Wisdom of God

July 15, 2012

Lesson: 1 Kings 3:16–28

Key Verse: 1 Kings 3:28

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Introduction

The “wisdom of God” was in King Solomon (1 Kings 3:28). Wisdom is defined as being able to live life skillfully or wise. Noah Webster defined ‘Wisdom’ as “The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom to act, effect, or practice” (Dictionary 1828). Webster continues: “In Scripture Theology, wisdom is true religion, godliness, piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdom which is from above.” Solomon wrote by the Spirit, “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Prov. 4:5–7). “Pray for it, take pains for it, give diligence in the use of all appointed means to attain it” (M. Henry).

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Wisdom in Action—1 Kings 3:16–27

“Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.” Matthew Henry gives us this understanding of the circumstances: “The case opened, not by lawyers, but by the parties themselves, though they were women, which made it the easier to such a piercing eye as Solomon had to discern between right and wrong by their own showing. These two women were harlots, kept a public house, and their children, some think, were born of fornication, because here is no mention of their husbands. It is probable the cause had been heard in the inferior courts, before it was brought before Solomon, and had been found special, the judges being unable to determine it, that Solomon’s wisdom in deciding it at last might be the more taken notice of. These two women, who lived in a house together, were each of them delivered of a son within three days of one another.”

The case was brought before the king, who listened. How quickly we are to judge another when we are not patient enough to listen. To have the wisdom to dispense justice, one must be willing to listen to those who plead our understanding, no matter who they are. There is no “respecter of persons” in the life of the servant of Christ. For “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). Solomon received his wisdom from above, revealing his ability to judge these two women skillfully.

One of the women spoke, “O my Lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day that I was delivered, that his woman was delivered also; and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. Having no witnesses the woman was being honest in presenting her case; that neither of them could confirm what happened by a witness. Going on, “And this woman’s child died in the night.” For some reason the child died as she laid with him. “And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to given my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was no my son, which I did bear.”

The other woman said, “Nay, but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son.” The first woman replied, “No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son.” The king then said, “The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead; and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.” Judgment must be righteous. Wisdom gave the king these words: “Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.” Wisdom from above bears the fruit of righteousness: “Then spoke the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.” The love of one proved itself in the wisdom from above. “Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; she is the mother thereof.” True wisdom will produce the fruits which reveal true justice.

Discussion: How did Solomon show the meaning of justice for the women?

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True Wisdom Revealed—1 Kings 3:28

John Calvin understood wisdom as coming from above, a wisdom which includes the need to know both God and man: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But, while joined by many bonds, which one precedes and brings forth the other, is not easy to discern. In the first place, no one can look upon himself without immediately turning his thoughts to the contemplation of God, in whom he “lives and moves” [Acts 17:28]. For, quite clearly, the mighty gifts with which we are endowed are hardly from ourselves; indeed, our very being is nothing but subsistence in the one God. Then, by these benefits shed like dew from heaven upon us, we are led as by rivulets to the spring itself” (Institutes, chap. 1). Therefore, we must go to the Scriptures to be taught who God is and what He requires of man who He has created.

It was revealed to the people of God that Solomon was more than a man who became king, but one who was truly of God and one who belonged to His Kingdom: “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.” Wisdom from above reminds us that wisdom sought after with the same hunger and thirsting that we have for the Word of God: “Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding” (Prov. 4:7). We cannot separate wisdom from the Word of God. Therefore we are to teach each generation: “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom: I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened: and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life” (Prov. 4:11–13). In faith seek wisdom: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:5–6).

Discussion: What is wisdom?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2012 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.