Burning Bush Blogs
Equipping Believers with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Category: Personal Study
Thread: Game of Thrones
Post Topic: King Solomon Becomes the Wisest Man Ever
Post in Thread: #28
Previous: The Treacherous Prince Adonijah Exposed (The Wrath of Solomon)
Scripture: I Kings 3:4-15
Imagine
Solomon reached the top of the high place, his breathing labored. He’d climbed to the summit quickly, wanting time alone with God. He blocked out the bleating of the spotless sheep below and the calls of their handlers, as they made the ascent more slowly. He ignored the view of the valleys around, with the city his father had built visible in the distance. Before him, the flaps of the tabernacle fluttered in the wind.
Reverently, he approached. He made a mental note to hire a tailor. A number of strands had unraveled over the decades. Inside the courtyard sat the brazen altar. How many sacrifices had Aaron made on that structure? His descendants? Built of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze, it reached as high as Solomon’s chest.
He wanted to go in. But he couldn’t. Not yet.
He turned and scanned the valley. On the distant slopes of Jerusalem, Solomon could make out the great palace his father had built. He circled around the tent, looking out over the Promised Land in every direction. Twelve tribes. How many people? He wasn’t supposed to count. His father had made that mistake, once. It didn’t matter. What mattered – the Lord had entrusted these multitudes to Solomon. To his care.
How? Why me?
“Solomon.” His wife’s soft hand touched his arm. She gazed at the outer tents of the tabernacle. As a princess from Egypt, it was her first time laying eyes on it. “It’s beautiful.”
“Sorry I left you behind,” he said.
“I understand. But what I don’t understand, is why so many sacrifices? Does God require that?”
He didn’t doubt her sincerity. Her conversion was real. But how to explain what he was searching for? His fears? His inadequacy? How could he follow in his father’s footsteps?
“I just want the Lord to hear my prayers,” he finally said.
Key Verses (but read entire passage):
I Kings 3:10-13
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
Observations
Context
King Solomon has just become king following the death of his father, David. He squashed the coup attempt by his older brother, Adonijah. He has not yet built God’s holy temple. At this point in his young life, he honors the Lord.
Sacrifices at Gibeon
Solomon was quite zealous for the Lord. He went to the high place at Gibeon, which the passage describes as the most important high place. Here, Solomon offered 1,000 sacrifices to the Lord.
Bad time to be a bull!
Solomon’s Dream and His Request
The Lord came to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon and told him to ask for anything he wanted. If you were a young king, what would you have asked for?
If you’ve grown up in church you know that Solomon asked for wisdom. But when we read the detail of his response to God, in I Kings 3:6-9, it’s actually quite beautiful. Some observations:
- Solomon acknowledges God’s mercy to his father, King David.
- Solomon humbly acknowledges God’s kindness to extend that mercy to Solomon, by placing Solomon on that same throne as David.
- Solomon says (paraphrasing) “Lord, you have made me king, but I am like a little child in my knowledge. I can’t even figure out whether to be indoors or outdoors.”
- Solomon notes the multitude of people that he has now been positioned to lead.
- His request:
- An understanding heart to judge the people.
- Discernment between good and evil.
The Lord’s Response
God is quite pleased with Solomon. Rather than ask for riches or power or an expanded kingdom or long life, Solomon has humbly requested a discerning heart.
The Lord granted Solomon’s request and then some. He promised Solomon that he would be known far and wide as the wisest king. As a bonus, God would give Solomon what he didn’t ask for – wealth beyond imagination and a powerful but peaceful kingdom. As far as long life was concerned – well that had a catch – it depended on Solomon remaining faithful.
More Sacrifices in Jerusalem
Solomon returned to Jerusalem where David had brought the Ark of the Covenant. Here, he performed more sacrifices and threw a feast for his servants in celebration.
Bad time to be livestock, but good time to be one of the king’s servants!
Interpretation
Setting – Great High Place at Gibeon
The setting is important in this narrative. Recall from the Context that the permanent temple had not yet been built. So why Gibeon? And why does verse 4 call it the great high place?
David had brought the famous Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem decades earlier. Think Raiders of the Lost Ark. Yeah, that ark. The ark had been built during the time of Moses. As the Israelites of Moses’s time wandered the wilderness, they had a temporary structure built that traveled with them called the tabernacle. Wherever they set up camp, they’d set up this tabernacle in the middle. The tabernacle is where they would place the ark, as well as the altar for sacrifices.
When David brought the ark to Jerusalem, he left the tabernacle standing at the high place in Gibeon (about 5 miles north of Jerusalem). It is likely that this is why Solomon traveled to Gibeon – to make sacrifices on the brazen altar in the courtyard of the tabernacle, and to seek guidance from God. (The altar, made of wood and inlaid with bronze, was situated in the courtyard of the tabernacle.)
Author
The author of 1 Kings and 2 Kings might have been the prophet Jeremiah, but there is no certainty of that.
Genre
Historical narrative. I and II Kings record the monarchical succession of the leaders of Israel and Judah, seeking to provide a detailed factual description of events. The writer is a historian, a theologian, and a storyteller.
Takeaways
Searching
Before we even get to the dream, we have Solomon making a pilgrimage to Gibeon to make sacrifices to the Lord. One thousand sacrifices! Why did he do this, when the ark was right there in Jerusalem? For one, the temple was not yet built, and the tabernacle was in Gibeon. But I believe it’s more than that. I believe he was making a direct appeal to the Lord. He was desperate for a direct connection with God.
His response in the dream, where he tells the Lord about all his insecurities, reinforces the idea that he longed for assurances and guidance from above.
God’s Answer
God heard Solomon’s pleas. Rather than just say “Solomon, what do you want,” God went a step further. He said “Ask! What can I give you?”
God knew Solomon’s heart. He knew Solomon wanted a direct audience. His question what can I give you went beyond simply listening to Solomon. He honored Solomon’s longing for a direct connection.
Solomon’s Request
Solomon’s request began with a prayer of humility. Solomon thanked the Lord for his mercies, and told God that he was not worthy. Then he asked for something special. Something not of this world. He asked for Wisdom.
God’s Promise
God promised to grant Solomon what he asked for. And to grant it in spades. He wouldn’t just give him discernment and understanding. He’d make Solomon the wisest man ever.
And because Solomon had asked for such a noble gift, God promised to grant him all the worldly things he hadn’t asked for. Worldly riches, success, honor, and life.
Correlation
Solomon’s Famous Judgment Story
I Kings 3:16-28 – in the same chapter we’re reading, there is a famous story about a dispute that Solomon settled. Two women claimed the same child as their own, and said that a baby who’d died was the child of the other woman. How can one discern the truth of such a situation?
In the Bible story, it sounds a little droll. But I imagine that Solomon wasn’t simply saying he’d cut the living baby in half. I imagine he was feigning anger toward both women, making them think he was actually going to do it.
What a great way to get the real mother to step up! The real mother offered to give the baby to the other woman in order to save her child’s life.
Solomon’s Wisdom and Fame Spreads
I Kings 4:29-34 – These verses describe the extent of his wisdom. His fame spread all over the nearby world. People traveled from all over just to hear him speak.
Praying for Wisdom
How can we get wisdom like Solomon? He simply asked for it. But he was a king, and God prompted him to ask. So what should we do if we seek discernment and understanding?
James 1:5 tells us: If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. If you lack wisdom, ask God for it, and he will give it to you. So no, we don’t have to be a king for God to grant this to us.
Application
Generic Applications
God wants us to pray for wisdom. He was pleased with Solomon for doing so. The James verse from our Correlations says that wisdom will be given to us if we ask for it. Let’s not be afraid to do so.
However, there are some qualifications. If you keep reading in James chapter 1, he includes faith in the equation. There has to be some element of faith that God will keep his word and grant us discernment. The other qualification is baked into Solomon’s story. Consider what type of heart he had when making the request. He came before God humbly, admitting his weaknesses.
If we come before God in humility, believing that he can and will grant us wisdom, he won’t sigh and groan at us for being demanding. He’ll grant us this request with delight.
Personalize it
How often do I pray for wisdom? What is my posture when I ask? Is my heart humble, like Solomon’s?
Comment
Let us know in the comments – How has God increased wisdom in your life?
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.