1 Kings 4:30

In 1 Kings 4:29-33 we learn something more of the wisdom that God gave to Solomon, for it surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. The east has long been famed for its wisdom, as was also Egypt, but the wisdom given to Solomon surpassed all.

No country in the early history of men was so distinguished for the wisdom of nature as Egypt. Greece and Rome rose later, long after the time in view here... Egypt depended mainly on good counsel, as if there were no living God. It depended on the counsel of man sharpened by long experience, for it was one of the oldest powers to reach greatness.

Solomon's wisdom was a gift that came straight from God. It surpassed all the wisdom of men of the east and of Egypt, for there were men of outstanding wisdom in these places (v.30). The chapter names four men whose wisdom must have been great, but all of them ranked below Solomon. Ethan the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 89, and Heman the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 88.

Solomon had asked God for wisdom and an understanding heart to judge God's people, and to tell good from bad. We see in the details mentioned here the breadth of this wisdom. Solomon's understanding of biology reminds us of Adam. God gave Adam dominion over the earth, and Adam's first task was to name the animals. In Scripture, naming someone or something usually goes with knowing that person or thing and holding a position above it. How interesting it would be to have a biology textbook written by Solomon. It would certainly have given glory to the great Creator-God.

Solomon's wisdom was not limited to a few subjects, for he spoke of trees, from the greatest to the lowest, and of animals, birds, creeping things and fish (v.33). The fame of his wisdom spread throughout the world. People came from all nations with one object — to hear the wisdom of Solomon (v.34). The nations will be drawn far more when the Lord Jesus, the King of kings, takes His great power and reigns in His thousand-year kingdom! Jerusalem will be the centre. The nations will come there to worship Him and learn the wonders of His unsurpassed wisdom (Zech. 14:16).

Now He lives as greater than Solomon. He is the One to whom we may turn for all direction in life, the very wisdom of God for us. He can solve all our hard questions, as Solomon solved the Queen of Sheba's. And He can so captivate our hearts by His personal greatness and glory that we desire nothing apart from Him.

What is wisdom? Wisdom is not mere knowledge. The more knowledge a man has, if he has not wisdom, the greater mess he can make of things. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge in the circumstances of life. Learning a lesson from Solomon, we find that even wisdom is not a strong enough safeguard.