"REACTION PAPER"
Many of us have heard of stories about the legendary wealth of King Solomon, the son
of King David, who became the third King of Israel. Of course, we also remember stories
about King David who killed the giant Goliath when he was just a shepherd boy. To bible
believing Christians, King David and King Solomon are not mythical figures. They are
mentioned in the Bible. They were real kings who lived, ruled, and died in the land of
Israel.
By today’s standards, Solomon was reputed to have a personal fortune in excess of $60
trillion. Much of this came in the form of pure gold. By the end of his sovereignty,
estimations indicated that he owned 500 tons of gold. Modern gold usually comes in the
form of bullion. But King Solomon used a portion of his gold to fashion items such as
shields, cups, and plates.
One wonders where King Solomon got all his riches of fabled gold. Did he buy the
gold? Did he own gold mines? Did other countries give all his riches of gold as gifts or as
tribute or payment as taxes? Did the bulk of the gold that King Solomon had come from
Israel, King Solomon’s own country?
While there is mention of a place called Ophir (which supplied gold to King Solomon) in
the various books of the Old Testament – nowhere in the Bible is there mention of its
location.
Through all these years, there have been many theories/speculations advanced on the
exact location of the fabled King Solomon’s mine of Ophir. Today, there is yet no
conclusive evidence where the lost mine of Ophir is located. No wonder people continue
to speculate, to wonder, and to weave stories about the mystery surrounding the land of
Ophir. Especially because through all these centuries, gold never lost its luster and
value. Because stories of King Solomon’s fabulous wealth, mostly in the form of pure gold,
never die down. Movies and books about King Solomon’s legendary wealth including his
voluminous gold accumulations continue to awe many of us. After all, it is not every day
that we hear of stories of the likes of King Solomon’s Temple built around the mid-10th
century which was bedecked in gold (golden throne, gold foot-stool, golden life-size
replicas of lions forming a guard of honor for King Solomon’s throne, golden shields, golden
cups, golden plates – to cite a few).
Not many of us know that one of the countries being theorized as the mysterious land of
Ophir is our own country – the Philippines.
In another related opinion found in the same internal report as aforementioned: “At the
emergence of the hydrography of Spanish colonies in Asia in the early 17th century,
Dominican Gregorio García wrote that Ophir was indeed located in the Moluccas and the
Philippines. In 1609, Juan de Pineda wrote a diverse collection of literature relating Biblical
accounts of Solomon, Ophir, and the islands. Former Prime Minister Pedro A. Paterno said
in one of his works on conjectural anthropology that Ophir is the Philippines because the
scented wood Solomon received from Ophir also exists in the Islands. This notion was,
however, later dismissed by modern historians as merely alluding and comparing the
Philippines′ position to the Spanish economy with that of Ophir to Solomon′s kingdom—
the sudden discovery and colonization of the Islands bringing wealth and prosperity to the
realm.
“Other evidence has also been pointed out that the Philippines was the Ancient Ophir.”
And Solomon can choose anything - courage, strength, even money or fame. He chooses
an understanding heart. Wisdom, so he can make good decisions for his people. And God is
so pleased with Solomon's choice that He gives him every other good gift, too.
Solomon is known for being the king of Israel who built the first Temple in Jerusalem. He
was also the second (after his father, David) and last king of a unified Israel, which was at
the height of its power during his reign. He is known for stories told in the Bible about his
wisdom.