Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? And the period that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. (1 Kings 11:41-43)

A Rest Without Riches

The title of richest person on earth changes quarterly, with net worths soaring into the hundreds of billions of dollars. It is inconceivable for a person to possess such great wealth as the mega-rich to live at a level few can imagine or experience in a lifetime. With all of the news of the super wealthy, jet-setting entrepreneurs filling the news feeds, none can compare to the son of David, who is arguably and will always be the richest man who ever lived.

Solomon inherited a kingdom that was a possession of the Lord. Israel was the apple of God’s eye, protected by the divine hand of a benevolent Father. When Solomon became king, the Lord asked the young king what he desired most. Solomon sought to have an understanding heart to judge the people of God, to discern between good and evil, and to guide the affairs of the nation of the Lord in the paths of righteousness. The saying pleased the Lord because Solomon had not asked for what most men would seek. He did not ask for a long life, great riches, or the lives of his enemies.

The wisdom God gave Solomon was like no other man possessed or would attain. God blessed Solomon with riches and honor like no other king of his day. The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; also ten oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.

Solomon’s wealth was so great his drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the palace. Silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day! The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. Solomon had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years, the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

No one has matched the wealth and wisdom of Solomon, who reigned over Israel for forty years. He is regarded as the wisest of all men, unmatched on every level. Solomon is the gold standard of wealth. Then Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David, his father. He died. Solomon was like the pauper who lived in poverty. Both men were born, and both men died. David and Bathsheba conceived a child, and they named him Solomon. He came into the world with nothing, and he left the world with nothing. The family of the pauper conceived a child and gave him a name. He came into the world with nothing, lived with nothing, and died with nothing.

The greatest lesson about Solomon is not that he was the wisest of all men and attained a level of wealth no one will ever achieve. All men should take to heart that Solomon walked the path that all men walk and then died. Everything he attained was given to his son, Rehoboam, and the kingdom of Israel. Soon after his death, Israel fell into civil war, and the nation was divided. Three hundred forty-five years after the death of Solomon, Jerusalem was burned to the ground, and the Temple was destroyed. And what of the wealth of Solomon? It was all lost to history.

Solomon should remind all men of the frailty of human breath – it is fleeting. All men die regardless of the power, wealth, prestige, honor, or crowns they wear on their heads. Solomon rested with his father, David, because he was only a man. Death is the equalizer of all men. When Solomon died, his only thought was his relationship with God. That is all that will matter when you close your eyes in death. Jesus died to open the way to God. Riches cannot buy your salvation. Obedience and faithful duty are what is required of a man. You will die with what is most important to you, but you will only take what is eternal; and on that decision, eternity depends.