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Haftarah Mikkeitz

“Leadership Dreams”

1 Kings 3:15-4:1

excerpted from TorahScope Haftarah Exhortations

Why is a passage describing King Solomon associated with this week’s Torah portion, Mikkeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17)? One distinct possibility is that “the Hebrew verb used to open this passage (va-yiykatz) is the same one used to describe Pharaoh’s awakening from a dream at the outset of the parashah (Gen. 41:4)” (Nahum M. Sarna, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary).[1] Our selected passage has prompted me to considerable prayer, reflection, and examination—specifically because when reading, I saw some contrasting differences in the character traits of Joseph in Egypt, and King Solomon of Israel. Even though God had providentially chosen them for leadership responsibilities in their respective generations, their approaches toward Him were not the same, but rather, distinctively dissimilar. While the righteous Joseph became a Messiah-like figure, directly responsible as viceroy of Egypt for saving his extended family, the eventually-debauched King Solomon was directly responsible for the division of Israel into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, and subsequent judgments.

The fact that dreams, or the interpretation of dreams, played pivotal roles in both Joseph’s and Solomon’s ascension to leadership, is something for us to seriously consider. Much later, after both of these men, the Prophet Daniel proclaimed how God is ultimately responsible for placing people in positions of leadership:

“Daniel answered, ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him’” (Daniel 2:20-22, WMB).

Knowing that God places people in positions of leadership, and that dreams have been used down through the centuries as a means to move the hearts of kings and decision makers, many questions arose in my spirit. These concerned not only the accounts in the Bible, but also leadership changes and transitions I have witnessed (and we may witness in the future) here in the United States, and also in Israel (2008). Making connections between the Biblical past and today’s present can be exciting—but it is only useful if we are able to properly consider the record as preserved in Holy Scripture first.

One of the many blessings of studying the Torah and Haftarah selections on a consistent basis, is the fact that you are often confronted with the humbling realization that your recollection of different passages in the Bible is either incomplete or possibly forgotten. This week, as I re-read 1 Kings 3:15-4:1, I saw how Solomon’s choice of wisdom to rule Israel was not a conscious waking thought, but rather something he related to others upon rising from a dream. For years when contemplating the choosing of Solomon, I was under the mistaken impression that Solomon’s decision to choose wisdom over long life, riches, and power was a conscious request. However, the record from 1 Kings stated how Solomon received all of these gifts from above, in a dream after offering sacrifices at Gibeon, just before returning to Jerusalem:

“The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar…God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you. I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days. If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.’ Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants” (1 Kings 3:4, 11-15, WMB).

Having previously overlooked when and how Solomon’s request for wisdom took place, made me dig deeper into the relationship between dreams and leadership—especially in light of youthful Joseph’s obviously recognized gift for interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh. Clearly in Genesis, where others testified of Joseph’s proven ability to interpret dreams, Joseph gave all credit for his ability to interpret dreams to the God he served:

“‘There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. He interpreted to each man according to his dream. As he interpreted to us, so it was. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.’ Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’ Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace’” (Genesis 41:12-16, WMB).

In a somewhat like manner, the young King Solomon—having just been anointed as King David’s heir—recognized that his dream was from the Holy One of Israel, because his expansive explanation about the dream took place after he woke up in Gibeon (1 Kings 3:15). Solomon wanted his entourage to know that God had come to him in a night vision and given him a choice. Solomon repeated what he asked of God,

“Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9, WMB).

King Solomon obviously recognized the awesome responsibility which he had as heir to David’s throne. His desire, at this early juncture in his reign, was to seek the wisdom necessary to rule effectively. His request appears to be quite sincere.

Yet, when we take a look at the context of what had transpired prior to the dream, we see that King Solomon was well on his way to disregarding the ways, statutes, and commandments of God, in which his father David sought to walk. In fact, it is recorded that prior to the dream, King Solomon had just formed an alliance with Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. He had also just completed a major sacrifice of a thousand offerings at pagan high places around Gibeon. Take important note that sacrificing and burning incense at pagan high places, was contrary to the prescribed ways of the Lord as followed by his father King David:

“Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into David’s city until he had finished building his own house, the LORD’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem. However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name. Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask for what I should give you’” (1 Kings 3:1-5, WMB).

Gibeon was the traditional stronghold of the House of Saul. Before all the sacrificial altars were ultimately moved to Jerusalem after the construction of Solomon’s Temple, these ceremonial sacrifices, at this particular time, could have been part of consolidating allegiances to the chosen heir of David’s kingdom. Historically speaking, we need to remember how relationships among the various factions after the death of David were fragile. The graves of rebellious Adonijah, traitorous and treacherous Joab, and curse-hurling Shimei, were still fresh from justified executions (1 Kings 2).

It is providential that right after the declarations about his dream were made, Solomon returned to Jerusalem to stand before the previously relocated Ark of the Covenant, in order to offer up more burnt and peace offerings at a feast with his servants. The text does not state that the famous judgment of the two harlots, which dominates our Haftarah reading (1 Kings 4:16-27), took place at this specific feast. However, it is obvious that Solomon was back in the king’s court in Jerusalem, when his God-given wisdom to discern justice was exercised, and most importantly, recognized by all Israel. King Solomon’s leadership position was being solidified.

Confirmation that King Solomon had received God’s wisdom to rule over Israel, came in relatively short order. He recognized and/or appointed his priests, his cabinet of secretaries, advisers, and various officials, over the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The ability to wisely establish order after the succession of power was critical, to help organize and ultimately finance many of the projects of his peaceful reign (1 Kings 4).

Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams quickly resulted in him being granted a high position in Egypt as viceroy. This served as confirmation how Pharaoh actually believed in Joseph’s interpretations. In a dramatic explanation about how to work through the survival techniques of seven prosperous years followed by seven lean years, Pharaoh was convinced that the Spirit of God was present in Joseph:

“‘The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt’s produce in the seven plenteous years. Let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and store grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. The food will be to supply the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; so that the land will not perish through the famine.’ The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. Pharaoh said to his servants, ‘Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?’ Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house. All my people will be ruled according to your word. Only in the throne I will be greater than you.’ Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt’” (Genesis 41:32-41, WMB).

Pharaoh and his court and servants recognized God’s hand upon Joseph, especially when the next seven years produced abundant crops, before the anticipated famine began to create serious survival challenges in the region.

In both the examples of Joseph and King Solomon, which we are considering this week, the ability of dreams to affect change is seen. Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams elevated him to a position of power, and the revelation of a dream from King Solomon to Israel helped solidify his reign.

Another excellent example you may wish to investigate this week, as dreams are used in relation to leadership, is found in the testimonies of the Prophet Daniel. When contemplating Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh, declaring that he was receiving the interpretation from the Almighty, a much more obvious comparison of somewhat similar circumstances came to my mind. While Solomon received a dream, would not the Prophet Daniel—as he faithfully interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar—be a better example to consider? After all, the life experiences of Joseph and Daniel are fairly similar. Daniel, a captured Jew in the courts of Babylon, was very much like Joseph. Both Joseph and Daniel were removed from their domiciles, by being forcefully taken against their will to foreign countries. However, both maintained an allegiance to the God of Israel, and accordingly, He orchestrated events so that they would eventually be close to the ruling monarch.

When the local magicians and wise men were totally baffled by Nebuchadnezzar’s request to not only interpret his dream, but actually told Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was (Daniel 2:1-13), they were in danger of losing their lives. The various soothsayers concluded that such a request was impossible to fulfill, and that only “there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” (Daniel 2:11, WMB), could know the actual dream. However, faithful Daniel, aided by the solicited prayers of his companions, appealed to his God for assistance.

Ironically, the Prophet Daniel—even more so than Joseph—first supernaturally received knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and then had the understanding of what the dream meant (Daniel 2:14-45). Correspondingly, we see King Nebuchadnezzar elevating Daniel to a high position within his kingdom (Daniel 2:48).

Within the Biblical record, we find substantial examples of how God has used dreams and/or the interpretation of dreams, to establish or guide the leadership of nations. What does this mean to you today, given the inevitable nature of how political regimes change, and that new kings and queens, prime ministers, and presidents will come to power given a little time? When I think about it, it gives me great comfort in knowing that our Sovereign God is still—and will forever be—in absolute control of who He places in leadership positions throughout the world. I do not fear the selections He makes, but simply pray that I am instead in the right position He has predetermined for me!