King Solomon did a lot of business, he " imported from / exported to " many countries :
| And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the kings' traders received them from Kue at a price. A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria. [1 King 10:27-29] |
| King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon; and they went to Ophir, and brought from there gold, to the amount of four hundred and twenty talents; and they brought it to King Solomon. [1 King 9:26-28] |
But the King was not happy, he said in Ecclesiastes : " Vanity of vanities, say the Preacher, vanity of vanities ! All is vanity. " [Eccles 1:2]
Abraham was also a rich man, he had plenty of sheep and servants. He may be said to be a millionaire. But he was a happy man, and lived 180 years! Why, because he was humble, he fell with his face onto the ground even before strangers ! and he was careful to do only that was right in the sight of LORD, and he cleaved to and walked humbly with LORD. [Genesis]
Trading is to move the "haves" in a place, to a place that "have not" (The present day Free Trade and globalization enable us to have many things). If Solomon had the heart of Abraham, I think he would be happy, and would not have such sense of "emptiness".
Many people spent a lot of time collecting things. Do you think it is time well-spent ? Do you think that will draw them more near to LORD, or farther and farther away.
Some people may even sell their soul when evil-people threaten to destroy their beloved possessions.
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They have blown the trumpet and made all ready; but none goes to battle, for my wrath is upon all their multitude. The sword is without, pestilence and famine are within; he that is in the field dies by the sword; and him that is in the city famine and pestilence devour. And if any survivors escape, they will be on the mountains, like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one over his iniquity. All hands are feeble, and all knees weak as water. They gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror covers them; shame is upon all faces, and baldness on all their heads. They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing; their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD; they cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity. [Eze 7:14-19] |
Remember Lord Jesus' teachings :
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No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve GOD and money. [Mt 6:24] |
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Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [Mt 6:19-21] |
A young student in USA shot dead many of his school mates, I think, because he wanted to have fame.
Pursue after fame will also make us farther and farther away from LORD, and Jesus' teachings "Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greattest in the kingdom of heaven." [Mt 18:4], "unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." [Mt 18:3], will have no meaning to us.
Again, the pursue of "long life" will also make us farther and farther away from LORD.
Three days before he was crucified, some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." [Luke 13:31]
Jesus replied :
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" .. Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. |
Although Jesus knew that his death would come in 3 days, he continued to work as usual.
I have read about a nurse in Middle East. One day, fighting broke out around the Hospital, and everyone panicked, nurses and hospital staff did not know what to do. But she told them to work as usual : take the temperature , dispense medicine. Calm returned to the hospital. After a few days, the fighting ceased.
Winston Churchill, who had fought many wars and later became Prime Minister, said "Life is nothing but a duty, yet a duty to be faithfully discharged."
Very often, people would hate their oppressors very much, and would bend on taking revenge.
We must not. Hatred will make us lose all reasoning power.
LORD's unseen judicial system, which is administered by angels, is much strict and just than worldly judicial systems.
Remember Jesus' teachings : "Love your enemy, and pray for those who persecute you ... " [Mt 5:44] and also LORD will be just and will recompense the victims, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. " [Mt 5:11-12]