Daily Reading: 1 Kings 10:1-13: When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.) 13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
As the Lord blesses you and your life gives glory to God expect people to come from all around (Queen of Sheba) to test you and want to know more about the Lord (1 Kings 10:1). Solomon had the favor of God upon his life as does all believers living in the New Testament. It was the blessings of God that drew people unto him. Expect that as you continue to receive God's grace that people will be drawn to you and you will have ample opportunities to share Jesus.
In 1 Kings 10 the Queen of Sheba had an all day pass to Solomon, something other kings and queens didn't receive. Solomon would write about how your material things (gifts) can open up doors. (Proverbs 18:16). Perhaps, he was thinking about his experience with the Queen of Sheba. So, we can view the things that we have in the material as vehicles to open doors in the spiritual world to advance the kingdom of God (Proverbs 18:16). At the end of the story the gifts of the Queen were used for Kingdom building.
Another powerful lesson is that no matter how difficult we think the questions might be that we face- or even that we have for God- nothing is beyond His wisdom and understanding (1 Kings 10:3). Bring your questions to God and have an expectancy that He hears you and will answer you.
Bringing it Home: In the Old Testament, God glorified himself largely by blessing Israel so that the nations could see and know that the Lord is God (1 Kings 10:4, 1 Kings 8:59-60). In other words, the pattern in the Old Testament is a come-see religion. However, t
he New Testament is no longer a come-see orientation as it was in the Old Testament it is now a go-tell the Good News of Jesus Christ.