June 8 2017 – Click here to listen
Do you know anyone that you consider to be wise? I’ve always admired the wisdom of King Solomon, son of King David and Bathsheba. In 1 Kings 3:3, Solomon is described as follows: “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father.”
One night, the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask what I shall give you”. In response, Solomon answered, “Give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” God was pleased with him since instead of asking for longevity or wealth, Solomon had made a selfless request. God agreed to do as Solomon asked, and as a bonus also granted him the two things most people would want – longevity of life and riches.
God stated: “I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you” The Bible states that his wisdom was astounding. He was world renowned as the wisest man of all time.
First Kings 4:29 records the details of Solomon’s wisdom: “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt . . . He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.”
And yet he was unwise in managing his own life. First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.” Obviously, God “allowed” Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. Solomon’s marital decisions were in direct violation of God’s Law, and there were consequences for his disobedience. God had given clear instructions for anyone who would be king: no amassing of horses, no multiplying of wives, and no accumulating of silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:14). These commands were designed to prevent the king from trusting in military might, following foreign gods, and relying on wealth instead of on God. Any survey of Solomon’s life will show that he broke all three of these divine prohibitions!
Solomon’s choices brought inevitable consequences. “So the Lord said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates’” (1 Kings 11:11). This was fulfilled when Solomon’s kingdom was eventually divided and he ended up in war.
It is interesting to see that toward the end of Solomon’s life, God used him to write one more book, which we find in the Bible. The book of Ecclesiastes gives us “the rest of the story.”
Solomon throughout the book tells us everything he tried in order to find fulfillment apart from God in this world, or “under the sun.” This is his own testimony: “I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired . . . a harem as well – the delights of the heart of man” (Ecclesiastes 2:8). But his harem did not bring happiness. Instead, “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (verse 11).
Ironically at the conclusion of Ecclesiastes, we once again find wise counsel: “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man” (12:13).
Solomon got off to a great start, however like his father, King David, he stumbled and later disobeyed God. Solomon was spared more severe punishment for the sake of his father, David (1 Kings 11:11–12). The love of God for both of these men astounds those who fail to understand grace and mercy.
It is never God’s will that anyone sin, but He does allow us to make our own choices. The story of Solomon is a powerful lesson for us that it does not pay to disobey. It is not enough to start well; we must seek God’s grace to finish well, too. Life without God is a dead-end street. Solomon thought that having 1,000 wives and concubines would provide happiness, but whatever pleasure he derived was not worth the price he paid. A wiser Solomon said, “God will bring every deed into judgment” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
A very successful friend of mine recently said in a meeting in front of others that I was both smart and wise. He said there was a difference and that there were plenty of smart people out there, but not that many that were wise. I cringed at those words because, like Solomon, I do so many unwise things and make so many bad decisions. I would have much preferred that he would not have said those words because I know with certainty that I could never live up to them. Nor can anyone else.
Proverbs 2:6 states: “God delights to give wisdom to those who truly seek it.” However, as we have seen our wisdom is not enough, we must constantly listen to our Creator who alone is truly wise and do His will for our lives.
Romans 16:27
To God, who alone is wise, be the glory forever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.