If you were given the opportunity by God to change one thing in your life what would you ask for? Would you pick great riches or live for one hundred years? Solomon is given this choice and his choice is not the most obvious.

1 – Prayer for wisdom (vs. 4-15)

We are invited to ask God for wisdom. See Proverbs 4:5-9 and James 1:5. Notice four things about this prayer:-

• Prayer’s incentive – What drove Solomon to pray? It was God’s great kindness. Solomon’s incentive was the character of God.
• Prayer’s foundation – The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was also the God of Solomon. He can be your God if you have faith in Him. Solomon remembers the historical kindness of God to David. Solomon looks back on this with gratitude. He looks back to the promises to Abraham in Genesis 12 of an innumerable multitude of people.
• Prayer’s burden – He comes to God in great humility, especially considering the job in front of him. Solomon’s prayer is God-centred. He is not asking for himself. He knows what God has called him to do. Prayer should not be self-centred. It is primarily for the glory of God. Solomon wants a discerning heart to fulfil God’s calling in his life.
• Prayer’s goal – God gave Solomon the things that he didn’t ask for. God saw a heart that could be trusted with status. God pours out significant blessing upon Solomon. Solomon asked for more than great knowledge; he wanted understanding, and he wanted it in his heart, not merely in his head. Solomon already understood that a key component of leadership is wise and just discernment. Many leaders do not have this discernment or the courage to use it.

2 – Proof of wisdom (vs. 16-28)

There are four:-

• The dispute – Two women claim the same child as their own. This in itself is a remarkable testimony to the goodness and generosity of Solomon. Not many kings would take the time to settle a dispute between two prostitutes.
• The impossible problem – This seems like an impossible problem to solve. It is surely one prostitutes’ word against the other, and there is no independent witness to the events (“no one was with us in the house”)
• Solomon’s wise solution – Bring me a sword! Solomon’s solution to the problem at first looked foolish – even dangerous. The wisdom of his approach was only understood when the matter was settled. The true parental relationship was proved by love. The true mother would rather have the child live without her than to die with her. She put the child’s welfare above her own. Solomon knew that the offer to cut the child in two would reveal the true mother, and he rewarded the mother’s love accordingly.
• Solomon is highly esteemed in the eyes of the people of Israel – Such a wise decision could not be hidden. The matter was soon known throughout the kingdom. The people of Israel saw that Solomon had both the wisdom and the courage to do the right thing as a leader. This made them hesitant to disobey the law of the king.

Who you are in God is borne out in your daily living. Wisdom is a supernatural insight into human circumstances. Solomon’s judgment is demonstrated in what he does.

Categories: 1 Kings