The Queen of Sheba
9 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind.
Solomon was able to break down any difficult question the queen of Sheba had. She asked hard questions and she was testing to search his wisdom. Solomon answered every one of her hard questions. She did not come to visit Solomon with empty hands. She brought a load of gifts carried by many people.
2 So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her.
3 When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built, 4 the food at his table, his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.
When the queen observed all that Solomon had she was left speechless. Queen Sheba travel to see if what she heard had any truth in it. When her eyes witness what she saw it took her breath away. God has given his word in what he has prepared for his people that trust him. This is a glimpse of what it will be like to finally see what he has in store. I believe we will be queens in the presence of a king and there will be no words left to speak after viewing God's preparation made for man.
5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true.
She told Solomon, the words are true and there is not one lie in them.
6 But I didn’t believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You far exceed the report I heard.
When they told me about you, honestly I did not believe the report. I came to see for myself and all I can say is they have not told half of what I have found to be true, said queen Sheba.
7 How happy are your men.[a] How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.
People are happy when they hear someone speak the goodness of God and see the evidence working in their lives.
8 Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on his throne as king for the Lord your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
People will see God when they see us represent God. God lives through us. That is the only way people will see God. God gave Israel a king that was far better than any other king alive. Kings came to visit Solomon, queens came to visit Solomon. This is what God will do when allowing him to direct our steps. People want to see and hear what God has to say.
9 Then she gave the king four and a half tons[b] of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
There was no coercing to give. When people know God the KING is speaking through us, they want to give. Quality given to men in words or things make people want to give. God's service demands a tip.
10 In addition, Hiram’s servants and Solomon’s servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.
The gifts kept coming.
11 The king made the algum wood into walkways for the Lord’s temple and for the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.
Solomon made good use of the gifs given to him.
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.
When we give to the KING, he gives back to us. He gives more than we can ever give.
Solomon’s Wealth
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,[c] 14 besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
God promised Solomon riches and God delivered his word. God uses men to make his promises of value. God caused or made me want to give to Solomon.
15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold;
Solomon spent his riches on stuff. God will bless us and he will allow us to spend. However, we must be careful in how we spend. We need God to tell us what we should do daily with what he has given us. When we operate on our own, we will regret what we have done when and if we have an opportunity to look back at what we did with our time and money.
15 pounds[d] of hammered gold went into each shield.
16 He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 7½ pounds[e] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps; there was a footstool covered in gold for the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 19 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.
20 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time, 21 for the king’s ships kept going to Tarshish with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[f]
What was God's purpose for giving Solomon so much? He bought and bought. Many of us do not have as much as Solomon, what do we do with what we have? Do we spend as he did? Does God want us to enjoy stuff? We should make sure we can manage all we buy. We should not buy anything just to hoard. How can we bring correction to spend when we have it to spend? I am guilty of over-buying. I can only answer what I can do differently. The rule I want to perfect in my life is, don't buy on the first whelm. Why are you buying this? Can you manage to have this in your home? Do I need it? Am I spending for pleasure? Am I accumulating without giving away? I pray that I will take a look at myself so that I can answer this question for myself. My prayer is Lord, show me how to do better and surround me with others who can help me perfect my spending habits.
God's plan for Solomon was written in the writing of Moses. When we study God's Word we will see how to use the blessings he is giving us.
22 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Each of them would bring his own gift—items[g] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,[h][i] spices, and horses and mules—as an annual tribute.
25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 28 They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all the countries.
Gifts kept coming. Solomon kept spending. Solomon is a human body that God used as his container of himself in wisdom.
Wisdom draws people to God. When people hear the word of God, you cannot stop them from giving. They want to respond, and giving is all they know to do. It did not matter that Solomon already had everything. God has everything. What can you give God who is the owner of all things in heaven and in earth? Solomon's words were so good until they drew people to him. It was not Solomon; it was God in a man named Solomon. If men allowed God to speak through them, the world will be a river of gifts to man. Men will come from everywhere just to hear the wisdom that no man can teach. Today, we have the written word of God, and the enemy has deceived us, not knowing that we have a container in writing greater than the wisdom of Solomon, our bibles. We make every excuse to keep from hearing the word of God. Only a few people actually spend time in the word to find the hidden treasure.
Solomon’s Death
29 The remaining events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of the Prophet Nathan, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Visions of the Seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.
30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
God allowed Solomon to reign as king for 40 years. We have a man on earth who had the mind of God who lived and showed us what it is to live with the knowledge of God and the wisdom to know what to do and blew it. God can give us his word and did. If we do not continue in the word of God, we will be as Solomon. We have access to the mind of God; but if we refuse as Solomon to continue to walk with him day by day, it is a deadly cost.
31 Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place.
Solomon's position is replaced by his son Rehoboam.
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