King Solomon's Legacy

King Solomon's Legacy.

In 1 Kings 11:41, it was written, "As for the other events of Solomons reign - all he did and the wisdom he displayed - are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon?"

What legacy will you leave behind when you are recalled?

What will be your own epitaph, what will you be remembered for, what will you gift to posterity from your life and time?

Solomon was said to have shown his love for the Lord in 1 Kings 3:3 to 5 by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

The king also offered a thousand burnt offerings as sacrifice to God on the altar at Gibeon, the most important high place.

It is believed that as a consequence the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon's uncommon mind set in requesting for what he did, in reply to God's blank cheque as recorded in 1 Kings 3:6 to 9 is indeed something we should all aspire to have in relating with God.

1. Solomon begun answering by appreciating God for showing great kindness to his father David, because his father was faithful, righteous and upright in heart as well as appreciating God for having continued to show such kindness to him and giving him the opportunity to sit on his father's throne.

2. He acknowledged to God his inadequacy in being like a little child concerning his knowledge in how to carry out his duties as a king.

3. The young king also conceded that he was God's servant among the uncountable people God had chosen for Himself, from all the nations of the earth.

4. As a result of the aforementioned Solomon then asked God to give him a discerning heart to govern His people and to be able to distinguish between right and wrong, for he knew nobody had the ability to govern God's chosen people without His accompanying wisdom.

God's reply to Solomon's specific request as recorded in 1 Kings 3:11 to 14 is an opportunity for us to honestly evaluate ourselves as to the scale of preference we would have chosen from all that was before Solomon:

1. long life, 
2. wealth, 
3. honour, 
4. death of our enemies, and 
5. a wise and discerning heart .

Solomon's choices of a wise and discerning heart to administer justice to God's people was based on his sincere love for God and therefore his desire to be a godly king that led God's people aright.

The young kings selfless request moved God Almighty not only to add all the other things he didn't ask for but also to endear king Solomons selfless choice into the annals of history for all ages, by saying these two things:

1. that there would never be anyone like Solomon, and 
2. in his lifetime he will have no equal among kings.

I do believe that any leader or individual who would dare to be as selfless and set apart from most people, like Solomon was in desiring and earnestly asking God for a wise and discerning heart to lead people aright as "God's chosen people," by administering justice to them in accordance to God's law, would indeed be able to key into and partake in the provisions of the blank check that God Almighty gave to Solomon.

Finally, let's have it in mind that God told Solomon that if he walked in obedience to Him and kept His decrees and commands as David his father did, that he would be given long life. One can infer from what God told Solomon thatif a man would desire long life it must be so that he can walk in obedience to God Almighty and keep His decrees and commands so that God's will may be accomplished through him and God glorified as a result.

In summary we should all accept the truth thatwe were created to serve Him by leading others to him, and that if we align our mind-sets towards this all too important fact of our existence, there's absolutely nothing God will not do for us to achieve it.