I Kings 10
Queen of Sheba comesverses 1-5
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
Concerning the name of the LORD
she came to PROVE him with hard questions
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train
with camels that bare spices – and very much gold
and precious stones
and when she was come to Solomon
she communed with him of all that
was in her heart
And Solomon told her all her questions
there was not anything hid from the king
which he told her not
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom
and the house that he had built – and the meat of his table
and the sitting of his servants
and the attendance of his ministers
and their apparel – and his cupbearers
and his ascent by which he went up
to the house of the LORD
there was no more spirit in her
Queen of Sheba praises the LORDverses 6-9
And she
said to the king
It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of your acts
and of your wisdom
Howbeit I believed not the words until I came
and mine eyes had seen it – and BEHOLD
the half was not told me
your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame
which I heard
Happy are your men – happy are these your servants
which stand continually before you – and hear your wisdom
Blessed be the LORD your God – which delighted in you
to set you on the throne of Israel
because the LORD loved Israel for ever
therefore made HE you king
to do judgment and justice
Queen of Sheba gives gifts to Solomonverse 10
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold
and of spices very great store – precious stones
there came no more such abundance of spices
as these which the queen of Sheba
gave to king Solomon
Hiram brings rich cargos to Solomonverses 11-12
And the navy also of Hiram – that brought gold from Ophir
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees
and precious stones
And the king made of the almug trees pillars
for the house of the LORD
and for the king’s house
harps also and psalteries for singers
there came no such almug trees
nor were seen to this day
Solomon gives gifts to Queen of Shebaverse 13
And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire
whatsoever she asked
besides that which Solomon
gave her of his royal bounty
So she turned and went to her own country
she and her servants
Solomon great wealth in goldverses 14-15
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was
six hundred threescore and six talents of gold (666)
besides that he had of the merchantmen
and of the traffic of the spice merchants
and of all the kings of Arabia
and of the governors of the country
Solomon makes shields of goldverses 16-17
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold
six hundred shekels of gold went to one target
and he made three hundred shields of beaten gold
three pounds of gold went to one shield
and the king put them in the house of the
forest of Lebanon
Solomon’s throneverses 18-20
Moreover – the king made a great throne of ivory
and overlaid it with the best gold
The throne had six steps
and the top of the throne was round behind
and there were stays on either side
on the place of the seat
and two lions stood beside the stays
and twelve lions stood there on the one side
and on the other upon the six steps
there was not the like made in any kingdom
Solomon’s drinking cup and utensilsverse 21
And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold
and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon
were of pure gold – none were of silver
it was nothing accounted of in the
days of Solomon
Solomon’s ships brought cargoverse 22
For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish
with the navy of Hiram
once in three years came the navy of Tharshish
bringing gold – silver – ivory
apes – peacocks
Solomon welcomes many visitorsverses 23-25
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth
for riches and for wisdom
And all the earth sought to Solomon – to hear his wisdom
which God had put in his heart
and they brought every man his present
vessels of silver
vessels of gold
garments – armor – spices – horses
mules – a rate year by year
Solomon’s wealth describedverses 26-29
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen
and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots
and twelve thousand horsemen
whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots
and with the king at Jerusalem
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones
and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees
that are in the vale for abundance
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt – and linen yarn
the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price
and a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for
six hundred shekels of silver
and a horse for a hundred and fifty
and so for all the kings of the Hittites
and for the kings of Syria did they bring them
out by their means
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. (5254 “prove” [nacah] means to venture, to put someone to the test, to give experience, train, to put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of something, including imperfections, faults, or other qualities)
DEVOTION: Fame can be good or bad. Here we have Solomon who became famous for being able to answer the hard questions of life. The queen of Sheba came to test Solomon regarding what she had heard he was able to do. Her goal was to stump Solomon with some of her questions. She did not succeed.
Why was it important for Solomon to answer her questions correctly? It was because when he answered her questions correctly, he brought honor to the name of the LORD.
Most countries back then and even now have their own gods. All those gods from other countries were false gods. There was only one true God and HE was the God of the Bible. HE was the God of Israel during the reign of Solomon.
Our God gives HIS people wisdom to face our world with answers that no other religion can give. The queen of Sheba wanted these answers. She tested him and he proved to be right.
We are going to be tested by the world regarding our beliefs regarding Jesus Christ. The world doesn’t think that HE has the answers to life’s questions. HE does have the answer and we need to ask HIM to give us wisdom to answer their questions.
Too often believers look bad in front of the world because they are not good students of the knowledge the LORD wants us to have. If we want to honor the LORD, we have to know what we believe and why. It is not easy but with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life we can learn these answers to life’s questions and help others understands that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world.
CHALLENGE: How are you doing with the tests that the world presents you with in school, work and society? There are answers found in the Word of God for the questions of life.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of your acts and of your wisdom. (1697 “acts” [dabar] means affair, statements, achievements, happening, utterance, words, or account)
DEVOTION: Most people don’t believe something unless they can see it. Here we find that the queen of Sheba didn’t believe the reports until she saw it with her own eyes. She wanted proof that Solomon was as wise and as rich as was claimed in her own land. So she took a trip to see for herself.
Once she saw the riches of Solomon, she was amazed that the LORD had given him so much wealth and beauty in one place. She could only praise the LORD for giving such blessings to one king in the whole earth.
We need to realize that HE promises us that we will be blessed if we keep HIS word close to our heart. We will not have all the wealth of Solomon but we will have the promise of blessing that HE gives to those who are obedient to HIM. HE promises to provide our every need. HE promises to be with us day and night. HE promises that HE will never leave us or forsake us.
Too often we think that we are only truly blessed if we have everything Solomon had during his lifetime. That is not the thought that the LORD gives to us.
We are promised heaven for eternity if we are followers of Jesus Christ. We will have a mansion in heaven. Too often we would rather have the mansion now and not wait for heaven. That is only the devil entering into our thinking that we need everything now.
During this time period we are to suffer at times to give HIM glory. The disciples did and they understood that the glory was coming later. Our understanding is that HE will give us what HE thinks we need right now.
HE is working HIS plan for our lives now and is giving us the blessing that we can handle each day. HIS desire is for us to be totally depend on HIIM and HIS wisdom as to what we can handle.
Solomon could handle wealth.
CHALLENGE: Are we satisfied with HIM providing our needs right now and waiting for eternity for our mansion in heaven or are we sad because we don’t have a mansion NOW?
: 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, which delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore made he you king, to do judgment and justice. (2654 “delighted” [chaphets] means to take pleasure, to be willing, inclined, to take a high degree of pleasure or mental satisfaction in, or be pleased to do)
DEVOTION: The queen of Sheba went away from questioning Solomon with this testimony that she would give to everyone she met. She was convinced that what people were saying about Solomon and his kingdom was a lie. She wanted to prove them false but learned from personal experience that what was said about Solomon was true.
We have to convince people around us of the truth of the Word of God are true by our actions and words. Solomon was able to do this with the queen of Sheba. She realized that he was ruling his nation with the wisdom of God, so that, people were treated justly and received right conclusions to their words and actions.
She was delighted with the truth she learned from Solomon and knew that the LORD his God was delighted in him.
We should want people around us to know that our wisdom comes from above and not from this world. We should want people around us to know that we delight in the LORD and that HE delights in us as we are faithful to HIS teachings.
If we delight the LORD with our actions, we can be the witness the LORD wants us to be in our world. We don’t live in the same time period as Solomon but we still live in a time period where people will ask us questions regarding our convictions and we need to have answers that show the truth of the Word of God.
Proper beliefs help us to make proper conclusions regarding the issues of life. Our justice should be one that represents the LORD. Our righteous life should show people that we do love the LORD.
Remember there will always be people who want to put us down because they also see that we are sinners just like them. However, the Holy Spirit will work on their hearts as they also see that we are trying to honor the LORD with our life and our answers to their questions.
CHALLENGE: Can people see that you are trying to honor the LORD even though you are still a sinner but one that is saved by grace?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold. (3603 “talents” [kikkar] means a unit of weight that was about 66-77 pounds, circle, globe, disk of gold, or weight same as 3,000 shekels)
DEVOTION: Remember that Solomon asked the LORD for wisdom to rule the people when he was given an opportunity to ask for anything. Because he asked for wisdom the LORD gave him great wealth as well. Here we find that Solomon collected great wealth from his trading with other nations. He had his own navy to go get things that we wanted from other countries.
This description of wealth was given to show us that the LORD has all the money of the world available to HIM. HE is the one who created the precious metals and stones. HE is the one who allowed Solomon to collect it to show the world that HE was blessing the kingdom of Solomon.
One note is that in one year he collected 666 talents of gold. The number comes into play in the book of Revelation as well. It is worth studying to see what this number might mean when the antichrist is ruling the world.
Today we would like the LORD to bless us with wealth as well. We are told by some preachers that all you have to do it name it and claim it and the LORD will provide it. That is not how the LORD works. HE blesses HIS people with other things besides money. HE does bless some with money who can handle it and use it for HIS glory.
Money becomes very important to many people to the point that they seek it more than closeness to the LORD. This is wrong. Some think because they don’t have money the LORD has neglected them. That is not true. HE knows who can handle money and who doesn’t handle money well.
Solomon handled it to bring glory to the LORD. HE wanted other nations to know that the LORD was the one who was providing for the nations every need.
We want the world to know that all of our needs are met by the LORD. We not only should proclaim it but we must believe it. We have all the wealth that the LORD wants us to have. HE loves us and has promised to provide for our every need.
We have to make a difference between “need” and “want.” Too often we put out wants into the need category which is wrong. We are focusing on the wrong things when that happens.
Ask the LORD to give you discernment between what your “needs” are and what you “wants” are. Then ask HIM to provide for your needs and see if HE doesn’t give us more if our attitude is right.
CHALLENGE: Prayer is the key to discernment when we are asking the LORD for earthly possession.
: 24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. (2451 “wisdom” [chokmah] means skillful, wisely, or wit. Solomon was given a special gift from God of wisdom)
DEVOTION: We know that there are two types of wisdom in our world. There is the wisdom that comes from God and human wisdom. Solomon was given wisdom of God after he requested it from the LORD. Solomon understood all manner of things. His wisdom was used to build his kingdom.
The queen of Sheba didn’t believe the reports of the wisdom of Solomon. She came and saw his wealth and wisdom for her own eyes. She asked him many questions. He answered every one of them. She couldn’t believe that the LORD had blessed someone so much. She even said the servants were blessed because they could daily hear the skillful knowledge of Solomon.
Not only did she not believe but many came from all over the world to hear his skillful knowledge and give him gifts. His wealth was beyond measure. He made everything he owned of gold. Silver was not important to him. His shields were made of gold. His throne was overlaid with gold. His drinking glasses were made of gold. Each year Solomon received over 666 talents of gold.
Everyone didn’t believe he had so much but when they met him, they knew he had it. He continued to convince those who visited him of his wisdom. They praised the LORD for giving him his wisdom.
When people meet us, do they know that we have wisdom from God? The New Testament tells us that if we want God’s wisdom, all we have to do is ask for it.
Are we asking for the wisdom of God? We have the mind of Christ when we accept Christ as our Savior. Do we use it? Too often those in the church settle for less than God has for them. Many just sit, soak and sour in church instead of reaching the world for the LORD.
We have challenged many churches to have each of their people share the good news door to door. If everyone in the pew gave one person a week an invitation to follow the LORD, we could reach our neighborhood for the LORD in a short time.
The world needs to hear the wisdom of the LORD. There are many false religions going door to door with a false message of hope. Remember without Christ there is no hope.
How can they hear without a preacher? We are the LORD’S messengers to the world. Let’s reach out and touch someone this week!!! Solomon touched his world and they gave praise to the LORD for HIS gift to him.
CHALLENGE: Our homes and churches need the wisdom of the LORD. Our world is in real trouble. The answer is the Word of God. We have the only answer that gives HOPE to our world. Share your God given wisdom concerning eternity with all those in your world)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORDverse 12
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 5, 9
Name of the LORDverse 1
House of the LORDverses 5, 12
God – Elohim (Creator)verses 9, 24
LORD thy Godverse 9
Set Solomon on throneverse 9
LORD loved Israelverse 9
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Queen of Shebaverses 1-10, 13
Wanted to prove Solomon with hard questions
Came with presents of wealth for Solomon
Saw Solomon’s wealth and wisdom
Gave gifts to Solomon
120 talents of gold
Spices very great store
Precious stones
Navy of Hiramverses 11, 22
Brought gold to Solomon
Almug trees
Precious stones
Silver
Ivory
Apes
Peacocks
Kings of Arabiaverse 15
Governors of the countryverse 15
Forest of Lebanonverse 17
Kings of earthverse 23
Egyptverses 28, 29
Kings of Hittitesverse 29
Kings of Syriaverse 29
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Not believeverse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Wisdomverses 4, 6-8, 23, 24
True reportverse 6
Prosperityverses 7, 14-22, 23, 27
Happyverse 8
Blessedverse 9
Delightedverse 9
Lovedverse 9
Judgmentverse 9
Justiceverse 9
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Solomonverse 1
Answered all the question of Queen of Sheba
Did judgment and justice
King’s house
Harps and psalteries for singers
Gave queen of Sheba all her desire
Gave her royal bounty
Weight of gold in one year was
666 talents of gold
Great throne of ivory overlaid with Gold
Lions on each side of throne
Drinking vessels were of gold
Exceeded all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom
Presents brought to him
Had 1,400 chariots
12,000 horsemen
Silver as stones
Jerusalemverses 2, 26
Throne of Israelverse 9
Navy of Tharshishverse 22
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
LORD loved Israel for eververse 9
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QUOTES regarding passage
23–25 To the statement in 4:29–34 extolling the breadth of wisdom and knowledge of Solomon, this passage adds, first, that he was wealthier than any king on earth (v.23) and, second, that “the whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart” (v.24). This is in accordance with God’s promise of 3:13. (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, pp. 103–104). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
10:23–25. God’s promise to make Solomon the richest and wisest king of his time was fulfilled. His wealth continued to increase as people (the whole world is a hyperbole) who came to hear his wisdom brought him gold and silver articles … spices, and animals. (Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 508). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
To the world of that day, and especially to the Jewish people, Solomon became a model of wealth and splendor, and no doubt many envied him. But Jesus said that one of the Father’s lilies was more beautifully arrayed than Solomon in all his glory (Matt. 6:28–30). True beauty comes from within, from “the hidden person of the heart” (1 Peter 3:4, nkjv). The more we must add to our possessions before people will admire us, the less true wealth and beauty we really have. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2002). Be responsible (p. 76). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.)
Verse 23. Wealth and wisdom compared and contrasted. I. Compared. 1. Both are the gifts of God. 2. Both involve much care and toil. 3. Both are scources of great power. 4. Both are liable to great abuse. II. Contrasted. 1. Wealth and wisdom not necessarily possessed by the same person. 2. Wealth may adorn the body; wisdom adorns the mind. 3. Wealth may buy influence, wisdom commands it. 4. Wealth is material and perishable, wisdom is immortal.
—When King Demetrius had sacked and razed the city of Megaera to the very foundation, he demanded of Stilpo, the philosopher, what losses he had sustained. “None at all,” said Stilpo, “for war can make no spoil of virtue.” And it is said of Bias, that his motto was, omnia mea mecum porto—I carry all my goods with me; viz, his goodness.
—Perfect freedom hath four parts: wisdom, the principle of doing things aright; justice, the principle of doing things equally in public and private; fortitude, the principle of not flying danger, but meeting it; and temperance, the principle of subduing desires and living moderately.—Plato.
Verses 23, 24. Every other quality besides is subordinate and inferior to wisdom, in the same sense as the mason who lays the bricks and stones in a building is inferior to the architect who drew the plan and superintends the work. The former executes only what the latter contrives and directs. Now, it is the prerogative of wisdom to preside over every inferior principle, to regulate the exercise of every power, and limit the indulgence of every appetite, as shall best conduce to one great end. It being the province of wisdom to preside, it sits as umpire on every difficulty, and so gives the final direction and control to all the powers of our nature. Hence it is entitled to be considered as the top and summit of perfection. It belongs to wisdom to determine when to act, and when to cease; when to reveal, and when to conceal a matter; when to speak, and when to keep silence; when to give, and when to receive; in short, to regulate the measure of all things, as well as to determine the end, and provide the means of obtaining the end pursued in every deliberate course of action. Every particular faculty, or skill, besides, needs to derive direction from this: they are all quite incapable of directing themselves.
The art of navigation, for instance, will teach us to steer a ship across the ocean, but it will never teach us on what occasions it is proper to take a voyage. The art of war will instruct us how to marshal an army, or to fight a battle to the greatest advantage, but you must learn from a higher school when it is fitting, just, and proper to wage war, or to make peace. The art of the husbandman is to sow and bring to maturity the precious fruits of the earth; it belongs to another skill to regulate their consumption by a regard to our health, fortune, and other circumstances. In short, there is no faculty we can exert, no species of skill we can apply, but requires a superintending hand, but looks up, as it were, to some higher principle, as a maid to her mistress for directions; and this universal superintendent is wisdom.—Robert Hall. (Barlow, G. (1892). I & II Kings (pp. 158–159). New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
Ver. 23. So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.] In which he was an eminent type of Christ; see Eph. 3:8. Col. 2:3. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 721). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
THE ULTIMATE TEST
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. 1 John 4:2
The most important test is conformity to scriptural teaching. “Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” How do I know that this is a spiritual test? All I know about Him, I put up to the test of Scripture. Indeed, you get exactly the same thing in the sixth verse of 1 John 4 where John says, speaking of himself and the other apostles, “We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” The first thing to ask about a man who claims to be filled with the Spirit and to be an unusual teacher is, does his teaching conform to Scripture? Is it in conformity with the apostolic message? Does he base it all upon this Word? Is he willing to submit to it? That is the great test.
Another test is the readiness to listen to scriptural teaching; to abide by it is always a characteristic of the true prophet. You will find that the other man rather tends to dismiss it. “Ah yes,” he says, “but you are legalistic, you are just a theologian. I have experience, I have felt, and I have produced this and that.” The tendency is not to abide by the teaching of Scripture but to be almost contemptuous of it; that has always been the characteristic of those who have tended to go astray. Read the history of the Quakers, and you will find that such an attitude became a prominent feature “the inner light rather than the objective teaching of Scripture itself.” A Thought to Ponder: The most important test is conformity to scriptural teaching. (From The Love of God, pp. 23-24 by Marytn Lloyd-Jones.)
GAINING THE WORLD
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:36
What if you are the most handsome man or beautiful woman the world has ever known, and are always dressed in a most gorgeous manner, and what if you have the greatest palace to live in and have the greatest collection of motor cars and everything else? What if you have the whole world—but lose your own soul? That is what Christ says about the world, and He says it supremely upon the cross. “Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37).
Why did He die? He died for the souls of men—not for our material welfare, not to reform this world, but to save our souls. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). And it is the soul that is lost. The world knows nothing about the soul, but it is in you and in all of us—this imperishable thing in us that goes on beyond death and the end. Christ exposed the lie of this world for what it really is.
He spoke a parable about Dives and Lazarus. The rich man sat in his palace, dressed gorgeously, in wonderful robes, eating with all his companions until he had his fill, while the poor beggar sat at the gate with the dogs licking his sores. The Lord says in effect, “Do not judge superficially—that is not the end of the story.” He gives us a picture of Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom and Dives in the torment of hell. You can see the difference between the mind and outlook of the world and the mind and outlook of the Father and the Son of God. He exposes the world for what it is.
A Thought to Ponder
You can see the difference between the outlook of the world and the outlook of the Father. (From The Cross, pp. 100-101 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Privileged Suffering
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29)
Paul wrote in the previous verses that we are to conduct ourselves as though our only citizenship was worthy of the gospel message that we proclaim, and that in doing so we should be committed to a mindset held together by the Holy Spirit. Then, he encouraged us not to be “terrified by your adversaries” (Philippians 1:28).
Such adversaries—from the devil himself (1 Peter 5:8) to business (Matthew 5:25) and family problems (Luke 12:13)—are part and parcel to those who would “live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). We should not be surprised when such challenges come; rather, we should be alarmed if all men “speak well of you” (Luke 6:26).
Curiously, Paul wrote that we are “gifted” (Greek verb charizomai, same idea as the related noun charis) with this privilege, in the interests of our Lord Jesus, to “suffer for his sake.” The apostles understood this paradox as they left the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).
Peter wrote that we should follow the example set for us by the Lord Jesus, “who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). In fact, we should “rejoice” when asked to share in the same kind of sufferings that our Lord endured, and whenever we are “reproached for the name of Christ” we should be happy, “for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).
Privileged suffering indeed! James wrote that we should “count it all joy” (James 1:2) when we are tested. Those times increase our faith and allow us to demonstrate our allegiance to Christ. (HMM III, by The Institute for Creation Research)
Finding Joy in Praise
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord .
Habakkuk 3:18
When the famous British writer C. S. Lewis first gave his life to Jesus, he initially resisted praising God. In fact, he called it “a stumbling block.” His struggle was “in the suggestion that God Himself demanded it.” Yet Lewis finally realized “it is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence” to His people. Then we, “in perfect love with God,” find joy in Him no more separable “than the brightness a mirror receives” from the “brightness it sheds.”
The prophet Habakkuk arrived at this conclusion centuries earlier. After complaining to God about evils aimed at the people of Judah, Habakkuk came to see that praising Him leads to joy—not in what God does, but in who He is. Thus, even in a national or world crisis, God is still great. As the prophet declared:
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord ” (Habakkuk 3:17–18). “I will be joyful in God my Savior,” he added.
As C. S. Lewis realized, “The whole world rings with praise.” Habakkuk, likewise, surrendered to praising God always, finding rich joy in the One who “marches on forever” (v. 6). By Patricia Raybon, Our Daily Bread
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