Review Of 1Kings 4

– by Victor Fawole

I welcome everyone to 1st Kings Chapter 4, where we read the details of Solomon’s kingdom and the glory of his reign. We see a picture of order, stability, and abundance. It is the visible manifestation of God’s wisdom. In today’s review, we would learn some lessons on practical leadership, organizational structure, and much more. 

Let us review together…

THE STRUCTURE

1Kgs. 4:1ff So King Solomon was king over all Israel…

This chapter begins with a detailed list of Solomon’s cabinet… the priests, scribes, officers, and twelve district governors. It’s lovely to see the orderliness of his administration. When God gave him wisdom, it was not just for solving disputes. It was also for building a structure that made governance easy for the betterment of everyone.

In verses 2-6, we see the record of Solomon’s key officials. They formed the core leadership team that controlled the affairs of the kingdom, under his direction. I did a little digging into these men, and permit me to say that, from the meanings of their names, it would be safe to say that they were not just random appointees. Their names reveal the spiritual lessons of the kingdom they served, and in fact, they give a foreshadow of the coming millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus is the Greater Solomon (Matt. 12:42). 

AZARIAH: God has helped

His name reminds us that Solomon got to the throne only by God’s help. No government succeeds without the help of God. Even Christ, in His earthly ministry, declared: “The Son can do nothing of Himself…” (John 5:19). And for sure, the coming millennial reign will also rest entirely on the help of God. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isa. 9:6-7).

ELIHOREPH: God of harvest

Under Solomon’s reign, Israel experienced earthly prosperity and spiritual fruitfulness. This is a picture of Christ’s reign, when the earth shall yield her increase, and the nations shall bring their glory into His kingdom (Psa. 67:6, Rev. 21:24).

AHIAH: Brother of Jehovah

Oh, how beautiful this name is! It talks of nearness and dearness. In the same way, the millennial reign will be known for intimate fellowship. God would tabernacle with His people (Rev. 21:3).

JEHOSHAPHAT: God has judged

His name signifies divine justice. As we saw in yesterday’s reading, Solomon’s sense of judgement was superb. Much more, it points to Christ, who will judge the nations in righteousness (Psa. 96:13). The throne of the Son of David is a throne of perfect justice (Rev. 19:11, Isa. 9:6-7, Jer. 23:5-6, Psa. 89:14, John 5:22,30).

BENAIAH: God has built

This is a reminder that the kingdom built by God lasts forever. Solomon built cities and fortified walls, but the true Builder was God. The church today is Christ’s “building”, and in the millennium, He will be seen as the Builder of Zion (Psa. 102:16).

ZADOK: Righteous

Zadok was the priest and his name means righteousness. In Christ’s coming reign, righteousness and worship will reign (Isa. 32:1).

ABIATHAR: My father is great

His name exalts the majesty of God. In Christ’s millennial glory, the greatness of the Father will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Psa. 72:19).

ZABUD: God has given

The wisdom, wealth, and authority that Solomon enjoyed were all given by God. Likewise, we shall be given the privilege and prestige of reigning with Christ (Luke 12:32, Rev. 20:4,6).

AHISHAR: My brother sang

This talks of joy. Under Solomon, there was music in the courts and celebration in the land. Under Christ, worship will fill the nations (Zec. 14:9,16-17).

ADONIRAM: My Lord is exalted

This is a perfect conclusion to this list. In Christ’s reign, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11).

Each official had specific duties and areas of responsibility. Twelve district governors were also appointed to provide food for the king’s household, each for one month of the year. This system ensured that the responsibility was shared across the nation.

THE SPLEDOUR

1Kgs. 4:20-21 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

Under Solomon’s reign, God’s promise to Abraham was visibly fulfilled. Israel multiplied as the sand by the sea. They became a flourishing, populous, and joyful nation. They ate, drank, and rejoiced. There was material prosperity and deep satisfaction. The people lived in safety, abundance, and joy. The statement: “Every man dwelt under his vine and fig tree” is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and personal rest (Mic. 4:4, Zec. 3:10). It signified a time when each family enjoyed the fruit of their labour, without fear or oppression. This was indeed Israel’s “golden age”!

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. (Prov. 29:2) God’s wisdom through Solomon brought order, prosperity, and peace. His throne became a channel of blessing, unlike Saul’s time of tyranny. And much more, under the reign of Jesus, the Church enjoys peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). Just as Israel prospered under Solomon’s wisdom, we thrive under Christ’s lordship. His kingdom brings abundance of grace, the fruit of the Spirit, and rest to every soul under His righteous rule. Whenever the Prince of Peace rules the heart, the result is rest and rejoicing. God’s wisdom always produces shalom, the peace that touches every facet of life.

THE SURPLUS

1Kgs. 4:22-23 Now Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour, sixty kors of meal, ten fatted oxen, twenty oxen from the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl.

The abundance of Solomon’s daily provision is mouthwatering. His household consumed thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal every day. I’d love to give these measurements in today’s scale, so that we can understand the magnitude… 

• 30 kors of fine flour is equivalent to 6,600 litres (4,290 kg), and the meal is double that quantity. In all, this was a daily provision exceeding 19,800 litres (over 5,200 gallons) of grain products alone, not counting meat, wine, oil, or fruits. Based on calculations, we can estimate that the flour supplied would produce about 12,700kg of bread. A standard-size bread in Nigeria today weighs about 500g, and that means the daily supply of flour was enough to feed about 25,400 people per day. 
• As for meat, we have 23 ten fatted oxen, 20 oxen from the pastures, 100 sheep, besides the unnumbered deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl. However, my estimation gave between 15,000 and 20,000 kg of edible meat. A standard meat ration weighs 250g, and that means the meat supplied would feed between 60,000 and 80,000 people per day.

These figures reveal the surplus enjoyed in Solomon’s reign. His wisdom was beyond judging matters. The structure he put in place ensured the proper management of the vast logistics of such an empire. Definitely, there was proper stewardship and order. But beyond the statistics, this is a pointer to the all-sufficiency of Christ’s kingdom. He is the Bread of Life that feeds the world (John 6:35). Israel’s golden age under Solomon is little compared to the coming reign of Christ, when righteousness, peace, and plenty will fill the earth. 

Also, the vastness of Solomon’s daily provision points us to the immeasurable riches of God’s grace available to every believer today. The glory of Solomon’s table foreshadowed the grace and generosity of the Greater Solomon (Jesus Christ), as we are richly fed both in the body and in the soul. Solomon fed thousands with bread every day, but Christ now feeds billions of multitudes with bread from heaven (John 6:51). The king’s storehouses overflowed with food and wine, and for us, the grace of God never runs dry. We not only enjoy daily bread from God, we also enjoy the daily grace that sustains us. In Solomon’s reign, the people ate, drank, and rejoiced. In Christ’s kingdom, we taste and see that the Lord is good (Psa. 34:8)… We eat the bread of the Word, and they become to us a joy and the rejoicing of our hearts (Jer. 15:16). We enjoy abundance without anxiety, satisfaction without scarcity. Our needs are supplied according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

THE SHORTCOMING

1Kgs. 4:26 Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

As we have seen, Solomon’s kingdom was marked by astonishing material wealth and grandeur. But there was a shortcoming: “Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.” A quick one here… 2Chro. 9:25 gives the number as four thousand, not forty thousand. Most scholars agree that this was a copyist error. The ratio of 4,000 stalls for 1,400 chariots is much more reasonable, and well accepted to be the true figure.

However, whether 4,000 or 40,000, the point still remains that Solomon should not have multiplied horses unto himself. Remember that God gave a law in Deut. 17:16 that an Israelite king must not multiply horses unto himself. In fact, let us recall 2Sam. 8:4, when King David reserved horses for only 100 chariots. If we consider the four-horse-per-chariot ratio that was common in those days, that means he kept only 400 horses. David avoided the trap of multiplying horses. Solomon having 1,400 chariots meant that he had at least 5,600 horses. In fact, that figure could be as much as 12,000 horses, considering that he had that number of horsemen.

Practically speaking, maintaining even 4000 stalls required enormous logistics. Each horse needed constant feeding, grooming, and care. From a moral point of view, this accumulation of horses was simply a violation of the boundaries set by God. Solomon justified what God had forbidden under the guise of national strength. So, Solomon multiplied wives and also multiplied horses. Whatever a man multiplies outside _God’s will_ will multiply his troubles. Whatever a man increases without God’s direction will eventually outgrow his control.

THE SAGACITY

1Kgs. 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.

This chapter ended with a fantastic analysis of Solomon’s intellectual capacity. We see the breadth and depth of his wisdom. Notice the following…

1. The SOURCE of His Wisdom:

“And God gave Solomon…”

Solomon’s wisdom was a gift, not an achievement. It did not come through years of study, it came as God’s endowment. He did not learn his way into greatness, God lifted him into it. His understanding was “exceedingly great”. This means that it was both insightful and comprehensive. He had the ability to discern truth in all areas of life. The phrase “largeness of heart” talks about his capacity to understand complex issues without confusion, and to also rule with empathy. This is the secret of all true spiritual leadership. God must enlarge a leader’s heart before He entrusts him with His work. Knowledge informs, but wisdom transforms.

2. The SCOPE of His Wisdom:

“He was wiser than all men…”

Solomon’s fame surpassed the wise men of the East and the philosophers of Egypt. These two regions were globally renowned for learning and science. His wisdom was divinely inspired and practically expressed. He became a fountain of moral instructions for his people. He spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. However, only about 600 proverbs and 3 books (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) were documented for us in the Bible. And yes, these writings are the bedrock of biblical wisdom literature.

It is interesting that the Hebrew word for proverbs (mashal) has an equivalent in the Greek (parabolē), which is the same word used for Jesus’ parables. Just as Solomon taught through proverbs, Christ taught through parables. In fact, when people heard Him, they said: “Where did this man get this wisdom…?” (Matt. 13:54). 

3. The SCIENCE of His Wisdom:

“He spoke of trees… beasts… birds… creeping things… fish.”

Solomon’s intelligence went beyond theology into the natural world. He studied creation even as a sound theologian. Solomon’s study of plants and animals obeyed the order of Genesis 1. He perceived the wisdom entrenched in creation. Although Adam named the creatures, Solomon understood their patterns. The scope of his scientific knowledge covered taxonomy, botany, zoology, ecology, and so on. Permit me to give you 20 examples from his three books:

• He drew wisdom from ants on diligence, foresight, and community (Prov. 6:6-8)
• He referenced the rock badger, locust, spider, and lizard and recognized their tenacity and adaptability (Prov. 30:24-28)
• He perceived the mystery and pattern in animal motions and instincts, using eagle and serpent (Prov. 30:18-19)
• He admired the majesty and confidence in some creatures (Prov. 30:29-31)
• He gave a practical observation of agriculture, productivity, and stewardship using the ox (Prov. 14:4)
• He referenced honey to show his understanding of moderation, sweetness, and natural nourishment (Prov. 24:13, Prov. 25:16, 27)
• He used imagery of trees, roots, and fruits and applied them to moral stability and righteousness (Prov. 12:3, 12; 11:30)
• He likened foolishness to a bird caught in a snare (Prov. 7:23; 27:8)
• He understood the concept of geometrical constructions and mensuration (Prov. 8:27)
• He used weather patterns to symbolize divine favour or human deceit (Prov. 16:15; 25:14; 26:1)
• He had an understanding of geophysical and hydrological cycles (Eccl. 1:4-7)
• He had knowledge of agricultural engineering, ecosystem management, and aesthetic design (Eccl. 2:5-6:)
• He recognized biological continuity, that animals share the breath of life and return to dust (Eccl. 3:18-21)
• He applied fishing behaviour to moral reflection on destiny and sudden judgement (Eccl. 9:12)
• He understood embryology… the mystery of life in the womb (Eccl. 11:5)
• He had a good knowledge of climate, farming, and risk management (Eccl. 11:4-6)
• He had a clear sensory appreciation of creation’s goodness (Eccl. 11:7)
• He used plants, gardens, and spices to explain love, purity, and fruitfulness (Song 2:1-3; 4:12-16; 5:13; 6:2; 7:12)
• He used doves, deer, goats, and sheep as metaphors of beauty and affection (Song 2:9, 14; 4:1-2; 6:5-6)
• He had a good understanding of seasons, migration of birds, and cycles of nature (Song 2:10-13)

Solomon was a polymath. In today’s world, he’d have won the Nobel Prize in all fields of life. He’d be sitting as chair of the world’s leading universities. He’d be producing genius minds at all levels of study. Remember that difficult subject / topic that you hated so much in school? Solomon would have simplified it for you, and you’d have loved it!

Moving on…

4. The SPREAD of His Wisdom:

“Men came from all peoples to hear…”

Solomon’s fame became global. The fame of one man became the fame of an entire nation. Kings, diplomats, and scholars travelled from every nation to hear his words and witness his works. Israel stood as the centre of divine wisdom. Jerusalem became the Academy of Divine Intelligence. Solomon’s court became a global think tank. It became a hub where philosophy met prophecy, nature joined theology, and inspiration married innovation. Royal visitors like the Queen of Sheba journeyed across deserts to verify his intelligence. Merchants and ambassadors brought tributes and gifts in order to gain access to divine insights. Professors came seeking the secrets of prosperity, agriculture, governance, and peace. 

Getting a study visa to Israel was considered a thing of pride. Israel under Solomon became the world’s most prestigious academic destination. People sought beyond knowledge. They came for wisdom. They came to learn God’s mind concerning creation, governance, and morality. Sitting under Solomon’s lectures was a great experience those days.

We may not have enjoyed Solomon’s time, but we should be grateful that God has given us the mind of Christ (1Cor. 2:16). And we should lovingly look forward to the millennial reign of Christ, when the nations shall flow to Zion, saying, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:2-3).

At this point, I’d love to invite you to the forthcoming Gospel of Grace Conference, happening online this very month of November (20th – 23rd). It starts in exactly 2 weeks from now. The theme is Understanding Heaven, with a variety of topics well lined up for our understanding and nourishment. Please do well to share the flyer with your friends and families. Invite them, follow them up, and ensure everyone joins the livestream.

To understand more about more about the Millennial reign of Christ, I recommend that you listen to Pastor Dammy’s sermon titled: Which Heaven Is Next?

God bless you for reading this review.

Thank you for sharing your reflections too.

See you tomorrow, beloveds.

Grace to you, Church!