"Solomon's Challenge"

BIBLE READING: 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5

                As Solomon dedicates the Temple, he praises and blesses God for His ever-abiding presence with the children of Israel.  He also issues a challenge to the Israelites.  In I Kings 8.61, he urges the people to let their heart  “be wholly true to the LORD God, walking in His statutes and keeping his commandments”.   The King James Version replaces the phrase “wholly true” with the word “perfect”.  It simply means to be complete, not divided or spilt in our allegiance to God.  Solomon knew that this challenge would be difficult.  He knew that the completion of the Temple of God was only the beginning and that many more trials and tribulations were on their way to seek to contaminate the hearts of the Israelites.   Knowing this, he offers this challenge to them to stay as focused in the coming days as they were at this celebratory moment.  The completion of this Temple was a massive accomplishment but did not make them immune from the temptations that would come.  In fact, the more we might accomplish, the harder and smarter the Devil works at attacking us.  It doesn’t take long before issues such as: pride, arrogance and elitism set in, making them feel as though they were stronger than they were.   The same can happen to us today.  We must be careful that we never rest on our laurels or accomplishments thinking we are immune to falling into the Satan’s traps.  Solomon’s challenge needs to be heeded just as much today as it needed to be heeded then.  So, as you close out your study time today just remember to “be wholly true to the LORD God, walking in His statutes and keeping his commandments”.
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