#DailyDevotion One Greater Than Solomon Is Here
1 Kings 310The LORD was pleased that Solomon asked for this. 11“You asked for this,” God answered, “and you didn’t ask for a long life or riches or the death of your enemies, but you asked to be able to understand how to be just in giving judgment. 12I’m going to do what you ask. I’m giving you such intelligence and understanding that no one before you or after you will be like you. 13But I’m also giving you what you didn’t ask for — riches and honor, so that no other king will be like you as long as you live. 14And if you live according to My ways and keep My rules and commandments as your father did, then I will also give you a long life.”
15 Solomon woke up. It had been a dream. He went into Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he gave a dinner for all his household.
The LORD was pleased with what Solomon asked for when given a blank check. He asked for the ability to rule over the LORD’s people wisely. He takes note of what Solomon didn’t ask for also, a long life, riches, or the death of his enemies. Some people really have their good days, this was Solomon’s. The Holy Spirit was certainly guiding Solomon at this point in his life.
Because of this, the LORD grants Solomon’s requests and grants him wisdom, intelligence and understanding that no one had ever had or ever has had since, excepting the LORD himself, Jesus Christ. We see this if we read on in Kings of how he made a judgment between two women claiming a child to be their own. His reputation for wisdom would reach all over the trading world even down to Ethiopia so that the queen of that country had to some and see it for herself.
And the LORD promised, because Solomon didn’t ask for selfish things, to give to them all those things he didn’t ask for, riches and honor, more than any king at the time. And if he lives according to the Torah as David did, the LORD would grant him a long life as well.
Well then, are we to take this as a primer on prayer? Someone might think, if I only ask for unselfish things then the LORD will give me everything selfish that I really want. Well, no, God can see your heart. But yes, we should pray unselfish prayers. James tells us we don’t get what we pray for because we just want to spend what we ask for in prayers only on ourselves. Jesus teaches us not be anxious for the things we need in life, our Father in heaven knows that we need them and will give us what we need. He gave us the Lord’s Prayer to supply us everything we need in this life and the next.
So if it isn’t about how we should pray what is it about? Solomon is a type of Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of Solomon. Jesus Christ is the one in whom all wisdom presides for he is wisdom incarnate. So he is able to look into the hearts of men and know what they are up to an why they are up to it. He is able to give wise answers like, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” He is able to outwit the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes (lawyers) who attack him. If we listen to Jesus, trust his teachings and put them into practice, then Jesus becomes our wisdom from on high. Truly, if we believe what Jesus has done for us on the cross and then live as he as taught us, we will be wiser than Solomon in all his glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are wisdom incarnate and you have shown yourself even wiser than Solomon. Be our wisdom today and grant your wisdom to us that we may live according to your will. Amen.