Solomon’s Wisdom

Intro

How Stuff Works

Supplies needed: computer or smartphone with internet access.

Form groups of three or four students.

Assign each group to discuss an object (e.g., microwave, thermometer, light bulb, dry cleaners). Without using any resources to look up information, have groups discuss how they think the object works.

After groups have their hypothesis, have someone from each group present the group’s explanation.

After groups have presented, search online for the correct answer and see who came the closest. Howstuffworks.com is a good resource to use.

Discuss how some people have more natural ability to figure out how things work. In what areas would this be beneficial when it comes to the church?

Out of Touch with the Main Thing

Dr. Finch, a renowned astrophysicist, was known for his mind-boggling theories about the universe’s origins and the nature of space and time. He could effortlessly calculate the trajectory of a comet billions of miles away, yet he couldn’t manage to tie his own shoelaces. His apartment was a chaotic mess of books, papers, and half-finished experiments. His daily routines were a series of comical mishaps. He accidentally set off the smoke alarm while trying to boil an egg, and once, he arrived at a meeting wearing his shoes on the wrong feet. His colleagues, despite respecting his brilliance, often found themselves struggling to communicate with him because his mind was constantly soaring through the cosmos. Yet his colleagues were grounded in the mundane realities of office politics and water cooler conversations.

One day during a particularly heated debate about the department’s budget, Professor Finch finally spoke after a long pause. He said, “But . . . but the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, and the allocation of resources is not following the same trajectory.” His bewildered colleagues just stared at him. The professor, oblivious to their confusion, continued to explain his complex theory, completely missing the point they were simply trying to figure out how to afford the coffee machine.

Being highly skilled in something takes a lot of effort, and it feels good when we find ourselves being the most knowledgeable about something we are passionate about. But we must be careful not to get our priorities mixed up. Like Dr. Finch, Solomon was very intelligent, not just about space, but about everything. Solomon may have impressed everyone around him, but he became so focused on instructing others that he failed to focus on the most important part of his life: his relationship with God.

Lesson

Solomon Prayed for Wisdom

So let me try and put you in the place of this guy Solomon we’re talking about today… imagine that you were just elected as president of the United States.

How do you think you would feel?

It would be a great honor, but you would most likely be clueless of what to do next.

How will you manage foreign affairs?

What new bills should you veto?

Which fork do you use at dinner parties?

It would all be very daunting.

So one night, God visited Solomon in a dream and God told him to ask for anything he wanted. ANYTHING.

If God said that to us today, we might ask for a car, the newest phone, a gaming fortress, a pair of Nikes.

But Solomon asked for something very different. Solomon wanted something that would benefit his people, so he asked for wisdom.

1 Kings 3:9 NKJV

9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

And this request for wisdom pleased God. So God responded:

1 Kings 3:12 NKJV

12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

So we’re not talking about a little wisdom, or even a lot of wisdom. God made Solomon the wisest man on earth!

When God told him to ask for what he wanted, it seemed as though God was testing him to see if he would ask for something honorable or something selfish. I don’t think God would have granted the request if he had just asked for more money, power, or victories.

God granted Solomon’s request because he asked for something that would enable him to lead God’s people!

God didn’t give him great wisdom just so he could be the most interesting man in the room. He did it so Solomon could serve others. By answering this prayer, God was blessing His people. They would get a king who could judge them justly, make their land more prosperous, and build a temple where they could worship God.

There was even a king of a nearby nation who recognized that God was blessing His people through Solomon and said that God had made Solomon king “because the Lord hath loved his people” (2 Chronicles 2:11-12).

If we trust God and seek His wisdom, He will bless us.

While Solomon had only prayed for wisdom, God went above and beyond that for him. God also gave riches and honor, greater than any other kind of his day.

God may not promote us to king, give us riches, or make us famous, but He will bless us as long as we are living in a way that pleases Him. This way of living Solomon had chosen was a witness to other nations. They recognized Solomon’s God.

If we choose to live for God and be a witness, others around us will see the blessings of God in our lives and it will attract them to Him!

And his wisdom was not something that fizzled out.

Can you guess what all books of the Bible that Solomon ended up writing?

Most of the Book of Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs (Solomon)

He ended up writing 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs!

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are both wisdom books. Looks like pursuing wisdom really does something!

Proverbs 2:6–7 NKJV

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

We should seek wisdom in order to be molded into who God is calling us to be and to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

We can pursue wisdom in many ways.

Through prayer, through the Bible, through the people God places in our lives to teach and guide us.

We need wise people: our pastor, parents, elders. We need them if we’re going to live wise lives.

Solomon Built the Temple

Now, Solomon’s father (David) wanted to build a permanent house for God. But God said David’s son, who would rule after him, would build the temple instead.

Previously, God had dwelled in the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

Solomon built this temple. When it was finished, he dedicated it to God by making numerous animal sacrifices. At the dedication, God appeared and spoke:

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God was working through Solomon to reestablish covenant with a people who had at times strayed away.

Covenant is not a one-time commitment. It’s a lifelong pursuit of God! He’ll continually be faithful as long as we are continually faithful to Him.

We expect God to fulfill His promises, but we don’t always uphold our part in our relationship with Him.

It’s important to pursue Him daily in prayer.

Solomon messed up by disobeying God and marrying people in foreign nations. This would lead Israel astray, God warned.

They worshiped other gods. As a result, Solomon eventually stopped being faithful to God. Then he built altars to their gods. Then worshiped them.

God became angry.

People thought Solomon was doing well.

Conclusion