Read
The Lord Makes Solomon Wise
(2 Chronicles 1.1-13)
1Solomon signed a treaty with the king of Egypt and married his daughter. She lived in the older part of Jerusalem until the palace, the Lord's temple, and the wall around Jerusalem were completed.
2At that time, there was no temple for worshiping the Lord, and everyone offered sacrifices at the local shrines. 3Solomon loved the Lord and followed his father David's instructions, but Solomon also offered sacrifices and burned incense at the shrines.
4 The most important shrine was in Gibeon, and Solomon had offered more than 1,000 sacrifices on that altar.
5One night while Solomon was in Gibeon, the Lord God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you.”
6Solomon answered:
My father David, your servant, was honest and did what you commanded. You were always loyal to him, and you gave him a son who is now king. 7Lord God, I'm your servant, and you've made me king in my father's place. But I'm very young and know so little about being a leader. 8And now I must rule your chosen people, even though there are too many of them to count.
9Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don't, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.
10-11God said:
Solomon, I'm pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. 12So I'll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live.
13I'll also give you what you didn't ask for. You'll be rich and respected as long as you live, and you'll be greater than any other king. 14If you obey me and follow my commands, as your father David did, I'll let you live a long time.
15Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. He went back to Jerusalem and stood in front of the sacred chest, where he offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing. Then Solomon gave a feast for his officials.
Solomon
16One day two women came to King Solomon, 17and one of them said:
Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. Not long ago my baby was born at home, 18and three days later her baby was born. Nobody else was there with us.
19One night while we were all asleep, she rolled over on her baby, and he died. 20Then while I was still asleep, she got up and took my son out of my bed. She put him in her bed, then she put her dead baby next to me.
21In the morning when I got up to feed my son, I saw that he was dead. But when I looked at him in the light, I knew he wasn't my son.
22“No!” the other woman shouted. “He was your son. My baby is alive!”
“The dead baby is yours,” the first woman yelled. “Mine is alive!”
They argued back and forth in front of Solomon, 23until finally he said, “Both of you say this live baby is yours. 24Someone bring me a sword.”
A sword was brought, and Solomon ordered, 25“Cut the baby in half! That way each of you can have part of him.”
26“Please don't kill my son,” the baby's mother screamed. “Your Majesty, I love him very much, but give him to her. Just don't kill him.”
The other woman shouted, “Go ahead and cut him in half. Then neither of us will have the baby.”
27Solomon said, “Don't kill the baby.” Then he pointed to the first woman, “She is his real mother. Give the baby to her.”
28Everyone in Israel was amazed when they heard how Solomon had made his decision. They realized that God had given him wisdom to judge fairly.
Reflect
Shakespeare, in “The Merchant of Venice” (Act 4 Scene 1), has Portia say, “Earthly power doth then show like God’s, when mercy seasons justice.” This echoes the scriptural account when the people marvelled at Solomon’s wisdom, “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to render justice.” (v 28 RSV). He had just dealt with two prostitutes who claimed the same baby as theirs with a judgment that has made him famous to this day. He had “cut to the chase” and commanded the baby be cut in half with both mothers receiving their half. The real mother cried,” No!,” and the lying mother said, “Good decision. Do it.” In this way Solomon solved the conundrum in a sentence, and the actual mother was given the child. There is no record of what happened to the liar.
To be merciful one must be wise. Before dealing “blindfolded” with the profane delinquent in the dock, a judge must see beyond the offence of his language and tone to the child he was and the neglect and abuse he suffered. A teacher must see the child in the teenage student who has just had a baby, and factor in her fatherless upbringing before deciding whether or not she’ll design a course of study that will allow for the girl’s parenting responsibilities. All those with power over others must put themselves “in their shoes” before passing judgment. When we do, we find ourselves doing as we would be done by. The Lord wants us to be both wise and just, and to remember that an informed mercy usually trumps blind justice.
Respond
Help me Lord to see myself in the other person, doing unto them as I would have them do unto me.
Jim Cantelon
Pastor, author, church-planter, Christian television and radio personality, Jim Cantelon is founder and President of WOW – Working for Orphans & Widows, a Federal Charity whose mission is to empower the local church in sub-Saharan Africa and southern India in the care of the sick and the dying. Currently Jim produces and hosts a national television show called “Jim Cantelon Today” which focuses on biblical exposition with a contemporary, ‘user friendly’ approach. In conjunction with JCT, he has written a newly published book entitled “Cantelon’s Casual Commentary – a 21st Century guide to the life of Jesus for the internet generation”.