The Bible treats the obtaining of wisdom as of cardinal importance to God's people. Wisdom is the principal thing, says Solomon, therefore, in all your acquiring, be sure to remember to acquire wisdom (Proverb 4:7). God does not command us to seek and acquire wisdom as though applying for a part-time job. This pursuit properly deserves the full attention of an undivided heart. We must search for it, cry out for it, and pursue it -- not turning to the right or to the left -- as one might search for hidden treasure. But what exactly IS this wisdom, and how are we directed to go about acquiring it? Such questions form the background and moving force behind this extended inquiry into the life, teachings and practices of one of the most noteworthy men in all the record of Holy Scripture. Let us begin our inquiry with the relevant text below:
1 Kings 3: 1-15:
And Solomon made affinity [i.e. a treaty] with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter [for a wife], and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and [also of] the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about [it]. Only [one problem persisted, namely that] the people [of Israel] sacrificed in high places [which was unlawful], because there [had been] no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
Here, we must note that Solomon wisely sought peace with his neighbors, especially those who historically had been in conflict with Israel. Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." The Scripture approvingly notes the success of Solomon's peacemaking efforts in these words (1 Kings 4:25), "And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon."
But Solomon's peace initiative proves more strategic than a mere cursory glance might suggest. By making a mutual non-aggression pact with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, Solomon defused the only real international threat to the establishment of his kingdom from the outset. Moreover, in sealing the deal by marrying Pharaoh's daughter, he had ensured that anyone who attacked the King of Israel also attacked the son-in-law of Pharaoh. Thus the would-be aggressor could look forward to the unlikely prospect of taking on THE two major powers in the ancient near East at the time -- both at once! Unsurprisingly, no takers arose in Solomon's day because even idiocy has its limits. King Solomon thus wisely shielded both himself and God's people, fulfilling his duty as commander-in-chief to provide national security to Israel. He made peace skillfully, and with great insight.
Wisdom, Solomon's proverbs tell us, is "For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee" (3:2). Proverbs 12:20 says that "Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counselors of peace is joy." Proverbs 16:7 adds that "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." And so it was with Solomon, all the days he ruled Israel -- with a couple of notable exceptions near the end of his reign.
1,000 Sacrifices And Extravagant Worship. The Scripture continues, informing us that King David had taught Solomon well the wisdom he, himself, had learned from God, faithfully passing it down to the next generation. It reads:
"And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar."
Here, Solomon showed great zeal and wisdom in the worship of God, putting into practice the principle of David, "I will not give to the Lord that which costs me nothing." Worship should involve giving from one's whole heart in earnest. Accordingly, Solomon had lavished upon God great honor the full view of all, much as did the woman (whom many suspect was Mary Magdalene) who had poured out very costly spikenard from an alabaster jar upon the feet of Jesus, to which the Lord Himself gave approval.
Solomon likewise practices "extravagant worship" toward the Lord. The number 1,000 carries a great significance in the life of Solomon. Let the reader recall that in his progressive and tragic falling away from this zeal for God later in his life, he transgressed the command of God for kings not to marry many foreign women by clinging to some 1,000 of them (roughly 7,000 wives and 3,000 concubines). Thus, this number serves to represent the full extent possible of one's doings -- either expressing great fidelity, or else infidelity to the Lord. Deuteronomy 5, for instance, likens the span of 1,000 generations to the term "forever." At the beginning of his ministry then, Solomon showed a love for God that could not be excelled. And God was obviously greatly pleased with Solomon's wholehearted offering, because the Scripture shows His response:
"In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants."
The Importance of Gibeon. The text goes out of its way to inform us that this fellowship between God and Solomon took place at "the great high place" at Gibeon. Why had the people of God chosen Gibeon as the central location of worship prior to the building of the Temple in Jerusalem? They did so because this provided the final resting place for the portable tabernacle which housed God's special presence among His people in the days of Moses and Joshua -- the smaller Temple -- built by Bezalel -- before the greater Temple, built by Solomon.
The Importance of Bezalel and Oholiab. These two men built the tabernacle with great wisdom and skill (Exodus 31:1-11ff). Scritpure presents Bezalel as the consumate wise man in his generation, next to Moses. He built everything according to the law of the Lord precisely, "just as the Lord had commanded Moses." By noting Gibeon as the location of extraordinary fellowship between God and Solomon then, the text implies somewhat subtley that Solomon is the next-generation "Bezalel superior." Just as the Lord Jesus had referred to Himself as "one greater [in wisdom] than Solomon, so the text here asks, "Remember how wise Bezalel and Oholiab were? Well Solomon is far greater in wisdom even than these. Gibeon then summarized and symbolized the wisdom of the previous generations in Israel. But it only formed the starting point for the astounding ministry of Solomon the wise. The wisdom of son of David would excel any wisdom that had come before.
Clearly, Solomon's wise priorities had pleased the Lord. This too showed the greatness of the impression King David's teaching had left upon Solomon, who wrote that "A wise son heareth his father's instruction ... (Proverbs 13:1). And his father had taught him, as it says (Proverbs 4:3-7):
For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Therefore, let us conclude this brief introduction with the advice of a man who also knew a great deal about wisdom, namely, James the Just: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
(To be continued)
Carson Day has written some 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, with insightful (if alternative) viewpoints. He presently writes for fun and profit, and specialized in the history of ideas in college. He has been quoted as saying "What box?" and remains at large despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.
You can visit his blogsites at http://ophirgoldcorp.blogspot.com (Carson Day's Free Web Traffic) or http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (Carson Day's OmniBlog) or http://extremeprofit.blogspot.com (Carson's Day Trading Outpost)