WEBVTT

00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:02.140
 Great. Thanks, John.

00:00:02.459 --> 00:00:04.980
 We've been looking forward to this series for a little while.

00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:07.240
 Solomon's a fascinating figure,

00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:11.900
 and we're hoping that the next four sermons spread over five Sundays,

00:00:12.259 --> 00:00:13.599
 because there's a break in the middle,

00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:16.179
 will be a real help to us all.

00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:21.539
 And we thought it would be a good plan to spend just a few minutes

00:00:21.539 --> 00:00:24.339
 then setting up not just this evening's sermon,

00:00:24.339 --> 00:00:26.480
 but the series as a whole.

00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.880
 As John said, who's Solomon, where does he fit into things,

00:00:30.940 --> 00:00:36.439
 and why construct a series with John's wonderful alliteration

00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.020
 called Solomon's Slide.

00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:41.359
 So it's not just the W's, it's also the S's.

00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:45.079
 So just a few minutes then about Solomon and where he fits

00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:46.519
 and why Solomon's Slide.

00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:50.939
 Well, kingship came late to Israel.

00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:52.340
 I mean, I think we'll all be.

00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:55.040
 If you're familiar with the story of the Old Testament,

00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:58.759
 you'll be familiar with the fact that all the nations seem to have kings,

00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:01.820
 but Israel doesn't have a king.

00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:05.299
 And in fact, historically, that seems to be the case.

00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:09.280
 Lots of the surrounding nations for hundreds, if not thousands of years,

00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:13.159
 had had kings, and Israel wanted a king too.

00:01:14.019 --> 00:01:17.340
 They didn't have a king because the Lord was their king.

00:01:17.340 --> 00:01:23.680
 But it's anticipated in the law of Moses that there would be one day a king,

00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:28.560
 and it's an unusual law in all of ancient literature.

00:01:28.780 --> 00:01:31.180
 There is no other constitutional monarchy,

00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:35.020
 no other law relating to the king outside of the Bible.

00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.359
 And it comes in Deuteronomy 17.

00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:40.359
 So we'll just read it briefly now.

00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:46.079
 There's a block of legislation in Deuteronomy that governs...

00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.560
 Where are all our civil servants tonight?

00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:54.140
 That governs a sort of civil society and how the law courts should work

00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:55.879
 and administration and so forth.

00:01:56.299 --> 00:01:59.719
 And as part of this, in chapter Deuteronomy 17,

00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:03.480
 we have this law, and it begins at verse 14.

00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:08.960
 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you

00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.439
 and have taken possession of it and settled in it,

00:02:11.500 --> 00:02:12.180
 and you say,

00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:16.280
 Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us.

00:02:16.860 --> 00:02:21.020
 Then be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses.

00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:24.099
 He must be from among your fellow Israelites.

00:02:24.900 --> 00:02:28.840
 Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.

00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:33.759
 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself

00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.640
 or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them.

00:02:38.140 --> 00:02:42.840
 For the Lord has told you, you are not to go back that way again.

00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.480
 He must not take many wives or his heart will be led astray.

00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:52.259
 He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:55.159
 When he takes the throne of his kingdom,

00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:59.840
 he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law,

00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:02.379
 taken from that of the Levitical priests.

00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:04.740
 It is to be with him,

00:03:05.060 --> 00:03:07.560
 and he is to read it all the days of his life,

00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:11.000
 so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God

00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:15.819
 and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees,

00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:19.539
 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites,

00:03:20.019 --> 00:03:23.400
 and turn from the law to the right or to the left.

00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:29.800
 Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:36.280
 So there we have it, quite a special law concerning the rise of kingship

00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:38.560
 and its role in Israelite society.

00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:42.480
 And Israel took hesitant steps towards having a king.

00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:44.640
 If you know your book of Judges quite well,

00:03:44.700 --> 00:03:48.099
 you'll notice there's some hesitant steps towards kingship there.

00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:54.740
 And certainly the way the book of Judges ends anticipates the coming of a king as a good thing.

00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:58.280
 Israel is falling apart morally.

00:03:59.019 --> 00:04:00.539
 And it finishes with the words,

00:04:00.740 --> 00:04:04.240
 Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

00:04:04.579 --> 00:04:07.019
 There was no king in Israel.

00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:12.200
 And when kingship finally arrives, it is with God's choice, with Saul,

00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:17.199
 around the year, what, 1020 B.C.

00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:23.240
 And Saul, if you're taking a sort of X-factor, people's choice king,

00:04:23.939 --> 00:04:25.199
 Saul might well have won.

00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:30.379
 You know, a great strapping guy, head and shoulders over everyone else.

00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:34.680
 So maybe the kind of people's ideal king, they got what they wanted,

00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:39.259
 but they didn't quite get what God finally wanted.

00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:41.060
 And that came in the person of David.

00:04:41.180 --> 00:04:42.199
 So Saul's successor.

00:04:42.379 --> 00:04:44.379
 Saul didn't place his son on the throne.

00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:49.279
 David was anointed king, a king to be after God's own heart,

00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:54.120
 as the book of Samuel has it and is repeated in the sermons of Acts.

00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:58.840
 And it's David then who sort of consolidates kingship in Israel

00:04:58.840 --> 00:05:02.600
 and has a son follow him onto the throne.

00:05:02.740 --> 00:05:09.500
 So there is with Solomon, David's successor, a hereditary kingship.

00:05:09.579 --> 00:05:12.840
 And that's the way that we tend to think about kingship.

00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:16.240
 David comes to the throne around 1000 B.C.

00:05:16.280 --> 00:05:19.699
 I think that's an easy name to remember for me, David.

00:05:20.340 --> 00:05:22.899
 Easy year to remember, 1000.

00:05:22.899 --> 00:05:24.219
 works pretty well.

00:05:24.539 --> 00:05:30.259
 And that's a nice sort of chronological peg to hang the stories of the Old Testament on.

00:05:30.939 --> 00:05:35.219
 Around 960 then is when Solomon comes to the throne

00:05:35.219 --> 00:05:40.159
 as the sort of culmination establishing kingship in Israel.

00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:43.459
 Well, Solomon in many ways was a great king.

00:05:43.739 --> 00:05:48.339
 Solomon had great achievements, monumental building projects.

00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:51.159
 He built cities, fortified them.

00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:52.360
 He built a palace.

00:05:52.860 --> 00:05:55.939
 He built famously the temple in Jerusalem.

00:05:56.960 --> 00:06:01.980
 With Solomon, we have the rise of arts and literature in Israel.

00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:06.060
 Many scholars think that the first court historians

00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:10.060
 that wrote up the history of David's reign

00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:13.300
 were the court historians of Solomon's court.

00:06:13.300 --> 00:06:19.620
 His administration was wonderful.

00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:21.920
 Again, civil servants tonight.

00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:26.960
 David left a great kingdom in extent,

00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.939
 but he didn't pass on a civil service, taxation, and so on.

00:06:30.980 --> 00:06:33.660
 But Solomon implemented all these wonderful things.

00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:38.000
 Exploration and trade.

00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:42.120
 Ships sending out explorers and traders.

00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:45.340
 And with all of this activity in Solomon's reign,

00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:48.680
 there's also, we speculate, we don't have direct evidence,

00:06:48.840 --> 00:06:52.280
 but where were the scribal schools for the accountants,

00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:56.639
 the diplomats, the architects that were at work

00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:59.280
 doing all this activity in David's kingdom?

00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:01.959
 And of course, as John mentioned,

00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:06.199
 he himself was world-renowned for wisdom,

00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:08.860
 the first theme that we tackle this evening.

00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:12.360
 So a lot of Solomon's reign gets a nice summary

00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:14.740
 in 1 Kings chapter 4.

00:07:15.139 --> 00:07:17.420
 We'll just read those verses briefly now.

00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:21.439
 So it's the end of the chapter, 1 Kings 4, 29 to 34.

00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.080
 God gave Solomon wisdom and great insight

00:07:26.080 --> 00:07:28.740
 and breadth of understanding as measureless

00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:30.699
 as the sand on the seashore.

00:07:31.340 --> 00:07:33.759
 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom

00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:35.319
 of all the people of the East

00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:38.000
 and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

00:07:38.540 --> 00:07:40.420
 He was wiser than anyone else,

00:07:40.860 --> 00:07:42.599
 including Atha and the Ezraite,

00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.439
 wiser than Haman, Calcol, and Darda,

00:07:45.860 --> 00:07:46.980
 the sons of Mahol.

00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:50.659
 And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:53.539
 He spoke 3,000 proverbs,

00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:56.319
 and his songs numbered 1,005.

00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:59.060
 Gotta love that number.

00:07:59.060 --> 00:08:01.839
 He spoke about plant life,

00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:04.100
 from the cedar of Lebanon

00:08:04.100 --> 00:08:07.160
 to the hyssop that grows out of walls.

00:08:08.100 --> 00:08:10.319
 He also spoke about animals and birds

00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.860
 and reptiles and fish,

00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:14.480
 kind of proto-natural scientists.

00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:17.160
 And from all the nations,

00:08:17.399 --> 00:08:19.980
 people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom,

00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:21.920
 sent by all the kings of the world

00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.279
 who had heard of his wisdom.

00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:25.420
 Fantastic!

00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:25.980
 Fantastic!

00:08:28.140 --> 00:08:30.040
 You can tell there's a buck coming,

00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:31.939
 but there were problems.

00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.200
 Perhaps, as a foreshadow of things to come,

00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:40.000
 there were complications already at David's birth,

00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:41.519
 at Solomon's birth.

00:08:42.060 --> 00:08:45.379
 Now, David had an affair with Bathsheba

00:08:45.379 --> 00:08:47.340
 and had her husband killed.

00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:50.200
 Now, the child of that union died.

00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:54.000
 But in that period, David and Bathsheba married,

00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.860
 and Solomon was their son.

00:08:57.539 --> 00:08:59.279
 Well, in 2 Samuel 12,

00:08:59.539 --> 00:09:01.659
 we read the birth notice of Solomon.

00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:06.519
 So 2 Samuel 12, verses 24 and 25.

00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.720
 Then, so this is after the death of their first child,

00:09:11.259 --> 00:09:13.639
 David comforted his wife, Bathsheba,

00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:16.620
 and he went to her and made love to her,

00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:17.399
 lay with her.

00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:19.519
 She gave birth to a son,

00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:22.019
 and they named him Solomon.

00:09:22.019 --> 00:09:22.139
 Solomon.

00:09:22.699 --> 00:09:24.799
 The Lord loved him.

00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:27.579
 And because the Lord loved him,

00:09:28.319 --> 00:09:30.720
 he sent word through Nathan the prophet

00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:33.179
 to name him Jedidiah.

00:09:33.779 --> 00:09:35.579
 Just pause for a moment on this.

00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:40.699
 So this child gets a name from father and mother, Solomon.

00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:44.639
 Now, to this day, scholars argue about

00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:46.299
 the meaning of the name of Solomon,

00:09:46.460 --> 00:09:47.579
 where it comes from.

00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:52.120
 It is, in fact, the name of one of the Assyrian deities.

00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.360
 It was the name of a Syrian king.

00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:59.300
 It might mean his substitute.

00:09:59.780 --> 00:10:02.080
 That is the substitute for the dead child.

00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:05.440
 Or it might have something to do with peace.

00:10:05.700 --> 00:10:07.379
 You'll know the word shalom.

00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:11.160
 And maybe that word is in Solomon's name.

00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:14.319
 Well, whatever Solomon's name means,

00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:17.059
 the Lord's love for him

00:10:17.059 --> 00:10:19.579
 led to the Lord sending the prophet Nathan

00:10:19.579 --> 00:10:20.959
 with another name.

00:10:21.219 --> 00:10:22.839
 And that name was Jedidiah.

00:10:23.219 --> 00:10:25.839
 Now, the did in Jedidiah

00:10:25.839 --> 00:10:27.779
 is actually David's name.

00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:28.839
 And it means beloved.

00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.860
 And when you put it in that form, Jedidiah,

00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:34.559
 it means beloved of the Lord.

00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:37.000
 But he doesn't bear that name.

00:10:37.419 --> 00:10:39.319
 He bears the name Solomon.

00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:43.120
 He comes to the throne eventually amidst conflict

00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:45.440
 and a bit of real politique,

00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:48.320
 knives not in the night but in the day,

00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:51.020
 knocking off rivals and political enemies.

00:10:52.040 --> 00:10:55.120
 He amasses fabulous wealth,

00:10:55.820 --> 00:10:59.040
 a vast array of wives and concubines.

00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:01.600
 And having had most of his reign,

00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:03.400
 long reign, in peace,

00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:05.680
 towards the end of his reign,

00:11:05.680 --> 00:11:09.060
 he develops both personal and political enemies.

00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:12.920
 And the temple that he built for the living God

00:11:12.920 --> 00:11:16.160
 is joined by a number of shrines in Jerusalem

00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:18.480
 to the gods of the surrounding nations

00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:20.700
 who now had their daughters

00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:23.800
 as his wives and concubines in Jerusalem.

00:11:24.760 --> 00:11:26.500
 At the end of his reign,

00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:28.460
 we hear the voice of a prophet.

00:11:28.660 --> 00:11:29.560
 For the first time,

00:11:29.660 --> 00:11:31.600
 he faces prophetic opposition.

00:11:32.020 --> 00:11:32.980
 Now, this is interesting.

00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:35.060
 This is the first time in Solomon's reign

00:11:35.060 --> 00:11:36.740
 we've heard a prophet's voice.

00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:39.320
 There had been prophetic voices

00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:41.220
 all through his father's reign.

00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:43.379
 Samuel spoke prophetically.

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:45.600
 Nathan spoke prophetically.

00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.560
 God spoke prophetically.

00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.539
 No prophetic word in Solomon's reign

00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:52.139
 until the very end,

00:11:52.580 --> 00:11:55.480
 when the end of Solomon's kingship was announced.

00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:57.919
 After his death,

00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:00.519
 the kingdom falls apart.

00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:03.600
 And so we really need a new summary now

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.860
 to think about what's happened

00:12:04.860 --> 00:12:06.720
 at the end of Solomon's reign.

00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:11.079
 This comes in 1 Kings 11, verses 9 and 10.

00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:14.279
 1 Kings 11, 9 and 10.

00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:19.100
 The Lord became angry with Solomon

00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:22.299
 because his heart had turned away from the Lord,

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.559
 the God of Israel,

00:12:23.939 --> 00:12:25.899
 who had appeared to him twice.

00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:28.699
 Although he had forbidden Solomon

00:12:28.699 --> 00:12:30.220
 to follow other gods,

00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:34.019
 Solomon did not keep the Lord's command.

00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:38.779
 So the one that at birth the Lord loved,

00:12:39.819 --> 00:12:41.779
 at the end became one

00:12:41.779 --> 00:12:45.299
 with whom the Lord became angry.

00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:48.740
 So this is Solomon's puzzle then.

00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:52.299
 How did one of the greatest kings of Israel,

00:12:52.699 --> 00:12:54.279
 who started so well,

00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:56.360
 and as we'll see in a few moments

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.159
 with such a generous gift

00:12:58.159 --> 00:12:59.559
 of divinely given wisdom,

00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:02.600
 how did this king who started so well

00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:04.819
 end so badly?

00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:08.259
 Solomon's slide.

00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.439
 And so we examine Solomon's slide

00:13:11.439 --> 00:13:12.279
 in four parts.

00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:13.120
 As John said,

00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:14.079
 wisdom tonight,

00:13:14.459 --> 00:13:15.459
 worship next week,

00:13:15.699 --> 00:13:16.740
 and after a break,

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:17.860
 Solomon's wealth

00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:19.480
 and Solomon's women.

00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:21.299
 It won't be

00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:23.679
 the same sermon four times.

00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:26.419
 But a certain pattern

00:13:26.419 --> 00:13:27.600
 may emerge.

00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:31.860
 And just before we consider this passage

00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:32.620
 and a couple others,

00:13:32.740 --> 00:13:33.959
 let's just pray once more.

00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:38.339
 Our Heavenly Father,

00:13:38.439 --> 00:13:40.039
 we thank you for your word.

00:13:40.339 --> 00:13:41.819
 We thank you for your living word.

00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:43.259
 And we thank you

00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:44.399
 that the word came

00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:45.679
 and dwelt among us.

00:13:46.199 --> 00:13:47.439
 So we pray that you would open

00:13:47.439 --> 00:13:48.919
 our hearts and minds tonight,

00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:50.799
 that you would direct us

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.819
 in your ways,

00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:53.240
 in your will,

00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:54.779
 and for your glory.

00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:56.819
 And we ask this in Jesus' name.

00:13:57.179 --> 00:13:57.539
 Amen.

00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:57.699
 Amen.

00:14:01.439 --> 00:14:03.039
 Well, on to Solomon then.

00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:05.240
 And although Solomon

00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:07.899
 is one of the marquee kings of Israel,

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:08.179
 I mean,

00:14:08.219 --> 00:14:09.159
 if we were going to name off

00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.679
 all the names of the kings of Israel,

00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:11.339
 well, actually,

00:14:11.459 --> 00:14:12.519
 this group might know

00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.059
 all the names of the kings of Israel,

00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:15.259
 but Solomon would be near

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.219
 the top of the list

00:14:16.219 --> 00:14:17.779
 of the ones we would get.

00:14:17.779 --> 00:14:20.120
 And his wisdom is proverbial

00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:20.919
 to this day

00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:22.519
 in the research

00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:24.519
 I did for this evening's sermon.

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:26.519
 I checked the Guardian website.

00:14:27.339 --> 00:14:28.500
 And as you do,

00:14:28.839 --> 00:14:29.759
 it seems that

00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.059
 something to do

00:14:31.059 --> 00:14:32.179
 with the wisdom of Solomon,

00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:34.039
 about once a month,

00:14:34.339 --> 00:14:35.939
 if the search was correct,

00:14:36.299 --> 00:14:37.159
 appears in the pages

00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:37.779
 of the Guardian.

00:14:37.959 --> 00:14:40.360
 It's a fairly current notion,

00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:41.919
 even in today's society.

00:14:42.659 --> 00:14:44.500
 But for all of his fame

00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:45.519
 to this day,

00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:47.100
 he's only named

00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:48.480
 a handful of times,

00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:48.819
 I mean,

00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:49.799
 five or six

00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:51.159
 in the New Testament.

00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.120
 And his wisdom

00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:55.079
 only appears once.

00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:56.679
 And that is

00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:57.960
 in the Gospels.

00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:00.539
 In Matthew chapter 12,

00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:02.199
 and it's parallel passage

00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:03.299
 in Luke 11,

00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:04.960
 so we maybe count those as one,

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:07.659
 some scribes and Pharisees

00:15:07.659 --> 00:15:08.340
 come to Jesus

00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:09.659
 asking for a sign.

00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:10.939
 And Jesus says,

00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:12.519
 I'm not going to give you the sign.

00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:14.000
 The only sign I'm going to give you

00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.000
 is the sign of Jonah.

00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.100
 But to the sign of Jonah,

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:18.579
 Jesus adds this one,

00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:19.919
 and it's Matthew 12,

00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:20.779
 verse 42.

00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:23.439
 The queen of the south

00:15:23.439 --> 00:15:25.159
 will rise at the judgment

00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:26.759
 with this generation

00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:28.199
 and condemn it.

00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:30.120
 For she came from the ends

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:30.740
 of the earth

00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:32.439
 to listen to Solomon's wisdom.

00:15:33.199 --> 00:15:34.019
 And now,

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.199
 something greater

00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:36.919
 than Solomon is here.

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.299
 So Solomon's wisdom,

00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:40.759
 and this particular instance

00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:41.980
 with the queen of the south,

00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:43.299
 who we know

00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:44.419
 as the queen of Sheba,

00:15:44.419 --> 00:15:46.099
 we'll be looking at this story

00:15:46.099 --> 00:15:46.979
 in just a moment,

00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:50.779
 she comes as a sign of condemnation

00:15:50.779 --> 00:15:52.579
 to those who don't recognize

00:15:52.579 --> 00:15:55.000
 God's servant and king

00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.779
 in Jesus Christ.

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.559
 The queen's seeking,

00:15:59.039 --> 00:15:59.419
 finding,

00:15:59.979 --> 00:16:00.419
 affirming,

00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:01.379
 and confessing

00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:02.399
 the Lord's wisdom

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:04.120
 as she sees it in Solomon

00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:05.839
 condemns

00:16:05.839 --> 00:16:08.120
 the sign-seeking generation.

00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:11.079
 Solomon was not

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:12.460
 the end of the story.

00:16:14.020 --> 00:16:15.220
 But Solomon is deeply,

00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:18.480
 wisdom is deeply associated

00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:19.660
 with Solomon.

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:22.520
 The words for wise or wisdom

00:16:22.520 --> 00:16:24.180
 appear 21 times

00:16:24.180 --> 00:16:25.220
 in the books of Kings,

00:16:25.400 --> 00:16:26.620
 1 and 2 Kings,

00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:27.980
 that cover the whole history

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:29.600
 of Israel and Judah.

00:16:30.420 --> 00:16:31.700
 21 times.

00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:34.940
 All 21 of those

00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:37.020
 appear in Solomon's reign

00:16:37.020 --> 00:16:40.000
 between 1 Kings 2 and 11.

00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:43.340
 Solomon was the wise king.

00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:44.659
 So,

00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:46.539
 in looking at Solomon's wisdom

00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:47.399
 in relationship

00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:48.799
 to his slide,

00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:50.019
 we're going to look at

00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:51.580
 three stories this evening.

00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:53.379
 Solomon's dream,

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.139
 Solomon's judgment,

00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.179
 and the queen,

00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:00.019
 as we've just mentioned.

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:01.639
 And in each of these stories,

00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:03.120
 we'll look at them

00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.940
 in terms of what's right there

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:06.259
 and what's wrong there.

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:08.700
 because in each of these stories,

00:17:08.859 --> 00:17:10.839
 we see something good

00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:12.160
 to affirm

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:15.039
 some right thing.

00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:17.500
 And in each of these stories,

00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:19.519
 if we read them carefully,

00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:20.339
 listen carefully,

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.539
 we'll hear things

00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:22.559
 that should set

00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:24.140
 alarm bells ringing,

00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:26.700
 things that are somehow

00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:27.700
 wrong.

00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:31.200
 And as we look through

00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.200
 these three stories,

00:17:32.339 --> 00:17:34.519
 we'll see that God blessed Solomon

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.819
 with a good gift,

00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:37.440
 a good gift of wisdom

00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.799
 to rule his people.

00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:39.440
 Now,

00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:39.879
 his,

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.500
 you can have with a little H

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:42.279
 or a big H,

00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.400
 a good gift of wisdom

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.160
 to reign his,

00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:46.240
 that is God's people.

00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:48.000
 But as we just read

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.339
 a moment ago

00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:50.180
 in the story

00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:51.299
 of Solomon's dream,

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:52.940
 a good gift of wisdom

00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:54.639
 to rule Solomon's people.

00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:59.180
 But it was faithfully distorted

00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:01.440
 by Solomon's disobedience

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.580
 with destructive results

00:18:03.580 --> 00:18:06.360
 for king and people alike.

00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:08.400
 So,

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:10.320
 the first of these three stories

00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:11.740
 is the story of the dream,

00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:12.980
 and it's the one that Solomon,

00:18:13.320 --> 00:18:15.960
 that John read for us

00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:17.360
 just a moment ago

00:18:17.360 --> 00:18:19.360
 in 1 Kings chapter 3.

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:20.100
 And here,

00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:21.880
 our pair of right and wrong

00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:23.800
 is the right picture,

00:18:24.280 --> 00:18:26.340
 but in the wrong frame.

00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:26.800
 So,

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:27.800
 what's right

00:18:27.800 --> 00:18:29.260
 about this picture?

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:30.700
 Well,

00:18:30.860 --> 00:18:32.700
 not to belabor the obvious,

00:18:33.280 --> 00:18:34.060
 but Solomon

00:18:34.060 --> 00:18:35.940
 asks for the right thing.

00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:36.980
 In the dream,

00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:38.040
 God appears to him,

00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:39.140
 ask me anything.

00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:41.440
 And what he asks for

00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.480
 is a discerning heart.

00:18:43.560 --> 00:18:44.780
 You see in verse 9,

00:18:45.260 --> 00:18:46.700
 so give your servant

00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:48.040
 a discerning heart

00:18:48.040 --> 00:18:49.540
 to govern your people,

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:51.240
 to distinguish between

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:52.859
 right and wrong.

00:18:53.879 --> 00:18:54.639
 And right away,

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.559
 this tells us something

00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:56.740
 about biblical wisdom.

00:18:57.379 --> 00:18:58.659
 Because biblical wisdom

00:18:58.659 --> 00:19:00.319
 isn't just about being smart

00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.279
 or being able to

00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:04.599
 answer riddles

00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:05.740
 very cleverly.

00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:07.139
 It's about

00:19:07.139 --> 00:19:08.700
 skillful living.

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.180
 It's about living

00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:11.000
 one's life

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.539
 in accordance

00:19:12.099 --> 00:19:12.779
 with the way

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:13.539
 God has structured

00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:14.839
 the world.

00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:16.559
 Skillful living.

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:17.579
 And for a king,

00:19:17.579 --> 00:19:18.919
 skillful living

00:19:18.919 --> 00:19:20.000
 is that capacity

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.599
 to make

00:19:20.599 --> 00:19:21.939
 right judgments.

00:19:22.879 --> 00:19:23.319
 To have

00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:24.379
 this capacity

00:19:24.379 --> 00:19:25.220
 for discerning

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.199
 right and wrong

00:19:26.199 --> 00:19:27.419
 that Solomon

00:19:27.419 --> 00:19:28.759
 mentions here.

00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:30.279
 It's what he needs

00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:31.240
 as a king

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:31.939
 to rule.

00:19:32.639 --> 00:19:33.539
 That's right

00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:34.599
 in this picture.

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:37.419
 And just to confirm this,

00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.559
 verse 10 follows,

00:19:38.679 --> 00:19:39.419
 the Lord was

00:19:39.419 --> 00:19:40.339
 pleased

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:41.460
 that Solomon

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.460
 had asked for this.

00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:43.319
 This is a good

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:44.240
 request

00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:45.799
 on Solomon's part.

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:48.119
 And not only that,

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:49.559
 but the Lord

00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:51.220
 adds more besides.

00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.079
 And perhaps you

00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:52.899
 noticed this.

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.940
 Because you haven't

00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:55.879
 asked for

00:19:55.879 --> 00:19:57.299
 long life

00:19:57.299 --> 00:19:58.180
 or wealth,

00:19:58.680 --> 00:19:59.599
 nor have you

00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.159
 asked for the

00:20:00.159 --> 00:20:01.240
 death of your enemies.

00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:03.440
 I'm not looking

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.000
 at the negative

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:04.759
 side yet,

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:05.440
 but the skeptical

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:06.299
 person might say,

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:07.359
 that's because

00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.200
 he's killed them

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:08.639
 already.

00:20:09.919 --> 00:20:10.799
 I will do

00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:11.419
 what you have

00:20:11.419 --> 00:20:11.740
 asked.

00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:12.440
 I will give you

00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.379
 a wise

00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:15.120
 and discerning

00:20:15.120 --> 00:20:15.580
 heart.

00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:16.460
 So this is

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:17.260
 good.

00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:20.460
 That's the picture.

00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:22.200
 And as we

00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:22.720
 generally do

00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:23.200
 with the picture,

00:20:23.280 --> 00:20:23.720
 we see the

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.400
 picture first.

00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:24.940
 And if we

00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:25.720
 notice the frame,

00:20:25.820 --> 00:20:26.220
 we'll stand

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:26.780
 back and see

00:20:26.780 --> 00:20:27.220
 the frame

00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:27.820
 around it.

00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:28.900
 And in this

00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:29.260
 case,

00:20:29.300 --> 00:20:29.760
 as we look

00:20:29.760 --> 00:20:30.420
 at the frame

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:31.180
 around it,

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.620
 we start

00:20:32.620 --> 00:20:33.180
 to see that

00:20:33.180 --> 00:20:33.720
 maybe the

00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:34.440
 picture is

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:35.100
 a little bit

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:35.820
 tilted.

00:20:36.520 --> 00:20:37.000
 So look

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.500
 back at

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.160
 verse 1.

00:20:38.300 --> 00:20:38.720
 I should say

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.080
 you should

00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:39.400
 have your

00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:40.140
 Bibles open

00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:40.740
 in front of

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.100
 you to

00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:42.120
 1 Kings

00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:43.020
 chapter 3.

00:20:43.380 --> 00:20:44.680
 We'll be

00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:45.120
 spending a

00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:45.460
 little bit

00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:45.880
 of time

00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:46.280
 in it.

00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:47.620
 And it

00:20:47.620 --> 00:20:48.020
 begins,

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:48.480
 as you'll

00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:49.080
 have noticed,

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:50.680
 Solomon made

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:51.280
 an alliance

00:20:51.280 --> 00:20:51.940
 with Pharaoh

00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:52.400
 king of

00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:52.960
 Egypt and

00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.100
 married his

00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:54.560
 daughter.

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:55.820
 So as

00:20:55.820 --> 00:20:56.420
 the story

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:56.880
 begins,

00:20:56.980 --> 00:20:57.560
 the frame

00:20:57.560 --> 00:20:58.100
 around the

00:20:58.100 --> 00:20:58.500
 dream,

00:20:59.440 --> 00:20:59.900
 Solomon's

00:20:59.900 --> 00:21:00.340
 just got

00:21:00.340 --> 00:21:00.740
 married.

00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:02.160
 In fact,

00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:02.640
 the Hebrew

00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:03.100
 here is

00:21:03.100 --> 00:21:04.040
 quite compressed.

00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:06.140
 It's Solomon

00:21:06.140 --> 00:21:08.440
 became son-in-law

00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:10.120
 to Pharaoh

00:21:10.120 --> 00:21:10.940
 king of

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:11.380
 Egypt.

00:21:12.300 --> 00:21:12.980
 That implies

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.700
 two things.

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.500
 It implies

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.380
 marrying an

00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:15.759
 Egyptian

00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.360
 princess,

00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:17.539
 but it

00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:18.579
 also implies,

00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:19.079
 as the

00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:20.360
 NIV has

00:21:20.360 --> 00:21:21.039
 it here,

00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:22.559
 forging a

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.039
 political

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.500
 alliance with

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:25.000
 Egypt.

00:21:26.460 --> 00:21:27.440
 And this

00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:28.180
 is not

00:21:28.180 --> 00:21:28.539
 good.

00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:29.940
 Maybe you'll

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:30.620
 remember in

00:21:30.620 --> 00:21:31.120
 the law we

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:31.700
 read just a

00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:32.160
 moment ago

00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.120
 from Deuteronomy,

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.240
 the king must

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:34.900
 not acquire

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:35.559
 great numbers

00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:36.120
 of horses

00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:36.900
 for himself

00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:38.160
 or make the

00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:39.079
 people return

00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:39.720
 to Egypt

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.440
 to get more

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:40.779
 of them.

00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:41.359
 for the

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:41.799
 Lord has

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.240
 told you

00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:42.519
 you are

00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:43.139
 not to

00:21:43.139 --> 00:21:43.720
 go back

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.299
 that way

00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:44.980
 again.

00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:46.319
 Yet as our

00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.240
 story begins,

00:21:47.819 --> 00:21:48.359
 Solomon's

00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.339
 forged a

00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:49.759
 political

00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:50.480
 alliance

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.859
 by marriage

00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:53.399
 with Egypt.

00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:55.279
 Now,

00:21:55.539 --> 00:21:56.139
 Solomon's

00:21:56.139 --> 00:21:57.019
 impulse and

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:57.839
 intention here

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:58.160
 is the

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:58.759
 right one.

00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.259
 He's asking

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:02.000
 for a

00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:02.980
 listening heart,

00:22:03.980 --> 00:22:04.500
 but the

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.500
 last time

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:06.039
 we'll hear

00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:06.759
 of Solomon's

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.039
 heart,

00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.399
 it's a

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:08.519
 heart that's

00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:09.220
 been led

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:09.839
 astray.

00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:11.700
 In the

00:22:11.700 --> 00:22:13.120
 frame again,

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.100
 we see

00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:15.860
 something good.

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:16.519
 Solomon's

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:17.000
 gone to

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:17.440
 worship.

00:22:17.860 --> 00:22:18.539
 Verse 3,

00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.579
 Solomon showed

00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:20.180
 his love

00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:20.519
 for the

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.000
 Lord by

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:21.440
 walking

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.220
 according to

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:22.960
 the instructions

00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:23.700
 given him

00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:24.519
 by his

00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:25.400
 father David.

00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:26.319
 So that's

00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:26.600
 a good

00:22:26.600 --> 00:22:27.079
 thing.

00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:29.279
 Except,

00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:30.059
 the text

00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:30.680
 goes on,

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:32.120
 except that

00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:33.339
 he offered

00:22:33.339 --> 00:22:34.160
 sacrifices

00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:35.180
 and burned

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:36.620
 incense on

00:22:36.620 --> 00:22:37.019
 the high

00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:37.600
 places.

00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:38.359
 So,

00:22:38.459 --> 00:22:38.959
 in fact,

00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:39.839
 he's being

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:40.959
 obedient except

00:22:40.959 --> 00:22:42.319
 for this

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:42.980
 distorted

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:44.099
 worship that

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:44.839
 he's offering

00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:45.740
 the living

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.299
 God.

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:47.219
 Now,

00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:47.519
 we're going

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.219
 to say more

00:22:48.219 --> 00:22:49.139
 about worship

00:22:49.139 --> 00:22:49.879
 next week,

00:22:49.959 --> 00:22:50.439
 so I won't

00:22:50.439 --> 00:22:51.559
 pause on this

00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:51.959
 here,

00:22:52.139 --> 00:22:53.279
 but clearly

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.019
 as we start

00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:54.319
 on the

00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:54.959
 dream then,

00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.039
 things are

00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:56.939
 not all

00:22:56.939 --> 00:22:58.219
 well in

00:22:58.219 --> 00:22:58.980
 Solomon's

00:22:58.980 --> 00:22:59.679
 life.

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.319
 Right at

00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:01.740
 the other

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.279
 end of the

00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:02.679
 story,

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.279
 so this is

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.279
 verse 15,

00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:05.899
 Solomon awoke

00:23:05.900 --> 00:23:06.280
 and he

00:23:06.280 --> 00:23:06.920
 realized it

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.180
 had been

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:07.680
 a dream.

00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:09.220
 So we're

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:09.500
 at the

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.100
 other part

00:23:10.100 --> 00:23:10.400
 of the

00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:11.200
 frame now.

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:12.700
 He returned

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.519
 to Jerusalem,

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:14.900
 stood before

00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:15.620
 the Ark of

00:23:15.620 --> 00:23:16.100
 the Lord's

00:23:16.100 --> 00:23:16.460
 Covenant,

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:17.840
 and sacrificed

00:23:17.840 --> 00:23:18.800
 burnt offerings

00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:19.480
 and fellowship

00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:20.000
 offerings.

00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:20.740
 He's worshipping

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.519
 again now in

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:21.980
 Jerusalem,

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.060
 seems good.

00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.019
 As it

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.360
 finishes,

00:23:25.860 --> 00:23:26.800
 then he

00:23:26.800 --> 00:23:27.320
 gave a

00:23:27.320 --> 00:23:28.440
 feast for

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:28.900
 all his

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.320
 court.

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:30.960
 We'll see

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.519
 a bit more

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.280
 about Solomon's

00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:32.820
 feasting in

00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:33.280
 just a few

00:23:33.280 --> 00:23:33.880
 moments,

00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:35.100
 but there

00:23:35.100 --> 00:23:35.700
 is something

00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:36.180
 a little

00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:36.500
 bit

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.560
 incommensurate,

00:23:38.320 --> 00:23:38.960
 I think,

00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:39.720
 with the

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.220
 way the

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:41.280
 storyteller

00:23:41.280 --> 00:23:41.780
 tells us

00:23:41.780 --> 00:23:43.140
 that he's

00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:43.960
 sacrificing

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:44.760
 one moment

00:23:44.760 --> 00:23:45.540
 and having

00:23:45.540 --> 00:23:46.200
 a great

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:47.120
 banquet

00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:48.140
 the next.

00:23:48.520 --> 00:23:48.820
 There's

00:23:48.820 --> 00:23:49.580
 something a

00:23:49.580 --> 00:23:50.140
 little bit

00:23:50.140 --> 00:23:51.260
 incommensurate

00:23:51.260 --> 00:23:52.660
 about

00:23:52.660 --> 00:23:53.540
 attending to

00:23:53.540 --> 00:23:55.020
 God and

00:23:55.020 --> 00:23:56.380
 then immediately

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.280
 indulging

00:23:57.280 --> 00:23:58.180
 self.

00:23:59.220 --> 00:23:59.780
 Perhaps

00:23:59.780 --> 00:24:00.780
 is that

00:24:00.780 --> 00:24:01.380
 overreading?

00:24:01.540 --> 00:24:01.700
 Well,

00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:02.480
 I think as

00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:02.840
 the story

00:24:02.840 --> 00:24:03.540
 unfolds,

00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:03.819
 we'll see

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:04.139
 that this

00:24:04.139 --> 00:24:04.940
 is part

00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:05.220
 of a

00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:05.619
 pattern.

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.159
 But this

00:24:07.159 --> 00:24:07.519
 is about

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:07.859
 as good

00:24:07.859 --> 00:24:08.119
 as it

00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:08.379
 gets,

00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:08.740
 I think,

00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:09.359
 for Solomon

00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:09.980
 in wisdom.

00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:10.359
 This is

00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:11.399
 already a

00:24:11.399 --> 00:24:12.019
 high point.

00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:12.899
 It's a

00:24:12.899 --> 00:24:13.339
 positive

00:24:13.339 --> 00:24:13.980
 picture,

00:24:14.659 --> 00:24:15.180
 although as

00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:15.659
 we put the

00:24:15.659 --> 00:24:16.279
 frame around

00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:16.420
 it,

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:16.799
 we see

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.119
 there are

00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:17.700
 some hints

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.720
 that suggest

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.339
 there's just

00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:20.200
 something about

00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.000
 this picture

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:21.859
 that's a

00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:22.359
 little bit

00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:23.099
 out of

00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:23.539
 kilter.

00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:25.659
 So that's

00:24:25.659 --> 00:24:26.519
 the dream.

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:28.200
 The second

00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.039
 of the famous

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.180
 stories that

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:31.879
 displays Solomon's

00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:32.940
 wisdom is the

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.340
 one that

00:24:33.340 --> 00:24:34.460
 follows in

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:35.240
 1 Kings

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:36.120
 chapter 3.

00:24:36.820 --> 00:24:37.620
 The story

00:24:37.620 --> 00:24:38.320
 of a wise

00:24:38.320 --> 00:24:38.820
 ruling,

00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:39.440
 a judgment

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:39.860
 that he

00:24:39.860 --> 00:24:40.299
 makes.

00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:40.680
 And we'll

00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:41.140
 read that

00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:42.120
 together and

00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:42.580
 then a few

00:24:42.580 --> 00:24:43.160
 comments.

00:24:43.340 --> 00:24:43.779
 So this is

00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:44.799
 1 Kings 3

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.080
 beginning at

00:24:46.080 --> 00:24:47.279
 verse 16.

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.279
 2 Kings 3

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:51.079
 Now two

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:52.379
 prostitutes came

00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:53.099
 to the king

00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:53.559
 and stood

00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:54.339
 before him.

00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:55.619
 One of them

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:55.980
 said,

00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:57.279
 Pardon me,

00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:57.859
 my lord.

00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:58.899
 This woman

00:24:58.899 --> 00:24:59.579
 and I live

00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:00.079
 in the same

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.519
 house,

00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:01.559
 and I had a

00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:02.379
 baby while she

00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.139
 was there with

00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:03.399
 me.

00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:04.480
 The third

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.559
 day after my

00:25:05.559 --> 00:25:06.480
 child was born,

00:25:06.899 --> 00:25:07.399
 this woman

00:25:07.399 --> 00:25:08.339
 also had a

00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:08.639
 baby.

00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:09.799
 We were

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.279
 alone.

00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:11.440
 There was no

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.039
 one in the

00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:12.759
 house but the

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:13.480
 two of us.

00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:15.039
 During the

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.299
 night,

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.500
 this woman's

00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:17.139
 son died

00:25:17.139 --> 00:25:17.799
 because she

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.519
 lay on him.

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.720
 So she got

00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:20.139
 up in the

00:25:20.139 --> 00:25:20.639
 middle of the

00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:21.379
 night and

00:25:21.379 --> 00:25:22.000
 took my

00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:22.579
 son from

00:25:22.579 --> 00:25:23.399
 my side

00:25:23.399 --> 00:25:24.480
 while I,

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.339
 your servant,

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:26.359
 was asleep.

00:25:27.079 --> 00:25:27.799
 She put him

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:29.259
 by her breast

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.180
 and put her

00:25:30.180 --> 00:25:31.200
 dead son by

00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:31.980
 my breast.

00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.200
 The next

00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:34.019
 morning I got

00:25:34.019 --> 00:25:34.599
 up to nurse

00:25:34.599 --> 00:25:35.559
 my son and

00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:37.059
 he was dead.

00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.440
 But when I

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.200
 looked at him

00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:40.279
 closely in the

00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:40.919
 morning light,

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.319
 I saw that it

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:42.899
 wasn't the

00:25:42.899 --> 00:25:43.919
 son I had

00:25:43.919 --> 00:25:44.259
 born.

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:45.899
 The other

00:25:45.899 --> 00:25:46.539
 woman said,

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:48.259
 No, the

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.059
 living one is

00:25:49.059 --> 00:25:49.980
 my son, the

00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:50.579
 dead one is

00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:50.980
 yours.

00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.079
 But the

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:52.559
 first one

00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:53.940
 insisted, No,

00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:54.980
 the dead one

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.700
 is yours, the

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:56.359
 living one is

00:25:56.359 --> 00:25:56.700
 mine.

00:25:58.059 --> 00:25:59.119
 And so they

00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.339
 argued before

00:26:00.339 --> 00:26:00.799
 the king.

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.019
 The king

00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:04.779
 said, This

00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:05.680
 one says my

00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:06.559
 son is alive

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.180
 and your son

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:08.519
 is dead, while

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.460
 that one says

00:26:09.460 --> 00:26:10.799
 no, your son

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.339
 is dead and

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:12.259
 mine is alive.

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:14.000
 Then the

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.599
 king said,

00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:16.679
 bring me a

00:26:16.679 --> 00:26:17.019
 sword.

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.579
 So they

00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:19.039
 brought a

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:19.439
 sword for

00:26:19.439 --> 00:26:19.859
 the king.

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.219
 He then

00:26:21.219 --> 00:26:21.619
 gave an

00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:23.219
 order, cut

00:26:23.219 --> 00:26:23.699
 the living

00:26:23.699 --> 00:26:24.359
 child in

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:25.099
 two, give

00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:25.859
 half to one

00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:26.419
 and half to

00:26:26.419 --> 00:26:26.879
 the other.

00:26:28.639 --> 00:26:29.319
 The woman

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:29.959
 whose son was

00:26:29.959 --> 00:26:30.599
 alive was

00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:31.519
 deeply moved

00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:32.139
 out of love

00:26:32.139 --> 00:26:32.879
 for her son

00:26:32.879 --> 00:26:33.459
 and said to

00:26:33.459 --> 00:26:33.919
 the king,

00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:34.839
 Please my

00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:36.319
 lord, give

00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:36.839
 her the

00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:37.459
 living baby,

00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:38.459
 don't kill

00:26:38.459 --> 00:26:38.740
 him.

00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:40.059
 But the

00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:40.680
 other said,

00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:42.079
 Neither I

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.480
 nor you

00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:42.940
 shall have

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:43.799
 him, cut

00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:44.180
 him in

00:26:44.180 --> 00:26:44.460
 two.

00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:46.180
 Then the

00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:46.660
 king gave

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.200
 his ruling,

00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:48.620
 give the

00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:49.240
 living baby

00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:49.620
 to the

00:26:49.620 --> 00:26:50.279
 first woman,

00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:51.240
 do not

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:51.759
 kill him,

00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.039
 she is

00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:53.500
 his mother.

00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:55.839
 When all

00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:56.460
 Israel heard

00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:56.960
 the verdict

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.359
 the king

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:57.799
 had given,

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.279
 they held

00:26:58.279 --> 00:26:58.620
 the king

00:26:58.620 --> 00:26:59.200
 in awe,

00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:00.259
 because they

00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:00.779
 saw that he

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.400
 had wisdom

00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:02.140
 from God

00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:03.380
 to administer

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:04.359
 justice.

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:07.899
 Well, it's

00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:08.279
 a famous

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:10.619
 story, but

00:27:10.619 --> 00:27:11.719
 it's also a

00:27:11.719 --> 00:27:12.839
 complex story,

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:13.599
 and it's a

00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:14.819
 more complex

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.559
 story than

00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:16.839
 our translations

00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:18.039
 let on.

00:27:19.459 --> 00:27:21.179
 Every English

00:27:21.179 --> 00:27:22.199
 translation makes

00:27:22.199 --> 00:27:23.059
 adjustments to

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.859
 try to clarify

00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:24.699
 who's speaking

00:27:24.699 --> 00:27:26.319
 when, and

00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:28.240
 I'd encourage

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:28.699
 you all to

00:27:28.699 --> 00:27:29.359
 take a Hebrew

00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:31.899
 course, but

00:27:31.899 --> 00:27:32.639
 were we to

00:27:32.639 --> 00:27:33.139
 read it in

00:27:33.139 --> 00:27:33.939
 Hebrew, we'd

00:27:33.940 --> 00:27:34.799
 find out that

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.120
 the identity

00:27:36.120 --> 00:27:36.799
 of the woman

00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:37.940
 speaking as

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.940
 the argument

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:40.299
 unfolds is

00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:40.940
 not always

00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:41.420
 clear.

00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:43.539
 And in

00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:44.059
 fact, when

00:27:44.059 --> 00:27:44.880
 we have in

00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:45.720
 our text in

00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:46.400
 verse 23,

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.299
 this one says

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:47.940
 my son is

00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:48.620
 alive, that

00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:49.140
 one says

00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:49.559
 no, your

00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:49.960
 son is

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:50.180
 dead.

00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:51.240
 In fact,

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:52.700
 Solomon's

00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:53.400
 language doesn't

00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:54.100
 even distinguish.

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.480
 It's literally

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.860
 this one says

00:27:56.860 --> 00:27:58.700
 and this one

00:27:58.700 --> 00:28:00.779
 says, without

00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:01.519
 referring to

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.180
 them differently

00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:03.360
 at all.

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:05.120
 So, it's,

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.019
 and in

00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:06.460
 fact, if you

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:07.180
 are going to

00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:08.080
 look on the

00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:10.080
 many, read

00:28:10.080 --> 00:28:10.420
 through the

00:28:10.420 --> 00:28:10.920
 ink that's

00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:11.400
 been spilled

00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:11.880
 on this

00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:12.940
 story, you

00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:13.500
 will find

00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:14.680
 arguments for

00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:15.700
 either one of

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:16.299
 these women,

00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:17.180
 however you

00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:18.039
 identify them

00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:18.820
 being the

00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:19.340
 right mother.

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:19.920
 So, it's a

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.180
 complicated story,

00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:22.019
 which is perhaps

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:23.640
 fitting as the

00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:24.480
 first event

00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:25.660
 following the

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.320
 divine giving

00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:27.440
 of wisdom to

00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:28.440
 Solomon, the

00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:29.460
 most wise

00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.480
 king ever.

00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.000
 one of the

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.440
 things that

00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:33.819
 is right and

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:34.680
 wrong in

00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:35.339
 this story

00:28:35.339 --> 00:28:35.680
 then.

00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:37.160
 Well, here we

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:37.860
 see some

00:28:37.860 --> 00:28:38.980
 right judgments,

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:40.660
 but some

00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:42.000
 wrong morals.

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.160
 So, let's

00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:43.900
 look at the

00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:44.420
 right thing.

00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:44.839
 What goes

00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:45.579
 right in

00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:46.000
 this story?

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.259
 And we

00:28:46.259 --> 00:28:46.620
 won't be

00:28:46.620 --> 00:28:47.240
 attending to

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:47.559
 all the

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.079
 complexities.

00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:49.079
 For all

00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:50.299
 those complexities,

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:50.940
 it's pretty

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:51.420
 clear what

00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:51.819
 happens.

00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:52.620
 Solomon gets

00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:53.140
 it right,

00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:54.360
 doesn't he?

00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:55.640
 Yes, he

00:28:55.640 --> 00:28:56.039
 does.

00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.680
 And these

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.059
 are some of

00:28:58.059 --> 00:28:58.379
 the good

00:28:58.379 --> 00:28:58.799
 things that

00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.259
 emerge in

00:28:59.259 --> 00:28:59.920
 this story.

00:29:00.159 --> 00:29:01.240
 I mean, it

00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:02.559
 begins, now

00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:04.180
 two prostitutes

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:04.819
 came to the

00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:05.279
 king and

00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.879
 stood before

00:29:05.879 --> 00:29:06.200
 him.

00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:08.139
 Now, is

00:29:08.139 --> 00:29:08.659
 that a

00:29:08.659 --> 00:29:09.119
 surprise?

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:11.000
 I think

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:11.319
 it's a

00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:11.960
 surprise.

00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:13.819
 I think

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.139
 it's a

00:29:14.139 --> 00:29:14.859
 surprise that

00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:16.099
 two prostitutes

00:29:16.099 --> 00:29:16.740
 have access

00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:17.159
 to the

00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:17.859
 royal court

00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:19.079
 for adjudicating

00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:20.200
 their dispute.

00:29:21.059 --> 00:29:22.000
 But what it

00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.759
 suggests right

00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.839
 away is

00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:24.440
 that even

00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:24.960
 the most

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.899
 despised,

00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:26.920
 and the

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.740
 lowest in

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:28.460
 the society

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.559
 have access

00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:30.480
 to royal

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.180
 justice.

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:32.839
 Now,

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:33.759
 prostitution in

00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.159
 the Bible,

00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:34.680
 it's pretty

00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:35.619
 clear, is a

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:36.539
 negative thing.

00:29:36.879 --> 00:29:37.639
 It's not a

00:29:37.639 --> 00:29:38.180
 good thing,

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:39.399
 prostitution,

00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.819
 in the

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:41.279
 scriptures.

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.759
 It's not

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.680
 quite forbidden

00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:44.480
 in biblical

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:44.899
 law.

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.399
 We'll look at

00:29:45.399 --> 00:29:45.920
 this a little

00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:46.519
 bit more in

00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:47.200
 just a moment.

00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:49.019
 But the

00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:49.700
 Bible's also

00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:50.240
 clear that

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:52.099
 it arises

00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:52.799
 when something

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.700
 goes wrong.

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.000
 There seems

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.420
 to be a

00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:55.940
 recognition

00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:57.220
 that

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:58.920
 the poorest

00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.860
 and most

00:29:59.860 --> 00:30:00.400
 desperate

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:00.820
 women

00:30:00.820 --> 00:30:02.160
 can be

00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:02.820
 driven to

00:30:02.820 --> 00:30:03.519
 sell access

00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:03.980
 to their

00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.680
 own bodies

00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.500
 if that's

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:05.860
 the only

00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.440
 means they

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:07.039
 have to

00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:07.380
 live.

00:30:08.080 --> 00:30:08.559
 And these

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.120
 two women,

00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:10.420
 presumably the

00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:11.059
 lowest of the

00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:11.700
 low in

00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:12.840
 Israelite society,

00:30:13.360 --> 00:30:13.960
 come to the

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:14.920
 king for

00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:15.539
 justice.

00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:17.299
 Now,

00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:17.840
 it's also

00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:18.740
 very hard to

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:19.180
 tell these

00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:19.799
 two apart,

00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:20.400
 as I mentioned

00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:21.039
 just a moment

00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:21.480
 ago.

00:30:22.360 --> 00:30:22.779
 Solomon,

00:30:23.100 --> 00:30:23.440
 though,

00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:24.720
 is scrupulously

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.620
 even-handed.

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:26.880
 He doesn't

00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:27.600
 play favorites.

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.320
 He doesn't

00:30:28.320 --> 00:30:29.660
 try to get

00:30:29.660 --> 00:30:30.279
 them apart.

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.460
 He simply,

00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:32.160
 as I said a

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.640
 moment ago,

00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:33.240
 says this

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.200
 one and

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.620
 this one.

00:30:34.660 --> 00:30:35.100
 He takes

00:30:35.100 --> 00:30:35.960
 both their

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:36.759
 testimonies

00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:37.360
 at face

00:30:37.360 --> 00:30:37.820
 value,

00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:39.279
 scrupulously

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:40.640
 even-handed.

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.420
 And this is

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.200
 just as well

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:43.580
 because,

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:44.039
 as many

00:30:44.039 --> 00:30:44.460
 note,

00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:46.180
 trying to

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:46.559
 get at the

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.080
 truth in

00:30:47.080 --> 00:30:47.740
 this story

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:49.160
 by interrogating

00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:49.740
 the only

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.220
 witnesses

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:50.799
 is going

00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:52.059
 to be

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:53.039
 hopeless.

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.000
 Testimony,

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:56.519
 in this

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:56.880
 case,

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.880
 is at

00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:58.779
 best an

00:30:58.779 --> 00:30:59.259
 ambiguous

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.200
 route to

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:00.799
 justice.

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:01.900
 You'll have

00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:02.559
 noticed that

00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:03.920
 the first

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:04.420
 woman who

00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:05.059
 speaks makes

00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:05.539
 it very

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.059
 clear.

00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:08.660
 We were

00:31:08.660 --> 00:31:09.360
 alone.

00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:10.039
 There was

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:10.819
 no one in

00:31:10.819 --> 00:31:11.400
 the house

00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:11.880
 but the

00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:12.279
 two of

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.600
 us.

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.019
 There's

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.740
 no witness.

00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:15.660
 There's

00:31:15.660 --> 00:31:16.579
 only one

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:17.480
 word against

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.039
 the other.

00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:19.180
 So there's

00:31:19.180 --> 00:31:20.160
 only claims,

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:20.600
 to deal

00:31:20.600 --> 00:31:21.660
 with no

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.380
 witnesses.

00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:24.480
 But as

00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:25.019
 one of the

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.380
 feminist

00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.400
 commentators

00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:27.920
 on this

00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:29.019
 passage points

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:29.500
 out,

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:30.620
 in ancient

00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:31.319
 texts,

00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:32.620
 prostitutes

00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:33.839
 are notorious

00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:35.220
 and habitual

00:31:35.220 --> 00:31:36.279
 liars.

00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:37.299
 And her

00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:37.920
 point is

00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:39.200
 that Solomon's

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.819
 got little

00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:41.620
 chance of

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.059
 getting the

00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:42.660
 truth by

00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.600
 interrogating

00:31:43.600 --> 00:31:44.500
 women such

00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.019
 as these

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.440
 who in

00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:46.140
 that society

00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:46.519
 would be

00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:47.559
 regarded as

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.019
 simply

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:49.100
 habitual

00:31:49.100 --> 00:31:50.120
 liars.

00:31:50.220 --> 00:31:52.680
 And so

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.319
 Solomon does

00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:53.759
 the right

00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:54.100
 thing.

00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:54.759
 He adopts

00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:55.440
 a ploy

00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:56.779
 which elicits

00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:57.640
 the truth

00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:58.360
 and the

00:31:58.360 --> 00:31:59.100
 right judgment

00:31:59.100 --> 00:31:59.720
 is given.

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.539
 All Israel

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.259
 hears.

00:32:02.380 --> 00:32:02.860
 This is a

00:32:02.860 --> 00:32:03.720
 famous judgment

00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:05.380
 and they held

00:32:05.380 --> 00:32:06.000
 the king in

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.339
 awe.

00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:07.799
 So that

00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:08.420
 goes right.

00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:08.920
 The right

00:32:08.920 --> 00:32:09.559
 judgment is

00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.640
 given and

00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.120
 the poor

00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:13.100
 are given

00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:13.940
 justice.

00:32:13.940 --> 00:32:14.140
 justice.

00:32:16.660 --> 00:32:17.380
 So what's

00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:17.840
 wrong with

00:32:17.840 --> 00:32:18.500
 this picture?

00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:20.080
 Well, there's

00:32:20.080 --> 00:32:20.700
 something wrong

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.120
 about the

00:32:21.120 --> 00:32:21.700
 morals in

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:22.299
 this picture

00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:23.000
 for all of

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:23.299
 that.

00:32:24.779 --> 00:32:25.580
 It's just

00:32:25.580 --> 00:32:26.100
 a curious

00:32:26.100 --> 00:32:26.759
 fact of the

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.120
 way this

00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:27.580
 story is

00:32:27.580 --> 00:32:28.259
 told and I

00:32:28.259 --> 00:32:28.539
 think it

00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:28.980
 just puts

00:32:28.980 --> 00:32:29.340
 us on

00:32:29.340 --> 00:32:29.740
 alert.

00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:31.320
 How many

00:32:31.320 --> 00:32:32.279
 personal names

00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:32.900
 did you see

00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.400
 as we read

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:33.980
 this story?

00:32:35.080 --> 00:32:35.620
 Did you see

00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.500
 Solomon's name

00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:37.400
 appear at

00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:37.700
 all?

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.160
 In fact,

00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:39.779
 it doesn't.

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:40.840
 The women

00:32:40.840 --> 00:32:41.600
 are not named.

00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:42.819
 Solomon is

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.759
 not named.

00:32:43.899 --> 00:32:44.399
 He only

00:32:44.399 --> 00:32:45.240
 appears as

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.019
 the king,

00:32:46.439 --> 00:32:46.859
 the king,

00:32:47.159 --> 00:32:47.639
 the king,

00:32:47.919 --> 00:32:48.319
 the king,

00:32:48.639 --> 00:32:49.099
 the king.

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.000
 So it

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:50.759
 underscores

00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:51.240
 here that

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:51.679
 we're seeing

00:32:51.679 --> 00:32:52.599
 Solomon not

00:32:52.599 --> 00:32:53.099
 just in his

00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:54.119
 personal capacity

00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:55.079
 but as the

00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:56.159
 great judge

00:32:56.159 --> 00:32:56.759
 king,

00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.559
 administering

00:32:57.559 --> 00:32:59.059
 justice over

00:32:59.059 --> 00:32:59.899
 Israel.

00:33:01.099 --> 00:33:01.779
 And like

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:02.699
 English,

00:33:03.399 --> 00:33:04.079
 Hebrew has a

00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:04.779
 variety of

00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:05.319
 words for

00:33:05.319 --> 00:33:06.139
 prostitution.

00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.059
 And the

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:08.439
 particular word

00:33:08.439 --> 00:33:09.319
 used in

00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:10.000
 this story,

00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:10.919
 now two

00:33:10.919 --> 00:33:11.539
 prostitutes,

00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:11.919
 came to

00:33:11.919 --> 00:33:12.339
 the king,

00:33:12.959 --> 00:33:13.539
 is the

00:33:13.539 --> 00:33:14.319
 word that's

00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:15.740
 routinely used

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.439
 in the

00:33:16.439 --> 00:33:16.839
 prophetic

00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:18.019
 texts for

00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:19.000
 spiritual

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:19.759
 apostasy.

00:33:19.919 --> 00:33:20.740
 When Israel

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.439
 is described

00:33:21.439 --> 00:33:21.799
 as a

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.439
 prostitute,

00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:23.439
 it's one

00:33:23.439 --> 00:33:23.819
 who has

00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.559
 turned away

00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:24.980
 from the

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.339
 Lord,

00:33:26.919 --> 00:33:27.439
 routinely

00:33:27.439 --> 00:33:28.619
 associated

00:33:28.619 --> 00:33:29.839
 with falling

00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:31.319
 away and

00:33:31.319 --> 00:33:33.039
 abandoning

00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.740
 the true

00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:34.240
 God.

00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:37.240
 I mentioned

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:37.599
 a moment

00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:38.039
 ago in

00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:38.319
 biblical

00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:38.959
 law,

00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:40.199
 prostitution

00:33:40.199 --> 00:33:40.679
 has a,

00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:41.519
 perhaps not

00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:43.420
 an obvious

00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:45.519
 place because

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.340
 there isn't a

00:33:46.340 --> 00:33:46.799
 law that says

00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:47.140
 there shall

00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:47.519
 not be

00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.420
 prostitution.

00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:49.360
 But it's

00:33:49.360 --> 00:33:49.980
 interesting what

00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:50.680
 there is.

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:54.740
 Leviticus 19.29,

00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:56.200
 do not degrade

00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:57.240
 your daughter by

00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:58.160
 making her a

00:33:58.160 --> 00:33:59.060
 prostitute or

00:33:59.060 --> 00:33:59.840
 the land will

00:33:59.840 --> 00:34:00.360
 turn to

00:34:00.360 --> 00:34:01.539
 prostitution and

00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:02.279
 be filled with

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.220
 wickedness.

00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:04.600
 So it's clear

00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:05.220
 that this is a

00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.000
 negative thing.

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:06.940
 did you hear

00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:07.640
 who the law

00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:08.239
 is addressed

00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:08.619
 to?

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:10.780
 It's not

00:34:10.780 --> 00:34:11.579
 addressed to

00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:11.860
 women.

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:13.679
 Do not

00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:14.460
 degrade your

00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:14.900
 daughter.

00:34:15.800 --> 00:34:16.420
 It's addressed

00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:17.019
 to fathers.

00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.219
 And there's

00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:19.960
 other legislation

00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:20.940
 like that about

00:34:20.940 --> 00:34:21.679
 how priests

00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:23.500
 do not relate

00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:24.420
 to prostitutes

00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:25.179
 and so on.

00:34:25.739 --> 00:34:26.500
 Holiness and

00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:27.639
 prostitution do

00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:29.039
 not come

00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:29.460
 together.

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.179
 They do not

00:34:30.179 --> 00:34:31.139
 work together.

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:33.359
 And as one

00:34:33.359 --> 00:34:35.179
 commentator puts

00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:36.940
 it, when we

00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:37.799
 consider the

00:34:37.799 --> 00:34:39.000
 strictures found

00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:39.819
 elsewhere in the

00:34:39.819 --> 00:34:40.519
 text against

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:41.679
 Solomon's own

00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.400
 interest in

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:44.099
 women, the

00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:44.940
 reader may begin

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:45.900
 to suspect that

00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:46.799
 it is not purely

00:34:46.799 --> 00:34:48.420
 accidental nor

00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:49.299
 entirely in

00:34:49.299 --> 00:34:50.259
 Solomon's favor

00:34:50.259 --> 00:34:51.099
 that he's given

00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:52.960
 such a setting in

00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:54.059
 which to exercise

00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:55.359
 his God-given

00:34:55.359 --> 00:34:55.839
 wisdom.

00:34:57.159 --> 00:34:57.940
 Because it's

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.900
 worrying then that

00:34:58.900 --> 00:34:59.519
 if this is the

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.420
 situation for

00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:02.639
 prostitution, both

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.519
 sides of it, that

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:05.180
 this is a sign of

00:35:05.180 --> 00:35:05.940
 the lowest of the

00:35:05.940 --> 00:35:06.860
 low in society,

00:35:07.220 --> 00:35:08.599
 women in extremis,

00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:10.019
 that in fact in

00:35:10.019 --> 00:35:11.680
 his judgment he

00:35:11.680 --> 00:35:13.019
 does nothing to

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.940
 address the fact

00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:14.280
 that they're

00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:16.220
 prostitutes or

00:35:16.220 --> 00:35:17.019
 why they have

00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:17.820
 fallen into

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.960
 prostitution.

00:35:20.139 --> 00:35:21.240
 And although it's

00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:21.780
 the thing that

00:35:21.780 --> 00:35:23.000
 elicits a true

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:24.659
 judgment, it's

00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:25.519
 slightly worrying

00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:26.380
 that Solomon

00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:28.159
 says, bring me

00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:28.800
 a sword.

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:31.460
 He has

00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:32.140
 previous.

00:35:33.700 --> 00:35:34.640
 As I mentioned

00:35:34.640 --> 00:35:35.580
 before, when he

00:35:35.580 --> 00:35:36.220
 comes to the

00:35:36.220 --> 00:35:36.760
 throne, it's

00:35:36.760 --> 00:35:37.620
 amidst conflict.

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:38.539
 He has an

00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:39.440
 older brother who

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.160
 wants to become

00:35:40.160 --> 00:35:40.560
 king.

00:35:41.660 --> 00:35:42.920
 And on a bit of

00:35:42.920 --> 00:35:44.039
 a pretext, he

00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:44.860
 has him killed.

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.660
 Then David's

00:35:46.660 --> 00:35:47.500
 dying words to

00:35:47.500 --> 00:35:48.519
 Solomon are, make

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:49.320
 sure you kill

00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.640
 Joab and you

00:35:50.640 --> 00:35:51.460
 kill Shimei.

00:35:52.200 --> 00:35:52.780
 And Solomon

00:35:52.780 --> 00:35:54.720
 duly obliges in

00:35:54.720 --> 00:35:55.900
 somewhat judicially

00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:57.519
 suspect circumstances.

00:35:57.519 --> 00:36:00.159
 So he comes to

00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:00.960
 the throne having

00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:01.920
 cleaned out his

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:03.000
 political enemies.

00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:05.159
 And in his first

00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:06.139
 judgment after being

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:06.940
 the gift of wisdom,

00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:08.539
 he says, bring me

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.099
 a sword.

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.000
 It's a little

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.800
 ominous, especially

00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:13.599
 taken with that

00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.500
 other worry that we

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.139
 have this sort of

00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:17.280
 moral problem of

00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.019
 why are two

00:36:18.019 --> 00:36:18.900
 prostitutes in

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.759
 Solomon's court?

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.840
 And why, if they're

00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:21.539
 there, does he not

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:22.360
 deal with the root

00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:22.880
 problem?

00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:25.960
 Even the form of

00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:27.099
 the conclusion just

00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:28.700
 makes us pause.

00:36:29.940 --> 00:36:30.800
 When all Israel

00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:31.500
 heard the verdict

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:32.059
 the king had

00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:32.860
 given, they held

00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:33.760
 the king in awe

00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:35.480
 because they saw he

00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:36.320
 had wisdom from

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.300
 God to administer

00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:37.900
 justice.

00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:39.180
 Yes, he had wisdom

00:36:39.180 --> 00:36:40.240
 from God to

00:36:40.240 --> 00:36:41.420
 administer justice.

00:36:43.180 --> 00:36:44.500
 But the word for

00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.380
 awe here is the

00:36:45.380 --> 00:36:46.200
 word for fear.

00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.420
 They were afraid of

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:47.860
 the king.

00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:51.059
 And it's not quite

00:36:51.059 --> 00:36:52.280
 like when it says

00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:53.300
 he administered

00:36:53.300 --> 00:36:53.860
 justice.

00:36:53.980 --> 00:36:55.420
 It's not like the

00:36:55.420 --> 00:36:56.780
 servant in Isaiah.

00:36:57.059 --> 00:36:57.900
 We read from Isaiah

00:36:57.900 --> 00:36:58.620
 to begin the

00:36:58.620 --> 00:36:59.079
 service.

00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:00.300
 The one who will

00:37:00.300 --> 00:37:02.760
 establish justice

00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:06.960
 but not break a

00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:08.240
 bruised reed or

00:37:08.240 --> 00:37:09.900
 quench a flickering

00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:10.280
 wick.

00:37:10.700 --> 00:37:11.900
 That's not the kind

00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:13.220
 of justice Solomon

00:37:13.220 --> 00:37:14.480
 does here.

00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:18.440
 So, even this

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.940
 first expression of

00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:21.260
 divinely gifted

00:37:21.260 --> 00:37:23.119
 wisdom, Solomon's

00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:24.219
 techniques show a

00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:25.440
 lot of his old

00:37:25.440 --> 00:37:26.920
 man, if I can put

00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:27.599
 it that way.

00:37:27.940 --> 00:37:29.260
 And he fails to

00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:30.599
 grapple with the

00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:32.240
 deeper problems in

00:37:32.240 --> 00:37:32.860
 his kingdom.

00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:35.039
 So we've had a

00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:36.480
 dream, we've had a

00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:36.820
 judgment.

00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:39.300
 Thirdly, the third

00:37:39.300 --> 00:37:40.179
 place we see

00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:42.320
 Solomon's wisdom on

00:37:42.320 --> 00:37:43.679
 display is the

00:37:43.679 --> 00:37:44.360
 story of the

00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:44.680
 queen.

00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:45.599
 And that comes a

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:47.099
 few pages over in

00:37:47.099 --> 00:37:48.340
 1 Kings chapter

00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:48.800
 10.

00:37:50.280 --> 00:37:51.019
 Again, we'll just

00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:51.840
 take a moment to

00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:52.980
 read the story and

00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:54.200
 then a couple of

00:37:54.200 --> 00:37:55.120
 comments on it.

00:37:58.579 --> 00:37:59.539
 If you've got your

00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:00.360
 Bible in front of

00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:01.000
 you, you'll see

00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:02.140
 just glancing at the

00:38:02.140 --> 00:38:03.440
 page in chapter 9

00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.559
 that it's all about

00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:05.140
 Solomon's

00:38:05.140 --> 00:38:06.740
 administration, about

00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:07.940
 how he's organizing

00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:10.260
 the kingdom, and

00:38:10.260 --> 00:38:10.900
 so on.

00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:12.740
 I mention that for

00:38:12.740 --> 00:38:14.019
 a purpose you'll see

00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:14.539
 in a moment.

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:16.259
 So chapter 10

00:38:16.259 --> 00:38:16.900
 begins,

00:38:16.900 --> 00:38:19.280
 When the queen of

00:38:19.280 --> 00:38:20.300
 Sheba heard about

00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:21.360
 the fame of Solomon

00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:22.539
 and his relationship

00:38:22.539 --> 00:38:24.039
 to the Lord, she

00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:25.239
 came to test Solomon

00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.480
 with hard questions.

00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:28.059
 Arriving at

00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:28.920
 Jerusalem with a

00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:30.079
 very great caravan,

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:33.079
 with camels carrying

00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:34.139
 spices, large

00:38:34.139 --> 00:38:35.219
 quantities of gold

00:38:35.219 --> 00:38:36.199
 and precious stones,

00:38:36.739 --> 00:38:37.960
 she came to Solomon

00:38:37.960 --> 00:38:39.179
 and talked with him

00:38:39.179 --> 00:38:40.079
 about all that she

00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:41.000
 had on her mind.

00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:42.840
 Solomon answered all

00:38:42.840 --> 00:38:43.480
 her questions.

00:38:44.179 --> 00:38:45.260
 Nothing was too hard

00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:45.940
 for the king to

00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:46.820
 explain to her.

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:49.119
 When the queen of

00:38:49.119 --> 00:38:50.840
 Sheba saw all the

00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:51.739
 wisdom of Solomon

00:38:51.739 --> 00:38:53.099
 and the palace he

00:38:53.099 --> 00:38:54.260
 had built, the food

00:38:54.260 --> 00:38:55.519
 on his table, the

00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:56.159
 seating of his

00:38:56.159 --> 00:38:57.219
 officials, the

00:38:57.219 --> 00:38:58.119
 attending servants

00:38:58.119 --> 00:38:59.659
 in their robes, his

00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:01.059
 cupbearers, and the

00:39:01.059 --> 00:39:01.940
 burnt offerings he

00:39:01.940 --> 00:39:02.679
 made at the temple

00:39:02.679 --> 00:39:05.059
 of the Lord, she was

00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:05.679
 overwhelmed.

00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:07.800
 Literally, it took her

00:39:07.800 --> 00:39:08.500
 breath away.

00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:10.619
 She said to the

00:39:10.619 --> 00:39:12.320
 king, the report I

00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:13.219
 heard in my own

00:39:13.219 --> 00:39:14.099
 country about your

00:39:14.099 --> 00:39:15.139
 achievements and your

00:39:15.139 --> 00:39:17.079
 wisdom is true, but I

00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:18.019
 didn't believe these

00:39:18.019 --> 00:39:19.280
 things until I came and

00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:21.320
 saw with my own eyes.

00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:23.559
 Indeed, not even half

00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:24.340
 was told me.

00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:25.980
 In wisdom and wealth,

00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:27.400
 you have far exceeded

00:39:27.400 --> 00:39:28.639
 the report I heard.

00:39:29.219 --> 00:39:30.480
 How happy your people

00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.199
 must be.

00:39:31.780 --> 00:39:32.559
 Interesting that the

00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:33.219
 ancient Greek

00:39:33.219 --> 00:39:34.139
 translation of this

00:39:34.139 --> 00:39:35.500
 has how happy your

00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:36.539
 wives must be.

00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:38.400
 How happy your

00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.480
 officials who

00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.639
 continually stand

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.639
 before you and hear

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.219
 your wisdom.

00:39:43.279 --> 00:39:44.239
 Praise be to the

00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:45.719
 Lord your God who

00:39:45.719 --> 00:39:46.800
 has delighted in you

00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:47.779
 and placed you on the

00:39:47.779 --> 00:39:48.579
 throne of Israel.

00:39:49.039 --> 00:39:49.820
 Because of the

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:51.039
 Lord's eternal love

00:39:51.039 --> 00:39:52.199
 for Israel, he has

00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:53.779
 made you king to

00:39:53.779 --> 00:39:55.519
 maintain justice and

00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:56.000
 righteousness.

00:39:57.239 --> 00:39:58.019
 And she gave the

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:59.759
 king 120 talents of

00:39:59.759 --> 00:40:01.320
 gold, large quantities

00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:02.920
 of spices and precious

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:03.519
 stones.

00:40:04.199 --> 00:40:05.440
 Never again were so

00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:06.700
 many spices brought

00:40:06.700 --> 00:40:07.500
 in as those the

00:40:07.500 --> 00:40:08.539
 queen of Sheba gave

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:09.420
 to King Solomon.

00:40:11.220 --> 00:40:11.820
 Brackets.

00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:14.200
 Hiram's ships brought

00:40:14.200 --> 00:40:15.820
 gold from Ophir, and

00:40:15.820 --> 00:40:16.720
 from there they brought

00:40:16.720 --> 00:40:18.500
 great cargos of

00:40:18.500 --> 00:40:20.340
 almugwood and precious

00:40:20.340 --> 00:40:20.900
 stones.

00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:22.400
 The king used the

00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:23.420
 almugwood to make

00:40:23.420 --> 00:40:24.300
 supports for the

00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:25.119
 temple of the Lord

00:40:25.119 --> 00:40:26.220
 and for the royal

00:40:26.220 --> 00:40:27.800
 palace, and to make

00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:29.079
 harps and lyres for

00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:29.679
 the musicians.

00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:32.000
 So much almugwood has

00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:33.300
 never been imported or

00:40:33.300 --> 00:40:34.519
 seen since that day.

00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:37.860
 King Solomon gave the

00:40:37.860 --> 00:40:39.220
 queen of Sheba all she

00:40:39.220 --> 00:40:40.679
 desired and asked for,

00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:42.079
 besides what he had

00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:43.159
 given her out of his

00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:43.960
 royal bounty.

00:40:44.659 --> 00:40:46.360
 Then she left and

00:40:46.360 --> 00:40:47.200
 returned with her

00:40:47.200 --> 00:40:49.039
 retinue to her own

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.500
 country.

00:40:51.300 --> 00:40:52.880
 So again, there's a

00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:54.200
 rightness and a

00:40:54.200 --> 00:40:55.780
 wrongness in this story.

00:40:56.260 --> 00:40:57.400
 And I think we see the

00:40:57.400 --> 00:40:58.539
 queen of Sheba drawing

00:40:58.539 --> 00:41:00.139
 the right conclusion,

00:41:00.760 --> 00:41:02.000
 but we wonder if she's

00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:03.820
 actually got the wrong

00:41:03.820 --> 00:41:04.639
 evidence.

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:07.099
 So it's important to

00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:08.099
 see for the right

00:41:08.099 --> 00:41:09.059
 conclusion that she

00:41:09.059 --> 00:41:10.239
 draws, what's primary

00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:11.380
 for the queen of Sheba.

00:41:12.179 --> 00:41:13.699
 What has she heard?

00:41:14.280 --> 00:41:15.440
 She's heard of the fame

00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:17.340
 of Solomon and his

00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:18.380
 relationship to the

00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:18.780
 Lord.

00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:20.099
 I think that's quite

00:41:20.099 --> 00:41:21.960
 significant in verse 1.

00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:24.179
 And she comes to test

00:41:24.179 --> 00:41:25.559
 and see for herself.

00:41:26.280 --> 00:41:27.820
 And the implication that

00:41:27.820 --> 00:41:29.760
 she's deeply interested,

00:41:31.100 --> 00:41:32.080
 she came to test

00:41:32.080 --> 00:41:33.420
 Solomon with hard

00:41:33.420 --> 00:41:35.340
 questions at the end

00:41:35.340 --> 00:41:36.059
 of verse 1.

00:41:36.340 --> 00:41:37.320
 And in verse 3,

00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:38.519
 Solomon answered all

00:41:38.519 --> 00:41:39.180
 her questions.

00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:40.780
 Nothing was too hard

00:41:40.780 --> 00:41:41.780
 for the king.

00:41:42.700 --> 00:41:43.539
 And the implication

00:41:43.539 --> 00:41:44.900
 here isn't just that

00:41:44.900 --> 00:41:45.800
 these are difficult.

00:41:46.640 --> 00:41:48.039
 It's harder than 2

00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:48.720
 plus 2.

00:41:49.380 --> 00:41:50.380
 It's like the square

00:41:50.380 --> 00:41:51.539
 root of 2 to so many

00:41:51.539 --> 00:41:52.500
 decimal places.

00:41:52.680 --> 00:41:53.360
 It's that they were

00:41:53.360 --> 00:41:53.920
 deep.

00:41:55.180 --> 00:41:56.059
 They were perhaps

00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:56.480
 hidden.

00:41:56.480 --> 00:41:58.219
 And that's the kind

00:41:58.219 --> 00:41:59.619
 of, it's that depth

00:41:59.619 --> 00:42:00.719
 of hardness that's

00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:02.260
 what's in mind in

00:42:02.260 --> 00:42:03.780
 this probing that the

00:42:03.780 --> 00:42:05.280
 queen of Sheba brings

00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:06.460
 in her questions to

00:42:06.460 --> 00:42:06.880
 Solomon.

00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:09.300
 And he responds to

00:42:09.300 --> 00:42:09.519
 her.

00:42:10.240 --> 00:42:11.340
 And again, we remind

00:42:11.340 --> 00:42:12.380
 ourselves that biblical

00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:13.820
 wisdom is more than

00:42:13.820 --> 00:42:15.440
 simply being clever.

00:42:15.860 --> 00:42:17.079
 It's not even about

00:42:17.079 --> 00:42:19.019
 being clever, but it's

00:42:19.019 --> 00:42:20.320
 about skillful living.

00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:22.099
 And so for Solomon,

00:42:22.219 --> 00:42:23.219
 as we noted before,

00:42:23.320 --> 00:42:24.420
 this includes royal

00:42:24.420 --> 00:42:25.019
 administration.

00:42:25.019 --> 00:42:28.659
 And so she not only

00:42:28.659 --> 00:42:30.259
 hears Solomon's wisdom,

00:42:30.380 --> 00:42:31.019
 but as you'll have

00:42:31.019 --> 00:42:32.300
 noticed a few times,

00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:34.199
 it says she sees it.

00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:36.420
 Verse 4, when she saw

00:42:36.420 --> 00:42:37.599
 the wisdom of Solomon,

00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:40.820
 his palace, the food,

00:42:41.739 --> 00:42:42.940
 the seating arrangements,

00:42:43.980 --> 00:42:47.000
 the waiters, the waiters'

00:42:47.239 --> 00:42:50.019
 outfits, his cupbearers,

00:42:50.019 --> 00:42:52.900
 and the burnt offerings he

00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.820
 made at the Lord's

00:42:53.820 --> 00:42:54.179
 temple.

00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:55.800
 That's what took her

00:42:55.800 --> 00:42:56.380
 breath away.

00:42:56.940 --> 00:42:57.659
 Well, this is those

00:42:57.659 --> 00:42:58.800
 state dinners that I

00:42:58.800 --> 00:42:59.659
 mentioned just a few

00:42:59.659 --> 00:43:00.259
 minutes ago.

00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:02.320
 His banqueting is on a

00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:03.320
 completely different,

00:43:03.619 --> 00:43:05.800
 this puts, you know,

00:43:05.880 --> 00:43:10.199
 MasterChef just to shame.

00:43:11.079 --> 00:43:12.079
 We're on a different

00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:13.380
 plane here.

00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:16.099
 And she's utterly amazed.

00:43:17.059 --> 00:43:18.160
 The queen of Sheba

00:43:18.160 --> 00:43:19.160
 finds it so.

00:43:20.700 --> 00:43:23.400
 But her conclusion

00:43:23.400 --> 00:43:26.079
 is an affirmation that

00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:27.640
 doesn't find its end

00:43:27.640 --> 00:43:28.920
 point on Solomon,

00:43:29.740 --> 00:43:32.480
 but on Solomon's God.

00:43:32.740 --> 00:43:33.780
 In verse 9,

00:43:34.420 --> 00:43:36.619
 praise be to the Lord your

00:43:36.619 --> 00:43:38.380
 God who's delighted in you

00:43:38.380 --> 00:43:40.119
 and placed you on the throne

00:43:40.119 --> 00:43:40.619
 of Israel.

00:43:40.619 --> 00:43:41.519
 In a sense,

00:43:41.659 --> 00:43:43.099
 she discerns in Solomon

00:43:43.099 --> 00:43:45.299
 and the Lord's gifts to

00:43:45.299 --> 00:43:45.779
 Solomon,

00:43:46.799 --> 00:43:48.460
 the very relationship that

00:43:48.460 --> 00:43:50.619
 Nathan saw at Solomon's

00:43:50.619 --> 00:43:51.039
 birth,

00:43:51.659 --> 00:43:53.639
 that this was a child of

00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:55.659
 favor and that God had

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:57.799
 gifted this king in a

00:43:57.799 --> 00:43:59.059
 remarkable way.

00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:00.679
 And so rather than praising

00:44:00.679 --> 00:44:01.400
 Solomon,

00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:04.679
 she praises the Lord.

00:44:06.179 --> 00:44:07.440
 She comes questioning.

00:44:07.940 --> 00:44:08.880
 She comes interested.

00:44:09.139 --> 00:44:10.259
 She comes curious.

00:44:10.619 --> 00:44:13.500
 And it seems she leaves a

00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:13.880
 believer.

00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:17.059
 She knows who the true and

00:44:17.059 --> 00:44:18.179
 living God is.

00:44:20.480 --> 00:44:22.679
 So what's negative in this

00:44:22.679 --> 00:44:23.679
 story then?

00:44:23.739 --> 00:44:25.299
 What's gone wrong?

00:44:26.019 --> 00:44:27.440
 Well, it's not so much what is

00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:29.000
 said is what is not said.

00:44:29.179 --> 00:44:31.000
 Solomon answered all her

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:32.460
 questions and so on.

00:44:33.079 --> 00:44:35.219
 But the balance of the story is

00:44:35.219 --> 00:44:37.219
 about Solomon's court and

00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:39.279
 Solomon's wealth rather than

00:44:39.280 --> 00:44:41.600
 about Solomon's wisdom per se.

00:44:42.300 --> 00:44:43.900
 And we noted already the fact

00:44:43.900 --> 00:44:45.720
 finding comes to its culmination

00:44:46.360 --> 00:44:49.160
 in verse 5 with the palace,

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:49.700
 the food,

00:44:49.820 --> 00:44:50.240
 the seating,

00:44:50.420 --> 00:44:51.600
 the servers,

00:44:51.860 --> 00:44:52.400
 their robes,

00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:53.240
 the cupbearers,

00:44:53.260 --> 00:44:53.960
 and so on.

00:44:53.960 --> 00:45:02.639
 So we have here something much more

00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:05.579
 about his wealth and about Solomon's

00:45:05.579 --> 00:45:08.740
 grandeur than about God.

00:45:09.519 --> 00:45:11.059
 Much like the queen of,

00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:13.519
 much like the dream at Gibeon,

00:45:13.860 --> 00:45:16.079
 the story is placed in an awkward

00:45:16.079 --> 00:45:19.440
 frame as we read the brackets at

00:45:19.440 --> 00:45:20.079
 verse 11.

00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:21.179
 Hiram's ship's,

00:45:21.340 --> 00:45:22.720
 where does that come from?

00:45:22.719 --> 00:45:24.980
 Well, it comes from just before

00:45:24.980 --> 00:45:25.819
 chapter 10.

00:45:26.439 --> 00:45:27.599
 Chapter 9 finishes,

00:45:28.279 --> 00:45:30.039
 King Solomon also built ships and

00:45:30.039 --> 00:45:31.139
 Hiram sent his men,

00:45:31.299 --> 00:45:32.699
 sailors who knew the sea to serve

00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:33.339
 and the fleet.

00:45:33.899 --> 00:45:37.119
 So the narrator is inviting us to

00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:40.039
 join the dots that there's

00:45:40.039 --> 00:45:41.519
 something about the story of

00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:43.619
 Solomon with the queen of Sheba that

00:45:43.619 --> 00:45:45.199
 fits into Solomon's wealth

00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:46.519
 generating schemes.

00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:52.380
 And there's something awkward about that

00:45:52.380 --> 00:45:55.440
 in terms of Solomon's own character.

00:45:56.360 --> 00:45:57.980
 And there's a final thing to notice

00:45:57.980 --> 00:45:59.179
 about the queen of Sheba.

00:46:01.179 --> 00:46:04.300
 We're going to hear in the fourth part

00:46:04.300 --> 00:46:06.400
 of this series about Solomon's wives.

00:46:06.400 --> 00:46:09.960
 He has many, many foreign wives who

00:46:09.960 --> 00:46:11.639
 turn his heart away from the Lord.

00:46:11.639 --> 00:46:14.619
 And this queen comes,

00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:18.699
 she inquires and recognizes the Lord,

00:46:20.059 --> 00:46:21.440
 praises the Lord,

00:46:21.960 --> 00:46:24.319
 and she leaves.

00:46:25.900 --> 00:46:27.960
 Is she the one that got away?

00:46:29.960 --> 00:46:32.440
 How wise was Solomon?

00:46:32.440 --> 00:46:36.820
 Well, our three stories then.

00:46:37.480 --> 00:46:38.340
 Solomon's dream,

00:46:39.380 --> 00:46:40.240
 Solomon's judgment,

00:46:40.840 --> 00:46:42.280
 and Solomon's audience

00:46:42.280 --> 00:46:44.500
 with the queen of Sheba.

00:46:45.519 --> 00:46:47.860
 The last mention of wisdom

00:46:47.860 --> 00:46:49.519
 in the book of Kings

00:46:49.519 --> 00:46:50.780
 and the history of Israel,

00:46:50.900 --> 00:46:52.579
 as far as the books of Kings are concerned,

00:46:52.579 --> 00:46:54.900
 comes at the end of chapter 11,

00:46:55.300 --> 00:46:57.659
 as we get the notice of Solomon's death.

00:46:59.360 --> 00:47:01.340
 So 1 Kings 11, verse 41.

00:47:02.440 --> 00:47:06.599
 As for the other events of Solomon's reign,

00:47:06.740 --> 00:47:09.179
 all he did and the wisdom he displayed,

00:47:09.820 --> 00:47:11.019
 aren't they written in the book

00:47:11.019 --> 00:47:13.019
 of the Annals of Solomon?

00:47:14.179 --> 00:47:15.420
 And yet as he dies,

00:47:15.780 --> 00:47:17.740
 his kingdom breaks up.

00:47:18.880 --> 00:47:21.260
 Well, I think the overall exploration

00:47:21.260 --> 00:47:22.440
 of Solomon's wisdom

00:47:22.440 --> 00:47:24.400
 leads to a negative result.

00:47:24.659 --> 00:47:26.159
 Solomon was on this slide,

00:47:26.240 --> 00:47:27.460
 and how do we understand it?

00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:29.139
 I think we understand it this way.

00:47:29.139 --> 00:47:32.019
 Godly wisdom

00:47:32.019 --> 00:47:35.839
 without a Godward life

00:47:35.839 --> 00:47:39.279
 invites God's wrath.

00:47:39.819 --> 00:47:41.599
 I think that's Solomon's story

00:47:41.599 --> 00:47:42.739
 in a nutshell.

00:47:43.400 --> 00:47:44.599
 Godly wisdom

00:47:44.599 --> 00:47:47.019
 without a Godward life

00:47:47.019 --> 00:47:50.019
 invites God's wrath.

00:47:50.879 --> 00:47:52.179
 Well, what do we do with that

00:47:52.179 --> 00:47:54.480
 as we try to take some stories

00:47:54.480 --> 00:47:56.900
 from Solomon's wisdom?

00:47:56.900 --> 00:47:59.680
 Well, when we observe

00:47:59.680 --> 00:48:01.200
 that Solomon consistently

00:48:01.200 --> 00:48:03.019
 confused the divine gift

00:48:03.019 --> 00:48:04.079
 by putting himself

00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:04.720
 in the place

00:48:04.720 --> 00:48:05.960
 that God should have held,

00:48:06.639 --> 00:48:08.200
 it gives us some direction

00:48:08.200 --> 00:48:09.980
 to learn about Solomon's mistakes.

00:48:10.099 --> 00:48:11.200
 And here's just a few

00:48:11.200 --> 00:48:12.800
 brief thoughts in closing.

00:48:14.660 --> 00:48:15.579
 First of all,

00:48:15.680 --> 00:48:17.180
 I think it's important to note

00:48:17.180 --> 00:48:20.019
 that even though we're following

00:48:20.019 --> 00:48:22.420
 Solomon's journey down the slide,

00:48:23.559 --> 00:48:25.240
 that all God's gifts

00:48:25.239 --> 00:48:26.699
 are good gifts.

00:48:26.939 --> 00:48:28.079
 There is no doubt

00:48:28.079 --> 00:48:29.199
 and no denying

00:48:29.199 --> 00:48:30.259
 in Solomon's story

00:48:30.259 --> 00:48:31.799
 that this wisdom

00:48:31.799 --> 00:48:32.579
 is a gift

00:48:32.579 --> 00:48:34.179
 that God has given him.

00:48:34.259 --> 00:48:34.979
 That's affirmed

00:48:34.979 --> 00:48:37.079
 at a number of places.

00:48:37.899 --> 00:48:39.019
 Scripture's clear

00:48:39.019 --> 00:48:40.479
 that whatever Solomon's

00:48:40.479 --> 00:48:41.959
 natural gifts,

00:48:42.839 --> 00:48:43.719
 this wisdom

00:48:43.719 --> 00:48:45.819
 is a divine endowment.

00:48:47.399 --> 00:48:49.119
 And Solomon's misuse of it

00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:51.239
 doesn't change that.

00:48:51.239 --> 00:48:53.479
 It makes me wonder

00:48:53.479 --> 00:48:55.699
 how do we perceive

00:48:55.699 --> 00:48:57.059
 God's gifts in others?

00:48:57.619 --> 00:48:58.719
 Can we perceive

00:48:58.719 --> 00:48:59.899
 God's gifts in others

00:48:59.899 --> 00:49:01.399
 when it's like this?

00:49:02.099 --> 00:49:03.339
 But I think it's important

00:49:03.339 --> 00:49:04.819
 just to register the point

00:49:04.819 --> 00:49:06.679
 that God is at work

00:49:06.679 --> 00:49:08.159
 in surprising ways.

00:49:08.919 --> 00:49:10.479
 God's gifts just might be

00:49:10.479 --> 00:49:12.599
 in surprising people.

00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:15.319
 Think building on that,

00:49:15.399 --> 00:49:16.579
 we see a second thing,

00:49:16.939 --> 00:49:18.419
 that broken people

00:49:18.420 --> 00:49:20.119
 can still be instruments

00:49:20.119 --> 00:49:21.400
 in God's hands.

00:49:21.960 --> 00:49:22.740
 I think Solomon's

00:49:22.740 --> 00:49:23.720
 not the only example

00:49:23.720 --> 00:49:24.280
 of this.

00:49:24.960 --> 00:49:26.599
 Think Samson,

00:49:27.139 --> 00:49:27.980
 some of the judges

00:49:27.980 --> 00:49:29.519
 who actually do God's work,

00:49:30.059 --> 00:49:31.420
 he was a pretty nasty piece

00:49:31.420 --> 00:49:32.320
 of work himself.

00:49:32.980 --> 00:49:34.340
 But that broken people

00:49:34.340 --> 00:49:35.260
 can be instruments

00:49:35.260 --> 00:49:36.280
 in God's hands,

00:49:36.340 --> 00:49:36.659
 I think,

00:49:36.720 --> 00:49:37.780
 is a sign of God's

00:49:37.780 --> 00:49:38.659
 gracious mercy.

00:49:39.340 --> 00:49:40.720
 It's not only a sign

00:49:40.720 --> 00:49:42.039
 of God's gracious mercy,

00:49:42.039 --> 00:49:43.760
 it's a sign that something

00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:44.680
 has gone wrong.

00:49:45.539 --> 00:49:46.399
 And the recognition

00:49:46.399 --> 00:49:48.339
 that God graciously

00:49:48.339 --> 00:49:49.659
 uses broken instruments

00:49:49.659 --> 00:49:51.579
 is not an invitation

00:49:51.579 --> 00:49:52.859
 to complacency.

00:49:54.299 --> 00:49:55.899
 At least one of the prostitutes

00:49:55.899 --> 00:49:56.819
 benefited from

00:49:56.819 --> 00:49:57.759
 Solomon's judgment.

00:49:58.379 --> 00:49:59.539
 The Queen of Sheba,

00:49:59.639 --> 00:50:00.739
 whatever they talked about,

00:50:00.839 --> 00:50:01.819
 whether it was politics,

00:50:01.980 --> 00:50:02.379
 accounting,

00:50:02.719 --> 00:50:04.559
 or something deeply theological,

00:50:05.239 --> 00:50:06.659
 she was moved by that

00:50:06.659 --> 00:50:08.159
 to praise the living

00:50:08.159 --> 00:50:09.039
 and true God.

00:50:09.699 --> 00:50:10.699
 So they benefited

00:50:10.699 --> 00:50:12.500
 from Solomon's exercise

00:50:12.500 --> 00:50:14.460
 of his divine gift.

00:50:14.679 --> 00:50:17.119
 That's not a cause

00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:18.159
 for complacency

00:50:18.159 --> 00:50:19.099
 or to say that

00:50:19.099 --> 00:50:20.099
 Solomon's exercise

00:50:20.099 --> 00:50:21.019
 of his wisdom

00:50:21.019 --> 00:50:22.779
 could not have much more

00:50:22.779 --> 00:50:24.339
 glorified the one

00:50:24.339 --> 00:50:25.099
 who gave it.

00:50:26.899 --> 00:50:28.139
 A third thing,

00:50:29.399 --> 00:50:31.199
 going back to the verse

00:50:31.199 --> 00:50:32.199
 we began with,

00:50:32.659 --> 00:50:33.980
 Solomon's failure

00:50:33.980 --> 00:50:36.419
 makes Jesus' observation

00:50:36.419 --> 00:50:38.379
 even more urgent.

00:50:38.919 --> 00:50:40.839
 One greater than Solomon

00:50:40.839 --> 00:50:41.480
 is here.

00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:43.980
 Jesus points out

00:50:43.980 --> 00:50:45.099
 how the Queen of the South,

00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:46.039
 the Queen of Sheba,

00:50:46.159 --> 00:50:47.780
 recognized God's wisdom

00:50:47.780 --> 00:50:48.440
 in Solomon.

00:50:50.119 --> 00:50:51.619
 If she recognized

00:50:51.619 --> 00:50:52.500
 the Lord's wisdom

00:50:52.500 --> 00:50:53.099
 in Solomon,

00:50:53.280 --> 00:50:54.119
 Jesus is saying,

00:50:54.740 --> 00:50:56.280
 we should recognize

00:50:56.280 --> 00:50:57.599
 God's presence

00:50:57.599 --> 00:50:59.940
 in David's greatest,

00:51:00.460 --> 00:51:01.260
 greater son,

00:51:01.840 --> 00:51:02.980
 in Jesus himself.

00:51:04.079 --> 00:51:05.260
 And I think it invites us

00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:06.280
 to think about wisdom

00:51:06.280 --> 00:51:07.840
 in a way that we see it

00:51:07.840 --> 00:51:09.800
 elsewhere in the Old Testament.

00:51:09.800 --> 00:51:12.200
 that the fear of the Lord

00:51:12.200 --> 00:51:13.400
 is the beginning

00:51:13.400 --> 00:51:14.340
 of wisdom.

00:51:14.660 --> 00:51:15.380
 And I think this is

00:51:15.380 --> 00:51:16.620
 the absent element

00:51:16.620 --> 00:51:18.120
 from Solomon's story,

00:51:18.960 --> 00:51:20.860
 from Solomon's wisdom story.

00:51:21.519 --> 00:51:23.280
 If Solomon shows us

00:51:23.280 --> 00:51:25.200
 that godly wisdom

00:51:25.200 --> 00:51:27.900
 without a Godward life

00:51:27.900 --> 00:51:30.160
 invites God's wrath,

00:51:30.860 --> 00:51:32.820
 then how do we turn that

00:51:32.820 --> 00:51:34.480
 into something true

00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:35.180
 and positive?

00:51:35.179 --> 00:51:37.039
 It would be something like

00:51:37.039 --> 00:51:38.559
 true wisdom

00:51:38.559 --> 00:51:39.879
 comes in being

00:51:39.879 --> 00:51:42.059
 rightly related to God

00:51:42.059 --> 00:51:44.659
 and so doing his work

00:51:44.659 --> 00:51:46.039
 in his ways.

00:51:49.759 --> 00:51:50.719
 And for me,

00:51:50.839 --> 00:51:51.500
 that points to,

00:51:51.839 --> 00:51:52.539
 well,

00:51:52.579 --> 00:51:54.559
 a number of New Testament texts,

00:51:54.659 --> 00:51:55.779
 but one that comes to mind

00:51:55.779 --> 00:51:56.440
 in particular

00:51:56.440 --> 00:51:57.699
 is the end of Ephesians

00:51:57.699 --> 00:51:58.599
 chapter 2.

00:51:59.559 --> 00:52:00.799
 It's Ephesians 2

00:52:00.799 --> 00:52:02.299
 verses 8 to 10.

00:52:02.300 --> 00:52:05.039
 For it is by grace

00:52:05.039 --> 00:52:06.460
 you have been saved

00:52:06.460 --> 00:52:07.320
 through faith.

00:52:08.160 --> 00:52:08.960
 And this is not

00:52:08.960 --> 00:52:09.660
 from yourselves.

00:52:09.920 --> 00:52:11.360
 It is the gift of God.

00:52:12.120 --> 00:52:13.300
 Not just Solomon

00:52:13.300 --> 00:52:15.280
 received a gift from God.

00:52:15.940 --> 00:52:17.120
 Not by works

00:52:17.120 --> 00:52:18.640
 so that no one can boast.

00:52:19.340 --> 00:52:22.200
 For we are God's workmanship.

00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:24.400
 Another translation has it.

00:52:24.460 --> 00:52:26.240
 We are God's work of art.

00:52:26.920 --> 00:52:29.500
 It's that wisdom as skill here.

00:52:29.500 --> 00:52:32.500
 We are God's workmanship

00:52:33.159 --> 00:52:35.199
 created in Christ Jesus

00:52:35.199 --> 00:52:36.659
 to do good works

00:52:36.659 --> 00:52:37.500
 which God prepared

00:52:38.019 --> 00:52:39.800
 in advance for us to do.

00:52:40.860 --> 00:52:41.920
 So there is

00:52:41.920 --> 00:52:43.619
 skillful living

00:52:43.619 --> 00:52:44.980
 in God's wisdom,

00:52:45.679 --> 00:52:47.340
 in God's kingdom.

00:52:47.860 --> 00:52:49.699
 I think it has this kind of shape

00:52:49.699 --> 00:52:51.500
 not in

00:52:51.500 --> 00:52:53.659
 exercising wisdom

00:52:53.659 --> 00:52:55.900
 with a God-less life,

00:52:55.900 --> 00:52:59.119
 but in exercising wisdom

00:52:59.119 --> 00:53:00.660
 in a God-word life,

00:53:00.720 --> 00:53:02.260
 in a God-enabled life

00:53:02.260 --> 00:53:04.119
 for His glory

00:53:04.119 --> 00:53:05.360
 which God has prepared

00:53:05.360 --> 00:53:06.200
 in advance

00:53:06.200 --> 00:53:07.599
 for us to do.

00:53:09.500 --> 00:53:10.680
 And so we see

00:53:10.680 --> 00:53:12.900
 that as Solomon's

00:53:12.900 --> 00:53:14.119
 wisdom

00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:14.940
 and methods

00:53:14.940 --> 00:53:15.760
 in his wisdom

00:53:15.760 --> 00:53:16.940
 never quite rose

00:53:16.940 --> 00:53:17.800
 above the wisdom

00:53:17.800 --> 00:53:18.500
 of the world,

00:53:18.940 --> 00:53:20.019
 we call to mind

00:53:20.019 --> 00:53:22.160
 one last verse

00:53:22.159 --> 00:53:23.519
 for the foolishness

00:53:23.519 --> 00:53:24.339
 of God

00:53:24.339 --> 00:53:25.039
 is wiser

00:53:25.039 --> 00:53:26.399
 than human wisdom

00:53:26.399 --> 00:53:27.679
 and the weakness

00:53:27.679 --> 00:53:28.319
 of God

00:53:28.319 --> 00:53:29.599
 stronger

00:53:29.599 --> 00:53:31.359
 than human strength.

00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:32.980
 May we learn

00:53:32.980 --> 00:53:34.279
 to live in God's wisdom

00:53:34.279 --> 00:53:35.779
 and God's strength.

00:53:36.399 --> 00:53:37.239
 Let's pray.

00:53:40.819 --> 00:53:42.199
 Our Heavenly Father,

00:53:42.460 --> 00:53:43.119
 we thank You

00:53:43.119 --> 00:53:43.980
 that You are the giver

00:53:43.980 --> 00:53:45.019
 of every good

00:53:45.019 --> 00:53:46.039
 and perfect gift.

00:53:46.799 --> 00:53:48.500
 And we thank You

00:53:48.500 --> 00:53:50.099
 for the gift

00:53:50.099 --> 00:53:50.900
 of Your Spirit

00:53:50.900 --> 00:53:52.579
 who turns us to You

00:53:52.579 --> 00:53:53.599
 and turns us away

00:53:53.599 --> 00:53:54.199
 from sin.

00:53:55.059 --> 00:53:55.819
 We thank You

00:53:55.819 --> 00:53:56.599
 for Your scriptures

00:53:56.599 --> 00:53:58.440
 which hold up character

00:53:58.440 --> 00:54:00.659
 so unflinchingly.

00:54:02.079 --> 00:54:02.880
 And as we see

00:54:02.880 --> 00:54:03.639
 the complexities

00:54:03.639 --> 00:54:05.159
 of Solomon's life,

00:54:05.440 --> 00:54:05.659
 Lord,

00:54:05.739 --> 00:54:06.839
 we are called

00:54:06.839 --> 00:54:07.900
 and invited

00:54:07.900 --> 00:54:08.460
 to reflect

00:54:08.460 --> 00:54:09.319
 on the complexities

00:54:09.319 --> 00:54:10.179
 of our own.

00:54:10.819 --> 00:54:11.980
 We confess the ways

00:54:11.980 --> 00:54:12.719
 in which we have

00:54:12.719 --> 00:54:14.339
 clung in our pride

00:54:14.339 --> 00:54:15.279
 and selfishness

00:54:15.279 --> 00:54:15.839
 to the gifts

00:54:15.839 --> 00:54:16.679
 that You have given,

00:54:17.219 --> 00:54:18.279
 have not exercised

00:54:18.279 --> 00:54:18.860
 them rightly

00:54:18.860 --> 00:54:19.880
 for Your glory.

00:54:20.699 --> 00:54:21.319
 So we pray

00:54:21.319 --> 00:54:22.159
 that as You turn

00:54:22.159 --> 00:54:23.739
 our lives to You,

00:54:24.380 --> 00:54:24.940
 teach us

00:54:24.940 --> 00:54:26.299
 to walk with Jesus

00:54:26.299 --> 00:54:27.440
 and to know

00:54:27.440 --> 00:54:28.400
 that all Your promises

00:54:28.400 --> 00:54:29.000
 are sure,

00:54:29.739 --> 00:54:30.960
 that You will enable us

00:54:30.960 --> 00:54:31.940
 also to grow

00:54:31.940 --> 00:54:32.500
 in wisdom

00:54:32.500 --> 00:54:35.059
 as You glorify Yourself

00:54:35.059 --> 00:54:36.400
 in our lives.

00:54:36.980 --> 00:54:37.960
 And it's in Jesus' name

00:54:37.960 --> 00:54:38.440
 we pray.

00:54:38.960 --> 00:54:39.339
 Amen.