1 Kings 10:27 (MSG)
The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.
From this verse we know a few things: silver are considered worthless during that period of time. Expensive things like cedar are available everywhere and in abundance – so much that they are not worth much anymore. People started using gold instead. Imagine paying for everything using gold bars! An event that probably will never happen again - the price of everything fell and the wealth of everyone increases. There is great prosperity!
So what happened? What led prosperity of this magnitude into Israel? For this we’ll have to go back into 2 Samuel to look into the later life of King David, who first had a desire.
2 Samuel 7:1-7 (MSG)
Before long, the king made himself at home and God gave him peace from all his enemies. Then one day King David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look at this: Here I am, comfortable in a luxurious house of cedar, and the Chest of God sits in a plain tent."
Nathan told the king, "Whatever is on your heart, go and do it. God is with you."
But that night, the word of God came to Nathan saying, "Go and tell my servant David: This is God's word on the matter: You're going to build a 'house' for me to live in? Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I've moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'
David had love for God so deep that he cared for even His dwelling place. He cannot bear to see himself living in a nice big house yet God live in a common tent. God didn’t ask him to have a house built for Him, but David himself conceived this idea. David desired to build God something that He didn’t ask because He already has a dwelling place. He wants his God to be glorified and celebrated with a great sanctuary.
Later we read in the story that God didn’t allow him to build it. However, David loves God so much that he wants to participate in the funding of His house! We can see this in 2 Samuel 8 where he started collecting things to give to the building of His sanctuary. God gave him the ability to loot all his enemies to give to the construction of His sanctuary even though God had given him rest from war 1 chapter before this.
And when David is leaving earth, he commanded Solomon to keep his ways right with God, just as he had. In a way, Solomon is David’s disciple. And in a way, David passed on his anointing unto Solomon; together with it is the desire to build God a great temple.
The temple was finished in 1 Kings 7:51. When it was done, 1 Kings 10 came. And in 1 Kings 10, we see the abundance and prosperity God brought into the land.
1 Kings 10:21 (MSG)
King Solomon's chalices and tankards were made of gold and all the dinnerware and serving utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold—nothing was made of silver; silver was considered common and cheap.
1 Kings 10:27 (MSG)
The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills.
So what is the source of this great abundance in the land? It is a desire to build God a great house to glorify His name! If David didn’t want to build God a sanctuary, nothing of these would have happened! Isn’t it true that in the bible God said that when we build His house, He’ll build our house and heal our land! But having a desire is not enough. Having a desire just show you have a desire. David’s participation in the building fund ensured his disciple is able to do David’s desire. Can you imagine if David were to give all that he had away and left Solomon with nothing to start with? He is going to be very discouraged! It’s an enormous feat, judging by the materials and time needed to build His sanctuary. Thus without your giving, there will not be mission trips to various places to help the churches there, there will not be relief effort by the church to the disaster areas.
No matter how much you're giving, God is able to use it and do great things for your generation. Amen!
