2 Chronicles 9:1-8: a reflection

1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. 2Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her. 3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her. 5She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. 6However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard! 7Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom. 8Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

When the queen of Sheba comes to see for herself the wisdom of Solomon that she had heard reported, she finds the reality far exceeds the report: the half had not been told her. It was a true report that I heard in my own land, she says to Solomon, but I did not believe until I came and my own eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame that I heard. She had heard reports, but had not fully believed until she came and saw for herself; and coming and seeing, she found the reality surpassed everything she had heard. Experiencing for herself far exceeded the report she had received. This shows that experiencing for ourselves surpasses mere report, especially of the things of God. Coming and seeing surpasses mere hearsay. Experiencing for oneself exceeds hearing a report. The reality far surpasses the report; come and see. To know for ourselves is more than to hear about.

Notice the queen's discovery: the reality exceeded the report. She had heard much about Solomon's wisdom; but hearing was not the same as seeing. She came to see for herself, to test with her own eyes and questions; and she found that the reality surpassed everything she had heard, so that she said, the half was not told me. Experiencing it for herself was far greater than the report she had received. This points to something true of the things of God. We can hear about God, hear reports of his goodness, his faithfulness, his love, at second hand; but hearing about God is not the same as knowing him for ourselves. And those who come and see for themselves, who taste and experience God firsthand, find that the reality far exceeds any report. As the psalmist says, taste and see that the LORD is good. There is a knowledge of God that comes only from experiencing him for ourselves, in prayer, in his word, in walking with him, that surpasses merely hearing about him. We do well not to remain content with hearsay about God, but to come and see, to seek to know him for ourselves, and we will find the reality surpasses the report. Come and know God for yourself; the reality exceeds the report. Hearing about God is not the same as knowing him firsthand. Taste and see; the reality of God surpasses hearsay. Do not remain content with reports of God; experience him yourself.

That is worth taking to heart, for experiencing God for ourselves surpasses merely hearing about him, and the reality exceeds the report, as the queen of Sheba found the half had not been told her. We can remain content with hearsay about God, hearing reports of his goodness at second hand; but the queen came and saw for herself, and found the reality surpassed all she had heard. Firsthand knowledge exceeds report. Do not remain content with hearing about God; come and know him for yourself, and you will find the reality surpasses the report. Come and know God for yourself rather than remaining content with hearsay about him, and you will find that the reality far surpasses the report, as the queen of Sheba, coming to see for herself the wisdom of Solomon she had heard reported, found that the half had not been told her and that the reality exceeded the fame she had heard; for she had heard much but had not fully believed until she came and saw with her own eyes, and coming and seeing, she found the reality surpassed everything she had heard, which points to something true of the things of God, since we can hear about God, his goodness, faithfulness, and love, at second hand, but hearing about God is not the same as knowing him for ourselves, and those who come and see for themselves, who taste and experience God firsthand in prayer, in his word, and in walking with him, find that the reality far exceeds any report, as the psalmist says, taste and see that the LORD is good, so that there is a knowledge of God that comes only from experiencing him for ourselves, and we do well not to remain content with hearsay about God but to come and see, seeking to know him for ourselves, and we will find the reality surpasses the report.

Lord, when the queen of Sheba comes to see for herself the wisdom of Solomon that she had heard reported, she finds the reality far exceeds the report: the half had not been told her. It was a true report that I heard in my own land, she says to Solomon, but I did not believe until I came and my own eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame that I heard. She had heard reports, but had not fully believed until she came and saw for herself; and coming and seeing, she found the reality surpassed everything she had heard. Experiencing for herself far exceeded the report she had received. This shows that experiencing for myself surpasses mere report, especially of the things of you. Show me the queen's discovery: the reality exceeded the report. She had heard much; but hearing was not the same as seeing. She came to see for herself; and she found that the reality surpassed everything she had heard. This points to something true of the things of you. I can hear about you, hear reports of your goodness, your faithfulness, your love, at second hand; but hearing about you is not the same as knowing you for myself. And those who come and see for themselves, who taste and experience you firsthand, find that the reality far exceeds any report. As the psalmist says, taste and see that the LORD is good. There is a knowledge of you that comes only from experiencing you for myself, in prayer, in your word, in walking with you, that surpasses merely hearing about you. Take that to my heart, for experiencing you for myself surpasses merely hearing about you, and the reality exceeds the report. Keep me from remaining content with hearsay about you; help me come and know you for myself, Lord, tasting and seeing that you are good, seeking to experience you firsthand in prayer and your word, and I will find that the reality far surpasses the report.