Exhortation Station

The other day I read the passage in 1 Kings where Solomon asked Yahweh for wisdom.  I thought it contained some cool nuggets.

1 Kings 3:5-14 — “In Gibeon YHWH appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and Elohim said, ‘Ask what you wish Me to give you.’ ¶ ⁶ Then Solomon said, ‘You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. ⁷ Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸ Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. ⁹ So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?’ ¶ ¹⁰ It was pleasing in the sight of Adonai that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹  Elohim said to him, ‘Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, ¹² behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. ¹³ I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. ¹⁴ If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.'”

Let those words sink in.  This is an encouraging example of Yahweh’s answer to a prayer spoken in with a sincere heart before Him.  A few thoughts…

First, notice where Solomon says, “yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.”  Early in his prayer, Solomon humbles himself by acknowledging his own lack of understanding and need for help.  Second, notice how Solomon specifically asks for “an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil.”  Humility and the fear of Yahweh are essential to receiving wisdom from above.  Without them, seeking wisdom is like trying to build a house without a foundation.  Proverbs 15:33 says, “The fear of YHWH is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”  Proverbs 22:4 says, “The reward of humility and the fear of YHWH are riches, honor and life.”

Sadly, we know that Solomon’s heart was turned from Yahweh later in life because of his many wives.  1 Kings 11:4 — “…when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to YHWH his Elohim, as the heart of David his father had been.”  It’s very sobering that the wisest man to ever live turned from the very foundation of wisdom near the end of his life. 

This leads into my third point, which is that sincere beginnings do not guarantee a triumphant end.  Notice the “if” statement in 1 Kings 3:14 (above) — “IF you walk in my ways…then I will prolong your days.”  Praise Yah for sincere beginnings — they are precious in His eyes — but to finish victoriously we must continue to fall on our knees before Him, humble ourselves, seek His truth, and love Him with all our heart until the race is won.  Victory is not a one-time, “mountaintop experience” — it’s a moment-by-moment choice as we trust in Yah’s strength and grace. 

Let us learn from Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.  Let us remember to pursue humility and the fear of Yahweh as the foundation for wisdom, and let us learn from Solomon’s tragic mistake.  Let us begin well, and let us continue well, so that one day with can finish with a shout of triumph from the Father.  HalleluYah!

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24

(All Bible passages NASB; Hebrew transl. added.)