Chapter 7: SOLOMON
7.1 Solomon As A Type Of Christ
David's prayers that Solomon would be the Messiah were heard in
that without doubt Solomon was a superb
type of Christ. The promises to David clearly had a primary
fulfilment in Solomon; there are too many similarities between
those promises and the life of Solomon to sensibly
deny this. Particularly is his Kingdom typical of that of
Christ, and through this fact we can gain stimulating insight
into the nature of the Millennium. Nearly all
the information we have about the Millennium is
taught to us through type- especially once it is realized
that the majority of Isaiah's well known
'Kingdom' passages are alluding back to Solomon's reign
(notably Is. 60:1-8), and had their initial fulfilment in
Hezekiah's Kingdom, which was also typical of Christ's. It is clear that
the hope of the Kingdom is intended to be the motivating force behind
our lives . We cannot believe in or be motivated
by something which we know little about; knowledge must
be related to faith and inspiration to act. Knowledge
of Christ and his Kingdom is taught largely by types because it
is through types that we can relate to him as a person, and
to his coming Kingdom as a physical reality. Just consider
the following, put them all together and you have a
convincing and intricate picture of the Kingdom of Christ, through considering
Solomon as a type of Christ.
Solomon as a type of Christ
Solomon |
Christ |
| After dedicating the temple, it
was filled with the cloud of glory so that the priests could
not stand to minister (2 Chron. 5:13,14) |
Because of His death, the temple
was filled with glory and the Mosaic priesthood ended (Rev.
15:8 cp. 2 Cor. 3:10) |
| " There was nothing hid from
Solomon which he told her not" (2 Chron. 9:2). In this
we see clearly Solomon as a type of Christ. |
As Christ told us all he knew (Jn.
17:8); consider the implications of this . If the Lord told
us all that He knew from the Father, His words
deserve a more sustained study and reflection than any of
us have given them. |
| Solomon was fully representative
of Israel (1 Kings 11:1,5-7 cp. 33; 8:52; and note the ye...thee
confusion of 9:4-7); his prayer was their prayer (2 Chron.
6:21);his worship was theirs (2 Chron. 1:3,5) |
As Christ and us |
| Israel's blessing was dependent
on Solomon's obedience (1 Kings 6:12,13) ; their joy was
because of the honour God had given Solomon (2 Chron. 7:10) |
As ours. The blessing of
others can be dependent upon a third party (e.g. Mk. 2:5)
Cp. our response to Christ's
victory and exaltation |
| God's love for Israel was shown
through giving them Solomon as king (2 Chron. 9:8) |
Cp. our appreciation of Christ's
Kingship? |
| " I am but a little child:
I know not how to go out or come in" , i.e. to
rule God's Kingdom
(1 Kings 3:7-9) |
Alluded to in Mt. 18:3,4; become
a child so you can rule the Kingdom; Christ was the greatest
child as he will be the greatest ruler. This sets Solomon
up as our example in this aspect. Notice how Sarah’s unspiritual
comments “cast out the bondwoman…” and “my Lord being old…”are
interpreted positively in the NT |
| The supreme intellectuality of
Solomon (1 Kings 3:12; 4:30-33) which led him to be deeply
depressed in Ecclesiastes |
In the type, Christ the most intellectual
of all men- with the associated sadness and problems. He
could have analyzed the surface tension on a glass of water
if He wished. His knowledge of others thoughts was perhaps
not due to a bolt of Holy Spirit revelation, but die to
His great sensitivity that was related to His intelligence. |
| He asked for wisdom so that he
could guide Israel (1 Kings 3: 8-11) |
Is. 11:1,2 |
| " The wisdom of God was in
the midst of him" (1 Kings 3:28mg) |
Col. 2:3- clearly seeing Solomon
as a type of Christ |
| Solomon had God's wisdom and used
it to judge Israel; therefore they feared him (1 Kings 3:28) |
As Christ (Jn. 5:22) |
| Sorely tested by materialism, women
and pride |
Ditto for Christ; he wanted to
take the Kingdom for himself, to have worldly power and
glory; and if " my son" in Proverbs is Jesus,
he too was tempted by women. |
| Solomon built the temple of stone
already prepared (1 Kings 6:7) |
Christ is the builder of the spiritual
temple, in which the stones should fit together without
strife (Eph. 2:21 alludes to 1 Kings 6:7) |
| The purpose of the temple was to
let all the world know about the God of Israel (1 Kings
8:59,60) |
We are the spiritual temple; the
literal temple of the future (Ps. 68:29) will do the same.
The stones are shaped so that they might fit together; could
it be so that those we now are being fitted in with are
those we will work with eternally in an especially close
relationship? |
The Kingdom Of Solomon As A Type of Christ's Kingdom
Solomon's Kingdom |
Christ's Kingdom |
| Solomon sat on God's throne as
King over His Kingdom (2 Chron. 9:8), in Jerusalem
A temple built by Gentiles (2 Chron. 2:17,18) |
Ditto for Christ when the Kingdom
is re-established. (Jer. 3:17)
Ez.40-48; Zech.6:13
Is.60:10 |
| Israel was at it's largest extent
in Solomon's Kingdom; lost land was restored, and the borders
re-established (2 Chron. 9:26; 8:4 cp. Josh. 16:3,5);
it was also at its political strongest; nations submitted
to Solomon (1 Kings 4:20); Israel was the chief of the nations
(1 Kings 4:21) |
Mic. 4:7
Mic. 4:8 |
| " King over a people like
the dust of the earth" (2 Chron.1:9 = Gen. 13:16).
Promises to Abraham initially fulfilled (1 Kings 4:20) |
Christ the true King of the
Kingdom when the promises to Abraham are fulfilled. |
| " Israel dwelt safely, every
man under his vine and...fig" (1 Kings 4:25); great
fertility (1 Kings 4:22-28) |
Mic. 4:4; Ez. 34:28 (security and
peace)
Is. 35:1,2 |
| The happiness of Solomon's servants
as they sat down to food and wine is stressed; they listened
to Solomon's wisdom as they ate; this was the basis of
their happiness. They ate in the presence of observing
Gentiles (2 Chron.9:4,7) |
This is alluded to in Lk.22:30;
Lk.14:15 speaks of us as happy servants.
Rev.19:17 “Come and gather yourselves to the supper of
the great God” |
| After Solomon's ascension, there
was judgment and reward; in the form of being able to eat
at his table (1 Kings 2:7 cp. 2 Sam.9: 7,10; 19:28)
|
Cp. After Christ's return; the
reward is to break bread with him (Lk.14:15; 22:30). Breaking
bread with Him now is a sign of joyful fellowship with Him;
it shouldn’t be a scary, worrying experience. |
| The priests were dressed in white
linen, praising God with one sound (2 Chron.5:11,12) |
Rev.19:8 . This is possible
even now in ecclesial life (Rom.15:6). In this sense we
“have eternal life” in that we begin living the type of
life we will eternally live right now. |
| Kingdom ruled by king-priests
(1 Kings 4:2) with 12 deputy rulers (1 Kings 4:7)
who provided food each month (1 Kings 4:27) |
Rev.5:10
Mt.19:28
Consider Is.66:23; Ez.47:12;
Rev.22:2 |
| The nations bring " presents"
(s.w. sacrifices) to him (1 Kings 4:21) |
The Law re-established in the
Millennium ? Ps.68:29; 76:11; 72:8,10. |
| The Queen of Sheba saw the wisdom
of Solomon manifested in the joy of his servants (2 Chron.9:3,4,6)
and therefore she believed.
Jerusalem was the centre of wisdom and worship for the
region (1 Kings 4:34; 2 Chron.9:23) |
Our response to Christ's wisdom
will make the world believe. She represents us: “One thing
have I desired…that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life…to inquire in his temple” (Ps. 27:4).
Example leads to conversion not just a bald statement of
doctrine.
Is.2:2,3; Zech. 14:16 |
| Solomon stressed in Proverbs that
wisdom brings joy (3:13; 8:34), even in this life. |
So our joy now should be the joy
we will have in the Kingdom |
| Solomon's wisdom concerned "
the name of the Lord" (1 Kings 10:1) |
Christ's purpose both now and in
the Kingdom is to declare God's name (Jn. 17:26) |
| His wisdom was to guide Israel,
but it concerned the natural creation; as if his expositions
concerning this were teaching spiritual lessons (1 Kings
4: 29,32,33)- as the Lord's parables. |
Will this be how we teach the nations
in the Millennium? |
| The Queen of Sheba poured out her
soul to Solomon- although she was a high flying career woman
(2 Chron. 9:1,4) |
Ditto for the leaders of this world?
Conversion results from relationships, and the person trusting
is and opening up to us. |
| The queen of Sheba was an ambassador,
one of many (2 Chron. 9:1,23)
" Solomon reigned over all the kings" (2 Chron.
9:26) |
The nations will send representatives
to Christ to learn wisdom. The value of spiritual
wisdom will then be appreciated. There will
still be an element of mortal rulership, with ours
superimposed over it. |
| The nations traded their material
wealth for spiritual instruction, coming annually to Jerusalem
for instruction (2 Chron. 9:23,24) |
Ditto in the Kingdom? Knowledge
of the Kingdom leads to quitting materialism for “the pearl
of great price”
Zech. 14:16 |
| Solomon judged the poor, ordinary
people (e.g. the two poor prostitutes living in one house).
He didn’t burn them, as the Law demanded, but judged with
grace. |
Ps.72:4,12-14 |
| " The king made (mg. gave)
silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones"
(2 Chron. 1:15) |
No materialism in the Kingdom because
such abundance. Spiritual riches (redemption) given
at Jerusalem at the judgment. There
will be a different set of values then, as
there was due to the fact meaningless
in Solomon's Kingdom. |
| " The Queen of Sheba...came
to prove Solomon with hard questions (s.w. riddles-
i.e. trick questions)...I believed not... until I came"
(2 Chron. 9:1,6) . By seeing the theory turned into practice,
the word made flesh, she was converted. |
The cynics converted to believers
|
For all these similarities, however, it is possible to
see Solomon as an anti-Christ, as well as Solomon as a type of Christ;
like Saul, he was both a type of Christ, and also the very opposite of
the true Christ. This point is really brought out in Is. 53:11, where
the true Messiah is described as being “satisfied” with the travail or
labour of his soul, and will thereby bring forth many children. The Hebrew
words used occur in close proximity in several passages in Ecclesiastes,
where Solomon speaks of how all his “travail” or “labour” has not “satisfied”
him, and that it is all the more vain because his children may well not
appreciate his labour and will likely squander it (Ecc. 1:8; 4:8; 5:10;
6:3). Likewise the ‘Babylon’ system of Revelation, replete with it’s feature
of 666, is described in terms which unmistakeably apply to Solomon’s Kingdom.
This feature of Solomon- being both a type of Christ and yet also the
very opposite of the true Christ- reflects the tragic duality which we
will observe at such length in our later studies. |
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