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Dave Burnette's Commentary

1 Kings Chapter 10

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Jeremiah
Date Penned: (586 BC)
Overview: A History of the Kings of Israel and Judah (c 1-22)
Theme: The United Kingdom (c 1-11)
Message: The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon (v 1-29)

1 Kings 10 Commentary 

(10:1) The Queen of Sheba - The queen of Sheba came to see for herself if everything she had heard about Solomon was true. Contests using riddles or proverbs were often used to test wisdom. The queen may have used some of these as she questioned Solomon (101, 3). When she realized the extent of his riches and wisdom, there was "no more spirit in her." In other words, she was overwhelmed and no longer questioned his power or wisdom. No longer a competitor, she became an admirer. Her experience was repeated by many kings and foreign dignitaries who paid honor to Solomon (4:34).


(10:3) Wisdom Brings About Peace - Because of Solomon's wisdom, the people were happy and the palace servants were content. Wisdom's quality is shown by how well it works. In James 3:17 we learn that wisdom is peaceable. Are you seeking the kind of wisdom that establishes peace in your relationships?


(10:14) Wisdom Brings About Riches - When Solomon asked for wisdom, God promised him riches and honor as well (313). These verses show just how extensive his wealth had become. Israel was no longer a second-rate nation but at the height of its power and wealth. Solomon's riches became legendary. Great leaders came from many nations to listen to Israel's powerful king. Jesus would later refer to "Solomon in all his glory" (Matthew 6:29).


(10:23) Blessings and Riches - Why does the Bible place so much emphasis on Solomon's material possessions? In the ancient world, riches were considered tangible evidence of God's blessing. Prosperity was seen as a proof of right living. In the books of Ecclesiastes and Job this concept is placed in a broader perspective. In ideal conditions, people prosper when God runs their lives, but worldly prosperity is not guaranteed. Wealth does not prove that a person is living rightly before God, and poverty does not necessarily indicate sin.

In fact, a greater evidence that a person is living for God is the presence of suffering and persecution (Mark 10:20-31; 13:13). The most important "treasure is not earthly but heavenly (Matthew 6:19-21; 19:21; 1

Timothy 6:17-19). And the gift of greatest worth has no price tag-it is the gift of salvation freely offered by God.


(10:26)  In accumulating chariots and horses, a huge harem, and incredible wealth, Solomon was violating God's commands for a king Deuteronomy 17314-20). God prohibited these actions because he knew how they would hurt the nation both politically and spiritually ( Samuel 8:11-18). The more luxurious Solomon's court became, the more the people were taxed. Excessive taxation created unrest, and soon conditions became ripe for a revolution. With everything he wanted, Solomon forgot God and allowed idolatrous influences to enter his court through his foreign wives, thus accelerating the spiritual corruption of the nation.

 


Dave Burnette's Life Application

A Testimony of the Lord in Your Life

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue in the book of 1 Kings with Chapter 10.  In our text, we see the queen of Sheba visits Solomon to see the blessings of God and the great wealth as a testimony of God working in his life. In making an application, we see that if God is working in our lives that there will be evidence of that working. Today the same evidence, or fruit, will be in the life of a believer. It might not be riches or "earthy things" but could be persecution, suffering, or martyrdom. The evidence will be the Lord Himself indwelling the life and heart of the believer manifested in the Spiritual Gifts and changing the lifestyle of the Christian. How about you? Do you see Christ displayed in your life? Let us learn from our text today and Solomon's life to know God's testimony in the life of the believer.

 

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1 Kings 10

1 Kings 10

 1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

 2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

 3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

 5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

 6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

 7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

 8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

 9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

 10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

 11And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

 12And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

 13And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

 14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

 15Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

 16And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

 17And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

 18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.

 19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

 20And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

 21And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

 22For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

 23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

 24And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

 25And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

 26And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

 27And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

 28And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

 29And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.