3/16/2021 – Day 303 – Deuteronomy 7 – 9 – “A Chosen People”
This past week looked at Solomon’s Lamentations. Halley’s Bible Handbook notes in the introduction to this book : “The last chapter of Jeremiah should be read as an introduction to this book. The Setuagint gives this prefix: ‘And it came pass , after Israel was led into captivity and Jerusalem was laid waste, that Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented this lamentation over Jerusalem, and said.”
So, Solomon does offer hope but the grief is overwhelming, particularly when viewed nearing the end of his life and asking what happened to the young King who asked the Lord to give Him wisdom to serve His (as in God’s) people.
So, as I noted in the Lamentations commentary, Solomon violated the command in 7:3 not to marry a spouse outside of the faith. (a foreign spouse) Solomon. But, amongst the reported 700 or so wives of Solomon, I haven’t found mention of one that was grounded in the Jewish faith. Look at the Lord’s warning delivered by Moses in 7:16: “Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the Lord your God delivers over to you, your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.” This is where a read through the Bible over the year in a cross section of seven books in a week is helpful to see the connections. We have recently read of a King of Israel that sacrificed his son in the fire in the horrific practice of his pagan neighbors.
Soli Deo Gloria!