“But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.”
~ 1 Kings 10:7
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you want kids to come to your house so that you can show them all the toys and other things that you have? Do you feel happy and/or proud when you are showing off all your toys and other things that you have to other kids? Solomon seemed to really like showing off everything that he had. The Chronicle Book and Kings Book authors wrote almost identical reports of Solomon showing off his palace, servants and wealth to the queen of Sheba. The Kings Books author recorded in 1 Kings 10 the queen of Sheba’s visit to the city of Jerusalem. The queen of Sheba probably made the long journey by caravan to the city of Jerusalem from southwest Arabia. The queen of Sheba probably trekked to the city of Jerusalem from the country that is known today as Yemen. When Solomon was living on planet Earth – which was over 3000 years ago, this southwestern Arabian area was a world trade center. The queen of Sheba may have made the long trek through an inhospitable desert to the city of Jerusalem because she may have been concerned that Solomon – who was king over the Israelite’s people group’s guys and gals, was cutting into her area’s business interests. The queen of Sheba took with her for Solomon as gifts large quantities of spices, gold and precious stones. When the queen of Sheba arrived in the city of Jerusalem, the queen of Sheba got a good dose of Solomon’s smarts and wisdom. After Solomon had satisfactorily communicated to the queen of Sheba the kind of guy who he was and after Solomon had showed off to the queen of Sheba a lot of his accumulated wealth, the queen of Sheba said in verse 7, “But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.” What are you communicating to your kid friends when they come over to your house – which gives them an opportunity to get to know who you are? Are you communicating to your kid friends who you are through what you say and how you answer their questions that you are kids who are full of smarts and wisdom? Or are you communicating to your kid friends who you are through how you value being wrapped up in all the toys and other things that you have?
Do you have any friends who are PKs? Your dad and Aunt Lynn are MKs. Solomon was a KK. A PK’s dad is a pastor. An MK’s dad and ma are missionaries. A KK is a king’s kid. Solomon’s dad was a king. Solomon’s dad was a God-fearing guy. Solomon’s dad was also a ‘fighting machine’ who won battle after battle over his enemy people group’s guys through killing them. Solomon’s dad accumulated wealth and territory. Solomon never had to fight for survival – like his dad did. Solomon had everything given to him. Solomon just kept right on accumulating things. Solomon’s prestige and power became renown throughout the existing countries of guys and gals. Kings from other counties people groups of guys and gals were given special audiences or exclusive consultations with Solomon – to listen to Solomon’s God-given insights. Solomon became the richest king. Solomon used a fleet of ships to bring him more wealth – including more gold, silver, ivory, apes and baboons. Solomon also accumulated horses and chariots from Egypt which he would resell to the Hittite and Aramean people group’s guys.
In spite of having the gift of wisdom that God gave to him, Solomon seemed to live his life on a slippery slope. The Kings Book author does not report it at this time but Solomon did not just accumulate wealth; Solomon also accumulated wives and concubines. A concubine was a gal who lived with a guy as a wife would live with him but who was not married to the guy. Buying horses and chariots was another thing that Solomon did that the Mosaic law specifically said that no guy among God’s specially chosen guys was to do. A kid who has made a decision of faith to believe all that God – as God the Son, did on a cross for him or her and who recognizes his or her sinful nature and asks God – as God the Father, for His unmerited forgiveness is an EK. EKs are elected kids. Before God created planet Earth, God created souls who He would adopt at specific moments to be His very own kids. God will have His adopted kids enjoy the wealth of hope, joy and peace that He has stored up for them to have and to use at His discretion. Your grandmaa and grandpaa believe that you are EKs. If you have not had that moment yet when it suddenly occurs to you that what you know about God – as God the Son, and what you know about your sinful self is totally true, that moment will soon be there for you. When you claim that moment as your moment, you will realize that you have passed from having been on a slippery slope with no one there to keep you from sliding even further down the slope to finding yourselves on solid rock with God – as God the Spirit, holding onto your hands to keep you from heading for that slippery slope again. Wanting to be liked or admired by every other guy, gal and kid is an attraction to that slippery slope. Having wealth and wanting even more things is another attraction to that slippery slope. Your grandpaa’s dad’s dad used horses to do the farm work that he had to do on the farm that he homesteaded with your grandpaa’s grandma. Your grandpaa’s dad’s dad and your grandpaa’s ma’s dad were church leaders who helped begin and build the Christian Reformed Church that is located in Volga, South Dakota. Two of your grandpaa’s uncles from his ma’s side of the family were ordained pastors in Christian Reformed Churches. Your grandpaa’s kid bro is now the pastor of the Christian Reformed Church that is located in Rock Valley, Iowa. Your grandpaa knows that it is only through the mercy of God – as God the Father, that God’s EKs can stand on Him as their rock If you pursue wealth and things, you will never ever find the hope, joy and peace treasure chest.
1 Kings 10 (543)