Christ – A Greater than Solomon – (3) As to His Supplication

Solomon appears to be a man of prayer. Certainly two of his prayers stand out: that at the commencement of his reign, and his prayers at the dedication of the temple. When we say that prayer changes things, this was actually the case in young Solomon’s life. At twenty years of age he has greatness thrust upon him. He was not the first in the line of David’s sons to be considered for the throne, but God chose him and speaks to him, ‘Ask what I shall give thee’. Solomon seeks an understanding heart to discern judgement. The Lord is impressed, and grants him wisdom, with the additional promise of riches and honour. His wisdom was God-given

It was tested, as two harlots were brought before him disputing over the remaining living child. The result was that ‘all Israel …

feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him’. His wisdom was seen in his 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs, the outstanding one of which is the Song of Songs. His wisdom is seen in his writings of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and some of the Psalms. His wisdom was recognized far and wide, ‘and there came of all the people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom’, 1 Kgs. 4. 34. Amongst those was the Queen of the South, the Queen of Sheba. From Solomon’s prayer came the wisdom imparted by God. From the wisdom of Solomon there followed his fame. As the Queen of Sheba remarked, ‘thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard’. ‘For the price of wisdom is above rubies’, Job 28. 18.

Nevertheless, Solomon’s wisdom gave place to wantonness. A salutary warning to us!

The prayer life of our Lord Jesus Christ is well documented, especially by Luke. Every evening was spent in communion with His Father. No event took place but our Lord had first prayed about it. Think of His prayers upon the cross. Think of His prayers in Gethsemane’s garden, prostrate with strong cryings, and tears. Think of His prayer in John 17, praying before the experience of the cross, He prays as if it were an accomplished fact. As Great High Priest He upholds His own before the throne of God, and prays that they may be kept in this world, before being with Him for all eternity to behold His glory.

The wisdom of Christ is not imparted, as was the wisdom granted to Solomon. It is His intrinsically, ‘In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’, Col. 2. 3. The eighth chapter of Proverbs is a master-class on wisdom, yet one can see that it is wisdom personified, and that person can only be our Lord. The Queen of Sheba asked Solomon hard questions. At twelve years of age the Saviour was found sitting in the midst of doctors, ‘and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers’. ‘No man spake like this man’, was the verdict of the soldiers sent to arrest Christ. ‘How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?’ queried the Jews at the temple. His sermon on the mount led to the conclusion, ‘he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes’. Look how He parried the questions of Matthew chapter 22 from all-comers, so that ‘no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions’. What wisdom! What understanding! Absolutely brilliant!

All this led to Jesus’ fame; ‘and the fame hereof went abroad into all that land’. ‘At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus’. Isaiah records, ‘So shall he sprinkle (startle) many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider’, Isa. 52. 15. The Pharisees said, ‘Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him’, John 12. 19.

The fame of Jesus grows and spreads. His name is daily on a million tongues. Every hour of every day and night He is extolled and worshipped somewhere on our globe. His universal acceptance is yet to come. Every eye shall see Him, every knee bow to Him, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A greater than Solomon is here and our hearts well up in praise;

‘Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!’

‘Blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen’, Ps. 72. 19.