Shields of Gold or Shields of Bronze

As we read 1 Kings 10, we find that Solomon had golden shields created which were symbols of the glory and blessing of God in Israel. God had favored His people so much that they had an abundance of the most precious material substance in the world – gold. Solomon used these as ceremonial shields. They must have been very meaningful to him as he walked through the line of shields into the temple of God.

After Solomon’s death, his son, Rehoboam, became king in Jerusalem. There was no power of God in his life. He did not love the Lord or honor the Lord in his decisions. Under his leadership the glory of the Lord was gone. As a result, God's blessings stopped.

Rehoboam began to substitute bronze shields for the gold ones, pretending everything was alright. For us, those shields of bronze are a symbol of what happens when we try to fake a relationship with God; when we try to do the work of the Lord without His power.