The Man Who Had It All

Science always speaks of their search for extraterrestrial life. Millions of dollars are spent on technology to “listen in” for sounds from outer space—or to hopefully see signs compatible with life on other planets. Yet here on planet earth, people everywhere look for meaning to life and few find it. I call it the search for terrestrial life.

We now begin a short series of five studies of people who sought for meaning and fulfillment in life but looked in the wrong places. Like the one man who really did have it all. But “all” couldn’t satisfy. Poor King Solomon. Let’s let him be our teacher and learn what he has to say about life.

“My name is Solomon. That’s ‘King’ Solomon. I’m known as the wisest king that ever lived. Maybe so. But if you knew the misery in my soul during my final years on earth, you would feel sorry for me. You see, my wisdom turned to utter stupidity. I became a rebel to the kindest person in the universe—my Creator. That’s how I really became ‘foolish King Solomon.'

“Things started out great. My father, David, and mother, Bathsheba, loved me. I was destined for the throne, and that’s where God put me. Oh, if only I guarded the Lord as my first love, as He was in those early years. He came to me in a dream and told me to ‘Ask what I shall give you’.  All I wanted was more of Him, so I asked for an understanding mind and a hearing heart so that I would always discern between good and evil in my life and the lives of my people.

“My prayer pleased Him, and from then on it seemed like the very mind of God overpowered my brain. Decisions became easy, and they were always right. The world’s greatest intellectuals came to test me (maybe even to trap me). But how can you out think God? And since He was in control, their ‘hard questions’ were like kindergarten stuff. And I always remembered to give my Creator all the glory.

“Oh, if I only had kept my priorities straight. I was supposed to be God’s servant to all, but I began wanting to be served by all. I knew true power and riches came from my intimacy with Him. But my deceitful heart pushed God aside and I lusted for what the world had to offer—the prestige of houses and chariots and the glitter of gold. Oh, and then there were all those beautiful women. I didn’t choose one. Oh no, I had to have 700 wives and 300 other women reserved only for me! That’s 1,000 women! Why just to spend one night with each one would take three years!

“What an idiot I was! Every warning God ever gave me I just threw back in His face. So I had it all. You can read my own words in Ecclesiastes chapter 2. In fact, let me warn you to pay attention to my words, like God tried to warn me (but I was too foolish to obey). I had all the houses, vineyards, gardens and orchards that I wanted. I snapped my fingers and servants came running. Gold and silver? You would get exhausted even trying to count it. Fact is, look at that verse 10 closely; ‘whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any pleasure’. How is that for ‘having it all’?

“But in running after it all, I left the only One worth it all. I gained the gold and lost my love for God. While the world applauded ‘wise and rich King Solomon’, the reality was God, angels and saints in the heavenly realm were feeling sadness and pity for ‘poor, stupid King Solomon’. I was not exaggerating when I told you ‘I hated life’ and ‘I hated all my labor’, and called it all ‘vanity’—the emptiness, falsity and futility of chasing the wind.

“And in the end? I tried to kill an innocent man, Jeroboam, like Saul had tried to murder my father. And all those women I embraced talked me into embracing their false and fictitious gods. I even built temples for those lifeless gods of wood and stone. Me! Solomon! The man the awesome almighty God chose to build His temple! And I ended up constructing temples for demons!

“I failed the only One worth pleasing—God. I failed as an example to others. But at least God has allowed me to leave you warnings (to resist evil) and promises (of His help and strength as you trust in the Lord with all your heart). Just don’t blow it by leaning on your own understanding. Make the Lord—keep the Lord—your greatest priority and He will direct your paths.

“Did I , Solomon, repent of all my foolish and sinful choices before I died? That is not for you to know at this time. Just learn from three volumes I left you—Proverbs for real wisdom, Ecclesiastes for lasting priorities and my Song of Solomon for maintaining your first love for Him alone. Then you won’t end up like me, having it all but hating it all. Because when you have the Lord, you have all that really matters!”

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras