From Handbook to Scripture, Day 94
READING: 1 KINGS 9
After the dedication of the temple, the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time and exhorted him to walk before Him in integrity of heart, uprightness, and obedience. The Lord made it clear that the temple was no talisman, and that He would destroy it if the people proved unfaithful to Him.
Solomon’s many construction projects required forced labor, and the Canaanites who remained in the land were enslaved for this purpose. Solomon also built a fleet of merchant ships and generated huge revenues through extensive foreign trade.
Prayer: Lord, this passage is like a parable of the tension between the temporal and eternal value systems. If I do not cling to You with a whole heart, my spiritual life will be choked by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things.
Meditation passage: verses 4–5