Solomon: Unfailing Wisdom2 If you could be the leading expert in any field, what would it be? QUESTION 1 #BSFLsecondnature BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 75
THE POINT Christ-centered living chooses wisdom from God, not simply knowledge. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE In a single day, most of us can become well informed in virtually any subject. We can quickly learn about the sleeping patterns of the aardvark, the inner workings of a carburetor, the preparation of crème brulee, or even the gravitational pull of Mars. Thanks to the Internet, we can accumulate enough knowledge on any of these subjects and millions more. We are flooded with information from more than one billion websites. And we are continually exchanging knowledge: six thousand tweets are tweeted, more than forty thousand Google queries are searched, and more than two million emails are sent every second! 5 We are swimming in an ocean of knowledge while dying of thirst for wisdom. Unlike knowledge that can be attained from any number of sources, we find wisdom only in knowing God and then applying what we know of Him to real-life situations. We cannot simply be pursuers of knowledge. Relying on God s wisdom must become second nature to us so that our lives, and not just our intellect, reflect who God is and who He has called us to be. 76 SESSION 2
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? 1 Kings 3:3-9 (CSB) 3 Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, Ask. What should I give you? 6 And Solomon replied, You have shown great and faithful love to your servant, my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. 7 Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours? Think back to your first day at a new job. No doubt you felt a sense of unfamiliarity about it, and you may have even been a little overwhelmed by new systems, new relationships, and new responsibilities to learn. And if that new role included leading people, your head was probably swimming with the amount of responsibility you suddenly shouldered. If you can remember a time like that, then you have a small glimpse of what Solomon must have felt. As the Book of 1 Kings opens, we find Israel s greatest king, David, has become a mere shadow of his former self. Gone is the triumphant military leader who had held the head of the Philistine champion in his hand. Now we find an aging ruler whose physical health is so far gone he couldn t even get warm when they covered him with blankets (1 Kings 1:1). To make matters worse, the jockeying for position had already begun. One of his sons, Adonijah, was aggressively campaigning to succeed his father before David was even dead. Adonijah had rallied support to his cause, and he acted as de facto ruler. But because of the behind-the-scenes work of a prophet named Nathan and Bathsheba, Solomon s mother, David named Solomon king (1:5-39). What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? QUESTION 2 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 77
THE POINT Christ-centered living chooses wisdom from God, not simply knowledge. So there Solomon was. He was following in the footsteps of the greatest king the people had known. He was inheriting a throne his father had taken to the highest of heights. And all of this happened when Solomon was young, somewhere between twelve and twenty years old. Talk about pressure! So what does a young man do in this situation, when he knows he is in over his head? Solomon would make many mistakes in his life, but in this moment he did the absolutely right thing: He prayed. Even in his youth, Solomon was aware of something that often escapes us: we are utterly, completely, and inescapably dependent upon the Lord. Solomon also knew a bit about what he needed. Instead of asking God to remove the struggles and challenges he would face as king, Solomon asked instead for the wisdom and discernment to operate within those struggles and challenges. 1 Kings 3:10-14 (CSB) 10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 So God said to him, Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice, 12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no king will be your equal during your entire life. 14 If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life. The gravity of verse 10 should not escape us: the Lord was pleased with Solomon s request. Something about what and how Solomon asked touched the heart of God. The request was made humbly. Solomon knew he was in great need. He couldn t muster up the wisdom inside himself to do the job he had been tasked to do. So he came to the Lord, in a humble spirit, asking God to do for him what he could not do for himself. When has God given you more than you asked for? QUESTION 3 78 SESSION 2
How do we gain and apply wisdom in our daily lives? QUESTION 4 The request made much of God. As Solomon was humbled, the Lord and His power were uplifted. When we humbly acknowledge our own deficiency, we simultaneously acknowledge the overflowing sufficiency of God. The request was for the sake of others. When Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom, he would be the recipient of the gift of wisdom. But it s equally true that Solomon did not want this gift from the Lord purely for his own benefit. The entire community and more would benefit and be strengthened. 1 Kings 4:29-34 (CSB) 29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations. 32 Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. 33 He spoke about trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also spoke about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon s wisdom. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 79
THE POINT Christ-centered living chooses wisdom from God, not simply knowledge. Wisdom does not end with the person who receives it. Rather, God intends for wisdom to be pushed out through His people for the sake of others. We see that in Solomon s life; it s clear in this passage just how far and wide the benefit was to what God had granted Solomon. People from the entire known world would benefit from what God had given to one of His people. This is how God means for His blessings to work: He wants His people to share them, not hoard them. As opposed to knowledge which can be accumulated simply for the purpose of having information or for being recognized as the resident expert wisdom is meant to be exercised and used. Who benefits when we share God s wisdom? Families benefit. Parents have the unmatched opportunity to speak words of wisdom into the most tangible aspects of life for their children: financial priorities, career choices, relationships, and walking with God. Churches benefit. Churches have to make decisions. When believers gather together for the purpose of bringing glory to God and reaching others with the gospel, it would be neglectful not to listen to a variety of counselors. All church members can bring to bear what the Lord has taught them so that the wisest possible decision can be reached. What are some practical ways to communicate God s wisdom in our relationships? QUESTION 5 Communities benefit. Most Christians aren t on staff at a local church. Most do not write Christian books or serve on the board of religious institutions. Most live and work in the secular world: they may be business people, trades people, or stay-at-home parents. But God does not mean for us to exercise His wisdom only in the home and in the church. An entire community can benefit from the God-given wisdom of the people within it. God has given us wisdom to share with everyone. Our friends, neighbors, and communities benefit when we humbly live out and share the wisdom of God. 80 SESSION 2
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." PROVERBS 9:10 WISDOM > KNOWLEDGE Which of the following sources significantly shape your thoughts and ideas about everyday life? Check all that apply. Bosses, teachers, superiors Political figures Social media God s Word Church Celebrities Friends My education, training, experiences Which of the following sources of godly wisdom would you like to give more attention to moving forward? Christian family members Christian friends Local church God s Word Holy Spirit Other: BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 81
THE POINT Christ-centered living chooses wisdom from God, not simply knowledge. LIVE IT OUT What steps can you take this week to grow in godly wisdom? Go to the Source. True wisdom is found in reading God s Word. Commit yourself to read one chapter from the Book of Proverbs each day this month. Commit God s truth to memory. Memorize Proverbs 9:10, a proverb written by Solomon: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Seek out godly mentors. Who is one person whose wisdom you could benefit from? Contact that person and request to meet one on one so that you can learn from his or her insights. Or consider being a mentor to someone who could benefit from the wisdom God has given you. Knowledge is out there more than you or I know what to do with. But while knowledge might increase our prominence or reputation, wisdom is to be more treasured than gold. Humbly pray for wisdom and trust the God who is generous in answering. My thoughts Share with others how you will live out this study: #BSFLsecondnature 82 SESSION 2