"When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning Yahweh's name, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn't anything hidden from the king which he didn't tell her.
"When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh's house, there was no more spirit in her. She said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. However, I didn't believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. Happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom. Blessed is Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness."
"She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon ... King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, in addition to that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants." ~ 1 Kings 10:1-10, 13
The queen of Sheba was flabbergasted after witnessing the wisdom and splendor of King Solomon and his court. It just floored her! The Bible says, "There was no more spirit in her." Or we might say, "It took her breath away!" During this time, Jerusalem was a beauty to behold - Solomon's temple and his house and his chariot cities, and Solomon's pool, and Solomon's gold and on and on. And the most precious of all Solomon's possessions: Divine Wisdom! "For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it" (Proverbs 8:11). Wisdom from above is to be desired above all!
Now, let's fast forward about 700 years to the time of Christ. Jesus is speaking to a group of scribes and Pharisees, the typical religious folk of his day. He rebukes them in a most unusual manner: "The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:42).
Think about the effort the queen of Sheba put into making this arduous journey to the Holy City of God. The land of Ethiopia, which is where most scholars say was her origin, is 1,600 miles due South of Jerusalem. Can you imagine traveling 1,600 miles across barren terrain via a camel caravan? And why is she doing this? Because she heard of a man who possessed the wisdom of God, and she had to hear him for herself! That's amazing. She arranged a great caravan. She gathered a great offering of gold and spices. And Jesus said "she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon." Her efforts were greatly rewarded, and her legacy will live on for as long as the Word of God endures!
Now, let's fast forward again to the current day. Behold, unopened Bibles on night stands and coffee tables all over America. The wisdom of Solomon is ignored day after day. The book of Proverbs, which contains the instructions and truths that Yahweh gave to His king, goes unread, and worst, unheeded. Oh sure, we break out the Bible for our weekly worship service, and maybe for our midweek study. But beyond that, her covers are shut as tight as the gates of Fort Knox.
Do you desire the favor of the LORD? Can you think of anything that's better than having the favor of God? Here's a promise from His word for those who pursue His wisdom daily: "Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts. For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh" (Proverbs 8:34-35). Those who watch daily at His gates are the ones who obtain His favor!
You've heard me say it before, and I say it again: A proverb a day will show America the way! It's time to rediscover God's Word. In the judgment, will the Queen of the South rise up and condemn the believers of America? She traveled from the ends of the earth to hear God's wisdom, yet our Bibles literally collect dust from neglect! Shame on us for assigning so little value to the God-given wisdom of Solomon. May the LORD impart to us a deep hunger and thirst for his Truth and his Righteousness.
Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!