1 & 2 Kings

1 Kings Chapter 10

The Queen of Sheba

• 1Kings 10:1  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 

Jesus referred to her as the Queen of the south. She was very curious to hear about Solomon and his wisdom about the name of the Lord. She asked him questions to see if the rumors were true. It wasn't just about natural wisdom. She seemed to be interested in God who gave him his wisdom.

• Matthew 12:42  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 

Jesus was emphasizing how this queen was so anxious to see and confirm what she heard about  Solomon's wisdom that she traveled far to see if what she heard was true. Jesus pointed out that a  greater person than Solomon was among them and they didn't recognize Him or desire to hear Him. Solomon was a king God blessed with wisdom but Jesus was the everlasting King that brought us salvation, everlasting life and the presence of God in our very lives but yet the nation as a whole rejected the very Son of God when Jesus was right there with Him. I realize that Jesus came for the purpose of dying for our sins and bringing to us eternal life when we receive and believe in Him but people living at that time could have received Him just like the apostles and many others did. Never follow the majority if the majority choose the wrong way.

• 1Kings 10:2  And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 

She didn't come empty handed but brought loads of gifts and desired to hear all she could from Solomon. This is how we should be when it comes to the presence of the Lord. To seek His presence and desire to hear from Him and learn of Him. To hunger and thrist after His righteousness. He paid a big price and went through so much suffering to save our very souls for eternity. How much more is being in His presence than the things of this life that we think are so important.

• 1Kings 10:3  And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 
• 4  And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 
• 5  And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 
• 6  And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 
• 7  Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 
• 8  Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 

His wisdom and insight impressed her more than the riches and wealth of Solomon although she noticed that as well.

• 1Kings 10:9  Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 
• 10  And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 
• 11  And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 
• 12  And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 
• 13  And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. 

Looks like they gave each other gifts but I notice that she gives God all the glory for blessing Solomon and setting him up as king of Israel. This is an example of how we can share the gospel to all that God sends our way. Solomon had the opportunity to show the world, even the heathens the story of the creation and the word of God. He was rich and increased with goods but that is nothing compared to having the presence of the Lord and knowing the word of God. The generation that had Jesus in their midst and rejected Him didn't realize what they were doing. People today do not realize what they are doing by rejecting God for the evil that is in this world. They steal, kill and destroy and do not know what they are missing. This queen sought and found what she was looking for.

Solomon's Great Wealth

• 1Kings 10:14  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 
• 15  Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 
• 16  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 
• 17  And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 
• 18  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
• 19  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
• 20  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 
• 21  And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 
• 22  For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 
• 23  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 
• 24  And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 
• 25  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 
• 26  And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 
• 27  And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 
• 28  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 
• 29  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means. 

In today's economy, these riches would have amounted to billions and billions of dollars. Yet when we leave this world into eternity, it would be all for nothing if we did not know the Lord. We cannot take one shiny penny with us.

One good thing I see from all these riches is that it got the attention of other kings and people from surrounding nations. They heard not only about the wealth of Solomon but his wisdom. That made the Queen of Sheba curious. When they came with presents and to make inquiries, Solomon had the chance to give God the glory and share his close relationship with God. It was a peaceful time with no wars. Trouble did not come until Solomon felll away from God. This must have effectively influenced other nations as well.

This shows us as readers today how important is our example is to others. If we are blessed with wealth, we can use it wisely and help those that are poor and needy as God would lead us. I'm guessing that no one under Solomon's authority at that time suffered any poverty. Wealth does have it's problems though if it take our heart away from God. Our relationship with God is contantly being proved because we live in a fallen world. We are given the right to choose to follow Jesus or to ignore the only way of salvation. If don't choose to keep following Him and obeying the leading of His Holy Spirit, it is not God's fault if we don't spend eternity with Him.  God allows us to choose. He doesn't want puppets but those that willingly come to Him when the Holy Spirit draws us to Him.

This is one way we know true religion from the false and idolatrous ones. God's way is our choice. To be born again by the Holy Spirit has to be a decision we make. A group of people can't force someone to be born again. If a religion is harsh and tries to use force, it's not real. God wants willing people to love Him. It's like a forced marriage. Sometime they will learn to love each other but real love cannot be forced. God wants our real devotion and love. Not puppets or pretenders.

1 Kings Chapter 11