2 Chronicles 9:9-21: a reflection

9She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. 11The king used algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There were none like these seen before in the land of Judah. 12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants. 13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 14in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield. 16He made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any other kingdom. 20All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. 21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

The account of Solomon's wealth and splendor is staggering: gold in immense abundance, a great throne of ivory overlaid with gold, drinking vessels all of gold, ships bringing gold and silver and rare treasures, so that silver was counted as nothing in his days. There was nothing like his splendor in any kingdom. And yet, dazzling as Solomon's glory was, it was but a shadow of a greater King and kingdom to come. Solomon's wealth and wisdom drew the wonder of the world; but Jesus would say that one greater than Solomon was here. The greatest earthly glory, even Solomon's, points beyond itself to a greater King, whose kingdom and riches surpass all earthly splendor. The splendor of Solomon, dazzling as it was, was surpassed by the greater King who was to come. Earthly glory, even the greatest, is a shadow of the greater glory of Christ and his kingdom. Solomon's splendor points beyond itself to a greater King than Solomon.

Notice the greatness of Solomon's glory, and what it points to. His wealth was immense, his throne magnificent, his splendor unmatched in any kingdom; the world marveled at him. And yet this greatest of earthly glories was not the final word, but a shadow and a pointer. For all its dazzle, Solomon's splendor was earthly, and would pass; and it pointed beyond itself to a greater King, Christ, of whom Solomon was but a foreshadowing. Jesus himself would say that one greater than Solomon was here. The magnificence of Solomon, which drew the wonder of the world, was surpassed by the King who was to come, whose glory is not earthly and passing but eternal, whose riches are not gold but the unsearchable riches of grace. This reminds us not to be so dazzled by earthly glory, even the greatest, that we miss the greater glory it points to. The splendor of Solomon, for all its wonder, is surpassed by Christ. Earthly glory at its height is still only a shadow of the glory of the greater King. What dazzles us on earth points beyond to a greater King.

That is worth taking to heart, for the greatest earthly glory, even Solomon's, points beyond itself to a greater King, whose glory surpasses all. We can be dazzled by earthly glory, wealth, and splendor, treating it as the greatest thing; but even Solomon's unmatched splendor was surpassed by a greater King, Christ, of whom it was only a shadow. The greatest earthly glory is not the final word but a pointer to the greater glory of Christ and his kingdom. Do not be so dazzled by earthly glory, even the greatest, that you miss the greater King it points to; Solomon's splendor is surpassed by Christ. See even the greatest earthly glory, like Solomon's, as a shadow pointing beyond itself to the greater King, Christ, whose glory surpasses all earthly splendor, as Solomon's magnificence drew the wonder of the world yet one greater than Solomon was to come; for the wealth and splendor that dazzle us on earth, even at their height, are earthly and passing, only a foreshadowing of the eternal glory and unsearchable riches of Christ, so that we do well not to be so dazzled by earthly glory that we miss the greater King to whom it points, whose kingdom and riches surpass all that Solomon had.

Lord, the account of Solomon's wealth and splendor is staggering: gold in immense abundance, a great throne of ivory overlaid with gold, ships bringing rare treasures, so that silver was counted as nothing in his days. There was nothing like his splendor in any kingdom. And yet, dazzling as Solomon's glory was, it was but a shadow of a greater King and kingdom to come. Solomon's wealth and wisdom drew the wonder of the world; but Jesus would say that one greater than Solomon was here. The greatest earthly glory, even Solomon's, points beyond itself to a greater King, whose kingdom and riches surpass all earthly splendor. Show me the greatness of Solomon's glory, and what it points to. His wealth was immense, his splendor unmatched; the world marveled at him. And yet this greatest of earthly glories was not the final word, but a shadow and a pointer. For all its dazzle, Solomon's splendor was earthly, and would pass; and it pointed beyond itself to a greater King, Christ, of whom Solomon was but a foreshadowing. The magnificence of Solomon was surpassed by the King who was to come, whose glory is eternal, whose riches are not gold but the unsearchable riches of grace. This reminds me not to be so dazzled by earthly glory that I miss the greater glory it points to. Take that to my heart, for the greatest earthly glory, even Solomon's, points beyond itself to a greater King, whose glory surpasses all. I can be dazzled by earthly glory, wealth, and splendor, treating it as the greatest thing; but even Solomon's unmatched splendor was surpassed by a greater King, Christ, of whom it was only a shadow. Keep me from being so dazzled by earthly glory that I miss the greater King it points to; help me see even the greatest earthly glory as a shadow pointing beyond itself to Christ, Lord, whose glory surpasses all earthly splendor, for one greater than Solomon has come.