I wonder if the Queen of Sheba was a bit cynical. Surely she heard of the glory of many kings. She herself had quite the entourage—perhaps an indication of her shrewdness. Showing up in Jerusalem, far north of her homeland, it wasn’t just a prosperous trading caravan she brought with her but an arsenal of questions to test these sensational claims of wisdom.
She didn’t hold back. Her full-fledged encounter with Solomon’s ability to discern between good and evil emptied her of any doubt. She saw the gift he had for seeing things as they were and the visible fruit of acting on that knowledge. Solomon’s accomplishments and wisdom were beyond human capacities; the overwhelming blessings seen among his people and land demonstrated the source of his wisdom. Solomon had asked to be taught this discernment by God to receive wisdom as a gift.
In Solomon, the Queen of Sheba saw a taste of what God’s wisdom brings to His people: happiness and longevity. “Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness” (2Chronicles 9:8).
Solomon’s glory and prosperity, the very evidence for and vindication of Solomon’s submission to God, sadly became as enticing for Solomon as for any human before or after him.
It is far too easy to find security in what we have. It causes us to desire independence from God—to become our own little gods who decide what is good. God had given Solomon great wealth in addition to the wisdom he had asked for, but eventually, his wealth became a snare that led him to choose his way.
Yet the Chronicler’s account focuses our attention on the greater truth. Even the cynical outsider could see that Solomon had come from a God who wanted to bless His people. Solomon’s success gives us, as it did with the Queen of Sheba, a glimpse into the effects of acknowledging the true source of our possessions.
Jesus, the better Solomon, waited for the Father to honor and glorify Him before others rather than bestowing glory upon Himself as we so often do. Jesus submitted entirely to His Father, fully accepting His incarnate humanity. He waited for God to glorify Him in His way and in His own time.
In following Jesus, we learn from the greatest Teacher, whose wisdom and kingdom of justice and righteousness reaches farther than Solomon ever dreamed.
Like the Queen of Sheba, let’s bring Him all that is on our minds. I think we will find, through every hard question, He is the real deal.
♥️
Steve’s scan was clear! No evidence of disease!
Praise the Lord!
I pray I wouldn’t fall away from God or get distracted by the what the world has to offer as Solomon did. The blessings are meant to lead us toward God, not to distract us from him.
❤
What a privilege king Solomon was given, hearing the glimpses of his “net worth”, such an amazing honor that God granted him, both wisdom and money (For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it, Ecclesiastes 7:12). And Solomon was a child born from a sinful relationship/union of King David and Bathsheba. How merciful God was to this situation. I couldn’t imagine young Solomon growing up with step siblings, suffering from being taunted and despised. Yet God saw and singled him out from many sons of King David. It must be very lonely for him, when you’re on top and so young, it’s hard to know who your real friends are- maybe none, perhaps people just want to be your friends because of your wealth and influence. There exists such sadness and dissatisfaction Solomon conveys in Ecclesiastes. This is the man who had everything (seemingly), trillionaire status of our modern day, yet he didn’t really have everything.
PRAYING….
@Ash H: speedy healing for your husband’s emergency surgery, grace for you and the kids.
@Margaret (?): continued prayers for Angel in hospital, and deliverance/repentance for her husband, grace for the kids. I kept thinking about her this morning when making breakfast for my little ones. And reading Psalm 72 today I thought of her again (For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy. He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight)..may these verses be fulfilled in Angel’s situation for God’s glory and testimony.
@Dorothy: for Carol and no cancer.
@Victoria E: happy to see you back
@Michelle P: prayers for you, your sister Bernadette and other siblings. Video game addiction is a real attack, that causes lots of stagnancy, confusion and loss for direction. May God deliver.
@Gwineth52 @Searching: amen, wise words you shared.
Be blessed dear sisters.
When God asked Solomon what he wanted, he asked for wisdom. And God promised to give him riches and power too. How lavishly God kept to His word. All the gold, the wealth and fame we read about today, it is unimaginable. It makes me think of the verse that is starting to become my verse for the year: “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” He will supply out of His riches, everything I need. Far more than is strictly necessary, He is providing me with.
Michelle Patire – Continuing to pray for you
Oh the story of Solomon…a man of God, lots of potential, great wisdom, loved and served, yet. Wealth and wrong choices became an utterly bad downfall. How can that happen? It seems impossible while reading thus far. He was so honorable; King David’s son, following in his dad’s footprints, to put the God Almighty first. But yet we DID see it with David, and now it is repeated. We must take heed and recognize.
How do we backslide? Do we become lukewarm or do we turn cold from one temptation that inadvertently leads to more? We see it in the nation of Israel, they believe, then they fall away, on preputial repeat. It scares me because I don’t want to fail. The test I’m going through now, will I fail? If we get attacked more by the enemy when we are doing more for God’s kingdom, how do we suckerpunch him and run? To God. God give me strength, wisdom, and encouragement. I can only succeed if I constantly turn to you for guidance. I don’t want to sin, but I know I will, but I want to never get out of your hand, your will, your love. I cry out to you to grant me forgiveness, and no matter how far I might fall that you bring me up again in your favor. (I feel like Paul crying out that the flesh wants to sin…)
In Christ alone,my solid ground
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
On that rugged cross, Jesus paid it all
Because He lives, This is my song.
“This is my Song”
North Point Worship
Father God, Keeper of ALL Knowledge remind me that You are the One to come to for ALL THINGS small and big. NOTHING is too menial or too humongous for You to handle. Though we tend to forget, You are the KEEPER of all knowledge. Please be with us and enrich us with Your presence and knowledge today and every day. Amen.
Sisters, please pray for my sister, Carol, I took her to an appointment yesterday for a specialize ultrasound of her pancreas and the doctor said there were some odd things going on that he couldn’t necessarily explain. Before we left they drew blood to check for pancreatic cancer.
Be blessed and turn to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit for ALL your needs.
Hello Shes. Was hung up today by 2 Chronicles v 8:11
“Solomon and the daughter of Pharaoh”.
Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.”
This verse sent me scrambling to find some context, commentary, interpretation.
A single verse that could slip by unnoticed. Come on. What’s up our wonderfully wise King Solomon? Like a child thinking no one would see or really miss the cookie stolen from the cookie jar.
Some believe Solomon took an Egyptian princess as his wife for perhaps political reasons. But the acclaimed King knew it was wrong from the beginning. In his King David’s palace or his own. He knew with, with pious reflection, she should not reside in proximity to the holy of holies. He knew it held the potential to open doors to the Pharoah’s gods. Yet our King did it. And tried to dress it up. What was a bad decision from the beginning!!
How often have I done something knowingly wrong, then thought I could cover over my sinfulness by some other hasty or seemingly repentant behavior? Clever me? Not so terribly bad me? Oh, really???Father, forgive me in my weakness. Free me from my self-deception. Find me in my brokenness. Amen & Amen