A.Among ordinary men, no one has ever exceeded the wisdom of King Solomon.
1.Notice the greatness of Solomon’s wisdom from 1Kings 4:29-34:
Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish.Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
2.Despite the great advances and discoveries of science and technology, no one’s wisdom in this modern age can be described in such terms as Solomon’s wisdom.
a.Solomon’s wisdom was immeasurable, "like the sand that is on the seashore.”
b.His wisdom was greater than anyone in his time, and it became famous throughout the nations.The queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem just to hear Solomon herself (1Ki. 10).
c.His wisdom was diverse.He was not an expert in one field of knowledge, but rather he was an expert on everything.
B.As we seek for wisdom today, let us consider the example of Solomon.
II.SOLOMON’S WISE CHOICE
A.Solomon already had a measure of wisdom before he asked God for even greater wisdom.
1.God had loved Solomon from his birth (2Sam. 2:24), and his father David had taught him wisdom from his childhood.Notice Proverbs 4:3-9:
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, then he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live; acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you.The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
2.Solomon was young and inexperienced when he became king (1Chron. 29:1), but the love of God and the wisdom of David were evident in him on the occasion when he asked God for wisdom.Notice 1Kings 3:3-4:
Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
B.When God offered to grant Solomon anything he wished, Solomon asked for an understanding heart.
1.While Solomon was at Gideon, God appeared to him in a dream and said, "Ask what you wish Me to give you” (1Ki. 3:5).
2.Solomon might have asked for riches, pleasures, or victory over his enemies.However, his request proves that he had learned the value of wisdom from his father.Notice his wish – "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in…So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1Ki. 3:7, 9)
3.Solomon’s request for wisdom was wise itself, and it also demonstrated his humility, selflessness, reverence for God, and respect for his position as king of Israel.
C.God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He blessed Solomon beyond what Solomon had asked.
1.Consider God’s reply in 1Kings 3:11-14:
"Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”
2.Solomon responded to God’s blessings by going to Jerusalem, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, and making a feast for his servants (1Ki. 3:15).He then began to employ his great wisdom to judge Israel (1Ki. 3:16-28).
III.LESSONS FROM SOLOMON
A.Like Solomon, each of us should seek for an understanding heart.
1.God has not appeared to us in dreams to grant our wishes, but He has offered us wisdom.Notice James 1:5 – "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
2.An understanding heart is needed by every person in order to receive the word of God.Consider Matthew 13:23 – "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
3.Lydia is a good example of a person to whom God gave an understanding heart (Acts 16:11-15).
a.Verse 14 says, "The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”
b.Lydia sought for the truth and was given it.She demonstrates the truth of Christ’s promise in Matthew 5:6 – "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
c.She shows that an understanding heart obeys God’s word.
B.The wisdom we should seek comes from above and not from the earth.
1.Wisdom from God is easily discerned from the wisdom of the world.Notice James 3:13-18:
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
2.Consider that the name Solomon means "peace.”His name is a good symbol of the fact that wisdom from God produces peace.
3.Those who obtain wisdom from above understand that the word of the cross is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16; 1Cor. 1:18-31; 2:1-10).The wisdom of man dismisses the gospel as mere foolishness.
C.Let us value wisdom far above riches.
1.Solomon’s riches were immense (1Ki. 10:1-29), but they were fleeting.
a.He recognized this in Ecclesiastes 5:15, saying, "As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.”
b.Despite all the riches of the wealthiest men in the world today, none of them compare to Solomon’s riches.Yet many wealthy men do not recognize what Solomon knew, which is that no amount of riches can save a man’s life (see Ps. 49).
c.The glory obtained by men in this world cannot compare with the glory bestowed by God.Solomon’s glory is surpassed by even the lilies God has made (Matt. 6:29).
2.In contrast to worldly riches, the riches of a Christian are eternal.
a.In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
b.By the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Christians can "obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1Pet. 1:4).
3.The eternal riches of faith come through hearing God’s word (Rom. 10:17).Therefore, let us "buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding” (Prov. 23:23).
