The Love Of Money
The weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold. 1 Kings 10:14. Bible scholars do not agree as to whether this means, annually for many years, or if it means that it happened only one year.
- This seems to be what he got annually of bullion. Clarke's Commentary.
- Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year [probably one particular and exceptional year, probably also the year of the queen’s visit, not year by year]. Pulpit Commentary. We will let that be as it may.
Six hundred threescore and six talents of gold. In numbers, it looks like this, 666.
- Taking the gold shekel at the value of £2, and 3000 shekels in one talent, the sum here spoken of would amount to nearly four millions of our money. This was written in 1886. Cambridge Commentary.
- The weight of gold - was six hundred threescore and six talents - This would amount in our money to £4,683, 675 12s. Clarke's Commentary. (Almost 872,000,000 in today's Canadian dollars).
The correspondence with the number of the Beast (666) (Rev_13:18; cf. Ezr_2:13) is in all probability not altogether accidental. It is possible, i.e; that the number of the beast is a reminiscence of this number of talents. For we may surely see in this statement of Solomon’s prodigious wealth an indication of his worldliness, the turning point, perhaps, in his estrangement from God. "The love of money" may have been the root of all his evil. the Pulpit Commentary.
It must also be remembered that the Hebrews loved to have numbers represent ideas. As we studied previously, number 6 represents evil, and 666 represents evil as wicked as evil can get. So in relating the weight of the gold that Solomon got, perhaps it was not actually literal. The 666 only meant that his love of riches turned him from following Jehovah.
It must also be remembered that the Hebrews loved to have numbers represent ideas. As we studied previously, number 6 represents evil, and 666 represents evil as wicked as evil can get. So in relating the weight of the gold that Solomon got, perhaps it was not actually literal. The 666 only meant that his love of riches turned him from following Jehovah.
And all King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house ... were of pure gold. None were of silver; it (silver) was counted nothing in the days of Solomon. And every man brought his presents, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and clothing and armor, and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year. And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. And he had fourteen hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver like (as plentiful as) stones in Jerusalem. 1 Kings 10:21+25- 27.
Shields of Bronze
After Solomon's death, five years after Rehoboam became king of Judah, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house. He took all. Everything that Solomon had amassed, Pharaoh carried away. There seems to be some justice in this move. When the Israelites left Egypt they asked articles of silver, and articles of gold, and clothing from the Egyptians ... and they plundered the Egyptians. Exodus 12:35-36.
And he carried away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. In place of these King Rehoboam made shields of bronze. 2 Chron. 12:9-10. In this last phrase, there is a simile of what Satan has done to the Christian church.
The church started off with shields of gold but when Greek ideologies and pagan practices infiltrated the Church when the Greek populace became Christians, Satan stole the shields of gold. Since about the 2nd century C.E. the church limped along hoping that traditions would "carry the day". Then, the leaders of the Reformation replaced tradition with shields of bronze in place of the shields of gold. The Church is further ahead than it used to be, but it is still only a facade compared to what Christ had in mind when He endued the Church with victory because of the shields of gold.
Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and ... said ..., So says Jehovah, You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak. And the rulers of Israel and the king humbled themselves.
Can the so-called Christian counties of North America and Europe not do the same? And they said, Jehovah is righteous. And when Jehovah saw that they humbled themselves, the Word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will give them some deliverance. And My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 2 Ch 12:5-7.
If My people (the Christian church), who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chron. 7:14. This Bible verse is straight to the point and needs no other comment, but do take the time to read it a few more times.
And he carried away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. In place of these King Rehoboam made shields of bronze. 2 Chron. 12:9-10. In this last phrase, there is a simile of what Satan has done to the Christian church.
The church started off with shields of gold but when Greek ideologies and pagan practices infiltrated the Church when the Greek populace became Christians, Satan stole the shields of gold. Since about the 2nd century C.E. the church limped along hoping that traditions would "carry the day". Then, the leaders of the Reformation replaced tradition with shields of bronze in place of the shields of gold. The Church is further ahead than it used to be, but it is still only a facade compared to what Christ had in mind when He endued the Church with victory because of the shields of gold.
Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and ... said ..., So says Jehovah, You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak. And the rulers of Israel and the king humbled themselves.
Can the so-called Christian counties of North America and Europe not do the same? And they said, Jehovah is righteous. And when Jehovah saw that they humbled themselves, the Word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will give them some deliverance. And My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 2 Ch 12:5-7.
If My people (the Christian church), who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chron. 7:14. This Bible verse is straight to the point and needs no other comment, but do take the time to read it a few more times.
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers ... and his son Abijam reigned in his place. 1 Kings 14:31.
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