Read 1 Kings 10
Questions from the Scripture text: Who had heard of what (1 Kings 10:1)? What did she come to do? Where (1 Kings 10:2)? With whom? And what three things? To whom did she come? About what did she speak? What did Solomon do (1 Kings 10:3)? What didn’t happen? What eight things did she see (1 Kings 10:4-5)? With what effect upon her? What did she say she had heard about, where (1 Kings 10:6)? What had she thought (1 Kings 10:7) until when? What does she now think of it/him? What does she think about whom in 1 Kings 10:8? What does she think of Whom in 1 Kings 10:9? What had He done? Why? For what purpose was Solomon king? How much gold did she give the king (1 Kings 10:10)? And what other things? Of what quantity? What ships does 1 Kings 10:11 mention? What else did they bring? What did the king make for what two houses (1 Kings 10:12)? And what else did he make from the wood? How unique was the wood? What did Solomon give the queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:13)? In addition to what? Where did she go with whom? How much of what came to Solomon each year (1 Kings 10:14)? And what else came (1 Kings 10:15)? What did he make out of the gold in 1 Kings 10:16-17, and where did he put them? What did he make out of what in 1 Kings 10:18? And overlay it with what? How many steps did it have (1 Kings 10:19)? What were some features of the seat? What were next to the arm rests? How many more of them were where (1 Kings 10:20)? How unique was this? What else were gold (1 Kings 10:21)? How many were silver? Why? How often did the merchant ships return (1 Kings 10:22)? What did they bring? In what ways did Solomon surpass whom (1 Kings 10:23)? Who sought Solomon (1 Kings 10:24)? To do what? Who put the wisdom in his heart? What did each bring (1 Kings 10:25)? What did Solomon gather (1 Kings 10:26)? How many of each? Where did he put them? What did he do to silver (1 Kings 10:27)? To cedar? What else did he bring from where (1 Kings 10:28)? How much did they cost (1 Kings 10:29)? To whom did he sell them at profit?
Before things take a devastating turn (cf. 1 Kings 11:1–8), the Spirit gives us one last glimpse of Solomon as an imperfect preview of the perfect Son of David and Davidic kingdom that would come in Jesus Christ.
In this chapter, the wealth and wealth-producing wisdom of Solomon are on full display. Sheba puts Tyre to shame. Her parting gift in 1 Kings 10:10a includes as much gold as Tyre was able to contribute to the entire temple/kingdom building project (cf. 1 Kings 9:14), but the spices were even more impressive than the gold (v10b)! Even such a queen as this has her breath taken away (end of 1 Kings 10:5) by Solomon’s royal setup. And that takes a back seat to his words (1 Kings 10:5). Solomon’s wealth includes not only Sheba’s spices and 50,000 lbs of gold per year (1 Kings 10:14), but almug wood from Ophir that wasn’t just once-in-a-lifetime but once-in-forever (1 Kings 10:12).
The gold and the wood and the ivory begged to be used—hence shields, steps, armrests, lions, and drinking vessels (1 Kings 10:16-21). Add ivory, apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22), and Solomon’s wealth approaches theoretical maximum (1 Kings 10:23). The wealth was second to the wisdom (1 Kings 10:24), and the wisdom brought in more wealth (1 Kings 10:25).
This is just Solomon, the anticipatory sketch. How great are the infinitely superior wealth and wisdom of Jesus! Others thought silver was valuable, but Solomon’s wealth made it as nothing (1 Kings 10:21, 1 Kings 10:27). So also Jesus’s wisdom and wealth makes Solomon’s as nothing.
1 Kings 10:28-29 point to something more than just a heavy Hittite markup for turning profit on Egyptian horses and chariots. They are a reminder that Solomon has already run afoul of Deuteronomy 17:16. He’s not the Son of David that we’re looking for. But, the point of the chapter is clear: behold the greatness of Solomon’s wealth and wisdom… and behold the greater-ness of Christ’s! How glorious is the King, and how blessed are His servants (cf. 1 Kings 10:8)!
How are you responding to the greatness of King Jesus? How does that greatness relate to your safety & joy?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for choosing us in Jesus, loving us in Him, saving us in Him, and adopting us in Him! Forgive us for sometimes being less impressed with Him than many were with Solomon. Grant us life and light from Your Spirit that we might behold His glory and rejoice forever over belonging to Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP45A “My Heart Is Greatly Stirred” or TPH374 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
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