After Solomon builds the temple and his palace he keeps building, and building, “and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion”, well, he builds! “Now when the queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.” “So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her.” When she saw his wealth and wisdom with her own eyes she professes “Blessed be the Lord your God!”
Later in the Story Jesus will rebuke religious leaders with this story of the queen of Sheba when they ask Him to do a sign to prove Himself. In response, Jesus will say “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign… The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here”. (Matthew 12:38-42) We read about Solomon’s greatness today. “So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” But Jesus is declaring to be even greater than Solomon because He is! He is God! The religious leaders do not believe this even after Jesus has already performed numerous miracles. Their request for a sign was just another attempt to pin something on Jesus to bring Him down and He knew this. The story of the queen of Sheba points out the fact that a pagan queen traveled from far away to see what all the Lord has done and she believed and proclaimed the Lord’s Name. Jesus, the Son of God in the flesh, is standing right in front of these religious leaders’ faces and yet they do not believe and they will be condemned for it.
Soon we will read the wise teachings of Solomon and hear his wisdom for ourselves like the Queen of Sheba. We also have a choice, believe like the Queen of Sheba or refuse like the proud religious leaders. So keep reading.
(2 Chronicles 8:1-18, 1 Kings 9:15-10:13, 2 Chronicles 9:1-12, 1 Kings 10:14-29, 2 Chronicles 9:13-28, 2 Chronicles 1:14-17)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 