2 Chronicles 9:2
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to explain.
Sermons
Hard QuestionsJ. Parker, D. D.2 Chronicles 9:1-12
Heart CommuningSpurgeon, Charles Haddon2 Chronicles 9:1-12
Solomon in All His GloryW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 9:1-12
Solomon's Queenly VisitorT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 9:1-12
The Queen of Sheba's Visit to SolomonJ. Wolfendale.2 Chronicles 9:1-12
The Queen of Sheba's Visit to SolomonS. Bridge, M. A.2 Chronicles 9:1-12














Nothing so strikingly illustrated the glory of Solomon as the visit of the Queen of Sheba, coming from "the uttermost parts of the earth to hear his wisdom," conferring great gifts upon him and receiving valuable presents in return (see Matthew 12:42). We have, among many things -

I. ISRAEL FULFILLING ITS FUNCTION, viz. magnifying the Name of the Lord. One great end, the great end of its existence as a nation, was to bear witness to the Name and character of Jehovah. By the wisdom and the energy combined with the piety of Solomon, this was being accomplished. The works of the Lord were known and celebrated even in remotest lands.

II. GOD FULFILLING HIS WORD TO HIS SERVANT SOLOMON. He promised him wealth and honor, inasmuch as he had asked for something better than these (see 2 Chronicles 1:11, 12). In this most gratifying episode Solomon must have felt that the promise made him at Gibeon was graciously redeemed. So shall we find also. To those that seek first the kingdom of God he ensures all needful earthly good, and they may count confidently that he will make good his word (see Matthew 6:33).

III. THE TRUE BLESSEDNESS OF POSSESSION - TO COMMUNICATE. Solomon had great knowledge, large faculty, much penetration, as well as extensive worldly wealth. He probably had some enjoyment in the consciousness of their possession. But he found a better and wiser use of them in communicating to others. When he enlightened the mind (ver. 2) and enriched the hands (ver. 12) of the queen, he was then and thus experiencing the true excellency of possession. It is not as we are able to retain, but as we succeed in employing and in imparting our wealth, whether of truth or treasures, that we are really and truly rich (Acts 20:35).

IV. THE WORTH OF WISDOM. The queen was no doubt partly prompted by curiosity to see the magnificence of Solomon; but what largely induced her to take that long, tedious, expensive journey was her desire to learn what "the wise man" could teach her. She desired "to commune with him of all that was in her heart" (ver. 1), and she did so; and she gathered from him a great store of knowledge and of truth. She doubtless learned for the first time the fundamental truths of religion - perhaps also the elements of pure morality. It is probable that she went back to her own country mentally and even spiritually enriched far beyond her highest expectations. As she crossed the desert a second time she would feel that she had been repaid a thousand times for all her toil and outlay. Wisdom is always worth our purchase, whatever we may expend upon it. "Buy the truth," even though it cost much in travel, in money, in patient laborious study, even in fellowship and friendship. It is well worth while to "sell all that we have" in order to become possessed of "the pearl of great price," heavenly wisdom, the knowledge which is eternal life (Matthew 13:46; John 17:3). Many earnest pilgrims have traversed land and sea, many anxious students have searched books and inquired of sacred teachers, many hungering and thirsting souls have wrought and wrestled in thought and prayer for many years, that they might find rest in truth, that they might find a home for themselves in the knowledge of the living God. And when they have found what they sought (see Matthew 7:7, 8), they have gladly and gratefully acknowledged that the blessedness of acquiring heavenly wisdom is a most ample recompense for all they have expended in its pursuit. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; it is the absolutely incomparable good (Proverbs 3:15). - C.

And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon.
I. THE SPIRIT WHICH PROMPTED THE VISIT.

1. A spirit of curiosity.

2. A spirit of inquiry.

3. A spirit of restlessness.

4. A spirit of self-sacrifice.She undertook a long and risky journey. A reproof, says Christ, to indifference and stupidity concerning Himself.

II. THE MUTUAL INTER- COURSE DURING THE VISIT.

1. Solomon answered her questions.

2. Received her gifts.

III. THE IMPRESSIONS RECEIVED FROM THE VISIT.

1. She was astonished at the magnificence of Solomon.

2. She was surprised at the wisdom of Solomon.

3. She was confirmed in her belief concerning Solomon.Faith exercised will be greatly strengthened. This just the result —

1. Of honest search after truth.

2. Of personal intercourse with Christ.

3. Of engagement in God's service.

(J. Wolfendale.)

This is what the Bible itself asks for; in effect the Bible says, "Prove me, put me to the test, under all circumstances of triumph, joy, need, fear, and see if I have not within me a better answer than can be found in any other book." This is the criticism to which Jesus Christ is always willing to submit Himself. It is His complaint that we do not ask Him questions enough, the assumption of course being that all inquiries are put in a reverent and faithful spirit. There is a question-asking to which the Bible will pay no heed, and there is a question-asking which Christ will regard as impious and frivolous. Whatever we really want to know with our hearts, whatever is necessary for us to know, Jesus Christ is willing to answer. When we bring our riddles and enigmas to Christ, they must be riddles and enigmas that express the very agony of desire. To our speculation or curiosity Christ may have nothing to say, or if He condescend to speak to us it may be in tones of rebuke and repulse. Do not be afraid to put hard questions to Christ. The Queen of Sheba did not put any flippant questions to Solomon; she rather sought out the most difficult inquiries which it was possible to propound. The meaning of this is that we are to ask the very hardest questions which our soul wishes to have answered, always remembering that there are some questions which need not be answered in time, and which indeed could not be answered to our present incomplete or depraved capacity and power. Properly considered, it may be impossible to put any easy questions to Christ within the range of the scope which His mission fills.

(J. Parker, D. D.)

I. THE MEETING TOGETHER OF THESE REPRESENTATIVES OF TWO DIFFERENT NATIONS HAD THE HAPPY EFFECT OF DRAWING CLOSER THE BONDS OR UNITY.

II. THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT WHICH THE EXHIBITION OR THE WORKS OF NATIONAL INDUSTRY MAY HAVE UPON THE THOUGHTFUL AND WELL-GOVERNED MIND. The things seen by the Queen of Sheba did much to correct and enlarge her mind; far more than all her previous intelligence and inquiry.

III. THE SPECTACLE OF WORKS OF ART AND MAN'S DEVICE, VAST, MULTIFORM, AND BEAUTIFUL, REFLECTS AS IN A MIRROR THE WONDROUS POWERS OF MAN'S MIND. As we turn from the statue to the mind that sketched and the hand that chiselled out the wonderful design, so let us turn from man with all his wonderful skill and give to God the glory. The Queen of Sheba returned to her home with higher thoughts of God than she had before.

IV. THE IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE OF SOLOM'S DEVOTION. The Queen admired "the ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord." Some understand these words of a magnificent communication which Solomon had prepared between his palace and the courts of the temple; while others explain them of the cheerful and fervent solemnity with which he worshipped, showing that his heart was deeply engaged in the hallowed and hallowing service.

(S. Bridge, M. A.)

We have in Christ one greater than Solomon.

I. WE OUGHT TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM OF ALL THAT IS IN OUR HEART. Neglect of intercourse with Jesus —

1. Is very unkind.

2. Betrays the sad fact of something wrong.

3. Shows a want of confidence in His love, sympathy, and wisdom.

4. Will be the cause of uneasiness in ourselves.

5. Will involve the loss of counsel and help.

6. Is greatly aggravated by eagerness to tell our troubles to others.

II. WE NEED NOT CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OF TOPICS.

1. Our sorrows.

2. Our joys.

3. Our service.

4. Our plans.

5. Our success and failures.

6. Our desires.

7. Our fears.

8. Our lives.

9. Our mysteries.

III. NOR SHALL WE CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OF REASONS. Intercourse with Christ —

1. Is ennobling and elevating.

2. Consoling and encouraging.

3. Sanctifying and refining.

4. Safe and healthy.

5. Delightful and heavenly.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

People
Ahijah, David, Huram, Iddo, Jeroboam, Nathan, Nebat, Nehemiah, Ophir, Rehoboam, Solomon, Tarshish
Places
Arabia, Egypt, Euphrates River, House of the Forest of Lebanon, Jerusalem, Ophir, Sheba, Shephelah, Tarshish
Topics
Answers, Anything, Clear, Declared, Declareth, Didn't, Explain, Explained, Hid, Hidden, Matters, Nothing, Questions, Secret, Solomon, Spoke
Outline
1. The queen of sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon
13. Solomon's revenue in gold
15. His targets and shields
17. The throne of ivory
20. His vessels
23. His presents
25. His chariots and horse
26. His tributes
29. His reign and death

Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 9:2

     5935   riddles

2 Chronicles 9:1-2

     7730   explanation

2 Chronicles 9:1-9

     5487   queen
     5849   exaltation

2 Chronicles 9:1-12

     5745   women

Library
The Great Gain of Godliness
'And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 26. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 28. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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