The Man Who Had Everything
05-03-02

Every high school had at least one. You know – the young man who had everything. He drove a really nice car while the rest of us drove old junkers. He had the latest in designer clothes while the rest of us wore the local discount store brand. He had the good looks while everyone else was fighting acne. Though he never carried a book home, he was an honor student while we struggled just to pass. He usually dated the prettiest and most popular girl in school, while the rest of us tried to drum up the courage to ask any girl for a date. He was the guy who had everything.

The Bible speaks of a man who we would think had everything. That man was King Solomon of Israel. When it came to wealth, he was the Bill Gates of his time. Just in taxes he received $240 million a year, in addition there was the revenue from traveling merchants, and tribute from kings and governors (1 Kings 10:14,15). His throne was of ivory overlaid with pure gold. He drank out of gold cups. Gold was so plentiful in his palace that silver had no value and became "as common in Jerusalem as stones," (1 Kings 10:37). He had fourteen hundred chariots and four thousand stalls for horses. Solomon was wiser than any other person of his day. His wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. He spoke three thousand proverbs and wrote over one thousand songs. He was also an accomplished scientist for he spoke of trees, animals, birds, creeping things, and fish, (1 Kings 4:29-34). And women! Solomon had the finest the world had to offer. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. He was even given the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh as a wife. This was something which was extremely rare and almost unheard of before Solomon. Solomon had it all, riches, wisdom, and women.

For many of us the idea of having more is the solution to all our problems. If only I had more money, I could. . . . If only I was a little smarter or had more education I could. . . . If only I was dating or married to this type of women I could. . . . The list could go on and on. In later years Solomon would write about his wealth, "Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). He would say of his wisdom, "The wise man's eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all. So I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, ‘This also is vanity. For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!’" (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16). Solomon finally realized that wealth, fame, and wisdom are not what is truly important. He would write, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Too often we see others and become somewhat envious of their wealth or fame, but wealth can be lost and fame is fleeting. What truly is important and lasting is our relationship with God. If we have that we have everything.