October 6, 2023

What are you known for?

1 Kings 10

Stevi Pennypacker
Friday's Devo

October 6, 2023

Friday's Devo

October 6, 2023

Friday's Devo

October 6, 2023

Friday's Devo

October 6, 2023

Big Idea

Wise leaders walk closely with God.

Key Verse | 1 Kings 10:23-24

Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba

1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents 1 10:10 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

Solomon's Great Wealth

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels 2 10:16 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams of gold went into each shield. 17 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas 3 10:17 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top, 4 10:19 Or and at the back of the throne was a calf's head and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. 21 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; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 5 10:22 Or baboons

23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, 6 10:25 Or armor spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Footnotes

[1] 10:10 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
[2] 10:16 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[3] 10:17 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
[4] 10:19 Or and at the back of the throne was a calf's head
[5] 10:22 Or baboons
[6] 10:25 Or armor

S2:195 1 Kings 10

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Dive Deeper | 1 Kings 10

Can you imagine the reputation of Solomon throughout the world? He was undoubtedly a legend. I can just imagine the stories that were told by nations of the grandeur of his palace; the furnishings made of pure gold; the wisdom that was incomparable to any other human on earth; and the access to practically anything this earth had to offer. Many must have believed him to be a god, and perhaps some didn't believe it at all. 

Unlike those old fishing stories your grandpa may have told you, the reality of what the queen of Sheba witnessed was so much greater than what had been described. "Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind." (1 Kings 10:23-24) Yet, rather than bowing at his feet and praising Solomon, the queen praised the Lord for His eternal love for His chosen people, the Israelites.

We know that God chose to create us and give us gifts so that He might be glorified. What an incredible example of stewardship this story of Solomon is. It depicts what Jesus commands us: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) If we claim to be a Christian, there will be people in our lives who will hear of our profession and come to witness for themselves what the Lord has done in our lives, the wisdom we possess, and the kingdom we are part of.  

Those who sought Solomon's presence experienced, in part, what children of God will one day experience in full—beauty and splendor beyond compare, and the ability to be in eternal relationship with the source of all wisdom and life. For as Jesus states in Matthew 12:42b, "[B]ehold, something greater than Solomon is here." May our lives be a glimpse of what God's kingdom holds for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

This month's memory verse

5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6  In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
 

– Proverbs 3:5-6

Discussion Questions

1. What are the gifts you believe you have been given on this earth? Take inventory of your "time, talent, and treasure" and how you are stewarding them.  

2. When someone observes your life, what do they notice? If you are a follower of Christ, take a moment to grasp the weight of the responsibility of representing the Lord Almighty with your life. Are others spurred to praise God because of how you are stewarding your gifts?

3. In what way do you need the wisdom of God in your life today? Be reminded of His Word, which says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1:5) Pause and ask Him now. 

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Hugh Stephenson

Good morning Stevi. Thanks for your devo. Love this - “Those who sought Solomon's presence experienced, in part, what children of God will one day experience in full—beauty and splendor beyond compare, and the ability to be in eternal relationship with the source of all wisdom and life.” This links me to a recent teaching that describes Jesus as the “greater Solomon”. I like this from Matthew 12:42- “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” “What Jesus says in Matthew 12 regarding himself being “a greater than Solomon” can be applied to all of the Old-Testament types of Our Lord. In the context of that passage, in fact, Jesus says the same of Jonas the prophet, too. But if we go beyond this immediate context, we can apply the general conventions of Biblical typology as well as what we know by simple faith about Jesus Christ and draw this conclusion: no matter how great they were, Jesus Christ is “a greater than” every single one of His types in the Old Testament. (Yes, this smacks of “supersessionism”!)”. https://catholicism.org/jesus-is-a-greater-than-solomon-daniel-moses-elias-and-eliseus.html Q1. My gifts? It’s hard for me to get a real sense of this. Despite the prolific places you can get a spiritual gift assessment I have not done so. -Taking a stab…it seems God gave me some gifts for small group leadership in discipleship settings. He has also given me an unquenchable thirst for His Word and truth. -My hand-eye coordination is probably a B/B-. -Amy might say my superpower is being able to be asleep almost immediately after turning off the lights. Q2. The legitimacy of my witness? That’s definitely a B.C. v A.D. question. BC- I don’t think I was a walking advertisement for Christianity. Other than maybe on the surface because that’s what I wanted to display. AD - My heart is to convey what God can do with a lost and broken sinner who used every imaginable unhealthy coping mechanism to run away from Him as fast as I could. -And that He pursued me relentlessly. -And that he intervened in my life repeatedly with one supernatural event after another. -And it took 55 years of sin and rebellion to get to the Luke 15:16 moment. They should be spurred on to praise God for his patience, mercy, and grace. Q3. Needing God’s wisdom? What I need is a 24/7/365 IV drip of His presence. Thankfully I have that in the Holy Spirit who dwells in the temple of my body.
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Hugh Stephenson

Primary take away - The notes teach me that verses 1-13 are very much about fulfillment of promises and prophecy- The first promise is that God granted Solomon’s prayer to give him wisdom, as the passage makes clear. Also, the other prophecy is about God’s people making Him known to al the world. I see this in how the Queen pf Sheba praised Yahweh using that actual name; the relational covenant keeping God. I’m reminded that Hiram King of Tyre had similar sentiments. The second promise is that God promised to make Him rich. I see this in verses 14-29. Solomon’s income included 666 talents of gold from Ophir, which in current terms at about $2,000 per ounce is over $1 billion per year. And the Queen of Sheba probably thought her gift of gold was a big one at about $288,000,000. For perspective, for an average person today to accumulate the Queen’s gift they’d have to work over 14 million hours. Or it would take the net earnings of 5,200 average people over 7,200 years. Now that’s rich. Two great quotations that edify- ‘Thomas Aquinas, arguably the most influential theologian of the Middle Ages, said, “No one can live without delight, and that is why a man deprived of spiritual joy goes over to carnal pleasures.” ‘ “I can relate to John Wesley when he spoke of his state as an unbeliever: “Having plenty of all things, in the midst of sensible and amiable friends . . . still I was not happy…and could not imagine what the reason was. The reason certainly was, I did not know God, the Source of present as well as eternal happiness.”
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Hugh Stephenson

The notes convey some of the “tells” that Solomon has seriously lost focus- “The queen of Sheba, however, refers much more specifically to the blessing that Solomon must be to his court officials. While Solomon’s wisdom and wealth are still remarkable, and are still evidence of God’s abundant blessing, it seems that his great wisdom, wealth, and power have begun to distort his moral judgment in the proper use of these blessings. Chapter 10 as a whole in fact focuses on this benefit that wisdom brings to the royal court, and particularly to Solomon himself, rather than on any benefit that might flow out to the people. The influx of food described in chs. 4–5has been replaced by an influx of luxury goods (10:2, 10–12, 22, 25).” “1 Kings 10:26–29 chariots and horsemen ... silver. The accumulation of silver and horses, as well as gold, is forbidden by Deut. 17:16–17 (see note on 1 Kings 4:28). The significant addition to the theme here is the detail that Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt (10:28). All but one of the instructions about kingship in Deut. 17:16–17 have thus far been violated by Solomon. That remaining one (he must not take many wives) will be taken up in 1 Kings 11.” “I do not believe that we should criticize Solomon simply for being wealthy, since God promised to make him rich (3:13). Neither should we blame a person, who receives a fortune as an outright gift, for having money. It was the accumulation of riches and ornaments in order to become materially secure and independent that God forbade. To the extent that Solomon did this—and he evidently did it extensively—he was guilty of violating God's Law (Deut. 17:17).” “God forbade Israel's kings from multiplying horses (v. 28), the most effective and dreaded military machines of that day (Deut. 17:16). God wanted His people to depend on Him primarily for their protection. David, in contrast to Solomon, did not rely on horses (cf. 2 Sam. 8:4). Material prosperity and security often lead people to conclude that they have no needs when really our need for God never diminishes. Solomon fell into this trap. Wealth is not sinful in itself, but it does bring temptations with it (cf. James 5:1-6).”
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Greg Jones

More of the nature of ancient Hebrew literature structure. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? 1 Kings 3:9 3:12 Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind 3:13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor 1 Kings 10 The Queen of Sheba affirms that God has bestowed wisdom on Solomon. The rest of the chapter lets the reader know that what wasn’t asked for back in chapter 3 has been bestowed on Solomon also. What’s up with Solomon? Is he the no good king we decide he is on some days? Or is he the king that God rewards greatly because God is pleased with him? Today in chapter 10 it’s the latter when it’s compared back to chapter 3. Solomon compared to Solomon in 1 Kings looks pretty good. Solomon compared to what is expected from a good king when you read Deuteronomy is a total flop. If you go back and look at some previous deeper dives you should see that pattern. From 1 Kings looking forward in Israel’s history…or from a more forward point in Israel’s history looking back you can see some cracks in Solomon’s. For a lot of people studying the Bible 2 Kings 22-23 the reign of Josiah sheds some light on what’s going on with much of Solomon’s story.
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Michael Sisson

Re: 1Kgs 10:29 1 Kings 10:29 (ESV) >>>A chariot could be imported from Egypt<<< for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king’s traders >>>they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.<<< I never knew Solomon had a side hustle as an arms dealer.
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Michael Scaman

The queen came in person instead of sending some envoy. She also brought her issues weighing on her royal mind. "...she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. " Ophir was known for gold but apparently also trees and fleets of ships carrying wood sounds like a lot of wood. Moreover the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones bringing special amalg wood which was great for harps and special fixtures for Solomon's hom and the House of God. Not sure what amalg wood is but made some combination of various woods for somethign better. I see a reference that the Amalgam tree is a graft chimera which is an artificial creation in which two or more plants are fused together. Some feel part of the secret of Stratavarious was the special wood that grew through Europe's mini ice age and maybe this wood was especially good for great harps? God didn't want David to build the temple but made it possible for Solomon to do it.
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Sue Bohlin

Thanks so much, Stevi! We keep hearing/reading about Solomon's fabulous wealth. This time through 1 Kings I have a new perspective on it, ever since God told him in ch. 3 that He was so pleased with Solomon's request for wisdom that He was going to give him riches and honor beside the never-before-seen wisdom. Yet His command for kings was to NOT amass silver or gold.. So why did God lavish SO MUCH on Solomon? Living in Dallas provides some good perspective on this question because in this area, so many of us have wealth beyond what much of the world could imagine. Most of us take for granted being in the top 1%, globally speaking. Why has God lavished so much wealth on US? Multiple cars, multiple toilets, multiple rooms in our homes, closets and dressers so full we have trouble closing the doors, pantries and freezers that could feed us for weeks. Maybe God poured out such extravagance on Solomon for the same reason He pours it out on us: to share. What if, instead of commissioning all those gold shields to hang on the walls of the House of the Forest of Lebanon, Solomon had given each family unit in Israel a portion of his gold and his food supplies? What if he had shared the wealth with a message about the generous heart of Yahweh, to teach his people about the character of their God in a literal hands-on way? As someone who has lived on the financial support of friends my entire adult life, I have learned SO MUCH about the giving, generous heart of our God. I have been shown how to be generous and open-handed by being on the receiving end, year after year. I'm wondering if Solomon didn't miss a great opportunity to lead his people in the same way.
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Amy Lowther

1. Gifts I have been given on earth include grass, trees, sun, sky, water, and opportunities to interact with other humans. I steward my gifts through acknowledging them and through respecting them. 2. I am resourceful and interesting. Yes there are people who care more for themselves and more for others. 3. I need God’s wisdom to see and observe things clearly versus having chaos. Prayer: God your wisdom is good. May I continue to look for your ideas, and may I continue to use them wisely in everything I do. Amen.