Source: Annette Schuman
When we talk about wisdom in relation to the Bible, I think one main character comes to mind. A man so wise that people travelled from far and wide just to hear him speak. A man so wise that it was said that there has never been any other person (besides our Lord Jesus, of course) who possessed such wisdom and knowledge.
Who is this man?
Solomon. The son of David and King of Israel.
It's quite rare to talk about King Solomon without mentioning his wisdom. It's what he's mainly known for. And the backstory to how he gained his wisdom is quite interesting.
For those who don't know, Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba, a woman whom David had committed adultery with. But after King David realised and repented of his sin, God blessed him with a son, Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24-25). God loved Solomon so much that He himself gave him the name Jedidiah, meaning loved by the Lord. We all, however, know him more as Solomon.
God foretold the building of His Temple by David's son, Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:9), basically establishing the fact that Solomon would be the one to succeed him as king. Despite him being the younger one of all David's sons, God chose Solomon to govern the people of Israel. Although his brother, Adonijah, attempted to take the throne for himself, it wasn't in the Will of God for it to happen. Solomon didn't even have to fight for the throne because it was God's Will for him to be king.
Source: William Krause
And even when he became king, Solomon did not become vain. Rather, he stayed humble and served God. Unlike many of the future kings of Israel, when God set Solomon on the throne, he continued to serve and obey God's commands.
Pleased with Solomon, God asked him what he desired. He didn't ask for wealth, or more power, or even destruction of his enemies. Instead, he acknowledged how lacking he was in knowledge and asked God for wisdom in order to rule Israel. God approved of his answer and even gave him all the things that he hadn't asked for.
I wonder if that question was put before us by God, what the first thing we'd ask for would be.
Solomon also made sure to finish building the Temple of God to the highest degree of perfection and splendor, before he even started building a palace for himself. He was diligent in planning and executing all the plans for God's Temple. How much time do we spend diligently carrying out God's tasks before jumping to our own desires and wants?
Source: Toa Heftiba
The story of Solomon really seems to be going great until...
Well, he's basically led astray. The man ended up marrying 700 foreign wives and had 300 concubines. Just imagine having so many women around you. I wonder how he even had time to fall in love with each one and how much time he spent with them individually.
Intermarrying with other nations by the Israelites was forbidden by God because their hearts were bound to be led astray, which is what ultimately happened to Solomon. He started serving other gods instead of God alone which ignited His fury. After everything God had done for Solomon, and with all his wisdom, he was still able to be led down the wrong path.
This is not a case of the women seducing Solomon into sin as many tend to associate this story with. Solomon was the king of that nation and his word was law. He could have easily banned his wives' worship of other gods in his kingdom. Yet he allowed his heart to be turned away from God. And this ultimately resulted in the splitting up of the Kingdom of Israel. And yet again in the history of the Bible, one man's sin caused the future downfall of a whole nation.
There are a few lessons we can learn from the story of King Solomon.
1. It doesn't matter your background. If God wants to use you, He will use you, despite opposition.
2. God's Will will come to pass
It might seem that someone is in a position you can only even dream of being in. But if it's God's will for that position to be yours, at the appropriate time, He will hand it over to you without you having to even fight for it. But remember the key words here are if it's His Will.
3. We should chase wisdom rather than wealth.
Wisdom in turn can be used to create wealth, but remember that wisdom is the principal thing. And in all the things you gain, gain understanding (Proverbs 4:7). If you find yourself in a high position or level, be humble enough to acknowledge that you need wisdom to succeed and that your power or wealth is not of primary importance.
4. Put God's work before your own desires.
Solomon worked hard to prepare God's Temple. It may seem that he took longer to build his own palace but that's because it wasn't as planned out and prepared for as readily and as much as the Temple for God. Make sure to do God's work with all your strength and heart, to the best of your abilities, before trying to fulfil your own carnal desires. Don't find yourself giving God shabby results before you move on to do your own thing.
5. Don't give others the opportunity to lead you astray
How easily are you influenced by those around us? If you know that you have people by your side who are doing the complete opposite of building you up spiritually or mentally, it's more than okay to walk away. Who we associate ourselves with goes a long way in defining who we become. Don't let a bad nut destroy your bright future.
6. In all your success, don't forget God.
I'm sure Solomon was so deep into his success as king that he forgot the source. Don't let where you're at in life cause you to forget where you started and who brought you that far.
Hope you enjoyed this brief character study on King Solomon. I could honestly go on and on about him but I'm going to end here. The story of Solomon can be found from 1 Kings 1-1 Kings 11. You should really read it.
What do you think of the story of Solomon? Are there any other lessons you might have picked up? Feel free to share in the comments below or email/message me on social media. Please share to bless others too. Have a blessed weekend everyone!
Stay blessed and stay a blessing.
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