The story about Solomon is fascinating. He did not ask God for long life, riches for himself, nor did he ask for the life of his enemies. God gave him according to Solomon's prayer, He gave him a wise and discerning heart. But God gave him more. God gave Solomon also what he did not ask for; both riches and honor. In verse 14 in chapter 3 of 1st Kings in the Bible, God even told Solomon: "If you walk in My ways, keeping My statues and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.
God teaches us something vital in 1st Kings chapter 3. He confirms it in Proverbs 4, verse 7. Here, God says that the beginning of wisdom is to get wisdom. Skillful and godly wisdom. For skillful and godly wisdom is the principal thing. Solomon asked for the principal thing and by doing so he was also given things that he had not asked for. Proverbs chapter 4 says in verse 8 that when we embrace wisdom, wisdom will bring to us also honor.
How can wisdom be embraced? In the Bible, wisdom is described as a person. In chapter 3, verse 16, it says that wisdom has length of days in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left hand. What happens when you embrace a person? The person you embrace will put his or her hands on your back. So when you embrace wisdom, the left hand of wisdom will support you with riches and honor and the right hand of wisdom will support you with length of days. Your focus when embracing somebody is not the person's hands. When you embrace somebody, your focus is the person. So when you embrace wisdom, your focus is wisdom, and in addition you get length of days, and riches and honor.
Solomon got honor and riches. He became very rich. But being king for only 40 years and dying at an age of about 60 years old, does not sound like a long life. What went wrong? In 1st Kings 3:14, God told Solomon that if he would keep God's commandments, He would prolong Solomon's days.
1st Kings chapter 11 says in verse 4 that as Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful. He did not stay true to God. In verses 9 and 10 it says that Solomon's heart was turned from the Lord, and that he went after other gods.
You can gain experience from living and you can gain knowledge from studying. But neither living nor studying can give you wisdom. Skillful and godly wisdom comes only from God. But how can we keep God's commandments? There is no way any of us can manage to keep God's commandments. God knew that, so He sent His Son Jesus Christ to fulfill the commandments. So that all we need to do is to look upon Jesus and receive Him as a gift from God, acknowledging what He has done for each and every one of us on the cross. There is only one way to God. Jesus says that He is the way, the truth and the life. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, God had a seat for Him on His right side.
When you embrace wisdom, the left hand will give you honor and riches. At the right hand, Jesus is sitting. He has fulfilled God's commandments. So when embracing wisdom, the right hand will give us length of days.
With all you have gotten, get wisdom. Ask your heavenly Father for wisdom and favor. 1st Corinthians chapter 1 says in verse 30 that Jesus Christ became to us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Embrace Jesus Christ, and you will get riches and honor, and length of days. Do not focus on the riches or the honor or the length of days. But keep your eyes on Jesus Christ. Proverbs 4 says in verses 21-22 that we should keep God's words within our heart, for they are life to us who find them and healing to all our flesh. In chapter 3 verses 14-15 it says that the gain from wisdom is better than gain from silver and wisdom's profit is better than gold, and that wisdom is more precious than jewels and that nothing you desire can compare with wisdom. In verse 18 it says that wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of wisdom.
On the cross, Jesus Christ became our sin and we who believe became His righteousness. Jesus is our righteousness. He is our righteousness when we embrace Him and He is our righteousness when we do not embrace Him. If you are married, your spouse is your spouse when you embrace him/her and your spouse is your spouse when you do not embrace him/her. But only when you embrace him/her, you can feel his/her embracing hands on your back. It is the same with the hands of wisdom. When you do not embrace wisdom, the right hand with length of days and the left hand with riches and honor will not be on your back to support you. Only when you embrace wisdom, the hands will be on your back supporting you.
Solomon turned from God and went after other gods. Make sure that you keep embracing God's wisdom!
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