#470 Dying to be Fair

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Solomon's Wisdom

16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. 18 Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. 19 And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him. 20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. 21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” 22 But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.

23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” 26 Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” 27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice. 1 Kings 3 ESV

This is still before the temple, and the people are it appears earnest in their desire to worship God, yet may not be so well instructed to the letter. The ark had been laid up for a time, and it was still probably a frightful thing, until a man knew he was accepted. Until he understands how to approach God, or where God is looking, it may be altogether a mystery to him. David had seen the death of one under his care, who reached out to catch the ark from falling, and later he could discern the path that led there, but it was a terrifying darkness on that day. We think we have found the right box to fit God into, yet here he greets the earnest, loving heart, in a place some would not expect Him. This should make the greatest preacher most tender, not change his mind to the truth, for the Word of God is steadfast, but who is ever born an adult, a sage from the start. Here, a man is given the kingdom of his great, renowned father, and he must lament, I don't know how to go out or come in. I don't know how to govern so great a people. They thought Absalom was wise, the people loved him for he was a politician, a great monument to beauty, a good listener, and awesome self promoter. David sees wisdom in Solomon, but Solomon is humble enough to ask for the wisdom that comes from God. This is the gift that fits most with the position, I need to be able to judge well, to discern right from wrong, to make the correct decision, for that only would represent You well. You have blessed my father, please give me wisdom. Remarkable for someone who still sees himself a child to understand to ask for understanding, which so many other men assume they own already. When you realize yourself unfit, there is the chance to go after fitness, but if you think you are already arrived at that high place it is a quick and painful tumbling down hill, and few men catch themselves that start from such altitudes. It is usually a fatal fall and they take out so many others along the way. The longer they spiral, the more carnage they leave behind. Solomon wants to avoid this, and to honor God he must ask the favor of such ability. After God talked to him, he worshiped God at the ark. When he was a child he spoke as a child but when he became a man he put away childish things. I believed a lot of silly things growing up, and wished a lot of things to be true about God that were not. I wanted to think not so much that I was accepted by God but rather that I could influence Him somehow. I wanted a pattern, a guaranteed approach, steps, works, something material that I could hold onto. I wanted a feel good God, one that didn't care so much about studying, patience, accuracy or absolute truth. Spirituality felt right, but feelings and emotions are like sand, and to hear the Bible tell it, the heart is a deceitful thing. If God were to ask me, "what shall I do for you", hmmm, maybe He already has. 

Now there are these two prostitutes, and they have made their way to the highest court with a case about maternity. Now a days I doubt so many places like this would allow a woman with child to stay, and it is a miracle to hear that they still have that most basic and wonderful of natural affections. Israel did not own a Molech, or like we have in modern times, babies that may be dispatched in the womb, while they are still a lower set of tonsils, tissue or a cyst, but not yet human or made in the image of God. Yet, here these women are, and there is no DNA test in that time, but Solomon has asked God for wisdom, and here it is employed. I think he already has a strong idea of who the mother is, or at least who he would prefer as his own mother if he had to choose, for he will since the child cannot yet speak for himself. The woman who is not the mother, not only persists in this, but is also willing to let the child die in the name of her ideal of fairness. It is not fair after all that someone has something that she does not, that she has lost has not made her more tender or giving, but reveals a selfish heart. It is discerned by Solomon that she who cares more for the child's life than her ego, must be the mother. Even if she wasn't, lets be honest, who would you rather live with? He really wanted to do justice. Another thing that is easily put aside in my generation, there are a lot of lawyers, billboards about cashing in on lawsuits, and not so much concern for the truth and actual justice as the dollar, but who am I to judge?

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Colossians 2:1-4

                                                    Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-18