Wisdom
II Chronicles 1:1-11, Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts
“Ask for whatever you want Me to give you” (vs 7). If God handed you a “blank check”--if you could ask Him for anything and receive it, what would your pray for? I saw a “prayer” on a T-shirt at the mall: “Lord, let me prove to You that winning the lottery won’t ruin me.” Our character appears in our choices. We could ask God for wealth, even though it’s no guarantee of happiness. Ben Franklin remarked, “If a man could have half his wishes, he would double his troubles.” God gave Solomon the equivalent of a blank check, and he responded spiritually, not selfishly. God gave Solomon what he asked for, and more.
A bit of history: Solomon, King of Israel, and son of King David, began his rule with an act of public worship, at Gibeon, 6 miles NW of Jerusalem, where David left the Ark of the Covenant in a temporary shrine prior to its placement in Jerusalem. This is also where David held a national assembly where he, and now Solomon, spoke to Israel. The “Tent of Meeting” (vs 6) refers to the Tabernacle, Israel’s mobile sanctuary made of canvas, which was kept in Gibeon, regarded at the time as the religious center of Israel, till it was replaced by Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. I know what it’s like to worship in a tent, thanks to the Army. Whatever our sanctuary looks like, God is enthroned through the worship of His people. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps 33:12).
Solomon realized the enormity of his position and the task before him; and so he asked God for wisdom, not personal gain. He hoped to carry on the legacy of his father David. Solomon realized that God was the reason for his father David’s success. His prayer shows him to be a true son of David. Solomon knew that holding onto power wasn’t going to be easy. Although Solomon was chosen as king, his older brother Adonijah tried to claim the throne, even while David was still alive. As soon as Solomon was anointed King of Israel he had to put down usurpers to the throne and avoid civil war. Though raised in luxury in the palace, Solomon came to power with his eyes wide open, realizing the job was no picnic. His desire was to honor God and serve his people.
If you’ve ever held a position of leadership, you can understand how smart Solomon’s request was. We’re in the midst of a presidential election campaign, and I often wonder why anyone would want the job! I’m currently reading General Tommy Frank’s autobiography (American Soldier), and the enormity of the scope of a Commanding General’s responsibility has always impressed me. Franks points out, “The Army doesn’t issue wisdom when it pins on the stars.” Solomon held absolute power with no checks to his authority other than God alone. Realizing his limitations, he confessed his need for wisdom to rule properly.
In my military career, I was often called upon to offer prayer at change-of-command ceremonies. The Army recognized the weighty challenge of command and the need for divine guidance. Most incoming commanders welcomed a chaplain’s prayer in their behalf. Those in positions of authority usually see the need to go with God in leading others. Arrogant, self-sufficient people don’t get it.
Solomon understood that God had put him in office. David stated, “the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord.” In the NT, Paul writes how human government is established by God (Rom 13). In vs 9 Solomon acknowledges that God has given him the kingship, and he alludes to the covenant God made with Abraham (Gen 15), that the Jewish nation will be as numerous as the sand. He realizes that he is part of that covenant, a continuation of the pledge God made with His people. The mention of God’s covenant history with Israel is a reminder that God keeps His promises.
Much of the “wisdom literature” of the Bible is written by Solomon, for good reason. He experienced doubts and despair, chronicled in Ecclesiastes; he knew first-hand about love, in Song of Songs, and he understood life, shown by his portions of the books of Psalms and Proverbs. He was touched by God’s Spirit to share with us his wealth of wisdom.
There was a condition, however, to God’s response…Solomon had to live according to God’s commands, as had David. Fulfilling his father’s last wish, Solomon gratefully built a magnificent Temple, the symbol of God’s presence, modeled after the Tabernacle, and publicly expressed his debt to God before the Ark with sacrificial offerings. Israel finally had a permanent place of worship, built by Solomon the wise.
What exactly is wisdom? It’s not some mystical intuition that comes from thin air or the position of the stars. It’s not just the accumulation of information. Computers compile extensive data, but you wouldn’t call your PC wise. Wisdom is a very real and practical sense of what to do, how to do it, and why it must be done. Wisdom is more than common sense, because a wise person may not always choose what is commonly regarded as the best or safest or most popular course of action--because that way may not be what God deems best. Knowledge alone isn’t enough. You could surround yourself with the “best and the brightest” but that’s no guarantee you’d make wise decisions.
A person who is wise is someone with the uncommon ability to see what is happening, appraise what has happened, anticipate what may happen, evaluate various courses of action, then make a sensible decision, choosing the right path. But such discernment can’t come by one’s own resources. Verse 10 confirms Solomon’s humility: “who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” He likely thought about the wilderness complaining, the distressing days of the Judges, the political turmoil of his own father, and the enormity of the task ahead.
Solomon opens the Book of Proverbs by declaring, “the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning” (1:7, the Message). If we don’t even acknowledge God, we’re certainly not going to benefit from His guidance.
Does having wisdom guarantee that we’ll always act wisely? In the case of Solomon, it seems not. He certainly knew better than most, yet he acted foolishly. Even the best leaders have flaws. In his day, it was considered important for kings to have a large harem; as the so-called “father of the nation” he was obliged to sire as many children as possible. Some of his wives were from neighboring countries, in order to form political ties. But he allowed his foreign wives to worship their pagan gods, which led him to accommodate idol worship in Israel. And he was unable to pass on his wisdom to his children; their foolish actions divided the nation.
Nonetheless, Solomon’s reign has been called the “Golden Age” of Israel. Solomon negotiated treaties with neighboring countries that insured economic stability and tranquility. He kept diplomatic and commercial lines open and maintained the peace. With Palestine being the bridge of a major trade route, Solomon had some leverage in forging trade agreements. The visit of the Queen of Sheba (chapter 6) was an opportunity to showcase goods for trade. Yet the Queen could not help but be awed by the depth of wisdom Solomon held. This African Queen confirmed Solomon’s divine appointment in her praise of the God of Israel. Solomon’s building projects gave Israel a sense of national pride and security, which it had never known before. Solomon was an effective leader, because he followed God’s leadership.
God gave Solomon great riches, though he didn’t ask for wealth. Jesus promises, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt 6:33). God will meet our material needs…but if we’re not content with what we have, we’ll never be satisfied even if we get what we want.
Solomon’s name is a form of the familiar Hebrew word shalom, peace, and he proved to be a man of peace. Solomon had another name, given to him by Nathan the prophet, the name Jedediah, “beloved of God.” By any standard, Solomon was a great king. He was prepared for greatness by his priorities—by putting God first.
Do we desire God’s blessing? Do we seek His wisdom? Or are we going it alone in life? We possess a Book of wisdom, yet we remain unwise so long as we go our own way. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon personifies wisdom as a woman crying in the streets, confronting people, asking how long will they wallow in ignorance, without regard for the divine guidance they’ve been given. Lady Wisdom says (in chapter 1), “Look, I’m ready to pour out my spirit on you; I can change your life; I’m ready to tell you all I know. I’ve called, but you’ve turned a deaf ear.” Knowing truth isn’t helpful until we’re willing to be transformed by it. Jesus states, “Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Mt 11:19), by what we do with what we know. We will be given opportunities to use the wisdom and discernment God offers. Many receive advice--only the wise profit by it.
Sermon Supplement/church bulletin inster...
Ø Reflect on this: It’s been said that sometimes the worst thing God could do is to give us exactly what we want.
Ø America is not a theocracy, but how could we better be a “nation whose God is the Lord”? (Ps 33:12)
Ø Sometimes we “vote with our wallets”. What place should wisdom play in choosing a leader?
Ø In our culture we often hear the phrase: “believe in yourself”, often as if that’s the most important lesson in life. What do you think?
Ø In verse 9 Solomon alludes to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 15). What did that covenant promise?
Ø According to Proverbs chapter 1, what’s the first step in attaining wisdom?
Ø How did Solomon fail to apply wisdom to his personal life, and how did this affect the nation?
Ø Why was Solomon’s reign the “Golden Age” of Israel?
Ø What is “wisdom”?
