1 Kings 3:1-15
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.” -1 Kings 3:10
When Solomon was anointed as a king, he eliminated all opposition to the throne, built the temple, established a strong army, and became the richest and wisest king in the history of Israel. Solomon to be Israel’s next king after David, was the choice of both David (1Kings 1:17) and God (1 Chronicles 22:9-10).
In today’s reading, God appeared to Solomon in a night dream and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.” (1 Kings 3:5-6 NLT). Now Solomon felt the vulnerability of his office to be an ideal king to rule over God’s people. He literally humbled himself in the presence of God admitting his incapability and lack of knowledge, wisdom and experience to take the office of a king at his very early age. He is now earnestly seeking the Lord’s guidance:
“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” (V.9)
The climax of the scene (dream) reached the point where the humility and brokenness of Solomon touched the heart of God and God moved His heart towards Solomon and showered a whole load of blessings/gifting into his life more than what he could even think or imagine. Here we see that Solomon is not refusing the task that the LORD has given him to do. He is just asking for the LORD to empower him to do the task He has set before him. This gift of wisdom that he is asking for, is not even for a selfish reason, but to serve the chosen people of God in the best way. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
It says in V.10: “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.” Since Solomon did not ask for selfish reasons or things that normally people ask- long life, riches, etc. but discernment to administer justice, the Lord gave him both what he asked and what he had not asked for— “I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” (V.12-13) We see here the fulfillment of the Scripture Matthew 6: 33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.” Let us be people who seek after God and pray as Jesus taught us “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.…” (Matthew 6:9)
Further we see God’s promise to Solomon: “So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”(v.14). But we see later in 1 Kings 11:9-13 that his heart was turned away from the Lord and the consequences followed. In contrast to David, his father whom God called “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22), Solomon did not remain faithful to God.
Prayer: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
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