I don't get it. God was angry at Israel at the end of 2 Samuel so he "incited David" to take a census and then he got angry at David for taking the census and punished the Israelites. I guess I understand the punishing thing, the Israelites already had it coming, but then to blame David for taking the census, I don't get it. I mean David was no angel, but still... It's okay though. God can handle my snarkiness and confusion.
I also don't get Solomon. I get that David spoiled all his little chilluns so much that they pretty much did whatever they wanted: i.e. Absalom, Adonijah. They both made passes for the crown. In the end I kind of picture David as this old withered white haired king, almost completely oblivious (you know like Prince Humperdinck's father in the Princess Bride...), saying, "Okay Solomon, you be king. (Cough, cough, sputter, sputter)" I get that Solomon asks for wisdom, which I'll give him, that was smart. God honored him with that. He didn't ask for selfish things, he could have. Point for Solomon. He avenges his father, a little self-seeking (I mean look how it turned out for the Bushes), but I get that. He mediates between two prostitutes and their live/dead babies (why is that told to children? They leave out the most fun detail: they were prostitutes! Bet they didn't know who the daddy was... I digress). If Solomon was so great and wise, then why was the first wife he married from a foreign country - politically astute, spiritually disastrous. Then he goes and pretty much enslaves his people by building the temple and his palace.
I'm being really negative, but I feel really negative about Solomon. Interesting, I'm okay with David and Cain and the Israelites destroying whole nations, but this one guy has got me all in a tizzy. So that's what I've been struggling with and I just wanted you to know. God still chose Solomon and maybe he was the best out of all the choices. Maybe I dislike him so much because, perhaps we have a lot in common. Solomon was the good ol' boy. He pretty much followed the rules that his father laid out for him. What is more, he followed God, for the most part, except, he worshipped on the high places (and married all those foreign women). See Ch 3 v.3. As good as I am, there's still that part of me that wanders, that abuses, that takes all the wonderful and beneficial gifts God has given me and leads to destruction. I'm sorry God. You loved Solomon and you love me. Help me not to make the same mistakes he did. Help me to realize and live in my life now, that you are the most important thing. May my life reflect that.
On another note, re-reading through the description of the temple, no wonder the other countries pillaged it! That thing was decked out in GOLD!!!!! Whooo wheeeee!
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