00:00 Introduction and Weather Talk

00:56 Flash Flood Memories

01:54 Journaling and Revisionist History

04:36 True North Student Ministry

07:52 Solomon's Reign Begins

09:47 Cracks in Solomon's Foundation

09:50 The Mystery of the Shulamite Woman

11:40 Solomon's Devotion to the Lord

12:26 Solomon's Request for Wisdom

15:31 The Wisdom of Solomon: The Baby Dispute

17:28 Solomon's Administration and Taxation

18:32 Solomon's Wealth and Wisdom

21:43 The Flaws of Solomon's Reign

23:25 Conclusion: Yearning for the True King

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another episode

of the daily Bible podcast.

3

It's Friday rain.

4

Rod: And cats and dogs.

5

It is, well, I don't know.

6

I, I think it is supposed

to rain on Friday as

7

PJ: well.

8

Rod: Uh, yeah, we have a, we're

supposed to have a storm overnight, so.

9

And it supposed to be a bad one.

10

Either this one is going to be really bad

or the next one's going to be really bad.

11

PJ: Yeah.

12

Rod: So.

13

It seems pretty tame

14

PJ: so

15

Rod: far,

16

PJ: so far.

17

It's just flooding.

18

Outside of our office.

19

We have a lap pool.

20

Now that is a bit

21

Rod: of flash flooding.

22

PJ: Yeah.

23

Rod: Yeah, but water.

24

We'll pay for this stuff, man.

25

And we're getting it for free,

26

PJ: right?

27

I don't miss California where they were

like, turn off all your water forever.

28

Don't ever.

29

Have water again.

30

Rod: I think we're still in a drought.

31

Aren't we isn't Texas still in a drought.

32

So.

33

Not

34

PJ: our region,

35

Rod: our.

36

Okay.

37

So our region is good.

38

PJ: Yeah.

39

Part of Western in south central

Texas is in a drought, but okay.

40

Rod: I should just send them some of ours.

41

We have plenty.

42

PJ: We are, we are in the green right now.

43

Rod: All right.

44

PJ: Yeah, it's crazy, man.

45

It is a, there's a lot of

rain out there, but, uh, it's

46

Rod: enjoyable.

47

I like it.

48

I remember when you and I came out

here to visit and we were driving

49

this rinky-dink little rental vehicle.

50

That was two wheel drive.

51

Yup.

52

Small.

53

Uh, maybe, maybe like a

smart card, like that size.

54

And then we came across

some flash flooding.

55

And I stopped and you're

like, just go through it, bro.

56

Just go through it.

57

What do you do?

58

And don't stop.

59

Just go through it.

60

And I was, I was terrified.

61

And w but what did you do?

62

We made it through, you went

through it and, and I, I was,

63

I was shocked that we made it.

64

I dude, we.

65

We could have been swept away.

66

Flooding and died.

67

It was like three inches of water.

68

Like your ankles wouldn't have gotten wet.

69

Had you stepped out of the car?

70

It was.

71

Was bigger than that, but it w if I

remember it right, and it was, it was,

72

it was a unique experience for me.

73

It was, it was more than a few inches.

74

It was enough to cause concern.

75

And then the fact that we made it

through gave everyone behind us

76

the courage to go through as well.

77

So I I'm glad we did.

78

But north compass, north,

Texas almost died at that time.

79

PJ: Not even.

80

This is revision.

81

Not really.

82

Why is it a, had to carry.

83

What you

84

Rod: do, you bring in

the revisionist history?

85

I journal about everything.

86

So I could go back to my journal

entry and recall precise details.

87

I won't have to rely on my memory.

88

It's it's it's in writing.

89

Yeah.

90

Okay.

91

So there you go.

92

Anyway.

93

Are you journaling?

94

Are you writing about history?

95

No.

96

So no.

97

One's gonna be able to say

what's pastor PJ's perspective.

98

Nobody

99

PJ: knows.

100

I do on occasion.

101

When it's something that's, that's worth

remembering that was worth remembering.

102

For driving through puddles, not

worth, remember isn't that a puddle.

103

Rod: It was, it was it's Texas

flash flooding, which apparently

104

is kind of a thing around here.

105

And, and the, the officials tell you

to stay home, don't drive through them.

106

They say to avoid them because people die.

107

PJ: Yes.

108

Yes.

109

When it's like up to your door or

your, your rear view mirror, then yeah.

110

You, you don't drive through that.

111

It's hard to know how, how deep it goes.

112

Rod: You know what the road

is and you know what the road,

113

the roads, the roads fluctuate.

114

They're not static, straight as flat as

are, as flat as it is, appear to road.

115

The road does not change in depth.

116

It does.

117

No, but when you go down

Preston Preston road, right.

118

You're descending.

119

You can see it.

120

You're descending.

121

Al, uh, altitude, right?

122

But it's not tremendous, but you

know where the road is and where

123

the water is, what I'm saying.

124

Yeah.

125

Well, but you don't see

how strong the water is.

126

You see the flow of it.

127

You might see some of the depth,

but you just don't know how

128

strong it's going to be and how

powerful water is powerful, man.

129

Yeah.

130

Powerful.

131

PJ: Yes.

132

When it's, when there's a lot of it.

133

But if a few inches is not

going to do any well, part of

134

Rod: what, what, what, the part of

the way that you would understand

135

if there was a lot is the flow.

136

You can't tell the flow sometimes

it's it's and again, we're in this,

137

I'm in a car that I don't know.

138

So it's a two wheel drive vehicle.

139

It's like a little

rinky-dink matchstick box.

140

And matchbox car.

141

Was that where you're going

for no match stick box.

142

Okay.

143

Because those are square

and like easily break.

144

Yeah, a matchbox car shirt that too.

145

Uh, but I thought we were going to die.

146

Well, we didn't and God be praised.

147

We lived, but not because

we didn't attempt him.

148

Well, scripture says

don't tempt the Lord, your

149

PJ: God, master PJ.

150

We lived in Arizona for a while

and there they would have washes

151

that you have legitimate fears

of flash flooding because.

152

It's so dry in the desert that

the water just runs off the, would

153

you think would be the opposite?

154

You think really dry land?

155

The water would just absorb

into the land, but it doesn't.

156

Rod: No, it's too dry.

157

PJ: Yeah.

158

It just runs.

159

And so that those were situations where

it was like, yeah, you drive your car

160

into that and your car is going down.

161

The washer you're you're done.

162

Rod: Okay.

163

PJ: Here.

164

Not so much.

165

Rod: Well, I don't know.

166

I'm still learning.

167

I haven't driven through any other.

168

Uh, raging rivers since I've

been here, uh, you haven't driven

169

through any raging rivers period.

170

Well,

171

PJ: we did the one time when

we were here and you made me.

172

Drive through it.

173

Anyways, it is a downpour here and, uh,

yeah, we're, we're, we're grateful for it.

174

Uh, Hey, you.

175

Almost.

176

I gave away the, the, the name, but you

changed the name of our youth group.

177

I did.

178

Yes.

179

Rod: So we are gonna, we're doing a

brand new name, never before heard.

180

Totally unique.

181

We're calling it true north.

182

Wow.

183

I know.

184

So here's the, here's

the difference though?

185

It's true.

186

North student ministry and

not high school ministry.

187

Okay.

188

And part of the reason of

course is because our ministries

189

are combined right now.

190

So there's junior high and high school.

191

Whenever we have the time and the capacity

to, to separate them, then there will

192

be a true north high school ministry.

193

And then there'll be a middle school,

whatever ministry we don't know yet.

194

But yeah, that, that started

officially on Wednesday night.

195

So that's exciting.

196

Got some branding.

197

We're stealing the branding from Avi.

198

Thank you.

199

By the way.

200

And the, the true north

ministry lives on under my care.

201

At least we're a little longer,

cause we're replicating.

202

We're not innovating.

203

That's right.

204

We took that seriously.

205

That's what our seniors

are sending pastor told us.

206

And so we're doing exactly that.

207

And I feel like I have such an

affinity and a unique ownership.

208

And fortune north partnership

with two north yet.

209

I just feel like this is still good

210

PJ: for those that are unaware.

211

Give us the 30,000 foot view of what

the significance of the name true north

212

is because it's not just, Hey, we want

a trendy name for a youth ministry.

213

There's a, there's a reason behind it.

214

So the biblical basis behind

215

Rod: this is that there are two.

216

Well three, but we're going

to focus on two to North's

217

depending on how you look for it.

218

There's a magnetic north that points

just a few degrees shy of true north.

219

True north is geographical north.

220

So if you were to put a stick through

the center of the United or that not the

221

United States, United States centric.

222

In my mind, you put an access

through the center of the globe.

223

That would be true north.

224

It would put you in the north pole.

225

Uh, magnetic north is a few

degrees shy and it also fluctuates.

226

I found out that magnetic north

actually shifts in it several years.

227

It'll be in Siberia.

228

So magnet magnetic north is not.

229

Reliable in that it shifts, it moves where

true north is always going to be the same.

230

It's always going to be the center cause

it's a geographical spot on the planet

231

and not a shifting magnetic situation.

232

That said, we look at, uh, the scriptures.

233

And the scripture has promised

to be like our church.

234

Our church is a compass Bible churches.

235

So true north really works

nicely with that imagery.

236

Uh, our churches set to say what

we want the Bible to be the thing

237

that directs us and guides us.

238

There's a way that seems right to

a man, but that way leads to death.

239

And if you open up your iPhone, it's

going to lead you to magnetic north.

240

And we think about that.

241

There's a lot of things that pull at

you to say, this is the way to go.

242

This is this I'm magnetically pulled

toward living this gender identity or

243

following this, uh, financial pursuit.

244

But we don't want to be pulled by those.

245

You want to be pulled to true north

where God's word says, go this way.

246

This is the path that

this is the direction.

247

And that's what a have intentions

for, um, for our student ministry.

248

You want us to follow the word

regardless of the fads and

249

the changing seasons we want.

250

God's word to be the thing that guides us.

251

PJ: That's great.

252

And that's awesome.

253

And so needed for that age range.

254

Um, Especially.

255

So that's good.

256

You've undermined my entire

confidence in my compass at.

257

And really, I just, I only looked at

the one in my car every once in a while.

258

Yeah, it tells me what direction I'm

going, but if that's not true north,

259

then I have lost all confidence.

260

Rod: I.

261

I get this though on your iPhone,

you can actually turn on true north.

262

Okay.

263

So I used that as my illustration

last night, as I was closing,

264

I'm like your, your, your phone.

265

If you have an iPhone directs,

you magnetic north, but I think

266

it's time to turn on true north.

267

'

PJ: cause all of a sudden, we're going to be trying to get on the

268

Dallas north tollway and we're

going to end up in Siberia.

269

That's what you're telling me.

270

You're going to go to Russia.

271

Basically.

272

You're going to be under Putin's regime.

273

If you keep following your heart.

274

Well, that's, that'll preach

and that's terrifying.

275

That's totally fine.

276

Okay.

277

Let's jump into our daily

Bible reading for the day.

278

First Kings chapters, three and four.

279

Introducing Solomon.

280

Well, not really, but he, at the beginning

of his reign, at least, and while we often

281

think of, of good things with Solomon.

282

Uh, the beginning of his reign, doesn't

start off the best, uh, right off the bat.

283

First Kings three verse one,

Solomon made a marriage Alliance

284

with Pharaoh king of Egypt.

285

He took Pharaoh's daughter and

brought her to the city of David.

286

Uh, this is not a good thing.

287

This is something that is, is normative.

288

You think about world history.

289

There's been so many times where nations

have struck alliances and marriages

290

have been the glue to those alliances.

291

And you may shrug this off as no big

deal, but this was breaking God's

292

law, God forbid and inner marriage.

293

And so this is not a good thing as

Solomon launches his reign by, by

294

striking an Alliance with Pharaoh.

295

King of Egypt, by the way of all

places of Egypt, any marrow Mary's.

296

His daughter, one of these, these

princesses of Egypt, this is not good.

297

Um, and beyond that, look at

verse two, the people were

298

sacrificing at the high places.

299

A lot of these high places were former

cultic places, places where the Canaanites

300

would have worshiped their gods, that the

Israelites took and, and kind of repurpose

301

for the worship of y'all way against

God's desires against God's direction.

302

Uh, you remember there was supposed

to be centralized to worship.

303

At Gibson before the temple was,

was erected and, and informed.

304

And so the worship of.

305

Of Yahweh at these high places was,

was again, vestiges of cultic religion.

306

So Solomon's reign doesn't start.

307

Great.

308

All that to say in the

first couple of verses here.

309

Yeah, the cracks

310

Rod: in the foundation are interesting.

311

I read a one, a commentary that

suggested in verse two, that the

312

people were sacrificing at high places.

313

They went on to say or suggest that

it was actually to the pagan gods.

314

So they see this unfavorably, not only

that they're being, uh, They're being

315

disobedient to ya'll way by sacrificing at

high places, but they're not even, yeah.

316

Weigh himself.

317

I don't think that's the case

here based on the read here,

318

it seems like it is to him.

319

It's just not the appropriate place,

but you do see cracks in the foundation.

320

One question I have that I don't know that

we can answer with any degree of certainty

321

is where does the Shulamite woman fit in?

322

Because the first marriage

that's noted here is the marriage

323

with the Pharaoh's daughter.

324

Uh, the Shulamite woman

is nowhere to be found.

325

And if you know who I'm talking about,

you know, that song of Solomon has

326

written about this particular young lady.

327

And so commentators are at odds to

say, okay, is, is she just unmentioned?

328

She's the first that he marries

and she's not listed anywhere.

329

That's a possibility as scripture

could have overlooked her.

330

Not because she wasn't significant, but,

but she's not part of this particular

331

element of the story that they're telling.

332

Uh, other alternative ideas

here about song of Solomon.

333

Okay.

334

I'm sure we'll get to in a few

moments or when we get there in

335

the, in the reading anyhow, but

just notice here that the Shulamite

336

woman, a song of Solomon is not here.

337

We see only the first one

mentioned Pharaoh's daughter.

338

PJ: Have you read anywhere that it's been

suggested that it could have been this

339

Abigail who are not Abigail, but, uh,

the, the woman that lay with David Dorsey.

340

Oh, yeah.

341

Abishag.

342

Yeah, I did read that.

343

I am.

344

Rod: Maybe, maybe, I mean, it's.

345

Uh, there's there's little

to work off of, right.

346

For us to say.

347

Yeah, that's for sure.

348

That person it's, it's hard to know.

349

Right?

350

It could

351

PJ: be that if it was her, the

whole situation with, uh, at

352

an Asia earlier asking for her.

353

The assumption could be made.

354

Well, no Solomon took her as his wife.

355

Who knows, which would it be?

356

Rod: I mean that, that kind of.

357

That kind of ask would I

think would be so scandalous.

358

The text would say something.

359

I mean, you would think, right?

360

Yeah.

361

Solomon had courted this girl, and

then he, and then this guy asked, yeah.

362

Did it seem like if the text

would say that, then I would feel

363

like, okay, that makes sense.

364

PJ: Although, that would certainly be

fitting of his response of, you know,

365

what more would you ask, but the kingdom

itself, if you're going to ask for her.

366

Rod: Yeah, I, yeah.

367

That, that response would make

sense in that context, but it

368

makes sense even without it.

369

That was when I was, yes.

370

Yeah, you're right.

371

You're right.

372

PJ: But less do you think, man, solemn is

just on, on the way to two disaster here.

373

Verse three.

374

Uh, the first part and encourages us.

375

Solomon loved the Lord walking in

the statutes of David, his father.

376

And that is.

377

That's a general summary of the

direction of Solomon's heart.

378

At this point, he still loves y'all way.

379

He is devoted to him.

380

And that's going to be a key part of

you always relationship with Solomon.

381

He's going to continue to come back

to Solomon and say, if you walk

382

in and follow after me, the way

that David your father did, then.

383

All of these things will, uh, will

follow after and in come to pass.

384

One verse four, Solomon does go to Gibson.

385

Remember Gideon was the police where,

where sacrifice was supposed to take

386

place prior to the building of the

temple, the centralized location,

387

the greatest of all the high places.

388

As it's described there and he

does worship and he brings these

389

massive burn offering with him.

390

Uh, to, to ignore his reign,

to kick things off there.

391

And then in verses five through 10.

392

Uh, this is one of the more famous

interactions with king Solomon,

393

where you always shows up.

394

And basically it gives them

a blank check and says, ask

395

whatever you would would have.

396

And Solomon wisely asks for

wisdom wisely recognizes his.

397

Uh, his paucity of, of, of wisdom

and, and the, the ineptitude that

398

he ha he has to, to rule the people

on his own being as young as he was.

399

So he asked the Lord for wisdom.

400

God is pleased with that grant some

wisdom, and then also gives him.

401

The riches and the wealth and the

status in, in the honor that he

402

didn't ask for, uh, as a reward for

Solomon's asking the right thing

403

and having the right heart there.

404

And so it's a.

405

Uh, honorable request.

406

It's it's admirable of such a young

ruler as Solomon was at this time.

407

That he should recognize his need

and seek that wisdom from the Lord.

408

One of the cool things here in

409

Rod: verse nine is that when you

read in your Bible, especially

410

if you're using an ESV.

411

It says here, give your servant,

therefore an understanding mind.

412

Um, that's, that's, that's a good

translation, but that's not what it says.

413

That's what somebody says.

414

In fact, what it says is give your

under your servant, your slave.

415

A hearing heart.

416

Uh, hearing heart or listening heart.

417

Uh, and of course the implication

here is the understanding mind, a

418

mind that comprehends and understands.

419

And I think hearing heart

is such rich terminology.

420

It would be a shame to not see that.

421

In fact, I did look up the LSB, you

know, how the LSB translates it.

422

How do they do it?

423

I think they say hearing

heart or listening.

424

One of those two, I forget.

425

And I'm like, oh, I was impressed

by that legacy standard Bible,

426

by the way, the legacy standard.

427

Yeah.

428

That's a, the master seminary guys

produce a legacy standard bus.

429

They say I'm reading air get, so

give your slave a listening heart.

430

That's the terminology.

431

And I think that's

important for two reasons.

432

Number one, the heart served as the

centerpiece of the human's life.

433

It was the thinking reasoning.

434

It was the emoting part of the person that

kind of characterized all that they were.

435

And so what he wants then is a

hearing heart, a hearing disposition

436

before God to hear what God would

say, and then to act upon that.

437

Um, I think a Deuteronomy six, hear O

Israel, the Lord, your God, the Lord

438

is one, you know, the Shema and that's

what the underlined word is here.

439

The Shammah heart, the heart that

hears and responds appropriately.

440

One would call that a wise heart,

which is why that's fine and

441

understanding mine wise, heart, same

idea, but really cool terminology

442

that underlies the English text there.

443

Yup.

444

PJ: In fact, even in that passage,

you shall love the Lord, your

445

God with all your heart, right.

446

Is right after that.

447

That's right.

448

Yeah.

449

So the connection there is,

is, is warranted for sure.

450

Well, God gives Solomon a condition.

451

As I mentioned earlier, that if he would

continue to, to pursue them, the way

452

that David had, which is interesting.

453

Again, we talked about this a

little bit during David's life.

454

David is still held in high regard,

even after his sin with Bathsheba

455

and you're either hit site and you've

got Absalom and you've got Amnon

456

and you've got everything there.

457

David is still a man that is held

up as a paradigm of godliness.

458

And God says to Solomon, if you

will follow me the way that that

459

your father David did, it will go

well for you and you'll live long.

460

And, uh, and you will have

rewards and blessings.

461

And so that, that stipulation is then

given there to Solomon a, which will

462

show up in the book of Proverbs, that

Solomon writes a lot to his sons about

463

the, the long life and the blessings that

come with obedience to the Lord as well.

464

His first test though, of his newly

acquired wisdom is a, is quite

465

the doozy as these two women show

up and they're arguing over whose

466

baby is the one that's still alive.

467

That these two ladies had

two babies and one died.

468

And the one whose baby had died,

stole the living baby and replace

469

the living baby with the dead baby.

470

And the, the real mom woke up and

said, wait a minute, dastardly.

471

This isn't my, my baby.

472

And so you probably have heard the

story, but Solomon says, give me a sword.

473

Let's chop the living one and a half.

474

Each of you take half

and we're good to go.

475

And, uh, the, uh, the one who sent

it died is willing to do that because

476

then they're both out of a child.

477

And so she said, yeah, let's do that.

478

And the true mother says no, and Solomon

has the wisdom to say, okay, now I know

479

who the true mom is and he makes the

right decision and it goes well with them.

480

The people are impressed.

481

And, uh, in, in, in all of the wisdom

that he demonstrated in such a situation,

482

Rod: Yeah, they perceived that the wisdom

of God was w was in him to do justice.

483

And that's exactly what you

want from a leader, a ruler.

484

You want someone who's going to do

the right thing, who has integrity.

485

Who's not playing favorites and

just kind of siding with the one who

486

has the most money or this or that.

487

That's so commendable a Solomon.

488

I remember, I remember when I

read this story for the first

489

time, do you I don't know.

490

I was so impacted by this.

491

I was young.

492

I don't know how young I was, must

have been really young because I

493

was reading this story and I was in

thrawled thinking, what Selma gonna do?

494

What are you going to do?

495

I was, and I was at the edge

of my seat, reading this,

496

reading a section of my Bible.

497

And when I saw what he did, I was amazed.

498

I'm like, this is incredible.

499

A great response.

500

And the wisdom of God in Solomon just

left me stunned and I'm still stunted.

501

I still think it's a brilliant tactic.

502

I mean, it's the wisdom of God

operating in him, of course,

503

but men super impressive.

504

And this is the wisdom of Christ.

505

Someone greater than Solomon is among you.

506

Jesus says he's wiser than Solomon.

507

This kind of rulership.

508

Is not going to be a once every

now and then situation with Christ.

509

There's going to be wisdom that a

bounce in every decision that he

510

makes that will exceed even the

wisest courses of action by Sullivan.

511

PJ: Yep.

512

Well, first Kings chapter four, we

get into a, in the first 19 verses a

513

detailed list of the key figures in

Solomon's administration here, um,

514

verses seven through 19 specifically,

which is the majority of the text.

515

Uh, in this first section here, Solomon

sets up these 12 officials and their

516

task is basically to be tax collectors.

517

He sets them up to go from region

to region and to, uh, to collect

518

the money that would support.

519

Uh, w would essentially

support the king and.

520

And his provisions, his needs,

and this was part of what.

521

Yeah.

522

Under under Samuel, uh, when Samuel

went to the people, when they said we

523

want a king, like the other nations,

Samuel said, Hey, be warned that

524

this is what the king is going to do.

525

And here you have Solomon

fulfilling part of that warning.

526

Yeah, this is really

527

Rod: interesting because I think you're

going to see some of the effects of

528

this, this group of people later on

down the line, when his son Rehoboam.

529

So just to put a pin in that,

not, not yet, but just notice the

530

seeds are being planted for the

inevitable fruit that Rehoboam

531

will not enjoy, but definitely eat.

532

PJ: Yeah.

533

Yeah.

534

Yes.

535

Yeah.

536

Verses 20 through 34, then a

general summary of the greatness

537

of Solomon's wealth and wisdom.

538

Uh, which grew as his

influence and power grew.

539

And the time was marked here

by a time of peace and security

540

in contrast to David's reign.

541

Remember one of the reasons David

was prohibited from building

542

the temple is that he was a man

of war and a man, a bloodshed.

543

In fact, that was.

544

Some of the consequences for your

sin with Bathsheba, the sword

545

will not depart from your house.

546

Uh, Solomon's reign by contrast is

going to be marked by peace and he

547

is not going to be a, a warrior king.

548

He is going to be a king

that rules and reigns.

549

Uh, during a time of, of wealth

and abundance and peace for the

550

nation of Israel, which is why.

551

Uh, when the, the Israelites would

then from this point forward,

552

talk about returning to a time

of, of a great Davidic king.

553

It was, it was Solomon that they

had in mind because his reign

554

was arena peace and prosperity.

555

And so they, uh, they

long to get back to that.

556

A couple of things there.

557

Verse 20, notice the

Abrahamic covenant alert.

558

That's right.

559

Judah and Israel were as

many as the sand by the sea.

560

And there's the promise.

561

Yep.

562

It's not the full fulfillment, but

it is a partial fulfillment there of

563

the blessings of Abraham at covenant.

564

Uh, verse 26 past rod.

565

Did you come across the numbers

here and the discrepancy in

566

the numbers of chariots there?

567

Rod: No, Annie, I did not catch that.

568

I was not looking, man.

569

I should've learned the

first time I wasn't looking.

570

PJ: Yeah.

571

So 40,000 stalls of horses, there's

a, a variant which reads, uh, 4,000.

572

In fact, second Chronicles, 9 25 reads

that he has 4,000 stalls of horses.

573

So 40,004,000.

574

The question is which one is it?

575

Um, it's, it's probably the lesser

number, the Septuagint, which is

576

the Greek translation of the old

Testament, does agree with the second

577

Chronicles reading here in first Kings.

578

They actually take that and they

interpret it as 4,000 rather than 40,000.

579

So.

580

Uh, again, this is another

situation we want to be honest.

581

We want to be transparent.

582

We don't want to try to gloss

over anything, cover anything up.

583

There are variants like this

that you will find in your Bible.

584

We've talked about some other

ones already, as we read

585

through the old Testament.

586

Uh, but there's, there's.

587

Reasons why there's there's explanations,

why that aren't a matter of jumping

588

through all kinds of hoops to try

to make the Bible still be okay.

589

In the end, this could be a copyist

error, a scribal error that could've

590

led to this, uh, that doesn't undermine

anything about the truthfulness.

591

It doesn't undermine anything about

Solomon's wealth, their grand jury

592

might or splendor or anything like that.

593

Uh, this could just simply be a

copyist error where the chronicler

594

has, has it written one way.

595

And the writer of first Kings

has written the other way.

596

It doesn't need to

undermine our faith here.

597

Rod: Yeah.

598

In a day of copy and paste

where you get precisely.

599

Exactly.

600

What's written.

601

I mean, there are times even when I copy

and paste, I'm like, how'd that get there?

602

And there's an extra age or a zero.

603

I'm like, where did that come from?

604

I mean, that happens when we

can precisely copy something.

605

And the day and age when you had to

write hand-write and then look at one

606

and then turn your eyes back to another.

607

Then look at one and turn

your eyes back to another.

608

Well, one can see how easily another zero

can slip in or another repeated character.

609

Right.

610

I don't know if they have the same.

611

No miracle zero that we have, but

you understand how that can happen.

612

This is not something to lose, sleep over.

613

Praise God that we have this,

because now we can say, all right, we

614

understand 40,000 here, 4,000 there.

615

This one's repeated over here.

616

It just makes sense.

617

We could say all right, we can

understand what's supposed to be there.

618

Given what we have here.

619

This wasn't good though.

620

Was it pastor, rod for him to amass

all of these horses now, and this

621

is, this goes back to the cracks in

the foundation of Solomon's reign as

622

greatest Solomon was, he was the best

of men, but he was still a man at best.

623

And he was a flawed one because

this violates exactly what God

624

said should be true with a king.

625

He was supposed to have

his own copy of the law.

626

That was one of the stipulations.

627

And he wasn't to acquire

many women or horses.

628

And in this chapter, The chapters,

speaking of his glory and part of his

629

honor, it's also speaking about the fact

that he is violating the very things

630

that God told him not to do, and would

inevitably lead to the end of his kingdom.

631

Which God promises and he fulfills.

632

PJ: Right.

633

And this is another example, as

we've just talked about this various,

634

this is a positive example of

the trustworthiness of scripture.

635

Because.

636

The the, the flaws.

637

The sins of the heroes are right

there for us to see and read, right.

638

They don't sugar coat this, they don't

make it look, try to make it look like

639

this guy was, was the best of the best.

640

It never had any flaws about him.

641

And so if, if this is

just man writing this.

642

Uh, by ourselves, we're going to

try to make our guys are our heroes.

643

Our leaders look as best as the problem.

644

Right.

645

But some lipstick on that pig.

646

Right, right.

647

Right.

648

Well, the chapter ends in verses

29 through 34 with a summary

649

of Solomon's great wisdom.

650

Um, his wisdom surpass the wisdom

of all the people east and west.

651

In all the people, east of the wisdom

of Egypt, he was wiser than all other

652

men wiser than even Ezra, Ezra height.

653

Did you see that even as rhe?

654

Yeah, we saw.

655

And He-Man.

656

Rod: He man

657

PJ: woman hater.

658

Yep.

659

Calco and DARTA all those guys.

660

Rod: All those famous people.

661

He's wiser than all of them.

662

Well, imagine that thousand

years from today, people coming,

663

oh, LeBron James who write.

664

Who, I don't even know the, the, you know,

the famous Taylor swift who write the

665

Beatles, who Jesus will be remembered.

666

Yeah.

667

And that's what this comes down to.

668

Doesn't it, it points us to the fact

that though these guys were great and

669

Solomon's among the greatest amendment,

whoever lived, it leads us to a

670

yearning to say, I need the true king.

671

I need the true one who

is going to lead us.

672

I need the one who's going to

ultimately put all things right.

673

To lead with justice and wisdom.

674

And.

675

And to make us like a sheep

in Psalm 23, be led into two

676

green pastures and still waters.

677

PJ: Amen.

678

Amen.

679

Well, thanks for joining us for another

episode of the daily Bible podcast, we

680

will be back with you again tomorrow.

681

A lesser office floats away

unless our office floats away.

682

In which case, then we may not do it.

683

Yep.

684

But anyways, you keep bring

your Bibles even without us.

685

That's true.

686

But by.