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Without question, the greatest story in the Bible of someone who sought after the knowledge and wisdom of God and actually received it was King Solomon in the Old Testament. What happened to this man was just about beyond belief.
When Solomon became King of Israel, he knew he did not have the knowledge and wisdom to properly rule his people. So what did he do? He went direct to God the Father and asked Him for His knowledge and His wisdom to rule the people. He admitted his weakness in this area and was not afraid to press in and start asking God for His knowledge.
So what did God do when he asked Him for His knowledge to help rule his people? God did not meet him halfway - He met him all the way! As you will see in the two verses I will list below - God tells Solomon because he did not ask for long life, riches or the death of his enemies for himself - but just asked for an "understanding heart" to judge his people and help with discerning between good and evil - God tells him that He will give him a "wise and understanding heart."
But then God takes it one more incredible step further. He tells Solomon that the knowledge and wisdom that will be given to him will be like what no man has ever had before him and what no man will ever have after him! In other words - God will make this man the smartest man in God that has ever lived, and that there would never be another man in the course of human history that would ever have the knowledge that he would be given.
Just stop and ponder on what an incredible thing that this was - to have been given so much knowledge and wisdom direct from God Himself - that no man would ever be his equal in this gift!
Then God goes one more extra step in order to put the icing on this man's cake. He then tells Solomon that since he did not ask for riches for himself - but just for the knowledge of God to rule his people - that he will now be given incredible riches and honor to go along with the knowledge and wisdom to rule his people. Then God adds the final touch on the riches and honor he will be given - telling Solomon that there shall never be another king like him all the days of his life and that he will surpass all the kings of the earth in "riches and wisdom." In other words - God ends up making this man the smartest and richest man in all of the earth at the time that he was living!
If Solomon was really not asking God for wealth and riches - but just for the knowledge and wisdom to rule his people - why would God go so overboard in blessing this man with this kind of wealth - especially if he was not asking for it and possibly not even desiring it?
I believe the main reason God rewarded Solomon with this kind of maximum wealth was not only to show him, but the rest of His people that would come later on, the extreme importance that each and every person seek after the knowledge of God for their own lives. By blessing Solomon with this kind of wealth - God is telling all of us the extreme importance that we seek after Him and His knowledge for our lives.
In other words - seeking after the knowledge of God has to be a major priority in a believer's life. We cannot spiritually grow and develop in the Lord unless we have His knowledge worked into us that will cause this spiritual growth to occur in the first place. And you can't get this knowledge worked into you unless you are first seeking after it!
Seek and then you will find. But the reverse is also true - don't seek, and you will not find. And if you don't find the knowledge of God for your life - then the Holy Spirit will not have anything to work with to start the transformation and sanctification process within you.
Grab a hold of these two verses and the statements that God is making to Solomon - all because he got this ball rolling by simply asking God for His knowledge to help rule his people.
"Therefore give to your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"
And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked for this thing.Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." (1 Kings 3:9-14)
"So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart." (1 Kings 10:23)
If King Solomon was able to receive this kind of knowledge and wisdom from God - simply because he asked and really pressed in for it - then what can God do for you in this realm if you are willing to expend the time and energy to seek after it?
Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible knowledge. They currently have over 100 Bible articles. All free of charge.
The article was an excerpt from Michael's E-book titled, Seeking After the Knowledge of God You can go to their site and download the book free of charge.
© 2005 by Michael Bradley. All Rights Reserved. |
