1 Kings 10:1-10: a reflection

1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the LORD’s name, she came to test him with hard questions. 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. 3Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from the king which he didn’t tell her. 4When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her. 6She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. 7However, I didn’t believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. 8Happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom. 9Blessed is the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” 10She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

The queen of Sheba, hearing of Solomon's wisdom, travels a great distance to see for herself, coming with hard questions to test him. And what she finds surpasses all she had heard. Solomon answers all her questions, and the sight of his wisdom and his kingdom overwhelms her: The report I heard was true, she says, but I did not believe it until I came and saw with my own eyes; and behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom surpasses the report I heard. She had sought much, and found even more.

Notice the queen's experience: she sought, at great effort, and found more than she had been told. She did not stay home and dismiss the reports; she traveled far to see for herself, and her seeking was rewarded beyond her expectations. The half, she confessed, had not been told her; the reality exceeded the report. Her effort to seek out the truth for herself was met with a wisdom greater than she had imagined.

That points to something greater. Jesus said that the queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon's wisdom, and something greater than Solomon is here. If the queen traveled so far and found more than she expected in Solomon, how much more is there to find in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom, and who is worth every effort to seek. Do not stay home and dismiss the reports of him; seek him out for yourself. Those who genuinely seek Christ find, like the queen, that the half was not told them, that the reality far exceeds the report. Seek him, and you will find more than you expected.

Lord, the queen of Sheba traveled far to seek out Solomon's wisdom, and found more than she had been told: the half was not told me, she said. And you said that one greater than Solomon is here. Make me a seeker like her. Keep me from staying home and dismissing the reports of you; help me seek you out for myself, at whatever effort. Thank you that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom, and that those who genuinely seek him find, like the queen, that the half was not told them, that the reality far exceeds the report. Draw me to seek you earnestly, and let me find in you more than I expected, a wisdom and a treasure worth every effort to seek.