Opus 2026-362: The Benefits of B

As I try to figure out why my plans for life did not work out I come up with lots of speculations.  In reality that is all I have.  In trying to understand how life works, it is all any of us have.  I felt called to preach.  I struggled with it, gave in and put all my eggs in the basket.  Then came the day I had no place to preach.  Although I kept looking for chances I was forced into plan B.

Plan B turned out to be in education.  I taught middle school for the next 29 years.  I think I did a good job.  I never felt like it was a life calling.  I had chances to preach on occasion but nothing worked out to allow plan A.  B was it.  

I have many theories.  I know I never said “No” to anything God asked.  I was not living in disobedience.  I was frustrated but kept moving forward.  One of my theories is that if I had forced the issue I would have lost my children.  I think I would have put the church first and caused them to hate the things of God.  Another theory is that the struggle with plan B kept me on my spiritual toes.  I was not able to stick in my thumb and pull out a plum as the nursery rhyme goes.  

Think back over the people you know who have had “success”.  How many have lost their children?  How many have gone through divorce?  How many have abandoned the faith?  Does substance abuse figure into their lives?  One of the truths of life is that there are few people who can handle being on top.  The Bible character in my mind today is Solomon because I am reading about him in II Chronicles.  He started out so well.  Even today he is remembered for his wisdom.  Few bother to remember how he ended up.

Chronicles leaves out the bad part of his fall.  You need to go to Kings for that.  In the chapter after the visit by the queen of Sheba you find a chapter entitled “Solomon Turns from the Lord”.  That is not in the original Hebrew but it is a good summary.  A few key verses,

(1Ki 11:5 KJV)  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
(1Ki 11:6 KJV)  And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
(1Ki 11:7 KJV)  Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

I would suggest that Solomon started being impressed with himself and that became his downfall.  He needed a little more suffering and a little less praise.

There is a good reason for the paths that God leads us down.

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Opus 2022-191: The Problem with Bedrooms, part 4 of 4

The problem with bedrooms is that eventually the problem gets too big to confine.

(1Ki 11:4-7 KJV)  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.  And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.  Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

The key you need to see here to show you how extreme this became is in the name in that last verse:  Molech.  You may have zoned out or gone to skim mode when you blew past it.  When you see that name you need to think about parents taking their first born down to the local temple and throwing the living baby into a raging furnace.  Do a little search of the exact phrase “pass through the fire” in the KJV and you will find it 11 times.

So no, they are not nice people just minding their own business.  They are people on the level of Solomon who may have just not gone down the road far enough.  If we don’t find a way to draw a line then they will eventually bring the wrath of God down on us as a nation.

Maybe they already have.

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Opus 2022-190: The Problem with Bedrooms, part 3 of 4

A good historical example of the problem with bedrooms is demonstrated by King Solomon of Ancient Israel.  He started out very well.  God gave him a wish, kind of like the genie in the bottle,

(1Ki 3:5 KJV)  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

and Solomon asked for the wisdom to rule his people.

(1Ki 3:9-12 KJV)  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And of course there was the condition demanded,

(1Ki 3:14 KJV)  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

How did it work out.  Solomon probably figured since he was king he could fudge a little.  After all, who knows what goes on in the bedroom of the king.

(1Ki 11:1-3 KJV)  But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

What was the social result of this legal and expected behavior?  Keep in mind that a king was expected to have many wives.  Solomon was just doing what all the other kings were doing.

To be concluded...

homo unius libri