1Ki 4:24-25 | KingComments | STEP | Solomon rules over a people “as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance” ( ). “In a multitude of people is a king’s glory” ( ). If this is true for Solomon, how much more so then for the Lord Jesus. Those people eat and drink and rejoice. How could it be otherwise with such a king in power, who punishes evil and rewards good. Here we have a beautiful picture of the situation in the realm of peace under the reign of the Lord Jesus. It is a preliminary fulfillment of the promise to numerous descendants ( ) and the provision of food and drink ( ). So it can be in our personal life and among the people of God as a whole if the Lord Jesus, as the true Solomon, holds the rule in our life and in the life of each of His own. They have joy in using their abundance of food and drink. Solomon not only enjoyed all the good things himself in abundance, but he also enabled all his subjects to do the same. He taught them that God has given them this abundance to make use of it with gratitude and satisfaction. Man may eat his bread with joy and drink his wine with a happy heart: “Go [then], eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works” ( ). David has preceded the people in his psalms in the comforting pleasure of fellowship with God. Solomon leads them in the pleasant use of the good things of life. As for the current situation under Solomon, the joy and peace are of limited duration. This is already apparent when we read about “Judah and Israel” at the beginning of , which reminds us that there will be a division in the unity of the kingdom between Judah and Israel. It is as if the writer indicates that there is unfaithfulness below the surface which, as the history shows, will lead to the division of the realm in these two parts. Another characteristic of the kingdom – after the officials and the food supply – is its size ( ), which is also a preliminary fulfillment of the promised extent ( ). The border runs from the Euphrates in the northeast to the area of the Philistines in the west and Egypt in the southwest. The quantity of food Solomon needs ( ) also shows his greatness. The quantity that is available for Nehemiah at a later date strikingly contrasts with that of Solomon ( ). Ahasuerus once made a feast to show his royal glory to his servants. That feast lasts 180 days ( ). The glory of Solomon is that he has, so to speak, a table for the whole people and that throughout his life ( ). However, Christ transcends everything. He has a table – a table is a picture of fellowship – at which all His own may forever feed themselves with the inexhaustible glories of His Person. By the way, the supply by the people of these large quantities of food and all other necessities for such a royal household means that the people are prosperous. The income of Solomon also comes from the surrounding countries. Thirty kors of fine flour are about 6,500 liters and sixty kors of meal are double that. Derived from these quantities, it has been calculated that Solomon’s royal household consisted of approximately 14,000 persons. We see how the kingdom of peace takes shape, even if it is not in its final, definitive form ( ). Never has there been a realm that refers so beautifully to the empire of the Lord Jesus as this of Solomon. The people dwell at rest, “each one under his vine and his fig tree”. This expression is used for the kingdom of peace under the reign of the Messiah by the prophets Micah and Zechariah ( ; ). Peace and justice ( ), represented in the fig tree, and joy, represented in the vine ( ), are generally enjoyed in the realm of peace. The people are at rest, they live safely. No one is jealous of what another has. There is no dissatisfaction. There is also no fear of danger from enemies, from outside or inside. Everyone is happy. Each one of them dwells under his vine and under his fig tree. Solomon does not claim anyone’s possessions for himself, he does not take anyone’s field or vineyard, as it is said that the king would do whom the people had desired ( ). Everyone who has a vine and a fig tree eats the fruits of it. The peace in the land is so great that everyone lives just as safely under the shadow of his vine and fig tree as within the walls of a city. This pleasant state of Israel extends from Dan to Beersheba, which is the whole land from the extreme north to the extreme south ( ). In no part of the land is there any risk of external danger or internal unrest. Wherever someone is, he sees abundance, peace and contentment everywhere. This situation continues throughout the days of Solomon. The characteristics of the realm apply to us in their spiritual sense. For us it is about peace, joy (vine) and righteousness (fig tree) ( ). Every believer who puts himself under the authority of the Lord Jesus experiences the realm of peace in its characteristics in the midst of a world of misery and sorrow. The many horses also contribute to Solomon’s glory and greatness ( ). The numerous horses and chariots ( ) are stationed, except in Jerusalem, in various places, in the so-called ‘chariot cities’ ( ). The deputies provide Solomon and his family with food once a year for one month each, leaving nothing lacking ( ). Thus we should provide the members of God’s people with food and leave nothing lacking, but “declaring … the whole purpose of God” to them ( ). Do we long to be a “faithful and sensible slave” ( )? The deputies provide both the horses and swift steeds with food by bringing it to them. This contains the spiritual lesson that we may provide all the servants of the Lord with what they need, in whatever way they are doing. This can be through financial support, for example, or also through spiritual encouragement.

‏ 1 Kings 4:24-25

The Greatness of Solomon

Solomon rules over a people “as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance” (1Kgs 4:20). “In a multitude of people is a king’s glory” (Pro 14:28a). If this is true for Solomon, how much more so then for the Lord Jesus. Those people eat and drink and rejoice. How could it be otherwise with such a king in power, who punishes evil and rewards good.

Here we have a beautiful picture of the situation in the realm of peace under the reign of the Lord Jesus. It is a preliminary fulfillment of the promise to numerous descendants (Gen 22:16-17) and the provision of food and drink (Lev 26:5). So it can be in our personal life and among the people of God as a whole if the Lord Jesus, as the true Solomon, holds the rule in our life and in the life of each of His own.

They have joy in using their abundance of food and drink. Solomon not only enjoyed all the good things himself in abundance, but he also enabled all his subjects to do the same. He taught them that God has given them this abundance to make use of it with gratitude and satisfaction. Man may eat his bread with joy and drink his wine with a happy heart: “Go [then], eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works” (Ecc 9:7). David has preceded the people in his psalms in the comforting pleasure of fellowship with God. Solomon leads them in the pleasant use of the good things of life.

As for the current situation under Solomon, the joy and peace are of limited duration. This is already apparent when we read about “Judah and Israel” at the beginning of 1Kgs 4:20, which reminds us that there will be a division in the unity of the kingdom between Judah and Israel. It is as if the writer indicates that there is unfaithfulness below the surface which, as the history shows, will lead to the division of the realm in these two parts.

Another characteristic of the kingdom – after the officials and the food supply – is its size (1Kgs 4:21), which is also a preliminary fulfillment of the promised extent (Gen 15:18-21). The border runs from the Euphrates in the northeast to the area of the Philistines in the west and Egypt in the southwest.

The quantity of food Solomon needs (1Kgs 4:22-23) also shows his greatness. The quantity that is available for Nehemiah at a later date strikingly contrasts with that of Solomon (Neh 5:17-18). Ahasuerus once made a feast to show his royal glory to his servants. That feast lasts 180 days (Est 1:3-4). The glory of Solomon is that he has, so to speak, a table for the whole people and that throughout his life (1Kgs 4:25). However, Christ transcends everything. He has a table – a table is a picture of fellowship – at which all His own may forever feed themselves with the inexhaustible glories of His Person.

By the way, the supply by the people of these large quantities of food and all other necessities for such a royal household means that the people are prosperous. The income of Solomon also comes from the surrounding countries. Thirty kors of fine flour are about 6,500 liters and sixty kors of meal are double that. Derived from these quantities, it has been calculated that Solomon’s royal household consisted of approximately 14,000 persons.

We see how the kingdom of peace takes shape, even if it is not in its final, definitive form (1Kgs 4:24-25). Never has there been a realm that refers so beautifully to the empire of the Lord Jesus as this of Solomon. The people dwell at rest, “each one under his vine and his fig tree”. This expression is used for the kingdom of peace under the reign of the Messiah by the prophets Micah and Zechariah (Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10). Peace and justice (Jer 23:5-6), represented in the fig tree, and joy, represented in the vine (Jdg 9:13a), are generally enjoyed in the realm of peace.

The people are at rest, they live safely. No one is jealous of what another has. There is no dissatisfaction. There is also no fear of danger from enemies, from outside or inside. Everyone is happy. Each one of them dwells under his vine and under his fig tree. Solomon does not claim anyone’s possessions for himself, he does not take anyone’s field or vineyard, as it is said that the king would do whom the people had desired (1Sam 8:14). Everyone who has a vine and a fig tree eats the fruits of it. The peace in the land is so great that everyone lives just as safely under the shadow of his vine and fig tree as within the walls of a city.

This pleasant state of Israel extends from Dan to Beersheba, which is the whole land from the extreme north to the extreme south (Jdg 20:1). In no part of the land is there any risk of external danger or internal unrest. Wherever someone is, he sees abundance, peace and contentment everywhere. This situation continues throughout the days of Solomon.

The characteristics of the realm apply to us in their spiritual sense. For us it is about peace, joy (vine) and righteousness (fig tree) (Rom 14:17). Every believer who puts himself under the authority of the Lord Jesus experiences the realm of peace in its characteristics in the midst of a world of misery and sorrow.

The many horses also contribute to Solomon’s glory and greatness (1Kgs 4:26-28). The numerous horses and chariots (2Chr 1:14) are stationed, except in Jerusalem, in various places, in the so-called ‘chariot cities’ (2Chr 9:25). The deputies provide Solomon and his family with food once a year for one month each, leaving nothing lacking (1Kgs 4:27). Thus we should provide the members of God’s people with food and leave nothing lacking, but “declaring … the whole purpose of God” to them (Acts 20:27). Do we long to be a “faithful and sensible slave” (Mt 24:45)?

The deputies provide both the horses and swift steeds with food by bringing it to them. This contains the spiritual lesson that we may provide all the servants of the Lord with what they need, in whatever way they are doing. This can be through financial support, for example, or also through spiritual encouragement.