Running Short on Wisdom

“Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?”  II Chronicles 1:10

King Solomon, son of King David of Israel, is known as one of the wisest humans who has ever lived.  God appeared one night to Solomon and said, “Ask what I shall give thee.”  Imagine that question being asked of most of our leaders today.  They would say “power and money” without blinking an eye.  However, Solomon said that God had showed great mercy to his father, David, and had given him the privilege to reign in David’s place.  He described the vast nation over which he ruled as “a people like the dust of the earth in multitude” (1:9).  He then requested that God give him wisdom and knowledge in order to rule over Israel as a righteous judge.  God granted him his request, and because he had not asked for power over his enemies, wealth, or honor, God gave him those things as well.  Solomon became very wealthy, and his reign was one of the most peaceful reigns of all the kings of Israel or Judah for many years.

One of his most well-known decisions concerned two prostitutes who both had babies within three days.  One night when they were sleeping with the babies beside each mother, one of them rolled over on her baby and suffocated it.  Being a person of little to no integrity, she got up and swapped her dead baby for the other woman’s baby who was alive and well.  When the other woman awoke the next morning to feed her baby, she knew that the dead baby was not hers.  You can’t fool mothers when it comes to their children.  Both of them went to King Solomon to settle their dispute.  They both argued, claiming the live baby was theirs.  His method to find out which one was telling the truth, and which one was lying was rather gory.  He said to cut the baby in half and give one half to each mother.  Problem solved.  He called for a sword to be brought to him.  He knew in his wisdom that the real mother would not allow her baby to be slaughtered like that.  She would rather give him up so that he would live rather than die to keep the other woman from having her baby, and that’s exactly what happened.  The real mother said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it.”  But the other mother spoke up and said, “Let it be neither mine or thine, but divide it.”  Solomon then ordered the baby to be given to the real mother (I Kings 3:16-27).

Not only was a wrong righted, but, because all Israel heard about this situation, King Solomon was highly respected among the people.  They realized that he was a righteous man of God who would be a fair and impartial judge over them.  Unfortunately, when he became an old man, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines who were all idolators and turned him away from the God of Israel to worship idols.  He was very wise in the beginning of his reign, but time and age began to take its toll upon his mind.  He started out with good intentions, but toward the end of his life, his heart was turned away from God.  After his death, Israel was divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, and a succession of mostly evil but a few good kings ruled the two kingdoms for 100’s of years.

I was thinking earlier today about those mostly evil kings who ruled Israel and also a few evil ones in the land of Judah.  Wisdom was certainly lacking in many of their administrations.  Some were extremely evil, leading the people into idolatry and all sorts of perversions.  And then I began to think about our current administration.  In my opinion, it is the most ungodly administration that this nation has ever had to endure.  Our country has become like ancient Israel under the rule of several evil kings who not only allowed ungodly policies to permeate the land but promoted and encouraged them.  I don’t have to elaborate as to these perverted ideas, laws, and policies that we have seen over the last two years.  Anyone who is a dedicated follower of Christ, if they are paying attention, can’t help but be sickened by what they are witnessing every day on television and online.  I know that God is not happy with America.  However, He is allowing this to take place just like He allowed Israel and Judah to go into the depths of depravity.  However, He sent prophets like Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and many others to warn the people before judgment came.  Where are the prophets of today?  It seems like only those of us who are students of God’s word are aware of the danger that lies ahead for this nation if we do not turn back to God.  If this nation is going to be won back to the Lord, it will take the prayers and witnessing of His people.  It almost seems hopeless, but nothing is impossible with God.