“Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! As a result of the LORD liked Israel ceaselessly, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.”
Background
After the Temple dedication, the author of First Kings describes a promise God made to Solomon: if he follows God in all his methods, God will bless him in return. For instance the promise, the author describes some occasions from Solomon’s reign and the way he prospered.
One scene is a couple of go to from the Queen of Sheba, and it’s on this story that we discover our subsequent prayer. Sheba was an vital commerce middle, maybe in North Africa or southern Arabia. The Queen had heard of Solomon’s knowledge and wealth. Virtually all the scene focuses on Solomon’s prosperity (the phrase “gold” usually seems all through the chapter). The Queen comes with a big entourage and assessments Solomon. She checks his reputed knowledge and comes away impressed. She can also be complimentary of his palace, meals, and other people. After telling Solomon that she didn’t consider it till she had seen it along with her personal eyes, she gives a blessing upon God.
Which means
It isn’t stunning {that a} non-Israelite would provide a blessing upon the God of Israel. In pagan perception, every city or nation had its personal patron god or goddess. To bless somebody’s deity was merely being well mannered.
In her prayer-blessing, the principle theme is that Solomon’s wealth, prosperity, and knowledge is from God as a result of He loves Solomon and Israel. Solomon is a mannequin king; due to this fact God has blessed him with riches, energy, and knowledge. Word that that is the best way God selected to bless Solomon. Opposite to the “prosperity gospel” motion, this doesn’t imply that if somebody is trustworthy, God will make them wealthy. It’s a method God could bless somebody— others could also be blessed otherwise (consider Paul of Tarsus). Nonetheless others would possibly obtain no blessing in any respect besides God’s presence (see Jeremiah, who suffered terribly and misplaced every little thing).
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