1st Kings 10:1-29 GOING FARTHER AWAY When the queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, likely she came as one leader of a country to another more or less as a competitor in extravagant living and abundance of wealth and prestige. When we hear of people who seem larger than life, we are consciously skeptical and a part of us wants to put them down or at least pare them down to our size. The wealth of the queen of Sheba and of Hiram king of Tyre was such that extravagant gifts of gold, huge amounts of exotic spices and precious stones did not make all that much difference to either of them.
However, when the queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem and saw all that Solomon had, she was greatly impressed. Then when she saw beyond the physical things and observed his servants and the way they attended to him; she was further amazed. When he answered all the questions she had with God-given wisdom and put all of what she saw and heard together, she said, "The half was not told me."
Many people have questions to which they want answers, but they often already have an opinion or the answer they want, and ask a question so they can say, "He (or she) said that," in order to deflect criticism from themselves. Others ask "loaded" questions rather than sincere ones to confuse and find fault instead of wanting a true answer. It is important for us to seek discernment when we are questioned, and make sure our answers do not conflict in any way with God's will.
Other leaders came to see Solomon and get his advice as his fame spread throughout the Middle Eastern nations. Solomon's desire for wisdom was good. The promise from God of riches and honor came to pass and Israel became an important nation under Solomon's leadership. But the way he used the riches he was given was for his own benefit rather than for the benefit of Israel. Much of what he got was through taxation on the people and was used to increase his own wealth and prosperity. Wealth and prosperity was seen in Old Testament times as evidence of God's blessing. People thought of them as a sign they were living right and doing right.
Unfortunately, some of God's people think the same today when in reality suffering and adversity are evidence of godly living according to the scripture. Our "treasures" are not to be here on earth but we are to lay them up in heaven. When God is guiding and controlling our lives is when we are living right. Wealth does not mean we are living right nor does poverty mean we are living wrong. It is the "Lord [who] gives and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Of all the blessings God has given us, the gift of eternal life and salvation from sin and for heaven is of greatest worth. Our Gracious Father has "freely given us all things."
Apparently, Solomon got used to extravagant living with all his riches and honor that came from God. "If riches increase, set not thy heart upon them." He got used to dealing with paganism and got on friendly terms with pagan worshippers. Consequently, he lost his perspective on who he was and on the people of God over whom was to rule in wisdom. He lost his understanding of why God had given him all of his prosperity. Strangers and dignitaries were greatly impressed with his wisdom and honor, but he compromised and violated the written commandments of God regarding being a king.
An Israeli king was not to acquire horses for himself or for the people lest they go back to Egypt. They were not to go there for any reason. He was not to take many wives because he would be led astray by them emotionally and would turn away from the Lord. He was not to accumulate gold and silver in large amounts. He was to personally take the time to write down the words of the law himself so it would be impressed on his mind and he would then act according to the law. He was to take time to read the law every day so that he would recognize he was under divine authority as a servant [De.17].
Solomon ignored all of these commands of God and did exactly what the Lord had warned the people about when they wanted a king. He conscripted people to serve him and he taxed them to get more for himself [1Sam.8.] With all of his accumulated wealth and extravagant spending, Solomon never seemed satisfied. He "exceeded all" other leaders of his day in commerce, wisdom, power and wealth.
Fame and fortune have a way of claiming a person's time, talents, mind and ambition. When that happens our relationship with people is in danger of becoming equal in importance or even more important than our relationship with our Lord. The queen of Sheba recognized Solomon's wisdom and his God were connected. Even though she said appropriate words of praise about God, there is no evidence she was personally interested in Him. It is not uncommon for people to use the right words to say the right things because they want to please us. But conformity is not reality. People may recognize God as being real but have no interest in surrendering their will and lives to Him.
There comes a time when one who started out well with the Lord and prospered in the secular world, has to choose who they will serve. Solomon made the choice to go as far as he could in the world system and was successful in that pursuit. However, the consequences of that choice have affected Israel to this day. The principles of sowing and reaping still apply. When we sow, we reap. We reap what we sow. We reap more than we sow. This is true for both good and bad.
Those who live extravagant lives and are always seeking more things to satisfy the "natural man" or "carnal man" will never find true satisfaction in spite of all they possess. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth." Satisfied living comes only when we are wanting and willing to be guided by our Lord.
1Kings.10:24. “And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.”
IN HIS HEART. It is not an accident, no aberration of nature, no strange mixture of the genes that made this man Solomon so wise. God had put it in his heart. He was a man, like me, not some angel in human form; he had his tensions and studies and family, he was wise because God had put it in his heart. His inclinations, his occupation, his preoccupations were like any other young boy his age, but now so different and wise- God had put it in his heart. But why him, not the first born, or the best looking of the brothers; why this child whose origins are tainted with scandal; God had put it in his heart. True, he was to be king, and king he became, but lots of kings come and go without this man’s wisdom and wealth and fame – God had put it in his heart. What is the secret to being such a repository of wisdom that all must say, “It’s not ordinary wisdom; It is beyond ‘smart.’ “ God had put it in his heart. The answer is simple; it came at night; it’s the result of a choice God gave him, “Ask what I shall give thee.” He asked, God had put it in his heart. What did he ask that led to such astounding results the world has never stopped talking about it? It’s not complicated; God had put it in his heart. Even in the dead of night, he knew his limitations; he knew their expectations; he knew he needed what he did not have. God had put it in his heart.
He needed understanding, he needed discernment, he needed to be able to judge wisely in matters large and small, and so God had put it in his heart. God gave him more, far more than he would or could ever imagine; a wise and understanding heart, then riches and honor. God had put it in his heart. But there are dangers, even when so much is given. Attractions are everywhere. Even when one so wise fails; Choices are still to be made, even when God had put it in his heart.
“O God, May some of these choices this man so feeble and so foolish (this low person of lowly birth and yet by grace exalted to a King’s son) has made; be made in such a way that they aren’t just willful, self-serving choices. May they be choices made because I am ready to serve Thy people in Thy way in Thy time. May every choice, every decision, and every judgment be made with holy meditation and assurance of divine sanction through Thy Word - because God had put it in my heart. Amen.”