Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore

Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore

1 Kings 3:4-5

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Partaking of Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore, Solomon and all Israel went with him to Gibeon to offered sacrifice and a thousand burnt offering on the altar to the Lord, as a tribute to the Lord for establishing Solomon’s kingdom. Similarly, David and all Israel offered burnt and peace offering to the Lord at Gibeon when the ark of the Lord was restored to David, because there was no house build for the name of the Lord at that time. (1 King 3:2, 2 Samuel 61-17)

Even though Solomon and all Israel, captains, judges, leaders and head of the father’s house worship God at Gibeon, it was not the appointed place for worship, but the Lord graciously appeared to Solomon whose heart was fixed on Him, and told Solomon to asked for whatever he wanted, because our Father is seeking those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  The main focus of worship should be God- with an intent to honor Him with our lips and hearts. The art of worship is a godly lifestyle that command worshipers to walk uprightly, work righteousness and speak and live the truth of God’s word growing in Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore.

True worshipers are consciously aware of God presence every moment, in everyplace, everywhere. Engaging in Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore, they live in the presence of God with clean hands and pure heart, and are led by the Holy Spirit to work out their salvation with fear and trembling before a Holy God. May the words of our mouth, the mediation of our hearts, be acceptable in His sight to reflect His desires, as He molds our hearts to be one with His to draw men to Himself to display His glory and bring Him honor and praise.

Jesus said, ...now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth. (John 4: 23-24)

Pause& Think

1. What is worship and how does worship open our hearts to hear from God?
2. What is the difference between a high place, tabernacle, or ark of covenant?
3. What was the appointed place of worship for the people of Israel?
4. Why was Gibeon a central or an acceptable place of worship?
5. How did God establish Solomon throne?

1 kings 3:6-9

 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.

But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.  Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.  So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?

Solomon worshiped God and acknowledged He is faithful and is love.  He saw the attributes of God in His father: faithfulness, righteousness and integrity as he remembered the counsel of his father “ As for you, my son Solomon know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart devotion and a willing mind. For the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, he will cast you off forever.”

Our God, the living Father, is a God of integrity and truth; He is neither a man that He should lie nor a son of man who changes His mind.  He is active and alive and watches over His words to perform it. Our God is compassionate, slow to anger, rich in mercy and abundant in love. He is faithful in all generation, faithful in all He does, and faithful to fulfill His promises to the praise of His glory.

This was exemplified in Solomon life, when he inherited his father David’s throne. “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever”(2 Samuel 7:12-13.)

This can be liken to believers as heir of God and joint heir with Christ. In Christ, we obtained an inheritance, its Christ whom we serve, knowing from the Lord we receive the reward of our inheritance. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the Excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.” (Psalm 47:4, Ephesians 1:11)As believer grows in the knowledge of Christ and cultivate His mind, believers will be able to discern between right and wrong and be filled with fruit of righteousness that comes from Christ to the glory and praise of God.

 Solomon admitted he had limited experience in leadership. He acknowledged the Lord’s infinite wisdom and unequivocally asked the Lord to give him wisdom to not only rule His people but also to discern good and evil to make wise decision, to reflect the mind of God.  “For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding”.  Solomon, old enough to married, saw himself as a youth, and considered himself inexperience to rule such great people. Contemplating the responsibilities of being a king, he affirmed his dependency on the Lords wisdom, knowledge and understanding and recognized his exaltation came from the Lord.

"Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak with an outstretched neck.For exaltation comes neither from east nor west , nor from the south, but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another". (Psalm 75:6-7)

Embracing Heavenly Wisdom As Sand on The Seashore, Solomon in humanity with a reverent heart, asked the Lord for an understanding heart, which will not only to hear the voice of God but also hear the voice of the people whom he would govern to administer and execute justice with equality, in righteousness to the glory and God who appointed him for such a great task.

Pause & Think

1. What attributes of God did Solomon acknowledged in his father?
2. What character traits of yours are reflective of our living Father?
3. What is wisdom and where does it come from and how do we get it?
4. How are inheritance granted in the kingdom of God and who gives it?
5. Examine scripture where God called and equipped inadequate people for a great task?

1 king 3:10-15

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.  Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

The eyes of the Lord are on those who seek Him for counsel and guidance to make :wise decision, gain prudence to make the right choices at the right time, to produces peaceable results. The Lord was impressed with Solomon selfless request to be given godly wisdom to rule over His people. “The wisdom from above is pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. Therefore, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and blessed him abundantly with wisdom: Behold I have given you a wise and understanding heart so that no one will be like you, nor shall any like you arise after you. (1 king 3:12)

The Lord also gave Solomon riches and honor so there was none like him among all kings during his days. King Solomon surpasses all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom, all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God put in his heart. (1 King 10:23-14). The Lord promised Solomon long life if he kept His decrees and commands as his father David.

 “…if you walk in my ways to keep my statuses and my commandments as your Father David walked, then I will lengthen your days: David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside the commandments of the Lord all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite and the Lord satisfy him with long life and show David His salvation. 

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.” (Proverbs 3:2) 

Solomon regime was marked with peace, and blessed with prosperity that comes from the Lord, who gave him the ability to produce wealth , wealth that add no sorrow to it, wealth from the one only true God who delights in the prosperity of his servants. Solomon awoke from his dream and went to Jerusalem along with his servants and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to offer burnt and peace offering with a heart full of gratitude to thank the Lord in advance for the promised to be fulfilled and these offering are also fulfilled in Christ as listed in the below table: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.