So the LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace. [1 Kings 5.12]
As discussed in Just A Small Thing... Solomon's alliances may not have been among his shining achievements even thought those alliances seem to have been attached to Solomon's great wisdom. Their mention at first seem harmless enough, but in time, the trust placed in (obligations made to) man instead of God would catch up to Solomon. All the foreign wives and concubines gained by Solomon, many of which (like with Pharaoh's daughter) were the product of alliances with foreign kings and countries (remember, Solomon was peace on all sides for a reason, 1 Kings 5.4), were indeed the downfall of Solomon.
Any trust placed in man instead of God will always end unfavorably.
The thing is, a little trust placed in man instead of God is never the end of it. Idolatry is, and always will be, never satisfied.
It is rarely noticed as having any relevance to idolatry, but Solomon's alliance with Hiram involved a LOT of money in the exchange of valuable goods for other goods and services. Unsurprisingly, today's idols involve exorbitant amounts of money in exchange for goods and services. Also unsurprisingly, modern idolatry involves contracts - alliances - obligations. It is here one should frankly consider his exchange of money (lots of it) with the industries of man's own ideas, finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals and technology.
In the New Testament, Paul gives the following instruction:
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. [Romans 13.8]
Man owes everything to God:
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]
The only obligation (alliance) man is to have with man is to love him:
“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. “You must not murder. “You must not commit adultery. “You must not steal. “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” [Exodus 20.12-17]
Jesus confirmed this:
“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22.37-40]
And, Jesus also spoke firmly and directly to man's God-relationship as it pertains to man's needs. All the needs that the industries of man's own ideas (finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals and technology) otherwise compete for, are met in miraculous provision for the person in right relationship to God.
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.31-34]
To seek the Kingdom of God above all else is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind (the first three of the Ten Commandments).
To live righteously is to love your neighbor as yourself (the last six of the Ten Commandments).
And, for those who realize that the love-God/love-man commandments only total nine of the Ten Commandments, it is amazing that the remaining Sabbath Commandment is fulfilled in Jesus Christ Who claimed complete lordship over the Sabbath:
For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath! [Matthew 12.8]
And, here is what the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus, demands:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
What is man's own way that must be given up? It is his industry: his industries of his own ideas - his own making - his idols - his alliances with (obligations to) foreign gods (i.e. not "God") for goods and services in exchange for money. And, to what degree is a true follower of Christ obligated to give up his own way? To the death - taking up his own cross. It is that serious.
This subject is not about legalism and it is not an offense to grace! It is about the undeniable, non-negotiable demand of God for our unadulterated trust in Him (through Jesus) found from beginning to end in the Bible. The Bible repeatedly points out man's downfall of trusting anything and/or anyone else besides Him. It should be understood that grace comes through faith, but it is not just any faith in anything... It is faith in God alone. If faith is not faith in God alone, it is not grace-securing, healing, providing, saving faith. Period.
If what is said here is indeed true - if the Bible actually means what it says - then it would mean that not many people actually have God-pleasing faith. Can that be right?
Unremarkably, Jesus provided that answer to the question above with the following:
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]
Few find true Biblical grace because "grace" never was about "anything goes," but specifically about the God-pleasing, God-only faith that receives it.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [Ephesians 2.8-9]
When this finally rings true to us, suddenly all of Jesus' repeated demands for "faith" and to "be like Him" can be understood.
Sadly, organized religion today will reject what is said here just like organized religion rejected Jesus. Some things never change - Truth is never popular in organized religion. But the Truth remains the Truth and Jesus is that Truth.
Will we align with the Truth or will we align with idols? Like Solomon, our alliances will give the promise and appearance of "peace." But, such idolatry is anything and everything but peace in the eyes of God. Solomon was not given wisdom to seek peace outside of God alone, but to save his people (bringing peace) through undivided faith in God alone.
Father, may Your Word open our eyes to its Truth. Help us to see the gross idolatry all around us, and in which we are involved deeply - even if organized religion opposes us. May we find the courage to "deny ourselves" - to give up our own way - the way of man's ideas and alliances - so that we might trust ONLY in You. Help us to see that in taking up our cross we effectively remove "staying alive" out of the equation of obedience to You. Help us to see that true peace only comes when we no longer feel responsible for our own keep, and we unreservedly lay our lives at the feet of Jesus trusting in You ALONE. So be it.
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