King Solomon - A Wise Wish

Make a Wish! Imagine it’s your birthday. You’re staring at a cake that looks like it’s on fire (cuz you’re old) and everyone is shouting, “Make a wish!” You probably give a moment’s pause, look like you’re trying to solve a math problem and then blow out the candles without making any wish. But imagine if, in that moment, if you did make a wish that it would come true! What would you really wish for? In our lesson from the kings this week we will look at King Solomon who was actually granted this opportunity. And we’ll look at the wish that he made. King Solomon King Solomon is the 3rd and the final king of the United Monarchy. Let’s take a look at his historical context: [Historical context – slide 24] Solomon was the second child of Bathsheba and David, but the 1st child died at birth. His life was complicated. Most suggest that he began his reign at 20, ruled for 40 years, and died at 60. He was famous for the completion of the temple, his wisdom, his literature, and great national success. However, he married the Pharaoh’s daughter and through his many other wives and mistresses he allowed gods from other religions into Israel. Imagine Solomon stepping into his father’s role as king. Imagine the shoes that he had to fill. His father was a warrior, worshipper, and extremely powerful. King David did little to set up Solomon for success to be the next king. In fact, his brother Adonijah tried to assume the throne, but Bathsheba quickly intervened with King David and David coronated Solomon. David himself called him “young and inexperienced” … 1 Chronicles 29:1 (NIV) 1Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LordGod. …not exactly the introduction a new leader might want. But it was true and Solomon needed help and he found it one night… 1 Kings 3:5–15 (NIV) 5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 6Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 7“Now, Lord my God, you have made 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. 8Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9So 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?” 10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court. As a newly minted King, Solomon does well with his request. It is clear that the Lord was pleased with his request. Wisdom for Making Good Wishes Solomon Asked with Expectation The first thing that really stands out to me is not what Solomon did but what God does. God tells Solomon to ask for anything… “The story of Aladdin’s lamp is known by many from childhood and in modern adult life gurus abound who affirm the power of the mind to ‘make your dreams come true’. Sadly, what is desired is often for personal power and happiness. Christians, however, can turn to similar words of Christ, ‘Ask and it will be given to you’ (Matt. 7:7), importantly within the Sermon on the Mount, so asking for what is needed as we ‘seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness’, following the way of Christ.[1] Matthew 7:7–8 (NIV) 7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Expectation is a huge part of the Christian’s prayer life. God has thrown out an amazing challenge to us to approach Him in prayer. Many of us (if not all of us) need to stop - Stop Praying without Faith - Stop Giving Up Because You don’t feel you’re connecting - Stop doing ALL the talking - Stop complicating things And we need to start - Start believing prayer changes things - Start praying at all times. - Start changing. “To pray is to change” – Richard Foster. Solomon Understood that He Was a Vice-Regent A vice-regent is someone who acts on behalf of a ruler, governor, or sovereign. Solomon describes himself as a little child, expressing his inexperience, and he knows that the people are not ‘mine’ but those whom you have chosen, they are your people (vv. 7–9). Similarly in the dedicatory prayer for the temple Solomon repeatedly refers to ‘your people Israel’ (seven times in 8:30–52). As king he is a vice-regent, accountable to God whose people they are, an important perspective for any person in leadership. His first priority is the well-being of God’s people. As king he will make many decisions, in governing and in implementing justice.[2] It sounds really lofty and so we assume that it isn’t us but Jesus brought the same idea up several times. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells the parable of the bags of gold. The owner leaves servants his resources to invest. In Luke 12 Jesus tells a parable of a manager left in charge by the Master. In both cases the wise servants and the wise manager understood that they were only servants of the Master just the way that we are called to be servants of Jesus. He owns it all. Solomon understood that he was just a manager of God’s great nation, a chosen people too numerous to count or number. Solomon Asked for a Discerning Heart Discernment is the ability to identify right from wrong. It is able to see the thoughts and intentions of the heart. This is why Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are so insightful and complex. In its beginning Solomon begins Ecclesiastes with this: Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NKJV) 2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” For the next 11 chapters Solomon explains that time won’t wait for us, wealth disappears, careers end, pleasure always ends, and death awaits us all. And then he concludes it with this: Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (NIV) 13Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. However, the key to life is accepting life as God presents it. Fear God and keep God’s commandments give true meaning. A Discerning Heart Knows the Meaning of TRUE Success How does the world define success? How do you define it? What does it even mean to be successful? It does not matter whether you are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, saved or lost—everyone wants to be successful. There are many definitions of success. For some it means …

· making a lot of money • getting a promotion at work • making a lot of friends • being needed by people • becoming a community leader • having degrees from the finest schools • wearing the finest clothes • driving the fanciest car • owning the biggest house

And on and on. But the important question that demands our attention is this: How does God define success? God’s definition of success does not depend on the external things of this world that impress men. When God thinks of success, He is thinking of faithfulness. True success is doing the will of God. Are you succeeding?[3]

A Discerning Heart Knows Right from Wrong

A thousand years later James asks the question,

James 3:13 (NIV) 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

It sounds a lot like the last comments of Ecclesiastes. There is a wisdom of the world that is NOT wisdom.

James 3:14–16 (NIV) 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James then explains what wisdom really looks like:

James 3:17–18 (NIV) 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

King Solomon’s Lesson

This lesson from the life of Solomon teaches us that when we come to God in humility and with the right heart that He is faithful to grant us our request and even give us more than we’ve asked. A discerning heart is a supernatural gift that is not reserved only for kings but for anyone who asks. It is essential for believers today.

As we’ve seen, “Solomon prayed, ‘So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil’ (1 Kings 3:9a).”In the NT Paul describes the mature as those who ‘have their senses trained to discerngood and evil’.

We live in times when we need discernment more than ever before. In many cases, social media is an illusion. Our news media is always slanted. Our educational institutions are filled with secular indoctrination. There is no longer a moral majority of Americans based on solid biblical values. Our society has leaned toward what Jesus describes for the last days.

2 Timothy 3 (NIV) 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Jim Newheiser wrote,

Discernment will help you decide which teachers to embrace and which ones you should steer clear of because of their unbiblical doctrine. Discernment will help you to distinguish between what is true and false, what is right and wrong in culture (e.g. movies, television, education, etc.). You won’t have to live with the perpetual uncertainty of postmodern worldly philosophy but instead will have confidence that you know the truth.[4]

It is not my intention to leave us this morning on a negative note. Instead I want to leave us with an understanding that the truths of the Word of God and true and necessary for our lives today. We won’t make it without trusting in the truth found in the Word of God and without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

[1] John W. Olley, The Message of Kings: God Is Present, ed. Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball, The Bible Speaks Today (England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2011), 64. [2] John W. Olley, The Message of Kings: God Is Present, ed. Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball, The Bible Speaks Today (England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2011), 64. [3]Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Practical Illustrations: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2003), 119. [4] Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 25.