TEXT: 1 Kings 3:5-14; 4:29-34
- Key Verse
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. — Job 28:28
Shortly before he died, King David established his son Solomon as king over Israel, as God had ordained. In so doing, David charged his son to serve the Lord "with a perfect heart and with a willing mind" (1 Chronicles 28:9). Earlier, David had admonished Solomon to build a house for the Lord, desiring that the Lord would give him wisdom and understanding (1 Chronicles 22:12). David's desire for his son was granted in that Solomon requested from God the necessary wisdom and understanding to judge and guide the Children of Israel. The Bible gives encouragement for all to seek God's wisdom.
- In 1 Kings 3:3 what was the attribute in Solomon that allowed God to trust him with the limitless offer, "Ask what I shall give thee"? Why is this attribute important in our lives also?
- By carefully studying Solomon's answer to God's question, how many Christian traits can you find in verses 6,7,8, and 9?
- List those things which God promised Solomon in answer to his request.
- Read James 4:3, then write what you think might have been God's answer to Solomon had he asked for riches and honor instead of wisdom and understanding.
- What evidence do we have that Solomon's request for wisdom was answered (1 Kings 3:16-28)? Was Solomon's wisdom limited only to matters concerning righteous judgment?
- What did the Queen of Sheba think of Solomon's wisdom? See 1 Kings 10:1-9.
- When we think of wisdom, we think of the ability to make right decisions and discern between good and evil, but godly wisdom extends beyond these characteristics. List some other characteristics given in James 3:17.
- How is godly wisdom to be attained today? List two or more things that are required. See James 1:5-6,22-25.
Thought Provoker: How is godly wisdom related to Christian maturity? See Ephesians 3:17-19 and 4:13. Have you observed Christians who cannot be moved from their faith by the most adverse circumstances? Have you seen some stand when it seemed all was going against them? Have you heard soft answers given when harsh words have been spoken? Have you noted Christlike people who took no offense but rather prayed for those who had mistreated them? These people are mature Christians who have been given a good measure of ''the wisdom that is from above." Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus was that Christ would dwell in their hearts by faith, and that they might be rooted and grounded in love, so as to comprehend the breadth, length, depth, and height of the love of Christ, which exceeds all worldly knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God. So godly wisdom is manifested when we are filled with the love of Christ—and Christian maturity is really Christlikeness.