Is the biblical King Solomon the “Promised Messiah”?
This is the question the Prophet Jeremiah and fellow compatriots asked and answered 400 years later, right as the first Temple collapsed and Israel’s people entered captivity in the year 586.
This is where we are today.
The Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah in English) translates to “anointed one”, and King David set precedent for the role in 2 Samuel 7. Many anointed ones came and went and failed in sin for one reason or another. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, countless others, they all missed the mark. Now as King David dies, it’s Solomon’s turn to hold the title.
So what makes a definite Messiah? What turns a messiah into the Messiah?
Earlier Bible history lays out some criteria:
Seed of the Mother Eve, given by God to crush rebellious spiritual forces (Genesis 3)
Son of Abraham, the Father of all Semites (Genesis 22)
A mighty king/ruler/leader (the entire ancient world)
From the time God promised Eve a savior to bruise to the serpent’s head; to the time God promised a son to Abraham; to the time of post-conquest when Ancient Near Eastern kings and priests were considered the inheritors, avatars, and mediators of their gods, it’s clear the Israelites were waiting for some kind of Messiah.
There’s also the three covenants that the ancestors made with God, which future generations are grandfathered into. First, the Abrahamic Covenant says trusting God will lead to numerous offspring and land that stretches from Egypt to the Euphrates river (Genesis 15). Second, the Mosaic Covenant says that obedience to God will make Israel a treasured and holy people (Exodus 19), which includes following all the commands, laws, and principles. Finally, the Davidic Covenant says that the kings building the temple and following God with their heart will have God training David’s descendants and establishing David’s throne far into the unseen future (2 Samuel 7, 1 Kings 2).
While there are non-Judahite dynasties appearing throughout the Bible (see 1 Chronicles 1-9) texts like the Jacob Prophecy in Genesis 49 suggest a likely Judahite King to out-claim them all. Scholars like Tim Mackie of BibleProject make mention of this throughout his work. Even reading the Old Testament, there’s clear indication Israelites were looking for a Messiah. Psalm 2 talks of a “son” (that is, inheritor) of God being the one to conquer the nations and free his people from foreign terror.
So when we read about Kings and Priests and genealogies in the Old Testament, we may not grasp their meaning fully. But to the citizens of Solomon, it was clear the kings and priests were all claimants aiming for the main title of “Messiah”, which is really fascinating to ponder.
Now questions arise when reading Solomon’s story in 1 Kings 1-11: can the Davidic promise of Kingship extend past the failures of King David? Can Solomon retrieve all the land promised to Abraham? Can he establish peace and stick to the laws God instructed him to keep?
Part 1: Prematurity of Solomon
As far as we know, Solomon wasn’t prepared for the role of Savior-King. 1 Kings 1-2 shows him in his early twenties, his King-Father David still old, and the question of “good spiritual counseling” being left up in the air. Did David teach him well? Unclear! This is the only period we see them interact. Either way, it’s clear King David disliked the fact he was old, bed-ridden, and about to be replaced. Had he set up a coronation sooner, Solomon wouldn’t need to deal with the eldest Prince Adonijah as a rival.
After Solomon’s coronation in Jerusalem, he made a few questionable judgments: first, the vengeful punishment of the Benjaminite Nobleman Shimei (1 Kings 2); second, his marriage to the Egyptian Princess (1 Kings 3). The former shows a lack of moral focus (even if it did somehow honor his father); the latter shows an ignorance of Torah commands— specifically the prohibition of ties to the Egyptian empire, God’s former enemy (Deuteronomy 17).
Also in question: the lack of tax deputies in Judah (1 Kings 4). Of course, every King taxes his own tribe the least. However, such a discrepancy can be used against him.
In chapter 3, it’s revealed he didn’t take care of the countless idol shrines, which are a great disease before God.
Nevertheless, these items should not be permanent marks on his character. For what Messianic Candidate is perfect? The real question: can Solomon fulfill all three covenants (the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, and the Davidic) and establish peace in the land?
Part 2: Successes of Solomon
Despite the early speed bumps, Solomon quickly proved his expert and cunning. His first known act was to execute and retire the various threats to Order: the usurper Prince Adonijah, the mass-murdering Commander Joab, and the scheming High Priest Abiathar of Northern Israel (1 Kings 2). This public culling of insurgents scared the other bureaucrats into pledged allegiance, guaranteeing their corporate cooperation.
His next act was shepherding his cabinet to target major building goals: the Palace Complex, the Temple of Yahweh, and the nation-state of Israel. Twelve deputies for twelve economic districts, each subduing the tribal heads to the rule of law. The tribes gave him taxation, and in return he gave them an abundance of grains, meats, fortifications, and more (1 Kings 4a). The tribes had more than enough to avoid hunger and warfare.
The administration documented everything: treaties, books, letters. Obscure things like proverbs, animal taxonomy, information on engineering, astronomy, and business (1 Kings 4b). His knowledge and wisdom rivaled the intellectuals and builders of Egypt, the cunning merchants of Arabia, and the great musicians and singers of Israel. He was a renaissance man, and all of his good executive decisions are proof he knew Torah.
After many great accomplishments, the right moment came to build the greatest holy monument and money-maker in the Near East: his Magnum Opus, the Temple of Yahweh. With the aid of King Hiram of Tyre (a major Sidonian city), Solomon retrieved Sidonian hardwood and temple floor plans. In 7 years time, his conscripted men of Israel finished the Temple. After that, they did other projects.
His other buildings improved the quality of governance. The Palace Complex held court sessions one block away from his bedroom. There were cities for military horse stables, store cities, military forts ranging from the far north to deep in the southern desert, great walls, royal houses, Tarshian ships (the finest kind of ship), and much more all over the country and beyond (1 Kings 9). He kept the foreign powers of Aram, Edom, Sidonia, Philistia, and the Eastern Bedouins subdued under the palms of his hand. He became an arms dealer for the entire Near East, expanding his influence from the house of Pharaoh to the Euphrates River. He built ports in the Gulf of Aqaba and sailed outside the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, giving himself trading power in the far south (maybe even to the coast of the Indian Ocean). Before the successful rise of Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires, Solomon rivaled Egypt as a small trading power not unlike modern-day Singapore. Because of all this, Jerusalem became excessively wealthy in gold, silver, bronze, iron, and onyx. The King also kept horses, apes, peacocks, and other exotic animals (1 Kings 10b).
And this is all without mentioning his other great legend: after sacrificing a thousand (aka a bazillion) burnt offerings on Mt. Gibeon, Solomon was met by Yahweh in a dream (1 Kings 3a). God said “ask me for anything, and it’ll be given to you”. Solomon thought for a moment and humbly asked for “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong”. This is a request for great “wisdom” (from the Hebrew hokmah, which means “practical skill and knowledge”), and it’s made in a way that references Genesis 3: when given the choice between choosing the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve confuse the two as the same thing, thereby confusing both right and wrong as both divine. The entire point of the Tree of Knowledge was to prove that there are good and bad consequences to every choice humans make. In this time, Solomon diverts from their original sin by asking for a wise heart that always chooses the Tree of Life, and being able to shepherd the people in doing the same.
Upon hearing Solomon’s praise and humble request, God grants him wisdom as well as riches, honor, long life, and a lifetime of peace in the kingdom. He said “if you walk in obedience to me and guard my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
This moment perfectly models Solomon’s saying “the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1)”, the gospel promise to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6)”, and the epistolic promise “if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault (James 1)”. As great as Solomon’s wisdom was before, just imagine the divine steroids now enhancing it.
After the meeting, Solomon solved an impossible case of two prostitutes arguing over the claim of motherhood (1 Kings 3b). One baby is dead, one baby is alive, and each claims to be the mother of the living while the other is mother of the dead. There are no witnesses, since all prostitutes are disgraced from their families. No one in the inn besides the mothers could distinguish between the two babies. The fathers are not present. There is no DNA evidence to determine the case. It’s an impossible case! The lower courts of Israel could only guess which one of the two bickering women were telling the truth. But how to guess reality? How to not make a regretful decision? The courts each passed the case onto higher and higher courts until even the highest one recognized itself too incompetent to judge and gave the case to Solomon.
Upon watching the two women bicker, witty King Solomon simply decided to pull out a sword and threaten to split the child in half! What? Did all the arguing finally break him?
Upon seeing the sword, one mother screamed “let him be cut in half, it’s only fair!” while the other yelled “no, let HER have the baby!” And Solomon deemed the mother giving the baby up to be the real one. The impossible case was solved! When all Israel heard of this great and cunning act, they venerated Solomon like a rockstar.
Yes! THIS is a learned man! THIS is a worthy candidate for the title of “Messiah”!
While it seems he authorized the practical wisdom of Proverbs 1-22a, legend says he also compiled the romance of Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon) and the solemn prayers of Psalms 72 and 127. Inspired by his great wisdom and wealth, later generations write the existentialism of Ecclesiastes and extra-biblical tales of a magician-king conquering and controlling demons.
It’s been established his influence ranged across the ancient civilized world. With trade in goods and technology comes trade of ideas. So… did Solomon inspire the Axial Age? Did Solomon’s practical wisdom and musings of the good life lead ancient Greece, India, and China to value personal integrity and social reform? Do thinkers such as Aristotle, Buddha, and Confucius – contemporaries of Biblical prophets – all have Solomon to thank for their educational pursuits of truth, justice, and politics? I like to think so. They were all trade partners, and the mystery of their sudden and unified moral progress can’t just be coincidence. Who’s more influential than Solomon?
Solomon dedicated his life and his nation to Yahweh. His pinnacle moment as Israel’s Pastor comes with the dedication of the Temple.
The Temple itself is a reimagining of the Garden of Eden in Genesis: its cedar wood and perfectly hewn stones are painted with palm trees and guardian lions. It’s made of strong cedar wood. The outer court holds the people, the inner court holds the priests, and the Holy of Holy holds the High Priest, the spiritual representative of the nation before God. Only the spiritually and physically clean Levites can approach God’s fire-pure presence and avoid incineration. The Ark, which holds the Ten Commandments (a symbol of God’s Covenant with Israel) stands waiting underneath the guardian cherubim. Instead of leaving the Garden Paradise of God’s presence, the Temple allowed men to re-enter it.
So Solomon in the month of Tishrei (late September to early October), Solomon gives the second greatest speech in the entire Bible (1 Kings 8). Men across all tribes and classes of society are called to put aside their differences, come together, and worship God. After the Ark and Temple are united, the King gets down on his knees and praises God’s goodness while also recognizing how the Temple could never actually contain Him. Then he prays God shepherds the people in all seasons, petitioning Him to always take good care of them despite the fact they will definitely sin and the need for repentance is constant. Finally, he asks God not to judge the entire nation for the sins of the few, to bring justice to the evil men the judges cannot adjudicate, and for God alone to be the one directing and saving Israel's armies.
After this powerful scene, God’s enigmatic cloud appears in the sky, the fire is lit, and the men all sacrifice offerings, worship loudly, and party together for two weeks in celebration of the Dedication, Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (the Feast of Tents). God later told Solomon personally, “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there (1 Kings 9).”
So all these moments in time are signs pointing to Solomon fulfilling Messianic Promise:
Davidic Kingship and the building of the temple (2 Samuel 7)
Abrahamic Land Promise, from Egypt to the Euphrates (Genesis 15)
But what about the Mosaic Covenant? Because despite Solomon’s great knowledge of books like Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the Torah itself has gone…unfulfilled.
Part 3: Degradation of Solomon
Four times God spoke to Solomon. The first, in the dream at Mt. Gibeon, God said “if you walk in obedience to My ways and guard my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” The second, during the Temple building, God repeats this idea through a prophet: “if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and guard all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father (1 Kings 6)”. Years later, the reminder is personally specified again at Mt. Gibeon: “if you walk before Me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your Father David…But if you or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples (1 Kings 9).” He said this after the Dedication, the peak of Solomon’s ministry.
Walk, decrees, laws, and commandment. If Solomon’s walks the path (aka lifestyle) of God’s decrees (aka hogim, or principles), observes God’s laws (aka mishpatim, or judgements) and guard God’s commandments (aka mitzvot, or good behaviors), God will carry out the speech made to David. Solomon did all of that… up to a certain point.
Because while maintaining the new Edenic Paradise inside God’s Kingdom, Solomon also sowed the seeds to his own destruction.
The first bad seed was marriage to foreign women (1 Kings 11a). In order to strengthen trade alliances, he married a countless number of women (maybe even 700) from across the Near East. This led to corrupt and foreign nations and clans gaining influence in the politics of Israel, as well as military power. One way this indirectly manifested was when Solomon gave a Pharaoh-conquered city to foreign pagans outside the covenant (1 Kings 9).
The second bad seed was over-taxation and heavy conscription. Besides the fact no deputy was set up for Judah, the men of Israel were still heavily taxed for all programs and construction projects Solomon set up; as well as for the national army he kept bolstered. Conscription was also heavy: 1/3rd of the year every common man was gone to do heavy forced labor (not technically slavery) taking stones and wood for the Temple of Yahweh and other building projects. Gentiles were also conscripted to heavy labor (maybe for longer periods, despite the fact some of them adopted the same faith upon immigrating). And the Israelites dressing as taskmasters while doing the bidding of Egyptian royals makes for a highly ironic situation that I’m not totally sure they were aware of.
The third and worst seed of all was idolatry. While the Torah condemns idolatry to death, Solomon’s heart compromised for the favor of kings and princesses. It’s recorded his heart hardened, just like the Exodus Pharaoh (his entire lifestyle actually parallels the Exodus Pharaoh).
By allowing idolatry in the land, the blessings of Yahweh went away.
By leading idolatry in the land, the people were shepherded into the dark abyss of the heart. So despite material prosperity, God’s children are now left spiritually starving.
Other bad seeds: his cheap exchange of the 20 cities of Galilee to King Hiram (1 Kings 9); countless amounts of concubines (some say 300); excessive display of wealth; stockpiling of Egyptian horses (advanced weapons of war); and the prideful self-display before the Queen of Sheba.
All this to say, not only did Solomon break the Mosaic Covenant, but he broke the Abrahamic and the Davidic as well. And this led to major consequences.
Now despite being so romanticized in popular culture, the Queen of Sheba episode is actually a major turning point in Solomon’s story. He invites the Queen to join their two respective kingdoms in a marriage alliance. This is important: Sheba is a city in south-western Arabia (modern day Yemen). To Solomon, securing marriage with her means a guaranteed subduction of the civilized world. So the Queen arrives in a powerful entourage and tests Solomon’s greatly famous wisdom as any Near Eastern person would: by asking him impossible riddles. Upon shocking her and solving every single riddle, the Queen blesses God using his formal name Yahweh (1 Kings 10a). But this does not make her a true follower, since all gods were believed real in the ancient world. After Solomon shows her all his riches and the palace and the temple and all his accomplishments, see whom she praises before and after Yahweh:
“She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”
“You, you, you.” It’s all about Solomon. She praises God’s follower and makes God a footnote (a lot like many worship songs sung today). And Solomon accepts this without correction! So the Queen leaves and gives no more praise to Yahweh.
At least the Queen liked Solomon. So then…why didn’t she didn’t return his calls? After coming to Israel in a grand display, she inexplicably disappears back into the desert to worship her pagan moon god, leaving Solomon all alone with only seven hundred wives.
After nearing the end later in life, God spoke one last time with anger: He would keep his part in His bargain with David, but after Death takes Solomon the kingdom would tear in half.
After that prophecy, God took blessings away from Solomon by raising two powerful gangs led by two of Israel’s enemies: Prince Hadad of Edom (the southern desert) and Commander Rezon of Aram (the northern highlands). As the two pirates pillaged and warred, they gained the reigns of their respective regions, forever loosening Solomon’s grip. In the future, no Israelite king regains them. This was precursor to events happening centuries later: the Edomites oppress and mock Israel (Obadiah 1, Isaiah 34, Jeremiah 49, Ezekiel 25, Amos 1) and the Aramaeans do likewise (Isaiah 7, Amos 1, Jeremiah 49, Ezekiel 27) while their language becomes the lingua franca over lands Solomon’s former empire.
After the rebellions, God raised another enemy: Jeroboam, a Northern servant of the King, was promised the crown of the Northern Kingdom. After his own rebellion failed, (which God didn’t permit), Solomon chased him all the way to Egypt where the new Pharaoh Shishak kept him safe (probably out of spite for the ten plagues). Now even mighty Egypt opposed Solomon. And with the weakening of allies and vassal states, his great empire has now collapsed.
Israel was a small nation of nomads that slowly reentered the land and very slowly gained grip on it. With King Saul and King David’s sweat and tears, the twelve tribes unified and slowly gained shape and established brotherly peace between each other. Enemy territories were subdued in warfare. The peak of Israel’s power is seen on full display in 1 Kings chapter 8-10, where Solomon brings wealth, power, and influence to the entire nation. Now, at the end of chapter 11, the allied nations slowly fall from Solomon’s grasp. After Death takes Solomon at the estimated age of sixty-three (in contrast to David’s complete life at age eighty), God uses the built-up resentment Northern Israel has for Solomon to split the United Kingdom of Greater Israel into two lesser ones.
Conclusion
So was King Solomon the Messiah? Definitely not. His name being synonymous with “great wisdom” doesn’t make him upright. Even he knows he failed to follow Torah.
Did he have the chance to be Israel’s “Capital M” Messiah? To be the avatar Yahweh saves the world through? Maybe. Because of man’s fallen nature, we’ll never really know. At least he humbly accepted defeat (it’s hard to say he fell from the faith completely). As centuries passed, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and all the nations slowly took away from Greater Israel all the wealth, forts, stables, all traces of evidence that Solomon even existed until the Temple itself was destroyed. It’s so bad that while all scholars agree his son and his father both existed, they still debate about King Solomon himself! All that’s left is one lower wall of the old palace, the bottom floor of the Temple’s Holy of Holies (now part of the Dome of the Rock), and a single coin that says “Shlomo” with his picture on it that no one can properly date. Even the Book of the Annals of Solomon, the main source for Solomon cited in 1 Kings 11, is still lost to this day. The man who wanted honor and a great name has all but completely washed away from extra-biblical history.
So while the people watch the dragon of Babylon eviscerate the nation and ask “did we miss the Messiah?”, Jeremiah answers by showing how Solomon’s pride and greed were the first domino leading them to them collapsing the temple.
So only by God’s grace did the Temple stand unimpeded for four hundred years.
So what can we learn from all this? Is it too late for the rest of us? Not at all.
First of all, those with great knowledge and cunning should never stop asking God for more. It’s easy for even our wisest leaders to not practice the morals they preach, even to the point of forgetting.
Second, we should note God’s great patience in how He disciplines us. Despite our great sins, He is slow to anger and loyally loving His people.
Third, while a Temple (or person) can be beautiful in its dedication to God on the outside, God will always care more for the hearts of the people on the inside.
Fourth, no matter how wise or powerful a man is, an untransformed heart is anathema to the workings of God’s Spirit. Because even a devout minister, a rich and successful person, can easily forget what true faithfulness before God looks like. Humility and integrity are key to entering and reentering the presence of Yahweh.
Finally, and most importantly, we’re taught not to trust in mere mortal leaders to be perfect. So until the promised Age of Peace arrives, trust in God’s goodness and don’t rush for a utopian ideal.
Now that we’ve reached the end, a new question arises: if Solomon isn’t the Messiah, then who is?