Solomon-The Gifts God Gave

By Mary Vee
I Kings 4 and II chronicles 1, 9

A Servant's Journal

I have never heard of, nor seen a king like Solomon. God has blessed our king tremendously. He has given him gifts that surpass others. Let me tell you about Solomon, our king of Israel.

God has given Solomon wisdom. Not just for certain times or about certain topics. Solomon's wisdom exceeds the wisdom of all the men of the east, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He is wiser than any other man.

How do we know? Many came to test him. Solomon proved wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite; Heman; Caldol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. Solomon's fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

People came from far away to hear him speak. Our king spoke three thousand proverbs, his songs numbered a thousand and five. He describes plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of  walls. He has taught many about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Men have been sent by kings of all nations to listen to Solomon's wisdom.

Visitors bring gifts for our king. Solomon has received 666 talents of gold, not including payments due from merchants and traders, all the Arabian kings, and the governors of the land.

With the gold, King Solomon filled the storehouse with weapons fashioned from the gold. He made his throne with inlaid ivory and overlaid it with fine gold. A magnificent throne with six steps and on each side of the seat a lion stands. Twelve lions stand on the steps, one on each side of the step. No throne for any other king comes close to the magnificence of Solomon's throne.

All of King Solomon's goblets are gold and absolutely nothing has been made with silver, because, well, silver has little or no value. Solomon decorated our city with the gold he received, making this precious metal as common in Jerusalem as stones. He also used the great cedars of Lebanon throughout the city. 

Greater than all the king's possessions on earth, are the riches of my king, Solomon. People come from far all over the world to hear the wisdom God put in his heart.

Year after year, each person who has visited brings a gift: silver, gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and animals. 

How rich our country is. How privileged we are to have Solomon as our king. But greater than these, how blessed we are to worship God.

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photo courtesy of christianimagesource.com

1.  How do we know Solomon was wise?
2.  Solomon spoke ___________ proverbs and __________ songs.
3.  Solomon decorated the city of Jerusalem with ___________ and _________
4.  Solomon was wiser than __________
5.  Solomon was richer than ____________
6.  Solomon had wisdom and riches because ________ gave them to him.