The United Kingdom (1:1-11:43; 2Ch 1:1-9:31).
Reign of Solomon (1Ki 2:12-11:43; 2Ch 1-9)
Solomon Fails and the Kingdom Divides (1Ki 3-11, 2Ch 1-9)
Solomon’s Decline (9:1-11:43)
Wisdom, Reputation, And Success (9:1-10:49; 2Ch 7:12-22)
1KINGS 10:1-10
Reading: Pro 4:5-9
Songs:
Theme:
INTRODUCTION
A. If you read a book, how would you determine whether or not what was written in it was true, non-fiction? Would you just accept whatever was written as the truth because someone declared it was true? Would you investigate it for the truth as best you were able?
B. The Bible is a book of evidence. We should search its evidence to see if we believe it to be true rather than just accepting what someone tells us about it. Let’s consider a woman’s investigation for truth as a shadow of the search for the truth each of us should make.
Discussion
I. THE KINGS REPUTATION (10:1-13; 2Ch 9:1-12)
Visit of the Queen of Sheba
A. ... when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD , she came to prove him with hard questions ... (10:1-2).
1 ¶ And when the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> heard <08085> (8802) of the fame <08088> of Solomon <08010> concerning the name <08034> of the LORD <03068>, she came <0935> (8799) to prove <05254> (8763) him with hard questions <02420>.
1. Having, “ heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD”, the queen of Sheba went to Solomon to prove him with “hard questions.”
2. prove, Strong’s - 05254. hon NACAH naw-saw’; a primitive root; to test; by implication, to attempt:— adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try
AV-prove 20, tempt 12, assay 2, adventure 1, try 1; 36 1) to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to test, try 1a2) to attempt, assay, try 1a3) to test, try, prove, tempt
08763 Stem - Piel See 08840
Mood - InfinitiveSee 08812
Count-790
a. The queen had gone to Solomon to investigate what she had heard about him.
b. She wanted to know if it was true.
c. In the Book of Luke, chapter eleven, verse thirty-one, the Lord said she had journeyed “The queen of the south ... came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (Luk 11:31).
(1) One man suggested the distance traveled was about fifteen hundred miles and with a camel averaging twenty miles a day, the journey to Jerusalem would have taken her seventy-five days [The First Book Of Kings, Homiletics, page 205]
(2) She would have had to endure the weather of a hot desert, the possible perils of robbers and would have left her kingdom without its queen.
(3) All of that she did not for material gain as an invading army but to prove “the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD .”
(4) Such was what she did in pursuit of true understanding.
2 And she came <0935> (8799) to Jerusalem <03389> with a very <03966> great <03515> train <02428>, with camels <01581> that bare <05375> (8802) spices <01314>, and very <03966> much <07227> gold <02091>, and precious <03368> stones <068>: and when she was come <0935> (8799) to Solomon <08010>, she communed <01696> (8762) with him of all that was in her heart <03824>.
3. It seems obvious that she had not gone to proof Solomon with “hard questions” concerning his wealth for she herself had gone to him with a token of her own great wealth (cp. v 6).
4. Let’s read further to uncover what it was for which she was doing her search.
B. ... Solomon told her all her questions ... she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom ... (10:3-7).
3 And Solomon <08010> told <05046> (8686) her all her questions <01697>: there was not any thing <01697> hid <05956> (8737) from the king <04428>, which he told <05046> (8689) her not. {questions: Heb. words}
1. The queen had previously only heard about Solomon greatness but upon investigated she realized the reality of it.
a. She Saw His Wisdom (vs 1-3; 1Ki 4:29-34).
4 And when the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> had seen <07200> (8799) all Solomon’s <08010> wisdom <02451>, and the house <01004> that he had built <01129> (8804),
5 And the meat <03978> of his table <07979>, and the sitting <04186> of his servants <05650>, and the attendance <04612> of his ministers <08334> (8764), and their apparel <04403>, and his cupbearers <08248> (8688), and his ascent <05930> by which he went up <05927> (8799) unto the house <01004> of the LORD <03068>; there was no more spirit <07307> in her. {attendance: Heb. standing} {cupbearers: or, butlers}
b. She Saw His Wealth (vs 4-5, 13; 1Ki 4:22-23).
(1) His Provisions - the massive amount of the meat required to feed all who served him (v 5;).
(2) His People - their service to their king, the way they were dressed (v 5).
c. She Saw His Worship (v 5; 1Ki 8:63; 9:25).
2. In considering all the evidence the text tells us, “there was no more spirit in her” (v 5; cf. Jos 2:11; 5:1).
a. She was thoroughly overcome with amazement.
b. Her investigation about what she had heard of Solomon’s greatness left her with no spirit of resistence to the obvious truth the evidence presented to her.
Transition: Some can se the evidence before them and still reject it. The queen made a decision based on the evidence.
II. THE QUEENS CONCLUSION (10:6-10).
A. It was a true report that I heard ... of thy acts and of thy wisdom ... the half was not told me... (10:6-7).
6 And she said <0559> (8799) to the king <04428>, It was a true <0571> report <01697> that I heard <08085> (8804) in mine own land <0776> of thy acts <01697> and of thy wisdom <02451>. {report: Heb. word} {acts: or, sayings}
7 Howbeit I believed <0539> (8689) not the words <01697>, until I came <0935> (8804), and mine eyes <05869> had seen <07200> (8799) it: and, behold, the half <02677> was not told <05046> (8717) me: thy wisdom <02451> and prosperity <02896> exceedeth <03254> (8689) the fame <08052> which I heard <08085> (8804). {thy…: Heb. thou hast added wisdom and goodness to}
1. Her conclusion to Solomon’s having answered her hard questions (perhaps questions which no ordinary man could have answered) led her to make a declare, “behold, the half was not told me” (2Ch 9:5-8).
2. She could not deny the overwhelming evidence before her eyes.
3. The God Solomon worshiped had certainly blessed him.
B. ... happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom ... Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee ... (10:8-10).
8 Happy <0835> are thy men <0582>, happy <0835> are these thy servants <05650>, which stand <05975> (8802) continually <08548> before <06440> thee, and that hear <08085> (8802) thy wisdom <02451>.
9 Blessed <01288> (8803) be the LORD <03068> thy God <0430>, which delighted <02654> (8804) in thee, to set <05414> (8800) thee on the throne <03678> of Israel <03478>: because the LORD <03068> loved <0160> Israel <03478> for ever <05769>, therefore made <07760> (8799) he thee king <04428>, to do <06213> (8800) judgment <04941> and justice <06666>.
1. The queen of Sheba told Solomon, “Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice” (2Ch 9:8).
a. Having investigated Solomon’s fame and proved him, the queen was motivated to praise God who Solomon worshiped.
b. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon a few times similarly praised God who Daniel worshiped.
c. Though perhaps not completely converted, both the Queen of Sheba and Nebuchadnezzar saw the evidence and believed in God almighty.
(1) When people consider the evidence of God in our lives, the evidence should motivate them to praise God (Col 3:17).
(2) What evidence of God do you present in your life?
2. In The Book Of Luke, chapter eleven, verses twenty-nine to thirty-six, Jesus spoke of the generation he addressed, as evil because in spite of the evidence presented to them, they would not belief.
a. Jesus pointed out in their seeking a sign from heaven “as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation” (Luk 11:29-30).
(1) Jesus said, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation” (Luk 11:32).
(2) Jesus also said, “the men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation” (Luk 11 :31; cp. Mat 12:40).
b. Jesus used the actions of the queen of Sheba’s to chastise the unbelieving Jews for not heeding his words “for [in Solomon’s day] she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here” (cp. Luk 11:31).
(1) She, a Gentile, went out her way to investigate the truth about Solomon, a man, and learning the truth from the evidence, accepted it.
(2) Jesus pointed out that he, God, a greater than a man, being greater the Solomon, went out of his way to the Jews, who were unwilling to pay attention to the evidence and they rejected him.
(3) There shouldn’t have been any question in their minds as to whom Jesus was, having seen the evidence and having investigated it honestly (Act 2:22-23).
(4) Jews even wanted to kill Lazarus after he was raised from the dead to hide evidence (Joh 11:43; 12:1-2, 9-11).
(5) The truth is, when people saw the evidence they rejected developing a proper conclusion about it because they didn’t want to know the truth.
(6) After all Jesus had done to help their unbelief, they wanted even more evidence, even as people in the times in which we live continue to cry out for more miracles.
3. BLINDED BY THE TRUTH: A man once stood on a soap-box at Hyde Park Corner, pouring scorn on Christianity. "People tell me that God exists; but I can't see Him. People tell me that there is a life after death; but I can't see it. People tell me that there is a judgment to come; but I can't see it. People tell me that there is a heaven and a hell; but I can't see them." He won cheap applause and climbed down from his "pulpit." Another STRUGGLED ON TO THE SOAP-BOX. "People tell me that there is green grass all around [in the park], but I can't see it. People tell me that there is blue sky above, but I can't see it. People tell me that there are trees nearby, but I can't see them. YOU SEE, I'M BLIND.
a. Those who hear the teaching of Jesus and reject it, reject it not because there is no overwhelming evidence of its truth (Heb 11:1).
(1) Those who reject the evidence of the Bible do so because they are spiritually blind and refuse to help their unbelief through honest investigation of the evidence.
(2) No one can honestly study the Bible and reject it as inspired of God.
b. Apart from God’s inspired word there will never be enough evidence (cp. Luk 16:19-31)..
4. Many claim that there is no evidence for faith in Jesus but at the same time many of them believe in people such as Plato, Caesar etc., also people who they have never seen and know of only because of what is written about them.
a. As many claim the truth of people such as Plato and Caesar based on the writings of books, we have as much or more to claim for believing in Jesus through the writings of the Bible (1Co 15:6).
b. Faith is not seeing but neither is it blind, for the Bible is filled with the evidence written down by eye witnesses.
c. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation (Heb 2:3).
5. Will we accept the evidence as did the queen, and abide by it or as the Jews and many today, will we reject it. Will we accept what the Bible teachers regarding:
a. morality
b. silence of the scriptures
c. dancing
d. gambling
e. drug use
f. women’s roles
g. baptism
10 And she gave <05414> (8799) the king <04428> an hundred <03967> and twenty <06242> talents <03603> of gold <02091>, and of spices <01314> very <03966> great store <07235> (8687), and precious <03368> stones <068>: there came <0935> (8804) no more such <01931> abundance <07230> of spices <01314> as these which the queen <04436> of Sheba <07614> gave <05414> (8804) to king <04428> Solomon <08010>.
6. The queen of Sheba showered great wealth upon Solomon as a token of her esteem for him.
a. The hymn:
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all. [Isaac Watts]
b. All Jesus asks of us is that we give ourselves which is our reasonable service (Rom 12:1).
Conclusion:
The queen of Sheba had done to Solomon to investigate what was said about him in a search for the truth. Her actions provide for us a type of the sinner investigating God’s word and what has been said about Christ. Sadly, many who hear about Christ do not bother to investigate what has be declared about him in the Bible. Therefore, they remain mostly unaffected by what he taught. Our response to his word will reveal to us the thoroughness of our investigation. What has been your response? Is it one of saving belief? Do you need to make any changes in your life to correspond with that belief?
Other Sermons In This Series: Why I Should Want The Bible
Sources:
Ronnie Hayes, Jesus Teaches On Prayer And Rebukes The Pharisees, Studies In Luke, Dub McClish editor, The Schertz Lectures (2003), Schertz church of Christ, Schertz, TX 78154
??, THERE'S NOBODY LIKE HIM!
In charity through Christ, Ra ym ond Wi sem an