“How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.”
1 Kings 10:8
Solomon was anything but perfect. In almost every way, he defied Deuteronomy 17’s instructions for Israel’s kings (Deut 17:14-20): he multiplied horses, gold, and wives, and built altars to pagan gods. Not a good path, to say the least.
However, Solomon began well and ultimately established Israel among the nations as a uniquely distinguished people. What set him apart—even despite his glaring disobedience? Wisdom.
Most of us think wisdom is simply applied knowledge (manifested in skills, etc.), which it certainly is; however, biblical wisdom is knowledge applied through trust in God. What’s the difference? Faith.
By faith, I mean taking God at His Word and living a life oriented to pleasing and honoring Him. While Solomon erred in many ways, he still rooted his life in God and oriented himself around worshipping YHWH.
Thus, the verse above. Here comes the Queen of Sheba to see and observe all that she heard. Her words: blessed…and then she points to the blessing the people around Solomon share because of his wisdom…a biblical wisdom rooted in God.
What’s the application for us?
Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:24, 30). He accomplished God’s will perfectly, offered His life completely, and presents Himself in our place entirely so we might walk in wisdom.
Thus, through faith in Him, we can walk in wisdom.
— October 15, 2026