself, “I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem.” Solomon was the only son (descendant) of David who ruled Israel (the entire nation). Reheboam, Solomon’s son, lost the ten tribes of Israel before he could solidify the nation under his reign. So, what does Solomon have to say to us in Ecclesiastes?
Solomon wrote in chapter 1 his assessment of life, “I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless.” In verse 18, Solomon wrote, “The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.” What a tragic thought.
In chapter 2, Solomon sought pleasure in life by enjoying wine, making gardens and parks, building huge homes, planting beautiful vineyards, building reservoirs, and entertaining himself with singers, silver, and gold. He decided to compare the wise with the foolish, and he summed it all up by saying in verse 17, “So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless – like chasing the wind.”
In chapters 3-12, Solomon continued to examine activities of life and he found no real value in anything. In fact, in chapter 3, he wrote that it is better to be dead than living and the unborn are to be pitied the most. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is written as a wake-up call but something Solomon learned too late, but he ended the book with the appropriate message, “Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”
But Solomon wasn’t done when he finished Ecclesiastes. Solomon had repented and renewed his relationship with God, but how could he describe his experience with God to others who may not have had one? How would you explain your personal relationship with God?
The third book Solomon wrote was “The Song of Solomon”. Here is the background. You may remember the story of David in his old age; he couldn’t keep warm. His advisors searched all Israel until they found a beautiful young woman from the town of Shunam. She was brought in to take care of David and to sleep with him to keep him warm; however, she had no sexual relations with him. After David died, his son Adonijah, who had tried to usurp the throne, asked for permission to marry this woman. Solomon had his brother killed for two reasons: (1) he saw this as another attempt of Adonijah to seize the throne, and (2) he had fallen in love with the Shulamite. This was his greatest love out of all the women he married.
The Jews have understood this song as the relationship between God and Israel, and the church has interpreted the song as the relationship between God and each and all believers. In the song, the couple long for each other. There are times when they are in union spending their hours day and night with each other. There are also times when one wants the other’s companionship, but something else is in the way; eventually they find each other and continue their relationship. As married adults, we have all experienced these feelings and situations. Now remember, the wife represents the believer, and the husband represents God. In several places, the wife expresses what Solomon was trying to say about his relationship with God: “I am His and He is mine”. What a great expression of love between a believer and his God. Not just a believer and God, but a believer and his God, a close and personal relationship. And that is the relationship God wants with each of us.
CONCLUSION
I am sure we have all messed up sometime, maybe several times, in our lives, but I doubt any of us went as far as Solomon did. We all have regrets, but, if God could forgive Solomon, develop a close spiritual relationship after his mess, and inspire him to write two books of the Bible, God is ready to use us also. Satan tries to whisper in our minds that God won’t use us again because we failed Him, but the Bible tells us all we need to do is “confess our sins to Him”. God wants to use us regardless of how old we get or what we’ve done. In fact, when we’ve done all He wants us to do and learned all He wants us to learn, He will take us out of here to be with Him. So, DON’T GIVE UP. Just thank God and ask Him what He wants from you. Continue to develop that “I am His and He is Mine” relationship. It will excite you like you can’t imagine.
Listen to the words of the poet who wrote the great hymn “I am His and He is Mine”.
Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou has taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine.