1158 - The Wisdom of Solomon#
1158 - The Wisdom of Solomon
(JP Text Group - Life Like an Eagle)
1 Kings 3:4-15:
4 King Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place (the "great" or "famous"), and he offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."
6 Solomon said, "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"
10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall there be anyone like you after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."
15 Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. This is a moment to receive blessings; we receive Your wisdom and Your strength. No matter what burdens or problems we bring before You, we believe You will give us answers. You are my Lord and my ever-present help. I am willing to open my heart to receive Your words, and may the Holy Spirit guide me to understand more of Your revelations and truths. Bless every brother and sister who listens to the word, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen! Hallelujah!
Since last week, we have been sharing a series of sermons about wisdom, and today we will share about the Wisdom of Solomon.
Whenever we mention wisdom, we must mention Solomon, because even those who do not believe in the Lord know about Solomon; his wisdom was vast and seemingly unmatched at that time. But do you know how he obtained his wisdom? It was not through decades of asceticism or visiting countless masters.
Solomon received wisdom when he was around thirty years old, very young and remarkable. Throughout his life, he accomplished many great things; for example, he left a very precious legacy in the fields of economics, architecture, and management.
During Solomon's reign, no king before him had governed the country with such wisdom, and many nations paid tribute to him. When you have wisdom, you can manage your family, company, and relationships very well.
Last time, I encouraged everyone to read a chapter of Proverbs every day, allowing God's words to enter our hearts. This will generate wisdom and help us know God more in our lives. Our primary task is to seek wisdom from God! Because when you have wisdom, many things become clear. You can also understand God's wonders more.
The Bible says in Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
When you possess God's wisdom, you will know how to handle the problems you encounter. Those who are unwilling to seek wisdom may only think that God's wisdom is useless and that their own methods are more effective. Such people will not prioritize wisdom, but I hope that everyone in our church will seek wisdom from God, because with the wisdom given by God, we can do things better and more effectively!
In verses 8-9 of chapter 4, it says,
Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.
Brothers and sisters, if you exalt wisdom, wisdom will also lift you up; when you embrace wisdom, it will bring you honor. You can understand that when you exalt wisdom, everything you do will go smoothly. When you hold onto wisdom tightly, you will gain the honor that people have always sought. So when you embrace wisdom, it will bring you honor, because verse 9 says, "She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you."
Sharing the first point: Wisdom is a gift from God; you must seek wisdom from God in everything.
In the fields you love, that is, in your work, you need to seek wisdom from God.
If you are a parent, you need wisdom to manage your children. The Bible refers to this as "training up a child," which is actually about training your children. However, this kind of wisdom cannot be obtained from books. After children are born, no one tells you how to raise them; there is no book that says if you do this, your child will surely become great and healthy. But the Bible tells us to seek wisdom from God; He will guide you and bless your offspring.
King David's son, whom we just read about, is Solomon, and his mother is Bathsheba. God chose him to inherit the throne. When his father passed away, Solomon was quite young, about thirty years old, and he became king. Here is his prayer; let’s pay attention to where he prayed:
4 King Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place (the "great" or "famous"), and he offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice; why did he go there? The Bible says it was because there was a great high place. In fact, what Solomon was doing at that moment was not in accordance with God's will; high places were not the designated places for sacrifice, but were generally places where Gentiles worshipped false gods. The Bible tells us that the place for sacrifice should be in the courtyard of the Holy Place, yet he went to Gibeon to sacrifice because there was a very famous and large high place.
Although Solomon's initial actions were not entirely correct, God knew his heart; he truly wanted to offer sacrifices to God. At that time, although he had not yet received wisdom, he was willing to give to God. When Solomon offered a thousand sacrifices, that night God gave him a clear path.
Brothers and sisters, you must seek wisdom; even if you do not know what to do or how to handle a situation, remember one thing: When you give to God, you will surely reap abundantly. That is to say, do not be stingy with God! Be sure to seek God more and spend more time in His word!
At this time, Solomon was a very generous young man; he knew that being generous to God would result in God being generous to him. He offered a thousand sacrifices as burnt offerings, and on that same night, God appeared to Solomon and asked him a remarkable question: "What do you want Me to give you?"
Brothers and sisters, if God said this to you today, what would you ask for? Health, wealth?
Do you remember the prayer of Jabez?
Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.
The last part of that statement is very important: God granted his prayer. Previously, I heard many people say that this prayer was very worldly, but I said, what does it matter? What is important is that God found it acceptable, and He granted his prayer. Amen!
In Genesis, Jacob, who later was renamed Israel, deceived his father and brother to acquire the good things for himself. One night, while he was sleeping with a stone for a pillow, God appeared to him. He said, "Lord, if You will give me food to eat, clothing to wear, and bring me back to my father's house in peace, then I will acknowledge You as my God." It was quite selfish, but God said, "I will give it to you!" While Jacob was at his uncle's house, everything he did was blessed by God, even his very stingy uncle noticed that it was God who was blessing him.
6 Solomon said, "Your servant, my father David, walked before You with a loyal heart, in uprightness, and did what was right in Your sight; You have shown great mercy to him, and have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day."
Solomon knew that his succession to the throne was not due to his own talent or ability; it was entirely God's grace. At that time, Solomon's heart was directed toward God, and he realized his own inadequacies and lack of experience. He particularly desired wisdom to manage the people of Israel well. His thoughts were quite simple at that time. God was very pleased with Solomon's heart and granted him wisdom, exceeding what he had asked for.
Jesus actually said something similar to His disciples. When John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to two of his disciples, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" those two disciples followed Jesus. When Jesus saw them, His first question was, "What do you want Me to do for you?" If you were there, what would you say?
The two disciples asked, "Rabbi, where are You staying?" They knew they understood very little and wanted to follow Jesus to learn. But they chose the better blessing by closely following Jesus!
7 O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
Solomon recognized that it was God who placed him in this position and admitted that he was a little child. This means that in handling many matters, he did not know how to proceed. This is a humble and teachable heart.
Only humble people are willing to seek God in everything. He realized his shortcomings; for example, someone who has just become a mother may not know how to feed her child; she can ask God for wisdom in this area. Someone who has just graduated may not know how to integrate into society; he can seek wisdom from God for the present. Someone who has just started working may not know how to get along with colleagues; he can ask God for wisdom.
These people are always like little children before God. When they acknowledge they are like children, they are willing to look up to God and pray. Only those who think they can handle things on their own will rely on themselves.
- Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"
Solomon's son Rehoboam did not have such a heart for seeking wisdom. When he inherited his father's throne, one wrong decision led to the division of the entire nation. Brothers and sisters, if a person lacks wisdom, they can create chaos in their family; if a person lacks wisdom, they can ruin their company; if a person lacks wisdom in managing children, when God gives you a child, and you constantly scold the child, saying, "Why are you so stupid?" it is not the child's fault; it is the parent's fault because they lack wisdom. When you realize you lack wisdom, you need to seek wisdom from God.
- God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice."
Many people ask for long life, wealth, and the destruction of their enemies. But God was pleased with Solomon not because he did not need these things, but because he recognized he was a little child and only wanted wisdom to guide God's people. The term "to discern justice" in the original means to listen. Listen to what? Listen to the pleas of God's people and solve their suffering.
A listening heart is very important. Many people cannot handle problems because their hearts are too restless; they cannot calm down to listen to others. Each of us should pray to God: "Lord, give me a heart that can listen to others." Many times, when others come to you, they may not expect to receive a correct answer from you; in fact, they may already have the answer in their hearts, but they just need someone to talk to. You need to be a good listener; if you do not listen to their concerns, you will not be able to help them solve their problems.
12 I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall there be anyone like you after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.
God was very pleased with Solomon's seeking heart and said, "I have granted you what you asked for, and I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall there be anyone like you after you." Moreover, God also gave Solomon some blessings. It is like when you buy an air conditioner, and after you buy it, the seller says, "Wait, there are some gifts included." That is the idea. The blessings that follow are all free.
After God granted Solomon wisdom, He also gave him three things: wealth, honor, and long life. God's message is simple: with divine wisdom, you will have wealth, honor, and long life.
Do you see what kind of wealth God gave him? There has not been a king richer than you before, nor will there be one after you; only God can do this.
Honor: many people strive to gain recognition through their achievements and elevate their status, but God says, "I will give this to you." Amen!
And long life: how can you have long life? Many people today might say, "I eat organic food, exercise regularly, and maintain a positive attitude." These may help you live a little longer, but do you know who sets that limit? God does. When you seek the true source, what He gives you cannot be taken away. It is not that exercising guarantees peace and health; it is not that eating organic food ensures health, because this health is given by God. Therefore, you must seek wisdom from God; that is true wisdom.
True wisdom means praying to God about everything every day. For Solomon, he received this, but unfortunately, after gaining wisdom, he fell into ruin. Why did he fall into ruin? Because he married many women—seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, a total of one thousand wives. The worst part is that many of these wives worshipped foreign gods, and over time, Solomon began to worship these foreign gods. In his old age, Solomon reflected on his life and realized he had wasted his time on these matters.
The Bible records these events to warn us not to follow Solomon's path and waste our time. In his old age, Solomon wrote Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and from them, you can see his deep insights into life. Because he had God's wisdom, you will find that the beginning of wisdom is God, and the end is still God. Solomon's point is that everything he wanted to eat, drink, and enjoy was fulfilled, but he found all of it to be empty. He forgot this fact and wasted his life on such things while neglecting God.
Today, we should ask God for wisdom and not repeat Solomon's mistakes. Many times, people are too clever and unwilling to do things God's way, insisting on their own methods. Learning from the mistakes of others is also wisdom.
Have you been reading Proverbs? The Bible often requires us to meditate. When you meditate, it becomes your strength. If you have read it many times and still lack power, it is because you have not meditated. When you meditate on the words in Proverbs, they will become your help at all times, becoming your wisdom.
Many Christians spend one day worshiping God and the rest of their time in the world. We are not saying there is no wisdom in the world; it is just that the best wisdom is found in the Bible. Many people would rather read gossip magazines than the Bible. In fact, all the wisdom we need is in the Bible. When you possess God's wisdom, you will see the world and its matters clearly and simply.
1 Kings 4:29, God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore.
Brothers and sisters, this is a very good description. If you meditate on this verse, you will understand how much wisdom God gave. To put it simply, God gave Solomon two things: great wisdom and understanding, and a broad mind.
Having great wisdom and understanding can solve problems in life. Having a broad mind can give you peace and joy, freeing you from being bound by worldly matters and allowing you to live freely.
- Solomon's wisdom exceeded all the wisdom of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.
The "East" here likely refers to the area of present-day Iran, where some wise men came to seek Jesus. The people there had wisdom in astronomy and geography that surpassed others. And the wisdom of the Egyptians is well-known; ancient Egypt was one of the cradles of civilization. Yet the wisdom God gave Solomon far exceeded that of these people.
Dear family, you can also pray for God to grant you wisdom to understand more of God's revelations and truths, so you can help more people.
Sharing the second point: Acting with God's wisdom makes everything simple and allows you to enjoy God's rest.
Solomon sought wisdom from God not to show off but to better manage God's people and judge the issues among them. Solomon used wisdom to resolve many disputes among his people, and he did so justly and accurately.
When you think about wealth, health, and success, wanting these things is not wrong, but first, you must seek wisdom from God, because everything is included in God's wisdom. The blessings God gives come without worry, allowing you to enjoy His rest. God is willing to give us His words because we lack this; therefore, He wants to tell us how to live successfully in this world in the simplest and most effective way.
Moses was also very wise. He was raised as a prince and learned all the wisdom and knowledge of Egypt. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites into the wilderness, one day, the people were bitten by snakes. If you were Moses, what would you do? To save them, what would you do? "Quick, find some herbs or oil to apply to them." That is the best wisdom we can think of. At that moment, you realize that the wisdom you learned in the world does not apply.
God instructed Moses to make a pole and put a bronze serpent on it. This was God's answer. When everyone looked at the bronze serpent, the problem was solved.
If you seek wisdom from God in everything in your life, you will be a person who often triumphs. For example, if you have a child and want him to do well in school, what should you do? Many parents come to me saying, "Teacher Ren, my child has an exam tomorrow; please pray for him!" Brothers and sisters, is this wrong? No, but there is a more effective way: let your child receive wisdom from God during the learning process, so he remembers everything before the exam. This is the fundamental solution.
In this way, you do not have to worry every time. If you place it in the daily routine, when he goes to class, you can say, "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may you understand what the teacher is teaching today and remember it in your heart." Over time, possessing God's wisdom means that when the exam comes, you only need to say four words: "Do your best." That is God's wisdom.
We need to develop the habit of praying regularly, not just praying urgently when problems arise. While urgent prayers and fasting are not wrong, it is better to incorporate prayer into your daily life. When you enjoy such prayer and wisdom, you will experience a change in your life.
If you need a breakthrough financially, ask God for wisdom to solve this problem. Many people only pray to God when they lose money, saying, "Lord, open a way for me." Why not seek wisdom from God before investing? This way, many problems can be avoided. Some investments are clearly traps. Not entering them is wisdom.
Let me share a testimony. From the end of last year to March this year, I had a severe cough. At first, I thought it was a cold, but after going to the hospital, I was diagnosed with pharyngitis, and the doctor told me it was hard to treat, likely incurable. I asked, "What should I do?" He said, "I'll prescribe some medicine for you to try." I consulted several doctors, and the results were the same.
Finally, I said, "Lord, this won't do; You need to grant me wisdom on how to completely get rid of pharyngitis. Even though the doctors say it can't be done, I believe You can." One day, during prayer, God reminded me of a fruit I knew nothing about—luo han guo. No one had ever introduced this to me before. One day while praying, God revealed this three-character word to me. I wondered what kind of fruit it was. When I looked it up, I found it had some benefits for the throat, but it was not a cure. At that time, I ordered ten yuan worth online, bought twelve, and after soaking it in hot water and drinking it, about three days later, I was completely healed! Thank the Lord! You see, something that cost hundreds to treat was resolved with just a few yuan. Many times, we need to seek wisdom from God.
Your problem may seem big, but it is okay; the wisdom God gives you can easily solve it. Many people say that business is too difficult now, but when God gives you wisdom, you can handle everything easily. Because there are outstanding people in every era.
Do not just seek God for wealth and health; seek wisdom from God, for wisdom can generate wealth. We also have a saying and story in China: teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish. Thank the Lord! I will share some insights and wisdom that God has given me in my sermons. They are easy to understand. Just listen in order!
The Israelites have a habit and tradition of not leaving a large inheritance for their children when they grow up. Instead, they give their children skills they possess. Isn't that wonderful, brothers and sisters? It is the opposite of our Chinese tradition, where parents work hard to earn money and eventually pass it on to their children. Without the wisdom to make money, the children spend it carelessly, leading to family ruin.
Brothers and sisters, do you see the problem? If a child lacks wisdom, giving them things can harm them; if they possess God's wisdom, you give it to them, and they will expand that wisdom. Amen! Solomon was given this wisdom by God, and he managed the nation very well. This is why we seek wisdom from God.
Especially in marriages today, I have seen many couples face problems, with husbands staying away for long periods while wives pray earnestly at home. Some have told me, "Teacher Ren, please pray for me to bring my husband back." If we do not handle marital relationships with wisdom, even if God brings him back now, he will leave again in a few days.
When you possess wisdom, you can manage your marriage and family well. Many people with marital issues always hope God will change their partner but never consider that God should first change us. When we change and gain wisdom, we can influence the other person. Using God's wisdom can solve problems.
Once you have wisdom, you will have methods to solve problems in life. This is closely related to our lives, as our salvation is directly given to us by God, but life is something we manage. You can either use your own methods or God's methods. Therefore, always remember that Jesus is your boss, the boss of everything in your life—your marriage, your career, your relationships; He is your boss.
Brothers and sisters, we are merely stewards. When you want to make a decision, what should you do first? A steward cannot decide on their own; they must report to the master. So when you encounter problems, sit down and pray: "You are my Lord; please tell me what to do. Grant me wisdom to do it well." Thank the Lord!
When you pray like this and rely on His words, your life will completely change. Hallelujah!
Did Jesus give us such a promise? In Matthew 6:31-33, it tells us, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Amen! Isn't that a gift, brothers and sisters? What do you think all your needs include? Does it include health? Does it include wealth? Does it include good relationships? Yes, it includes all of that.
The Bible also specifically tells us: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Amen! This is God's desire; He hopes that all our affairs prosper and that our bodies are healthy. Hallelujah! Every day, you should tell yourself that my God desires my body to be healthy because of everything Jesus accomplished for me on the cross. Everything I need, my Lord will surely provide for me.
You need to pray to God for the wisdom you need today: wisdom for health, wisdom for handling relationships, wisdom for managing your family. All of this requires wisdom. Amen! God knows everything and always has a solution.
Let us take a look at the wisdom of Jesus. During His ministry, some tried to trap Him with a question. Someone asked, "Teacher, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" It was a tricky question. If you answered "yes," you would acknowledge Caesar as your lord; if you said "no," you would openly violate Roman law.
Jesus' wisdom was, "Show me the coin. Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Isn't that wise? You must understand that all this wisdom comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, every day, you should establish a good relationship with God. If you are willing to draw near to Jesus Christ and follow His footsteps, His wisdom will become your wisdom. I am willing to read a chapter of Proverbs every day and meditate on it.
Proverbs 15:30, "The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy."
This good report refers to the gospel. Every day, we should receive good news from God, the gospel from God, and reject bad news, not allowing it to enter our hearts. No matter what, you must know that to possess God's wisdom, you will experience God's victory in your conduct this week. Amen! Thank the Lord!
Finally, let me share a testimony.
In Joshua 10, there is a story about Joshua fighting against the Amorites. Joshua made a remarkable prayer, pointing to the sun and saying, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon," which is the place where Solomon sacrificed. "Moon, stand still in the Valley of Aijalon." That day, "the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day."
Brothers and sisters, many might say this prayer is unrealistic and unscientific. We have a physics graduate here who might laugh at this. Because the sun is actually stationary, how can you say it stands still? Isn't that wrong? But for God, there is no problem. Just as we discussed today, Solomon should not have sacrificed at Gibeon; he should have sacrificed in Jerusalem. When Joshua prayed like this, God fulfilled it correctly. In reality, it should be the earth that stands still, not the sun, because the sun does not move!
Brothers and sisters, what are we saying here? Even if you do not know how to pray, just tell God what is in your heart. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. Even if your prayer has some issues, it does not matter; God will fulfill what is in your heart. Do not say, "Lord, I prayed incorrectly; I do not know if what I said aligns with Your will." It does not matter, because with God, even if you make mistakes, He will fulfill what you desire in your heart.
When a person gains wisdom, they will do the right thing. After Solomon received wisdom, he immediately returned to Jerusalem.
- He said, "Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings."
He had already offered a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon. After gaining wisdom, he understood that Gibeon was not the place for sacrifice; the place for sacrifice should be before the Ark. He returned to the Ark to offer burnt offerings to God. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, if we lack wisdom, no one will want to seek God, thinking, "What is so great about this God? If I believe in Him, what good will it bring me?"
When a person gains wisdom, their first reaction is to come before Jesus Christ, because the Ark represents Jesus Christ. After gaining wisdom, you will first come before God, constantly looking up to His wisdom. Amen!
Thank the Lord! May we all gain such wisdom, and then your world will change. When you receive God's wisdom, the value of Jesus Christ surpasses gold, wealth, and reputation; all of this is given to us by God.
Let us pray together:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Please grant me the wisdom I need right now, so I can experience Your power and presence in my daily life. You are my wisdom, and I am willing to live according to Your words. Please guide me through this week. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!