The Wisdom of Solomon

Intro

Who I am… Brief testimony

Scripture

What Scripture did we read today?

How can you summarize the Scripture in a couple of sentences?

1 Kings 4:22–34 ESV

Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him. And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon. Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. And those officers supplied provisions for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, each one in his month. They let nothing be lacking. Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds they brought to the place where it was required, each according to his duty. 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. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 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.

Explanation

There were 4 key things explained to help us better understand the passage, what were they?

A few things going on here that we need to know

Israel is doing amazing right now...

Creation - Original sin and kicked out of Eden

Patriarchs - Was cool for a minute but then went downhill real fast and due to famine they move from the promised land to Egypt and then end up slaves.

Exodus - we thought that was going to be cool until they wandered in the desert forever and then Moses died before even entering the promised land

Conquest - Joshua takes command and they are asked to remove everyone from the land, but they don’t and guess what those other tribes end up bullying Israel literally the entire book of Judges. But God has some incredible “all-powerful” moments in there.

Judges - We get some glimpses of what God wants Israel to be but they get stuck in this sin cycle and God has to continue sending a Judge to rescue them but they do it again.

Kingdom - Saul comes first but then David shows up and all seems like its going to be amazing, and it is until David has a major failure, Solomon ends up being the next in line to be king of Israel and things are looking pretty okay.

God is reminding them of the promises He’s fulfilled

1 Kings 4:20 ESV

Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.

Genesis 22:17 ESV

I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,

3. They are in a season of security and peace

1 Kings 4:25 ESV

And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.

4. Everyone from every region is flocking to hear king Solomon, but why?

Solomon

Where did Solomon get his wisdom?

1 Kings 3:9–12 ESV

Give your servant therefore 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?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, 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.

a. He literally prayed, God gave him wisdom.

2. What is wisdom?

- Wisdom is not knowledge. But wisdom and knowledge are related.

Proverbs 2:1–5 ESV

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Sleepover Story

3. How is wisdom defined in America, how is that different than in Scripture?

- Wisdom is defined differently than we understand it in America

“the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.”

“the body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or period.”

to us, wisdom has always been tied to knowledge and experience but in Scripture that’s not what it means. The wisdom Solomon had was defined as this:

in chapter 3 Solomon was given in Hebrew, Lev shomea’ which means “a listening heart” or in chapter 4 it’s described as rochav lev, or “an understanding heart”

What do you mean?

Let’s take a look at how God’s wisdom in Solomon played out

He wrote 3,000 proverbs...

He wrote all of Song of Songs, a book in the Bible

He also wrote several Psalms

What does this all mean for you?

What are you supposed to do with the gift of wisdom?

A couple quick warnings about wisdom:

The Bible is inerrant and complete which means all wisdom that God gifts you with needs to align with what is already given to us in the Bible.

“Wisdom or knowledge” that is not in alignment with Scripture is not wisdom and knowledge, in fact its heretical which means it is opposed to what’s true.

A couple of encouragements

The gift of wisdom is meant to build up the church.

Disciple others, teach them what you’ve learned, but most importantly hear with your heart, understand with empathy first.

The gift of wisdom is given from God

What’s Jesus say?

What does Jesus say about wisdom?

Matthew 11:19 ESV

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Luke 7:35 ESV

Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Jesus is reminding us that when all is said and done we will know if wisdom was true wisdom by the fruit produced. Look at Luke 6 for the story of the fig tree.