Sat.’s Devo - The Wisdom of God

Read: 1 Kings 3:3-4:34; Acts 6:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 16:26-27 Solomon loved the Lord, but he offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places of worship. One of these was at Gibeon. As he was there sacrificing 1,000 burnt offerings, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he wanted. *** Solomon honored the Lord for giving his father, David the kingdom and then passing it to him. He asked for an understanding heart to govern the people with justice and discernment to know the difference between good and evil. *** God was very pleased with his request. He told him he would make him wiser than any one had ever been. He would also give him riches and fame and he would be greater than any other king that had existed till then. *** Solomon woke from his dream and returned to Jerusalem where he sacrificed more offerings before the Ark of the Lord. *** God confirmed his gift to Solomon and to the people soon after that. Two prostitutes came to Solomon to render judgment for their case. One of them had had a baby, then three days later the other had a baby. The second woman accidentally lay on her son and he died in the night. She exchanged her dead son for the living son. When the mother of the living son woke she realized the baby with her was dead. Then she saw that he wasn’t her son. They both claimed the living baby as theirs. *** Solomon judged that the baby should be divided in half and given a part to each woman. The real mother asked for mercy and offered to give him to the other woman but the woman who wasn’t the mother said the judgment was right. *** Solomon knew that the woman who would want her son to live no matter how, was the real mother and had the child given to her. This story was told all over Israel and they knew that Solomon was a wise and righteous judge. *** Solomon’s cabinet comprised of the off-spring of the leaders during David’s rule. There were also 12 district judges who were in charge of a month’s supply to the king every year. *** His kingdom was very populous and the people were prosperous and had plenty to eat. There was peace on all of their borders. Everyone lived in safety. *** God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding and knowledge. His fame went out throughout the surrounding nations. He wrote some 3,000 proverbs and 1,500 songs. Solomon had great wisdom in the area of plants, animals, birds, insects and fish. The kings from every nation sent ambassadors to listen to his wisdom. *** In Acts, instead of their movement dying out, it was growing and expanding. But, there were also problems. The Greek-speaking believers felt their widows were not being treated as well as the Hebrew-speaking widows in the distribution of food. The Twelve disciples called a meeting of all the believers and selected seven men who were well respected and full of the Spirit and wisdom. They gave them the responsibility of dispersing food to the widows so that they could spend their time in prayer and teaching the world. *** Everyone thought this was a good idea. Stephen, Philip, Procures, Nicanor, Timon, Parmesan and Nicolas were chosen. *** As the church grew, many of the Jewish priests were converted also. Stephen performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. A man from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves debated with Stephen but couldn’t win against the wisdom and the Spirit of God in Stephen. *** They persuaded some men to lie about Stephen’s teaching and say that he blasphemed Moses and God. The leaders of the law arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. *** The witness said that he had spoken against the law of Moses and said that Jesus would change the customs of Moses’ law. Everyone looked at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel’s. It was the glory of God. *** Lord, you are the great defender of your people. It is your justice that prevails. Bring your justice to our land and render righteousness in America and in the world. May your name be great!