Reading: II Chronicles 1-3
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O Lord God, let Thy promise unto David my father be established: for Thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this Thy people, that is so great (II Chr. 1:7-10)?
Solomon was a young man scarcely out of his teens when he ascended to the throne of David. Where David had been faced with near constant warfare in the early days of his reign, Solomon was blessed with a nation suffused in peace and prosperity (I Kings 4:20-34; II Chr. 1:14-17), and he sincerely wanted to rule with wisdom and grace. When God appeared to Solomon and offered to fulfill any request made by the young king, Solomon replied: Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this Thy people, that is so great? God was well pleased with the nature of Solomon’s desires, and pledged to fulfill that request and more. Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like (II Chr. 1:12).
Why did God bestow such great gifts on this young, unproven king? The answer is surprisingly simple. Solomon, with a heart that was fully open to the will of God, needed wisdom, and he asked the Lord to provide it. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him (I John 5:14-15). The other blessings – riches, wealth, and honour – were not sought by the humble Solomon, but they were necessary tools that Solomon would go on to effectively use in the construction of God’s Temple. God knew what Solomon needed, even before Solomon himself was aware of it (Matt. 6:7-8), and God provided for that need.
“The wisdom of Solomon” is a phrase that is often used to describe examples of exceptionally clear and logical thinking during times of trouble or stress. It would be much more accurate, however, to refer to these moments of insight as “the wisdom of God.” Solomon’s brilliance came directly from God; it did not come from within.When Solomon began to believe in his own power, his wisdom failed him, and he allowed himself to be turned from God (I Kings 11:4).We must guard against the worldly trap of believing, “God gave me the gift of intelligence, so therefore I am more than capable of making my own way in the world.” Only by continually opening ourselves to God through prayer and a thorough study of His Word will we be able to truly find the wisdom we need to guide ourselves and others in the direction that God wants us to go.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5).
Thought For TodayGod’s gifts aren’t rewards, they are requirements for us to achieve the greatest thing He offers, salvation.
Christ Revealed : By the thousand burnt offerings of Solomon (II Chr. 1:6). We can be thankful that the one perfect offering of Christ on the cross did away with the need for many and continual individual offerings.
Word Studies: 2:2 told out = assigned; 2:7 cunning = skilled; can skill to grave = has skill to engrave; 2:14 find out every device = execute any design; 2:16 floats = rafts; 3:1 affinity = alliance by marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter
Pray for• Country:Netherlands (16,805,037) Northwestern Europe • Major Languages: Dutch, Frisian • Religious Freedom • 30% Catholic; 20% Protestant; 5.8% Muslim; 2.2% Other (Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist); 42% None • Prayer Suggestion: Ask God to show you His ways (Ex. 33:13).
Optional Reading: I Corinthians 8.