My wife and I return to an unresolved disagreement whenever a guy in a massive pickup truck roars past us. She holds a peculiar theory that no one really needs such a big truck, but the vehicle merely masks an underlying anxiety about the driver’s masculinity. I disagree, thoughtfully disposed toward the view that the power of the truck reflects the power of the man behind the wheel—and thus I need one.

We usually hold this discussion while parked in our tiny Nissan Leaf between two beefy rigs. This summer she deftly added surging gas prices to her argument, leaving me stymied at the moment. Maybe in 2024 I’ll bring it up again.

Solomon shared my view that bigger is better. After he built a magnificent temple to the Lord, he built an even bigger palace for himself.

The temple was finished in all its details…he spent seven years building it. It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.

The writer places these lines back to back, intending for us to notice the juxtaposition of Solomon’s buildings. The palace took twice as long to build because it was twice as big. A king needs to show his power and Solomon spared no expense.

In these few lines we glimpse the underlying issue that plagued Solomon—his pride. As his reign progressed, he slowly turned from adherence to the ways of the Lord to the pleasures of power and wealth (most famously watching his foreign wives worship the demonic gods of their homelands in the promised land).

Even as Solomon placed his magnificent buildings on solid foundations, he allowed the foundation of his kingdom to crumble. An ego never sated moves ever away from the Lord.

Still, I don’t think this has anything at all to do with big shiny pick-up trucks, so I’m keeping my hopes alive. I’m sure Solomon would have owned a dozen.

1 Kings 6 & 7 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Filip Mroz