Solomon built and organized Israel into a nation that could take your breath away. He created 500 golden shields to be carried by his elite body guards. By toady's standards those shields were worth a total of $136,640,000. That is a lot of money to spend on shields that only had decorative value. They would not stand up in battle. But even that fact says something about Solomon - He was not trusting in the shields of his bodyguards. His trust was in God. It is true that later in his life he would turn from God, but at this point God had blessed him and Solomon had completely humbled himself before Yahweh.
Picture Solomon on the horizon with his 500 body guards carrying 500 golden shields. The site would be spectacular as the sun blazes in reflection off the gold. I believe God intended a message to be seen in those shields. He was saying, My presence is with this nation, my provision is with this nation, and my protection is with this nation.
Years later when Solomon's son Rehoboam was on the throne the King of Egypt attacked because Rehoboam and the nation of Israel had once again gone after false foreign gods in worship. The king of Egypt took everything, including the golden shields. Rehoboam decided to make new shields in place of the stolen ones. But he doesn't use gold, they no longer have gold. He uses bronze instead.
There is a powerful message in his choice of bronze for his bodyguard's shields. Bronze is shinny like gold but it is not God. Rehoboam was pretending - acting like nothing had changed. The truth was that everything had change. They no longer had the presence, provision, or the protection that the gold shields represented.
Even though both metals are shinny, there is a huge difference between gold and bronze.
There is a difference in value. One large gold shield is today valued at $448,000. One large bronze shield's value would be $80. The provision was gone.
The weight was different. Gold weighs twice the weight of bronze. Every time a guard picked up one of those bronze shields he knew things were different. The guards didn't march with the same energy in their step because they knew things were not the same. They knew they were just pretending.
Maintenance was different. The gold shields needed almost no human maintenance. The bronze shields needed constant rubbing to keep the tarnish off and the shine on.
Coin collectors have a little trick to tell the difference between a gold coin and a bronze coin. Rub the coin between your finger until it gets warm and then smell your fingers. With gold there is no odor because the metal is pure, with bronze there is a stink.
Rehoboam's bronze shields were covered with human stink. Their was a constant need for the work and effort of man to keep the shine, rather than gold that just remains shinny because it is pure.
Bronze, brass, and even copper are metals that look like gold but are just pretending. Rehoboam was pretending that the presence, provision, and protection that were there under his father Solomon were still upon his kingdom.
Much of the church is pretending to walk in gold, but in reality they have created bronze shields and try not to notice the human stink of constant man centered polishing. We have exchanged the gold for the bronze when we call a good feeling at church the presence of God instead of seeking Him for a visitation that will forever change us.
We have exchange gold for bronze when we are satisfied with a provision that does not include a realization of all the promises of God including His promise to heal broken bodies. Why have we created doctrines that explain why God doesn't do what His book says He will do? Is it because we are satisfied with a bronze shine and are afraid of the devotion and humility required to produce gold?
We've exchanged gold for bronze in the area of protection. Many Christians live in fear of the enemy and life in general. Josephus and Historian from the first century says this of king Rehoboam, “ instead of warlike expeditions he reigned in great quietness”. This describes many Christians who carry bronze shields. I don't want any trouble is their life's motto. They do little and risk nothing because they are not sure God is there to catch them.
Solomon's Gold shields were an indicator of where he had placed his faith. A gold shield will not stand up in battle. Gold is soft and will not defend well. Solomon wasn't depending on those shields for his defence - he was dependant on the protection of God.
Rehoboam on the other hand had different thoughts. Bronze would hold up in battle. He didn't see his bronze shields as a symbol of God's protection. No he knew that was gone - so he had to protect himself. Human protection. Human shine.
Solomon's shields of gold came through his humility before God and asking for God's wisdom and help to lead the nation of Israel. Through humility the presence, provision, and protection of God came.
Rehoboam's shields of bronze came through pride, sin, and rejection of God. The presence, provision, and protection of God were removed and replaced with a cheap imitation.
Has the church allowed the devil to steal from us and then convince us that all is OK? Where is the presence that takes your breathe away? Where is the provision that fulfills all of what has been promised in holy scripture? Where is the protection of God that causes Christians to be the most confident people on earth because they are trusting in the God of the universe to watch over them not man - made substitutes?
Our shields are shinny - but are they gold?
awesome word pastor, fuuny how i was thinking on this very topic to speak on, and as i was looking for info on the different qualities between bronze and gold your blog came up. may i use some of your info on here to share with others? (of course i will give credit where credit is due)
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