Solomon asked for wisdom, and God granted him.
• 3:15 Solomon “returned to Jerusalem” (instead of going to the high place), and “stood before the Ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.”
• He did the right thing and worshipped the Lord before the Ark of God.
The author went on to record for us one particular dispute that was brought before the King, to show us the wisdom that God has given Solomon.
• This is no ordinary case. For a family dispute to be brought before the King, it would likely mean the judges down the ranks were unable to solve it.
Let look at the case in hand and learn. READ 1 Kings 3:16-23.
Let’s pause here. What would you do? For those of us who do not know the rest of the story, what would you have done?
Two prostitutes living together, each giving birth to baby boys, three days apart.
• They stayed alone, in the same house, with no other family members or friends.
• In the night, one mother accidentally rolled over and smothered her baby to death.
• She then switched the babies in the middle of the night, giving her roommate the dead baby and taking the living one as her own.
When the other woman woke up to nurse her son, she found out that the baby has died. And on closer look, realised that the baby wasn’t hers.
• It may be hard to tell, for a baby that young, but surely a mother can recognise her child.
• The babies must have been swapped in the night. But she has no proof.
The other woman denied knowing anything, insisting that the living child was hers.
• The circumstances served her well. No one could know for sure. The cover up was impeccable.
• It happened in the night, they were sleeping, only two of them in the house, no witnesses, both babies of the same gender and born only three days apart.
• She was so confident of the cover up that she was prepared to commit perjury before the King, that is, to lie to the King, without fear of being caught.
So with this information, what are we going to do? How are we going to solve it?
• No CCTV. No DNA testing. No CSI team to do the investigation. No lawyer to fight their case (both likely poor and marginalised by the society).
• This is probably why the case is brought before the King - no one can solve it.
So what did Solomon do, with the wisdom God has given him. Read 1 Kings 3:24-28.
Solomon took time to LISTEN to both sides and gathered information. After hearing their stories, he SUMMARISED their respective positions (verse 23).
• He looked at their body language and observed their interactions.
• Obviously one of them is lying. One of them made the switched and covered it up. But which one?
Solomon came up with a way to test their reactions.
• He declared, “Bring me a sword. Cut the baby into two and let each of them take half.” (3:25) Let’s end the case here.
• There is a risk in this (a small one): What if neither of them say anything? What if both remained quiet? Is Solomon going to carry out the threat?
Herein lies the wisdom. Solomon believes that the real mother would respond, undoubtedly, naturally, because no mother would allow such a thing.
As expected, one of them reacted passionately. 3:26 says she was “filled with compassion” and said, “Give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
• Her utmost concern now is not to get the baby but to keep the baby alive.
• And she is even prepared to give him up to the other woman, just so that the child can live.
• That’s a mother’s heart. The threat exposes the heart of the true mother.
It also exposes the heart of the fake one. She was not disturbed at all by the threat. It wasn’t her child anyway; hers has died.
• Her reaction tells. 3:26 “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
Ultimately NOTHING can be hidden from God.
• Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
One day, four boys played truant and failed to show up at school until noon, reporting that they had a flat tire.
The teacher smiled and informed the youths that they had missed a morning test so she would give them another. She requested that they sit apart from one another.
The test proved very brief. Just one question. "Which tire was flat?"
Man covers up sin. God exposes it. Man can keep sin under wraps, but for a moment. Ultimately God judges.
• There is a time when everything will be uncovered, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
• Be wise. Open them up to God. Confess them and turn away from sin.
Solomon made the threat WITH the knowledge of a mother’s heart. He knows how a mother would respond in such a circumstance. That’s wisdom.
Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. It is not just having knowledge. You can have all the information up to verse 23 and not know what to do.
• Knowledge is not wisdom. You can have knowledge and no wisdom. Lots of head knowledge but not knowing what to do.
• To use knowledge is wisdom. Wisdom is applied knowledge.
• Solomon looked at all the information he had, the circumstances, body language and decided on something that would bring out the truth.
You can have knowledge without wisdom, but not the other way around.
• You cannot have wisdom without knowledge. We cannot make wise decisions without knowing the facts of the case and the circumstances surrounding it.
• That’s acting in ignorance. That’s acting on impulse or assumptions.
• Sadly we can gain a lifetime of knowledge, and yet never gain wisdom from it.
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GET WISDOM. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
• Seek God and gain wisdom. Knowledge can be passed down, but not wisdom.
• You cannot learn wisdom in a university and get a degree in it. I am convinced true wisdom can only come from God, to a heart that is in submission to Him.
What about all the WISE people who does not know God?
• Both Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 says, the fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
• Strictly speaking, they are intelligent and smart, with all the Qs but in the biblical sense, not wise.
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So finally, we see this unsolvable dispute being resolved.
• 3:28 “When all Israel heard the verdict the King had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had WISDOM FROM GOD to administer justice.”
• The nation that has been hearing this case deliberated through the courts is now in awe. They saw the WISDOM of God in Solomon.
• They recognised it. It’s the wisdom FROM GOD.
Don’t just go for more KNOWLEDGE. SEEK WISDOM from God.
Knowledge sees a hole; wisdom walks around it.
Knowledge sees dark clouds; wisdom brings an umbrella.
Knowledge memorises the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them.
Knowledge learns about God; wisdom honours and worships Him.
• Paul says, “Knowledge puffs up…” (1 Cor 8:1) to the Corinthians. They are proud about their knowledge and gifts.
• Paul has this to say – 1 Cor 13:2 “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
A boatman and a scholar were once travelling on a boat. During the journey, the scholar asked the boatman, "Do you know philosophy?"
"No," he replied. "Do you study biology?" "No."
"What about technology?" "Nope!"
"I suppose you don’t know psychology, huh?" "No, not at all."
"Hm... life must be pretty boring for you then."
Just then a storm erupted, and the waves were beating furiously against the boat. The scholar was afraid.
The boatman asked, "Do you know how to swim?" "No!" he replied.
"That’s too bad," the boatman said. "But do you know God?"
"No, I don’t!" said the scholar.
Boatman: "Then that’s even worse. You’ll have no hope after death!"
The boatman brought out a lamp, lifted it up and waved, sending a signal in the darkness to the surrounding boats to help. Eventually, they were saved.
All the LOGY cannot save you. Get wisdom. Put our trust in Jesus and submit to God.
• Jesus: "I am the Light of the world." Trust Him. Seek Him with all your heart.
• Prov 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Jesus alone can restore to us the meaning and purpose of life.
