I Kings 4-5

“And 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” (4:25).  Solomon’s reign, the “golden age” of Israel, was a brief period of peace and unity.  God’s people had a hint of the Messiah-King’s rule: security, prosperity, and the absence of war. While Solomon’s reality included ugly things like forced labor (5:13), tribal factions, and pagan royal concubines, the rule of the Messiah would bring true peace and righteousness.

“They ate and drank and were happy” (v20).  Solomon’s reign was momentarily successful but full of human brokenness. Jesus is the only King who won’t fail us and whose Kingdom has no shadows.