2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9:1

VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBAIn other words, Solomon told her the secret of his kingdom. He told her that God had given him his wisdom. He told her that the temple was their approach to God because God had said it was there He would meet with His people.

2 Chronicles 9:3

In 1Ki_10:24 we are told, “And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” We are given just this one illustration of the queen of Sheba who came to see the wisdom of Solomon. You can see that the nation of Israel was successful in witnessing to the world. “His ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord” was the burnt offering which he made. That burnt offering speaks of Christ. No nation on earth had anything that would compare to an offering for sin. This was the thing which absolutely amazed her. This was the offering that was pointing to Christ. David had said and written so much about Christ that I don’t think Solomon left her without an explanation of the One who was to come to take away sin.

2 Chronicles 9:5

This woman said, “When I heard about what God had done, I just didn’t believe it.” But she had faith enough so that when she heard about the greatness of Solomon, she made a long, arduous trip to see for herself. Believe me, it was a long, arduous trip in that day. She couldn’t go out to the airport and take a plane which would bring her there in a couple of hours. It was probably a couple of months across a hot, burning desert. She came all the way in order that she might know something of the wisdom of this man and learn about his approach to God. That was the thing that left no spirit in her. She couldn’t believe it until she had seen it. Now listen to her:

2 Chronicles 9:7

This woman is now praising God! When our Lord spoke of her, He said, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon …” (Mat_12:42). There is a Sheba in southwestern Arabia and in Africa. Since the Lord Jesus said that she came from the uttermost parts of the earth, I assume she came from Africa. But her entourage reveals the wealth and luxury of the orient. The wise men never made a greater impression than did this woman.

She came with great pomp and ceremony befitting an oriental monarch. It seems that the burnt offering was what impressed her the most. This was the most complete and perfect picture of Christ that was given in the Old Testament. How well did Israel succeed in giving a witness to the Gentiles? Well, this woman came to know the living and true God. Our Lord, you recall, one day spoke to a woman at a well and said: “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father” (Joh_4:21). In Jesus’ day, that “hour” was coming. And that hour did come so that today we are to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. However, in Solomon’s day, the world came to Jerusalem to hear the gospel.

2 Chronicles 9:22

SOLOMON’S SPLENDORSolomon was bearing a witness to the world in his day.

2 Chronicles 9:25

This reveals the defect in this man’s character. The king had been forbidden by the Mosaic Law to multiply horses and wives. Solomon multiplied both. One of the most impressive things at Megiddo is the ruins of the stables that Solomon had there. And there are ruins of his stables in several other areas. He really multiplied horses!

2 Chronicles 9:26

Solomon was one of the great rulers of this world.

2 Chronicles 9:29

DEATH OF SOLOMONGod had fulfilled His promise to Solomon. He had given him supernatural wisdom for which he had asked, and in addition He had given him riches and wealth and honor.