1 Kings Chapter 10
By Bro David Petersen
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.
Most scholars believe that the kingdom of Sheba was in the area of modern day Yemen on the southwestern corner of the Arabian peninsula. The people of that area were called Sabeans. The Bible doesn' say exactly who the queen of Sheba was.
Note that the fame of Solomon of which the queen of Sheba heard was "concerning the name of the LORD". This indicates that her interest was not purely secular. She did not come to trade or to create a political alliance. What? Were there no wise men in all of Sheba who could instruct the queen on how to govern her kingdom? Her kingdom must have been secure because she felt safe to leave it for awhile and then she returned to it. Neither did she need Solomon to teach her how to make money because she came with a great caravan with vast amounts of spices, gold and precious stones.
The Lord said that she "came to hear the wisdom of Solomon".
"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." Matthew 12:42.
Here Jesus holds her up as the model for seeking God's wisdom.
The occasion here in Matthew 12 was that the Pharisees who didn't believe in Christ asked him to produce a miraculous sign. They were challenging his authority. They had the very personification of wisdom in their midst but they didn't recognize it. They had the incarnate Word of God but they refused to hear him. He was speaking whatever the Father told him to speak but they wouldn't listen. He had the words of eternal life. And so he says that judgment will come upon them for this. Then he contrasts them with the queen of Sheba. They had it right there tossed into their laps. Their failure to hear the wisdom of God is contrasted with her desire to hear the wisdom of God at any cost.
We have Jesus too. We have the complete record of his words. That is something that neither the Pharisees nor the queen of Sheba had. It's like having the entire discology of Jesus in your personal library as compared to just seeing one of his speeches. So are we hearing his wisdom and applying it to our lives?
From The Uttermost Parts Of The Earth
The queen of Sheba came a great distance, "from the uttermost parts of the earth" to hear the wisdom of Solomon. How far are we willing to go to hear the word of God? I live 17 miles away from our church's building. Sometimes when I invite people in my neighborhood to come to the Bible class that I teach they will say something like "hmm? that's pretty far". Yet they will think nothing of travelling all the way across town to go to the football stadium right down the road from our church house. Usually I will respond by saying "Going to church is not like going to 7-11. You don't just go to the nearest one on the corner. Quality counts." You need to go to a church where the word of God is preached. I've also had people tell me that 9:45 was very early in the morning to go to church.
The queen of Sheba didn't know what type of reception she would get from Solomon. But she knew that she wanted to hear the wisdom of God. No distance was too great for her. She didn't let her job interfere with her desire to know the Lord better. But behold, Christ came to us! Jesus said "I came down from heaven". I wasn't looking for the wisdom of God. But he came looking for me. He left the ninety and nine. God didn't say "So your'e lost and going to hell. That comes under the general category of YOUR problem". While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. So what are we to do? Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.
She didn't have access to the Word made flesh. But she recognized the wisdom of God in Solomon. She will stand up in the judgment and say to the Pharisees "you had the very Son of God in your midst, yet you wouldn't listen to him and you wouldn't repent!"
Hard Questions
The queen of Sheba came to test Solomon with hard questions. It was common in those days to use riddles to pose hard questions. A notable example of this is the riddle that Samson posed to the Philistines "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." Judges 14:14.
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.
The Sabeans were known as traders of spices and precious stones. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan-with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.
3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
We don't know what questions the queen asked Solomon. Because of her interest in the things of God it is unlikely that they were the questions of a skeptic. It is still common for people today to test the wisdom of God with hard questions. They still ask questions such as "How can a good God allow bad things to happen?" "How can salvation be free?" "Isn't marraige whatever we define it to be?". The Bible has answers to all these questions and more. Just as none of the queen's questions were too hard for Solomon, none of these skeptical questions are beyond the scope of the word of God.
Peter taught that as Christians you are always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Peter 3:15.
Our hope should be based on reason. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. "Because that's what my parents believed" is not a good reason to believe something.
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.
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. It blew her mind!
She was awestruck with the kingdom of God.
Today the church is the light of the world that shines forth the splendor of God's kingdom. "A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matt 5:14-16.
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.
Coming to hear the wisdom of God was worth it to the queen. She wasn't sorry that she made the trip.
In our society we are used to having things be oversold. Our culture is good at marketing and it tends to make things sound better than they really are. We are continually being enticed by the allure of things. For example, when you see an ad for food on TV or in a magazine, you are probably not even seeing the real food. You are probably seeing something that has spray paint and makeup applied to it to look like food. It looks better than it really is.
On the other hand we "undersell" the kingdom of God.
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor 2:9.
The half has not been told. We shouldn't apologize for the kingdom of God or be ashamed of it. We have the best thing going.
8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
Here's recognition that people who hear the wisdom the Lord are happy. Not because they drink out of your golden cups, not because of the great material wealth of the kingdom. It's a great joy to be able to serve the LORD in his assembly. It's satisfying to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
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.
In verse 9 the queen acknowledges the sovereignty of God. She said "blessed by the LORD thy God to set thee" and "he made thee king". She recognizes the fact that Solomon's kingdom is part of God's good pleasure: "which delighted in thee". Her statement recognized that king Solomon is a servant of the LORD to "do judgment and justice (lit. "righteousness"). She sees that the LORD made Solomon king to accomplish his own purpose, not for Solomon's own personal benefit.
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.
The queen didn't come just thinking about what Solomon and his God could do for her. She wasn't thinking "I'll check this God out as long as he doesn't have any requirements for me". No, she placed a high value on "the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD".
Salvation is free, but there is a cost of discipleship. Jesus said "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" Luke 14:28.
"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Revelation 3:18.
Isaiah 55:1-6
55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Matt 13:44-46
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Phil 3:7-10
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
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.
People will find satisfaction in the house of the LORD: a royal bounty. They will find answers to all their questions. They will find rest unto their souls, life abundant
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.
The Book of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles
Introduction |
1 Kings 1 |
1 Kings 2 |
1 Kings 3 |
1 Kings 4 |
1 Kings 5 |
1 Kings 6-7 |
1 Kings 8 |
1 Kings 9 |
1 Kings 10 |
1 Kings 11 |
1 Kings 12 |
2 Chronicles 13 |
1 Kings 13 |
1 Kings 14 |
1 Kings 15 |
2 Chronicles 15 |
1 Kings 16 |
1 Kings 17 |
1 Kings 18 |
1 Kings 19 |
1 Kings 20 |
1 Kings 21 |
1 Kings 22