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<<<<The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon. He spoke to him in a dream during the night. God said, “Ask for anything you want from me.” 6 Solomon answered, “You have been very kind to my father David, your servant. That's because he was faithful to you. He did what was right. His heart was honest. And you have continued to be very kind to him. You have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 7 Lord my God, you have now made me king. You have put me in the place of my father David. But I'm only a little child. I don't know how to carry out my duties. 8 I'm here among the people you have chosen. They are a great nation. They are more than anyone can count. 9 So give me a heart that understands. Then I can rule over your people. I can tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Who can possibly rule over this great nation of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for that. 11 So God said to him, “You have not asked to live for a long time. You have not asked to be wealthy. You have not asked to have your enemies killed. Instead, you have asked for understanding. You want to do what is right and fair when you judge people. Because that is what you have asked for, 12 I will give you what you ask. I will give you a wise and understanding heart. There has never been anyone like you. And there never will be.”>>>>>
I am doing a sermon on this passage shortly. I want to focus on the wisdom of Solomon.
It seems Solomon was feeling a little overwhelmed by his new job as king. He made a wise choice choosing wisdom so was the aspiration for wisdom connected to the gift? To some extent Solomon already realised why God was blessing him - because of his love of his father David, because the nation itself belonged to God. So had God begun to make Solomon wise before he gave him the gift? Or is there an acceleration and new intensity about Solomon after the gift is given?
Why did this take place in Gibeon?
The Lord expected Solomon to ask for long life or wealth or the destruction of his enemies, as if these were the standard desires of kings. Is Solomon really a unique example of just a wise request and blessing in history, or does he just stand above the others in terms of quality. I can think of various reasonable Christian leaders like Alfred the great, Justinian for example.
Wisdom here is defined as understanding , knowing what is right and fair, knowing how to judge fairly and a wise and understanding heart. I suppose the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes also help to articulate the nature of wisdom more clearly. In Ecclesiastes this seems to come down to obeying God more, something which Solomon did not always do as he was led astray by the idolatry of his foreign wives. In Proverbs also there is a fuller definition. Solomon seems to have used examples from other wise people like King Lemuel for example in Proverbs. So is there is a sense in which being wise is joining ones mind with a larger club of wise people?
I am doing a sermon on this passage shortly. I want to focus on the wisdom of Solomon.
It seems Solomon was feeling a little overwhelmed by his new job as king. He made a wise choice choosing wisdom so was the aspiration for wisdom connected to the gift? To some extent Solomon already realised why God was blessing him - because of his love of his father David, because the nation itself belonged to God. So had God begun to make Solomon wise before he gave him the gift? Or is there an acceleration and new intensity about Solomon after the gift is given?
Why did this take place in Gibeon?
The Lord expected Solomon to ask for long life or wealth or the destruction of his enemies, as if these were the standard desires of kings. Is Solomon really a unique example of just a wise request and blessing in history, or does he just stand above the others in terms of quality. I can think of various reasonable Christian leaders like Alfred the great, Justinian for example.
Wisdom here is defined as understanding , knowing what is right and fair, knowing how to judge fairly and a wise and understanding heart. I suppose the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes also help to articulate the nature of wisdom more clearly. In Ecclesiastes this seems to come down to obeying God more, something which Solomon did not always do as he was led astray by the idolatry of his foreign wives. In Proverbs also there is a fuller definition. Solomon seems to have used examples from other wise people like King Lemuel for example in Proverbs. So is there is a sense in which being wise is joining ones mind with a larger club of wise people?
