Solomon was a very wise king. Of his wisdom Jesus commended that there was no king as wise as Solomon [Luke 11:31; Matt 6:28-30]. Divinely inspired, he wrote the book of Proverbs, a goldmine of wisdom nuggets, and later in life in what appears to be progressive repentance after living a life of unbriddled passions and the pursuit of vanities, he had enough inspiration to write the book of Ecclesiastes. Other kings from foreign lands came to seek the king’s counsel.
How did Solomon get this excellent wisdom? He asked God for it in visions of the night! In his quiet moment with God, he was given the choice to ask for anything. Solomon asked for one thing: wisdom and understanding to judge the people aright. God was so pleased with his singular choice that He also blessed Solomon with riches and honour in addition to his wisdom, promising Solomon a long life based on continued obedience [1 Kings 3:5-13].
29And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all men;………… 32And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five. 33And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 34And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom [1 Kings 4:29-34].
From the above Scriptures, you need wisdom and understanding from God to live and enjoy success spiritually and in other aspects of life. God enlarged Solomon’s heart and planted His wisdom into it, that is, there was nothing his heart could not fathom. That is the type of largeness of heart you and I need, not the one filled with stress accentuated by the vanities of life. He exceeded in wisdom than other kings around him and all other people. Solomon sought after wisdom with all his heart and got it. He chose the right thing and his request pleased God [1 Kings 3:5-14]. Recommending his wise choice to everyone, he wrote in Prov. 4:7, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Solomon advocated for his blessings, using the covenant God had with David to facilitate his plea. God had committed Himself to fulfilling the covenant He had with David and when He found that Solomon had the right heart, He included the blessings of prosperity and peace that Solomon did not ask for but nevertheless would make Solomon’s reign as king most comfortable.
Is the blessing of divine wisdom Solomon had superior to that you and I have from God today. No! Because Jesus is greater than Solomon in wisdom and in all respects as a member of the godhead and He is our advocate before God the Father in heaven. Through His shed blood on the cross, He made a covenant with the Father on our behalf. You and I have the singular opportunity to ask God for anything in the name of Jesus. Jesus said if you ask God for anything in His name God the Father will do it for you [John 14:12-14]. That requires faith, a necessary and sufficient condition to claim your blessings. Your faith is the spiritual catalyst which activates the word of God for you. If your faith is dormant, you will not receive anything from God. The blessings may have been released in the spiritual but your faith is required to call them into reality.
Note that only those things asked in the name of Jesus, that is, those things asked in line with the will of God, would be responded to by God. Otherwise your prayers will not be answered. The name of Jesus is the “master key” to God’s heart. Because Jesus is the Son of God whom He loved dearly and yet sent Him to die for us, God responds to the earnest prayer of anyone who comes to Him by faith. Solomon asked for wisdom to govern the people and that his heart would learn to distinguish and choose right from wrong. God filled Solomon’s heart with wisdom but ours in Christ is fuller in breadth, depth and height if we ask by faith, and the revelation of that knowledge was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians [Eph. chapter 1]. Ask for an influx of God’s wisdom into your heart through Christ today and you will have His excellent wisdom that is superior to Solomon’s. Isn’t that a superior priviledge!
Prayer Points
1. Lord, give me largeness of heart filled with your wisdom and understanding in the name of Jesus.
2. Oh Lord, saturate my heart with your Spirit of excellence; grant me understanding in all things in the name of Jesus.
3. Oh Lord, make me a blessing to my generation and the generations after in the name of Jesus.
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