September 14 – Solomon

September 14 – Solomon
2 Samuel 12:24

You know the story of David and Bathsheba … well, at least the first part of the story. He became enamored of a beautiful woman he saw bathing one evening while walking along the roof of his palace. He sent for her, even knowing she was the wife of one of his soldiers. His heart was so screwed up that he finally arranged for Uriah to be placed at the front of a battle, knowing he would be killed.  After Bathsheba’s time of mourning for her husband was over, David sent for her again, married her and they then had a son.

Nathan the prophet, heard from the Lord and confronted David with his sin, telling him that the son he had with Bathsheba would die.  David pleaded, fasted and wept before the Lord, begging for his son’s life, but to no avail.  When the child finally died, after being sick for seven days, David got up, changed his clothes and went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. When he got home, the servants finally got up the courage to ask him why he had fasted and wept while the child was alive, but now that the child was gone, life went back to normal.

Well, David knew what we all know.  The Lord could have answered his prayers at any time while the child was alive, but after he had died, there was nothing more that could be done other than move on.  Nothing David did at that point would bring him back to life. (2 Samuel 12:22-2)

Then, David comforted his wife and they conceived another son.  David and Bathsheba name the child Solomon.  Scriptures say that the Lord loved him and because He loved the child, Nathan heard from the Lord that he was to be named Jedidiah, which means ‘loved by the Lord.’ (2 Samuel 12:25)

This is the only place in scripture that name ever used. The Word Biblical Commentary says that many OT Kings had two names, one a private name and the other a name used while they were on the throne. It seems strange that the name Jedidiah is never used again in scripture, with the importance that is attached to the meaning of the name.

Solomon grew up to be the most successful of all Israel’s kings, building the first and most glorious temple to the Name of the Lord.