God has no problem with wealth.
Did you notice that as you read through today's chapter? Whoa! God certainly has no problem with wealth! I was amazed by the fact that Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. Who needs 12,000 horses?! And this was just in addition to his palace and all the other things he acquired over the years as his fame spread far and wide. In the description of Solomon's palace, the Bible says "nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom." (vs 20) Solomon was, by far, the richest man in the world—probably in the history of the world!
But it was this little tidbit that was my favorite from the whole chapter: "All of King Solomon's drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon's day!" (vs 21) Wow. Can you imagine silver in such abundance that it's considered worthless? Nowadays, silver sells for around $15 an ounce, but in Solomon's day, finding a chunk of pure silver on the side of the road was apparently like finding a penny today. You ignore it and keep walking.
It is no surprise that God lavished this kind of wealth on Solomon. After all, have you read the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21? The gates are made out of pearls, the walls are made out of layers and layers of gems, and gold is pavement! Obviously, there will be such wealth and riches in heaven that everything we currently consider "precious" will be more abundant than we can imagine.
So, if God doesn't have a problem with wealth, why did Jesus warn people about the dangers of riches? It's not wealth that's the problem, but it's how our warped, sinful hearts and minds relate to it at times. If we start to value all of those things over God and people (which, unfortunately, is probably what eventually happened with Solomon), then we will get ourselves into a lot of trouble. (Incidentally, many "poor" people also have a problem with wealth—if they are constantly obsessed with how to get it!) God wants us to know that riches are no big deal for Him. He can lavish wealth on us anytime, anyplace.
He wants us to desire the things most worth having: a pure heart, a forgiving spirit, and a wise mind. Then, He said, all these other things will also be given to you. So, if you have great wealth, rejoice and share what you have with others! And if you don't have money or things in abundance, then... rejoice and share what you have with others! Our God has the wealth-laden storehouses of heaven at His disposal, and He has no problem opening the floodgates!
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