Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

The period that stands out as a time of peace for Israel is Solomon's years as king. His father David was denied the privilege of building the temple for the Lord because he had blood on his hands from the many wars in which he'd been involved. He was told, "You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth." Then God told David this: "Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever (see 1 Chronicles 22:8-10). (I think it's only natural for a Father to name His son. So Jehovah gave Solomon his name, which means 'a man of peace.')

The same story of peace on every side for Solomon and the kingdom is told in 1 Kings 5. Solomon told Hiram king of Tyre, "the Lord has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune" (vs 4). It's said again in verse 18. First Kings 4:25 says, 'Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.'

'Under his vine and under his fig tree' is a colloquialism that means they were 'resting in the shade,' or as the rock group The Eagles put it, they were "taking it easy." Today we like to say, 'No worries.'

Yes, there was a time of total shalom in Israel; it was when the king of Israel had the name that means peace. His name was Solomon. He was named by God. He was the son of the king David.

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