Summary: <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Did you know that the man who is arguably the wisest and wealthiest man in history had literally everything that he could’ve ever desired…yet at the end realized it was all for nothing? Stick around and we’ll talk about it. Here on five minutes of truth.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>One of the more interesting aspects of the Bible is its collection of people. To say that the Bible includes people from all walks of life is the height of understatement.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>From kings to con men…harlots to holy women. From fishermen to priests and murderers to the Messiah. One of the reasons these 2-5 thousand year old stories resonate with us today is because we see God’s redemptive and miraculous works played out in the lives of people just like ourselves. With the same foibles, weaknesses and problems we have as well.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>We see over and again that God’s love for us is not predicated on what we do or who we are but on Who He is and what He’s done. We cannot earn His love…neither can we do anything to make Him stop loving us. It is an extraordinary book.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Perhaps one of the most interesting people described in God’s Word is a guy whose name is recognizable, but whose story is often unknown. I’m talking about King David’s son, Solomon. A fascinating person and an even more fascinating story. Even his birth stands as a testament to God’s grace and mercy.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>We are all, I hope, aware of Solomon’s father, David, and his terrible actions regarding an adulterous relationship. David engaged in an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, the wife of one of David’s most loyal soldiers. After she became pregnant, David conspired to and arranged for the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, in order to hide his sin…and marry Bathsheba.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>After David was confronted with his actions by his priest, David immediately repented. But there were to be terrible consequences. David was told that turmoil would engulf his family throughout his reign…and he was told that the child Bathsheba was carrying would die. David prayed for the best, but the child did, in fact, die.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It would be easy to conclude that this was the act of a vengeful God…but that would not be completely correct. David and Bathsheba would have another child…and that child was Solomon. Solomon would go on to do extraordinary things: Serve as a wise king and build the first Jewish Temple in existence. God showed grace and mercy by blessing David and Bathsheba with an amazing child.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>And who was Solomon? It is safe to say that there has not been his equal in wisdom and wealth in the history of the world. Not long after securing his position as king, God spoke to Solomon and made an amazing offer. Simply stated, God said to Solomon: “Ask! What shall I give you.” What person would not long to hear the God of the universe tell us He will give us anything that we want?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Realizing the gravity of what it means to lead a nation, Solomon said that he had a lot of stuff…but what he really needed and desired…was wisdom. Solomon said: “give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.” God was so pleased with his answer, that along with wisdom, God would also bless Solomon with material things beyond measure and assured Solomon that: “there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.” Amazing statements from a holy God.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>And God was true to His word. Solomon’s wisdom became the talk of the known world. People would travel great distances to sit in his</b></span></p>
