And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.
Tadmor in the wilderness was built as a strongly fortified city set at a gateway of commerce on the caravan route from the east. It belonged with Gezer, Beth-horon, Megiddo and other fortified cities in an extensive building program, and with the store cities in Hamath it formed part of great works of outward display. The work was driven by ambition to excel all other nations in power and grandeur, to strengthen political position and gain greater political power, and to glorify self through personal aggrandizement.
Contact with many nations was used for commercial advantage rather than for enlightening them, in a deliberate patterning after the world and competing with it. In that course obedience to every precept of Scripture as the foundation and real power of God's people was lost sight of, and the missionary spirit God had implanted was supplanted by a spirit of commercialism. The luxury, splendor and wanton extravagance squandered vast riches and led to levying a grievous tax on the poor. Engrossed with vanity and with surpassing other nations in outward show, perfection and beauty of character were overlooked, honor and integrity were sold, and rule hardened into despotism. Power and riches thus obtained at the sacrifice of right principles proved a terrible curse.
Tadmor in the wilderness was built as a strongly fortified city set at a gateway of commerce on the caravan route from the east. It belonged with Gezer, Beth-horon, Megiddo and other fortified cities in an extensive building program, and with the store cities in Hamath it formed part of great works of outward display. The work was driven by ambition to excel all other nations in power and grandeur, to strengthen political position and gain greater political power, and to glorify self through personal aggrandizement.
Contact with many nations was used for commercial advantage rather than for enlightening them, in a deliberate patterning after the world and competing with it. In that course obedience to every precept of Scripture as the foundation and real power of God's people was lost sight of, and the missionary spirit God had implanted was supplanted by a spirit of commercialism. The luxury, splendor and wanton extravagance squandered vast riches and led to levying a grievous tax on the poor. Engrossed with vanity and with surpassing other nations in outward show, perfection and beauty of character were overlooked, honor and integrity were sold, and rule hardened into despotism. Power and riches thus obtained at the sacrifice of right principles proved a terrible curse.