A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE

Matthew 12:38–42 KJV 1900

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

1 Kings 10:1–13 KJV 1900

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

Intro: Jesus Christ made some amazing statements while He was here on earth. Listen to these classic quotes from the lips of the Lord Jesus.

“Before Abraham was I am …”, John 8:58.

“I and My Father are one.”, John 10:30.

“… he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father …”, John 14:9.

“… I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me”, John 14:6.

“… I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst,” John 6:35.

Through statements like these, Jesus plainly declared Who He was. But, His enemies were not content to take Him at His word. In our text, they demanded a sign. They didn’t want to hear a thing He had to say; what they wanted was for Him to perform a miracle to prove that He was the Messiah.

His response to them is clear. They will receive no sign but the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, Jesus would spend three days in the heart of the earth. He fulfilled that sign when He arose from the dead!

Then Jesus pronounced judgment upon them. He told them that the men of Nineveh would testify against them in the judgment. Nineveh had repented under the preaching of Jonah, but a greater than Jonah had come and they would not hear Him. He then told them the queen of Sheba would testify against them as well. She traveled a great distance, at great effort and with great expense, to hear the words of Solomon, but a greater than Solomon had come and the Jews refused to listen to what He had to say. They didn’t have to travel to hear Him, still they would not come. When Jesus said that a Gentile queen had more faith than they did, it infuriated them!

I want to take this statement by Jesus, “a greater than Solomon is here”, and show you that it still stands true today. Jesus Christ was and is greater than Solomon.

Let’s turn back to 1 Kings 10:1–13 and examine the facts related to King Solomon. I want you to see what the Bible has to say about Solomon’s glory and how Jesus is greater. I want to try and preach on the subject: A Greater Than Solomon Is Here. Let me show you the ways.

I. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS WAYS

Sheba was probably somewhere in the area around Ethiopia. As this pagan queen reigned in her country, the sailors and merchants that passed through shared the word of the greatness of King’s Solomon.

A. v. 7 She Heard Of His Wealth She heard of the great riches that flowed into the kingdom of Solomon—1 Kings 9:28 (31,500 lbs. worth about $2.5 billion), 1 Kings 10:14–15 (50,000 lbs. worth about$38.3 billion). 1 Kings 10:18–20—Solomon’s throne!

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Wealth: Jesus can meet every need, whether it be physical, material or spiritual! Solomon could provide meet; Jesus can multiply loaves and fishes. Solomon could buy anything he desired; Jesus can take plain water and make it into pure wine! Solomon sat on a throne built, provided and upheld by man. Jesus occupies an eternal throne and He will never be forced off it, Psa. 45:6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

B. v. 6 She Heard Of His Works She heard of the great kingdom he had built, 1 Kings 5–9. She heard of the Temple he had constructed for his God. She heard of the great palace he had built for himself.

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Works: Solomon built houses of stone and wood. Jesus is building a household of faith, Eph. 2:12–22! Solomon laid down his riches to buy things; Jesus laid down His life to redeem sinners. Solomon came to the end of his life and died, 1 Kings 11:43. Jesus died on the cross and got up the third day, Matt. 28:1–6. Solomon was nothing more than a weak human; his power was earthly and temporary.

Jesus is the supernatural, eternal Son of God; His power it eternal, Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Solomon was limited in his power. Jesus has all power and He can move your mountains, quench your thirst and save your soul, Matt. 28:18! For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

C. She Heard Of His Wisdom—v. 1–3, 6–7; 4:29–34; 10:24—She heard of his intellect and that he could answer deep questions. She came to prove him. She came to get her questions answered!

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Wisdom: Solomon may have been wise and he may have possessed immense knowledge, but Jesus created everything Solomon knew about!

Jesus holds all the answers to all your questions. In fact, He is the Answer to all the riddles, problems and questions of life! They all rest and reside in Him.

D. v. 1 She Heard Of His Worship Notice where the fame of Solomon was in the mind of this woman; “concerning the name of the Lord.” What impressed her more than his position, more than his power, more than his prosperity and more than his prestige, was his powerful, personal relationship with his God.

When she learned that Solomon’s God was the One responsible for his glory, she wanted to know more! She wanted to know about this connection he had with God. History says that Solomon had a covered walkway connecting his palace with the House of God. She watched him worship and saw the sacrifices he made to His God and she was amazed, 1 Kings 8:63; 1 Kings 9:25. She was interested in the God of Solomon!

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Worship: Solomon may have known how to go into the Temple to make a sacrifice; but Jesus knows how to take lost sinners, save them by His grace and bring them into the presence of God!

We will worship Him in eternity—Rev. 4:10–11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Rev. 5:9! And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Jesus reconciles us to God, 2 Cor. 5:18 - And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; He allows those who were separated from God by their sins to enter into the presence of God to worship!

II. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS WEALTH

When the Queen of Sheba arrived at Jerusalem, she was astounded at the greatness of this king’s wealth, v. 5.

A. v. 4, 13 She Saw His Possessions—She saw his house and his wealth.

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Possessions—Psa. 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. ; Psa. 50:12; Job 41:11. He owns it all and He can take care of His people! There are no shortages with Him!

B. v. 5 She Saw His Provisions—It required massive amounts of food to feed those who ate from his table, 1 Kings 4:22–23. And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, {provision: Heb. bread} {measures: Heb. cors} 23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His Provisions—Not only does He have it all, but He is willing to share it all with those who feed from His table, Phil. 4:19- Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Psa. 37:25 - I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Solomon had enough at his table to feed those who ate there, maybe as many as several hundred. The Lord Jesus has enough to give all of His children their “daily bread”!

C. v. 5 She Saw His People—She watched his servants as they ministered to him. She noticed how they sat in his presence listening to his voice. She noticed how others hastily carried out his wishes. She was amazed because they received joy from their service!

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His People, Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The Lord’s people love Him and want to be around Him to hear His Word and to do His bidding. Those who know Him and love Him want to serve Him! (Why they love Him—Eph. 2:1–9!) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

D. When the Queen of Sheba saw the riches of King Solomon, she was totally flabbergasted! She said, “There’s Nobody Like You!” But, I want to remind you that there is a greater than Solomon among us today!

III. JESUS IS GREATER IN HIS WONDER

The Queen of Sheba had heard about Solomon, but she didn’t believe it until she had seen it for herself, v. 7. What she saw when she came to Solomon left her dumbfounded!

A. Her Personal Discovery—Her trip to Jerusalem led her to some personal conclusions.

1. He Was More Wealthy Than She Had Heard—She got more from him than she gave him. So it is with Jesus. I have received for more than I have given.

2. He Was More Wise Than She Had Heard—He was able to answer every one of her riddles, v. 1, 3. Jesus has given meaning to life. It all makes sense with His!

3. He Was More Wonderful Than She Had Heard—She concluded that she hadn’t even heard the half of his glory and greatness! No matter what we say about Him, we can never exhaust His glory, His power and His wonder!

Every person who has ever heard about Jesus Christ and has responded by coming to Him for salvation can echo everything the Queen of Sheba discovered. He will always give you back far more than you give up! He will reveal to you the answers to the riddles and problems of life. He will always prove to be far more glorious than anyone could ever articulate! He will leave you flabbergasted, astounded and amazed! Everybody who told me about Jesus lied to me! He was far better than they said! The half has never been told!

B. Her Profound Declaration—She had some things to say to Solomon about what she saw.

1. Regarding His Servants—She commented on the happy nature of his servants!

2. Regarding His Savior—She commented on the greatness of Solomon’s Lord! She bragged on His goodness and she bragged on His love. She was convinced that there was nobody like Solomon and nobody like His God!

One of the reasons I can say “a greater than Solomon is here” is because those who know Him are a happy people! There may be worries and there may be problems, but they possess a “joy unspeakable and full of glory” in the depths of their souls! He does that through His grace! Those who know Him Who is greater than Solomon are those who like to brag on Him and His Father!

Conc: Do you know the One Who Is great than Solomon? If you do, then you know why He is greater than Solomon or any other, for that matter.

If you know Him, I challenge you to fall before Him in worship. Bow before Him and call on His Name and praise Him for Who He is and for all He has done for you.