Year One, October 30

Something Greater Than Solomon Is Here1

1 Kings 10:1-13

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to him with hard questions. (As far away as the queen of Sheba was, the glory of Solomon reached her and she was motivated to visit him. She was curious and wanted to see his splendor. She was also prompted for religious reasons and wanted to know more about Jehovah God. Sadly, there are thousands who show no interest in Jesus even though he is near them and the gospel is preached around them. It is sad that Solomon attracted a stranger from so far away and Jesus is overlooked by those who are nearby.) 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.

3And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. (When sinners come to Jesus they will find solutions to all their difficult questions. He will both reveal and remove all their secret uneasiness. He is always ready to share his wisdom to all who come to him. There will never be a situation that he cannot work out.) 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

6And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”

In the same way, although the good news about King Jesus seems unbelievably wonderful, the believer discovers his grace and goodness are even greater than they were told. Jesus must be known by each one of us personally or we will never know him. Oh that many who look down on the Redeemer now will see him for themselves. That would instantly change their indifference to adoration.

10Then she gave the king 120 talents (about four and one-half tons) of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

When a heart truly knows King Jesus it brings gifts to him. Nothing is too good, too costly or too precious for Jesus. If we could lay the whole world at his feet, it would be “a present far too small.”2

11Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

13And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants. (And we may add with great confidence that our Lord Jesus will be in no one’s debt. Everything that we can possible give to him, he will return a hundred times over. Yes, he will grant us whatsoever we ask, he will give us the desires of our heart.3)

  

Matthew 12:42

“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

The queen of Sheba came a great distance, with great difficulty, and ran great risks to see Solomon. Yet the majority of humanity is completely indifferent about a greater than Solomon. They will hardly ever even cross the street to see Jesus, who has power to bless them eternally.

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¹ Matthew 12:42

² From the hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts (1707).

³ Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” 1 John 5:14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”