Solomon is an interesting guy. He lived a LONG time ago (his dad was David, as in David and Goliath) and he became king after his half-brothers killed each other, raped his half-sister, and tried to take the throne from David (see 2 Samuel 13-19). But Solomon was God's guy for the job. And God asks him what he would like: "Make a wish, any wish, Solomon"(1 Kings 3:5). If I had one wish, what would it be? Would it be a bigger house, more obedient kids, less wrinkles, thinner thighs, a chai cream frappachino, no pain, unending joy....what? What does Solomon wish for? Money, a nicer palace, a chariot, a beautiful wife, lots of children....Nope. He says, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David,...you have continued this great kindness...making your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties....So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" (1 Kings 3:6-9) With amazing thankfulness and HUMILITY, Solomon asks for wisdom. To discern and distinguish between right and wrong. That's his one wish. Wisdom.
God gives it to him big time (along with riches, honor, and long life). 1 Kings 4:29-34 says:
"God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man....And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."
WOW. Then there are the books of the Bible that Solomon wrote, one of which is Proverbs (which he wrote most of). Today I read Proverbs 19:2--"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." What a wise warnings against just having zeal or acting in haste. There are numerous other warnings against acting foolishly, not heeding correction or counsel, loving money, being lazy, and many other things that are not part of wise living. My personal favorite has always been Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths." And there's the kicker. There is a huge difference between the Lord's wisdom and our own. And there's a huge difference between knowing the Lord distantly, and knowing Him obediently.
Solomon knows A LOT. God has given him amazing wisdom. But the sad thing is, it is not enough. "Solomon, however, loved many foreign women....They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.' Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been....So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done." (1 Kings 11:1-6) He didn't follow his own advice. Solomon didn't exert self-control, he didn't love God wholeheartedly, "Solomon held fast to [women] in love." So here's the question for me: What am I holding fast to? Am I following Him obediently or when it's convenient? Am I trusting in the Lord with my whole heart or trusting in my own understanding?
These questions are quite convicting. Especially if you follow where they lead. After having lots of head knowledge but no heart application, things don't go so well. We say, "What's wrong? Why is God so silent?" Solomon concludes, "A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD." (Proverbs 19:3) We may give God lip-service, but still do things our own way. We may be thankful for what He has given us (wisdom, life, love) but don't care to use it His way. And in the midst of our own disobedience and disillusioned attempts to live in the ruins, our heart places the blame on GOD. I'm not sure if Solomon's heart rages against God, but there is no record of his repentance. That is so sad. God spoke His Word through Solomon to us today. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" and "The fear of the Lord leads to life: then one rests content, untouched by trouble." (Proverbs 19:21, 23)
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the cleansing you provide this wretched sinner from my sin through Jesus Christ dying on the cross. Thank you that I can talk to you right now because of it. Thank you that you promise wisdom when we ask (James 1:5) and promise to lead us through life as we trust you. Help me not make my own plans, or desire my own way so much that I don't follow you COMPLETELY. I don't want to hold back. Please change my heart. I love you! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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