The weight
of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not
including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings
of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to
Solomon. 2 Chronicles
9:13-14
The amount
of money that poured into Jerusalem during Solomon’s reign equaled nearly a
trillion dollars by today’s standards.
The nation was so rich that they made shields and footstools out of
gold. Solomon also had incredible wisdom
which drew people from all over to meet him.
This
combination of wealth and wisdom got the attention of other nations who wanted
to meet Solomon, visit Israel and, in the process, meet God. This is what gets the attention of outsiders,
wondering if our faith in God makes a difference.
Now it
sounds like prosperity Gospel, promising riches to all believers. It’s not because the ultimate focus is God’s
presence in the nation of Israel, not God’s blessing. Wisdom and wealth made Israel the talk of the
world.
God made
Solomon rich and smart so other nations would pay attention to God and be drawn
into a relationship with him.