A Greater Than Solomon Is Here
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Intro
Intro
Text - Matthew 12.45
42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
Title - A Greater Than Solomon Is Here
Background
Background
Matthew 12 is an account of Christ’s encounter with the Pharisees
they questioned the disciples’ plucking heads of grain on the sa Sabbath
they questioned His healing of a man on the Sabbath
the Pharisees began to plan to destroy Christ
the Pharisees accuse of Christ of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub
the scribes and Pharisees demand a sign
he gave them the sign of the prophet Jonah
Jesus rebukes the Jews of their unbelief - Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba will rise in the judgment and condemn them
the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah
the Queen of the South acknowledged the God of Solomon for his wisdom and wealth
Why did Jesus use Solomon and the Queen of Sheba in His discourse here?
Solomon was one of the greatest personalities in Israel’s history
he was a son of king David, the fourth child with Bathsheba
his reign of 40 years was the golden age of Israel’s history
he was known for his wisdom and wealth
29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
30 Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31 For he was wiser than all men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
32 He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five.
33 Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.
34 And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
the queen of Sheba was intrigued by the popularity of Solomon’s wisdom
she came to investigate - to see and hear for herself
1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
she was convinced
3 So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her.
4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
5 the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.
6 Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.
7 However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard.
8 Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
she honored God
9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”
He is greater than Solomon in Wisdom
He is greater than Solomon in Wisdom
Solomon’s wisdom did not show him as a devout person or a righteous man.
nothing that made him hunger for the presence of God
very little in common with the wisdom of the prophets, and the apostles
Solomon’s wisdom was mostly practical wisdom.
(4 characteristics of Solomoon’s wisdom)
judicial wisdom - discernment for providing social justice
A Dictionary of the Bible Solomon
Possession of the qualities of mind—the quickness and accuracy of discernment and the practical sagacity—which are most indispensable to one who constantly requires to decide readily and correctly on which side truth and justice lie in disputed cases. Those qualities were of the utmost importance to a Hebrew king
practical wisdom for life
“my son...”
extensive knowledge of human culture and life in general
33 Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.
skill in using and solving riddles, in expressing ideas in proverbs and enigmas
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
Solomon’s wisdom have limits
Solomon’s wisdom was mostly gained by experience and experimentation
he experimented on life’s experiences
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.
7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
his wisdom gave him sorrow and grief - Ecc 1.17-18
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
he hated his life - Ecc 2.17
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
he hated his work - Ecc 2.18
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
he turned to despair - Ecc 2.20
20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.
On the other hand - Jesus Christ’s wisdom showed complete and thorough understanding of the human condition
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
he knew the thoughts of their hearts
he knew the root of their problems - sin, the devil, evil spirits
he knew their needs
Solomon gave advice for practical living -
On the other hand - Jesus Christ offered forgiveness, rest, peace with God and salvation
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
He is greater than Solomon in His Person
He is greater than Solomon in His Person
In Christ are all the treasures if wisdom and knowledge
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Jesus Christ is wisdom personified
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
Solomon was a man of wisdom -
Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God by which He created the earth
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Solomon was a king appointed by God to rule over Israel -
Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to the world.
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Solomon was the son of David who ruled over Israel for 40 years -
Jesus Christ is the Son of David - the lion of the tribe of Judah to whom the “scepter belongs”, who will ruled over all the nations of the earth for 1000 years!
He is greater than Solomon in His Message
He is greater than Solomon in His Message
Solomon’s wisdom’s message to his readers/hearers -
all is vanity - Ecc 1.1-2
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
there is nothing new under the sun
8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
life is full of uncertainty
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
11 I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.
Jesus Christ’s message to his hearers -
there is rest from labor - Matt 11.28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
there is escape from the cycle of life - John 16.33
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus is greater than Solomon - in His Power and Reign
Jesus is greater than Solomon - in His Power and Reign
Solomon’s reign was peaceful for the following reasons -
his enemies were already conquered by his father King David
he secured his borders by political alliances - with Egypt, Tyre, etc.
he raised his army by purchasing horses and chariots from Egypt
Jesus Christ conquered his enemies on the cross -
he purged sins by Himself - Heb 1.3
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
he did not need help from others
he did not seek help from anyone
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
His power is in His Blood
His power is in His Spoken Word
Jesus is greater than Solomon - in His Name
Jesus is greater than Solomon - in His Name
Solomon’s name means peaceful
Jesus’ name means Jehovah is salvation
a name above every name
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Conclusion
Conclusion
People are looking around for answer to their problems
education - to get out of miserable life
political personalities - to lift the people out of poverty
Are you still looking for a sign from God?
Are you still searching for wisdom in the world?
You need look very far - Christ is here now!
He is greater than any wise man that you will ever find on earth!
He is God’s answer for you, for your questions, for your longings
SONG
He is Our Peace