A life that points to Christ
Solomon
From Solomon we learn to ask God for wisdom above wealth, but also the sobering truth that wisdom without a guarded heart is not enough. His life teaches both the value and the limits of wisdom, and his search for meaning points to the One in whom all treasures of wisdom are hidden.
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”1 Kings 3:9
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”Proverbs 1:7
“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”Ecclesiastes 1:2
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”Ecclesiastes 12:13
Their story, honestly
Solomon, David's son, became king and, when God offered him anything, asked not for riches or long life but for an understanding heart to govern God's people. God was pleased and gave him unmatched wisdom, along with wealth and honor. He built the temple, and his wisdom drew rulers from far away. Yet the same Solomon, in his later years, let his many foreign wives turn his heart to other gods, and the kingdom began to fracture. In Ecclesiastes he looks back over a life of every pleasure and achievement and concludes, vanity of vanities, all is vanity, until he lands on the whole duty of man: fear God, and keep his commandments.
What their life teaches us
First, Solomon teaches us what to value; given a blank check from God, he asked for wisdom to serve others, and God honored it. Second, he teaches that wisdom is not self-sustaining; the wisest man alive still drifted, because knowledge in the head cannot guard a heart that is not surrendered. Third, Ecclesiastes teaches the emptiness of everything pursued apart from God; Solomon tried pleasure, work, wealth, and learning, and found them all like chasing wind, until he remembered his Creator. His life is both a gift and a warning: seek wisdom, but keep your heart.
How their life points to Christ
Solomon was the wise king who built the temple and spoke thousands of proverbs, yet Jesus said, a greater than Solomon is here. Christ is the wisdom of God in person, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Solomon's temple pointed to Jesus, who is the true dwelling of God with us. And Solomon's weary conclusion that everything under the sun is vanity finds its answer in Christ, who alone satisfies the restless heart. The wisest man's failure sends us to the flawless Wisdom of God.
Questions people ask
What did Solomon ask God for, and why does it matter?
Offered anything, he asked for an understanding heart to govern God's people rightly, rather than wealth or long life. God was pleased and granted wisdom plus riches besides. It teaches that God delights when we desire to serve others well over merely getting things for ourselves.
If Solomon was so wise, why did he fall?
Because wisdom in the mind cannot substitute for a surrendered heart. His many foreign wives turned his affections to other gods over time. His fall warns that knowing what is right does not keep us; we also need a heart that stays close to God.