The Wisdom of Solomon

Knowledge and Wisdom

They say we’re living in the information age. Never before, in the history of the world, has such a vast amount of knowledge been so easily accessible to anyone who seeks it. If you want to research a topic, you don’t even have to leave your house. With the push of a button or the click of a mouse, the latest articles pop up your computer screen.

And if you don’t have a computer handy, no worries. We have smart phones, smart TVs, and smart watches that can answer just about any question you might have. In our living room we have a speaker sitting on the table called “Google Home.” All you have to do is say: “Hey Google, what’s the forecast for tomorrow? And a voice from the speaker will tell you what you want to know. “Hey Google, I need a recipe for chicken salad.” And it responds instantly, leading you step by step through the instructions.

The same feature is built into the TV in the back, and I thought I would try it out this morning.

· “What is the forecast for today?”

· “What was the score of the Indians game last night?”

· “When will Ohio State begin their football season?”

· “Who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace?”

· “How far away is Jerusalem from Ada, Ohio?”

· “What year was the temple built in Jerusalem?”

Isn’t that cool? We can learn all kinds of wonderful things from Google. But there some questions Google cannot answer. Like:

· What is the purpose of life?

· How can I be successful in the things that matter the most?

· What can I do to become a better husband or a better father?

· How should I treat others?

· How do I honor the Lord with my life?

We need more than knowledge to answer these questions. We need wisdom. And there is a difference between the two. Knowledge has been defined as the information we gain through study, reason, or observation. But wisdom is the ability to discern what is right and true. A wise person applies what they have learned to make good decisions. They demonstrate sound judgment.

It is possible for a person to be intelligent but at the same time lack wisdom. Maybe you’ve met someone like that. They are smart. They were at the top of their class in school. They are like a walking encyclopedia. But for some reason, they don’t have any common sense.

J.I. Packer writes, “Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. (Knowing God, p. 80.)

Someone else has said: “Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it. Knowledge memorizes [verses of Scripture]; wisdom obeys them. Knowledge learns [about the character and attributes] of God; wisdom loves Him.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/wisdom-knowledge.html)

There is a person in the Bible who had a reputation for great wisdom, and his name was Solomon. Scripture tells us that he would become the wisest person in the world. His understanding was beyond measure. People came from distant lands, traveling hundreds of miles all the way to Jerusalem, just so they could learn from the wisdom of Solomon. When they went away, they were not disappointed. He wrote 3,000 proverbs, and composed more than 1,000 songs. In fact, the Lord spoke through Solomon and he authored three books of the Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. How was he able to gain such great wisdom? Our passage this morning shows us that he found wisdom in God.

To find wisdom, we must first admit that we don’t know everything.

Look at verse 7. Solomon says, “O 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.”

Solomon had only recently become king, when the Lord appeared to him. His father David had been a good ruler, reigning for 40 years over the land of Israel, and Solomon realized he would have big shoes to fill. It would not be easy. His people would look to him for direction, expecting him to bring peace and prosperity to their nation. There would be times when he would have to make life and death decisions, and he wondered “how can I do that?” This was a tremendous responsibility that would have been intimidating for anyone.

We don’t know exactly how old Solomon was, when he took the throne, commentators suggest he was probably somewhere in his early 20’s. He admits, “I’m like a child, young and inexperienced. I don’t think I can handle this on my own.” He had a very humble attitude.

How different from other rulers in the ancient world. History tells us there were many kings who acted as if they were gods. They were proud and arrogant. They thought they could do no wrong; their plan was always the best plan; they expected the people to hang on their every word. You didn’t dare contradict the king. If you disagree with him, look out, you’re likely to find yourself in some dungeon. But Solomon wasn’t like that, at least not in the early years of his reign. He had the good sense to recognize his limitations and inadequacies.

Wisdom flows from humility. If we want to be wise, we have to be humble. I have to be willing to admit that I don’t have all the answers. There are things that I just don’t understand. That’s okay. I may not know everything, but I know the one who does, and I’m willing to listen and learn from Him.

A proud person cannot be taught. He thinks he already knows it all, so he will not listen to anyone.

Picture family on their summer vacation driving across the country. The husband is confident in his skills to navigate to their destination, but after hours on the road his wife becomes a little concerned. “Are you sure we are headed in the right direction?” she asks. “Of course I’m sure.” He replies. “I recognize that grain silo over there. We should be coming up on the city any time now. I don’t get lost, we’re exactly where I want to be.” Another hour goes by, and they still haven’t seen any sign that they are getting closer to their hotel. The wife has the map open, in the passenger seat, and says, “Honey, I think we’re on this highway over here, but we shouldn’t we be on that highway instead?” He ignores her observation and says, “Put the map away, I know a shortcut.” Only a foolish person would continue down the wrong path, because he is too proud to admit he doesn’t know the way.

F. Maybe you know someone who has that kind of attitude. They are always right. You know better than to offer advice. It doesn’t go well. They are stubborn, and refuse to listen to anyone else. That’s not the kind of person I want to be.

Proverbs 12:15 ESV

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

(ESV) tells us, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

Proverbs 11:2 NLT

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

(ESV) tells us, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

I don’t have to pretend to have all the answers. There is mothering wrong with admitting I don’t know everything. That’s when we’re ready to learn. Only when we’ve been emptied of pride can God pour his wisdom into our hearts.

And (NLT) says, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

I. I don’t have to pretend to have all the answers. There is mothering wrong with admitting I don’t know everything. That’s when we’re ready to learn. Only when we’ve been emptied of pride can God pour his wisdom into our hearts.

Solomon had the right attitude when he began his reign. “I don’t know how to be a good king, I need you Lord to show me the way.

That leads to our next point…

To find wisdom, we must ask the Lord

That evening, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, saying, “ask for whatever you want me to give you.” What an incredible offer. God was basically handing the young king a blank check, promising to grant any request. Imagine standing in his shoes. How would you have answered? Maybe some of us would have requested fame and fortune… or a vault filled with treasure… or perfect health and a long life… or maybe even your own personal golf course in the back yard. Solomon had something else in mind that he considered more valuable than these other things.

In verse 9 Solomon prays, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong?”

He didn’t ask for wealth. He didn’t ask for a long life. He didn’t ask for victory over his enemies. He wanted to rule well, and so he looked to the Lord and asked for wisdom. God was pleased with his request, and was more than willing to grant this to him.

God wants us to come to him, during times of uncertainty, and pray for wisdom. Maybe you find yourself struggling with a difficult decision. You do your best to weigh all of the options, but are still not quite sure what to do. Some people are telling you to go this direction. Others suggest you ought to take the other route. Your head is spinning, and you don’t know what to do. Pray. “Lord guide my thoughts, and show me your will. May your Holy Spirit lead me as I make this decision, showing me how I can best honor you in this situation.”

Don’t simply offer a quick prayer, and then rush ahead doing whatever you think is best. Spend time with the Lord, earnestly committing the matter before God, waiting for Him to direct your steps. The answer may not come instantly. I doubt you’ll see a bright neon sign in the sky saying: “This is the solution.” We may need to enlist the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ. But if we pray for earnestly for God’s wisdom, He promises to grant our request.

James 1:5 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

God wants to work in our hearts. He wants to change our perspective, giving us insight and understanding, so that we are equipped to make good decisions. But He is waiting for us to ask.

F. (ESV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

F. (ESV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

G. God wants to work in our hearts. He wants to change our perspective, giving us insight and understanding, so that we are equipped to make good decisions. But He is waiting for us to ask.

There is a pastor who talks about a situation in his ministry when he began making plans without seeking the Lord in prayer. He writes,

“More than twenty years ago, before multisite churches were cool, I tried to lead our church to [expand our services to more than one location]. The logic was simple, I thought. We were landlocked there was no availability of surrounding land. Why not start the second sight a few miles away in a fast-growing area? Seemingly out-of-the-blue I received a call from [another] pastor. His church, just a few miles south of us, was growing rapidly. They were moving to a new location but they needed a buyer for their property. They would take an under market offer if they could get a church in that site. It gets better. The facilities were outstanding, only 7 years old. It was as if the site was ready and waiting for us. I took a few key leaders to the site I shared with them my enthusiasm. We could afford the purchase price. It was just so obvious. The next week I went to a leadership meeting and expected to be greeted with words of affirmation and excitement. I expected them to be on board fully and to move forward to propose the idea to the entire congregation. Instead I heard these words: “We've never seen a model like this. How do we know if we’re doing it right? There are no examples of multisite churches in the Bible. We could be committing heresy!” You get the picture. I guess my despondency was noticeable the next day. Frances noticed. You need to understand Francis Mason. She was an incredible woman of prayer. Of course she did not hesitate to ask me what my problem was. She was not only bold in prayer but bold and person. I explained to her the sequence of events related to the failed effort of the new site. She showed no pity. Instead, she simply said, “I suppose you haven't talked to God about it.” I swallowed hard. I didn't have to give Francis a verbal answer. She knew. [Trying to follow the Lord] without prayer will not work, and it's not very smart either.” (Thom Rainer, “Who Moved My Pulpit” p.34-35)

That was a convicting story as I read about his experience. I know I’ve been there. I’ve made that same mistake. I’ve worried about problems. I’ve wrestled with difficult decisions. I’ve rushed ahead with my plans, when I should have been praying. And things don’t usually work out too well.

The pastor goes on to talk about what he learned from that experience. He committed the matter to God in prayer, and it wasn’t long before the Lord guided his church to the right solution. He goes on to say,

“We can’t see the future... that is why we pray for wisdom. You are praying to the One who knows all eternity. He certainly knows what the future will bring in our lives. Praying for wisdom means you are asking God to lead you into the unknown” (p.37)

It’s funny how we can ask all sorts of people for advice (our friends, our family, our neighbors, our co-workers...). But we often forget to ask the Lord. He wants to guide us. He is willing to direct our steps, but we must look to him

Proverbs 2:6 ESV

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

To find wisdom we must walk with God

K. (ESV) tells us, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

If we back up in our passage, to , we are told, “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David...”

God wasn’t a stranger to Solomon. He loved the Lord. That’s why he was there, in the town of Gibeon, to offer sacrifices. Before the temple was built, there wasn’t a central place in Israel where the people could go to worship. The ark of the covenant had already been moved to Jerusalem, but the tabernacle was still standing along the hillside of Israel, about 5 ½ miles to the north. So Solomon went there to seek God’s presence, and the Lord was pleased to reveal himself. We can see how much Solomon loved the Lord by the number of sacrifices he gave... 1,000 burnt offerings.

If he had not walked in a relationship with God, Solomon would have never become such a wise and successful king. Three thousand years later, people around the world are able to open their Bible, turn to the book of Proverbs, and learn from his words of wisdom. How is that possible? Only through the power of God.

The Lord can work in our lives in wonderful ways, if we walk with him. If we want to know wisdom, we must first know God.

Proverbs 9:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

E. (ESV) tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

This is not the type of fear that causes us to run away or hide. It is a reverence for God, falling to our knees in his presence, overwhelmed by His glory, and yet captivated by His grace. When we come to the point where we realize there is a God who created the universe, who is all powerful, all knowing, perfect in all his ways, and yet he loves us and is calling us into a relationship with him... that is the beginning of wisdom.

E. (ESV) tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

F. This is not the type of fear that causes us to run away or hide. It is a reverence for God, falling to our knees in his presence, overwhelmed by His glory, and yet captivated by His grace. When we come to the point where we realize there is a God who created the universe, who is all powerful, all knowing, perfect in all his ways, and yet he loves us and is calling us into a relationship with him... that is the beginning of wisdom.

One author says,

There is one, absolutely essential thing to do if you would "get wisdom": you must come to Jesus. He said to the people of his day, "The queen of the south will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold something greater than Solomon is here" (). What an understatement. Greater than Solomon indeed! Solomon spoke God's wisdom. Jesus is the wisdom of God (, ). Others had spoken truth; he is the truth. Others had pointed the way to life; he is the way and the life ()... Others had offered God's forgiveness; Jesus bought it by his death... To know and love and follow Jesus is to own the ultimate treasure. Therefore, the command, "Get wisdom," means first and foremost "Come to Jesus! Come to Jesus!" (John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/get-wisdom)

Conclusion

I wish I could tell you that Solomon spent his entire life drawing closer and closer in his walk with God, but that wasn’t the case. As he got older, he allowed himself to become distracted, and began to drift away from the Lord. Scripture tells us that he married 700 wives (). I don’t know how he could ever imagine that was a good idea! Most of them were political marriages. Part of establishing a peace treaty, with a foreign country, was marring the princess of that land. But these wives worshipped other idols, and he allowed himself to be led astray.

This goes to shows us that even wise people can make foolish decisions, when they take their eyes away from God.

But we want to be people of wisdom.

And so when you are looking for answers to the big questions in life, don’t ask Google. Look to God. Admit that you don’t know everything. None of us do. That’s okay, because we know the one who knows the end from the beginning. Pray for the Lord to give insight and understanding. He will. He longs to renew our perspective so that we can look at life from an eternal perspective. And walk with the Lord. Draw close in a relationship with Jesus. He not only brings light, he is the light. He not only gives truth, he is truth. He not only offers wisdom, he is wisdom. Seek Him.