Wisdom of God
1) Ps: 126
2) 1 Kings 3:1-28
3) James 3:13-18
Imagine you are walking down a beach and stumble an unusual looking bottle. You pick it up and poof, there is smoke and when it clears there is a Genie before you. You could be granted any wish, you just ask for it. What would you ask for?
Would you ask for riches, fame, to be a king, a long life, revenge on your enemies or something else. God is not a Genie. He is so far beyond that. But every good gift comes from God. He is able to give all things and enjoys giving to those who ask in accordance with his will.
1 Kings 3
And the Lord asking Solomon to make a request to him the throne of Israel has just come to Solomon. His father King David has died and has recently been buried. Solomon senses the tremendous responsibility. The burden of the throne of Israel must have weight heavy on Solomon. He was young and needing guidance as the leadership has been passed to him. It was in this context the Lord appeared to Solomon.
(1 Kings 3:5)
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
The Lord told Solomon, whatever you want, ask for it! Could you imagine if God gave you a blank check. Write down anything on that check and you can have it. Would some people ask for rubies or silver and gold? Solomon asked for wisdom. It is more precious than rubies or silver or gold..
(I Kings 3:7)
Solomon approached his new position with humility. “Now, 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.
There is a difference, isn’t there, between wisdom and intelligence?
• Intelligence is an inborn, inherited ability and we get what we are given.
• But wisdom is something else.
I’m sure that all of us know people who seem to be very intelligent but also seem too often make foolish decisions. And all of us also know people who the world might not consider so intelligent but the choices they make usually seem to make wise choices.
Solomon answered, ‘You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
Now, 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. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a
1. discerning heart to govern your people
2. and to distinguish between right and wrong.
For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
So God said to him,
1. ‘Since you have asked for this & not for long life or wealth for yourself,
2. NOR have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have NOT asked for — both wealth and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.’”
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all
i. pure;
ii. then peace-
iii. loving,
iv. considerate,
v. submissive,
vi. full of mercy
vii. and good fruit,
viii. impartial
ix. and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
1 Kings 3: 16-28
Solomon Judged the two prostitute
One great Bible teachers has said that
"the Christian will rightly contend that there is also a wisdom not of this world which comes down from above whose deepest insight is the value of self-giving love" (Howard Marshall).
He goes on to say that this wisdom was demonstrated by Solomon and that the self-giving love was demonstrated by the mother who would rather have given up her child than see the child die! Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, we know that the greatest example of such self-giving love is God who would rather give up his Son than see his children die!
1 Corinthians 18
Paul reminds us that the Jesus’ death on the cross is "the wisdom of God" even though many in this world consider it foolishness.
1. Not all of us can be super intelligent.
2. Not all of us can be great athletes.
3. Not all of us can be skilled business people.
1) But all of us can pray often for the wisdom that comes only from God.
2) We can pray that God will give us the sort of wisdom which shows itself in self-giving love like the woman who gave up her child.
3) We don’t know how intelligent people would have considered that woman.
4) We do know that whether by choice or by circumstances she was living as a prostitute.
5) And so we can be sure that she wasn’t on the Jerusalem celebrity A-List.
6) All of us can pray that God will give us wisdom.
7) And judging by the experience of Solomon we can pray with the confidence that God will answer our prayer.
8) As we pray to God and read God’s word we can be confident while God may not increase our IQ he will give us "wisdom from above.
Solomon’s Wisdom
1. God was pleased with the nature of Solomon's plea (10-14).
2. It demonstrated both deep respect for God and honor for God's people.
3. God was delighted to fulfill his petition.
4. Furthermore, God bestowed upon him additional physical and material blessings.
Rev. NORMAN BERNAD
BANGALORE, INDIA
+919036696832
normanmab07@gmail.com
