1 Kings 3:1-15

1 Kings 3:1-15

As Solomon’s reign really begins in 1 Kings 3, we receive a glimpse into the personal life of Solomon. Up until this point we have seen his interactions with his family and friends. He struggled to gain control of the throne, having to first contest with his brother Adonijah. While grieving the death of his father, David, he also had to make tough choices on what to do with the men who had betrayed him and his father in that struggle for the throne. In the end, he cleaned house and got rid of all the men who had stood by Adonijah’s side. So 1 Kings 3 is the first glimpse we get of Solomon in his everyday life as king of Israel.


Solomon regularly traveled to Gibeon to sacrifice to God, for there was still no Temple in Israel (construction had not yet begun). The magnitude of the sacrifices he made is evidence of the great wealth Solomon had, even at the beginning of his reign. But it was not the magnitude of the sacrifice that mattered. Solomon could have been a peasant giving up one animal and the sacrifice would have meant the same. What was unique about Solomon was his devotion to God. He continued to follow God, even after David’s death. Like young adults today who move away from the home for the first time, we have to decide if our religion is something of our parents or something we have truly taken hold of as well. What role will God play in our life when they are not there to make sure we are still attending Church? The same was true for Solomon. He could have easily strayed from God, not having his father there to make sure he followed the Law. However, this was not true for Solomon (at least at the beginning of his reign). He was truly devoted to God, and that is shown through his sacrificial spirit.

While at Gibeon one day, Solomon received a dream from God where God told Solomon that He would give him whatever he desired. Solomon could ask for anything, and it would be given to him. I cannot help but wonder what I would have asked for. What would have been the first thing that popped into my mind, and it would it have been something that would have glorified God? For Solomon, there was only one choice. He could have asked for money, but as we have already seen, he was pretty much set in that area. Solomon instead asked for wisdom. He knew that his role as king was a tough spot. While it was a prestigious role to have, it also brought on a lot of hard decisions. He had already had to make some of those tough choices when dealing with those left over from David’s reign. So he asked God for wisdom, so that he would be able to discern what the right course of action was in the future.

God was pleased with Solomon’s response, so he granted Solomon’s desire for wisdom. But God went one step further, rewarding Solomon for his humble attitude. Since Solomon did not ask for riches or for his enemies to be taken care of, God promised that He would continue to provide in those areas as well. This would give Solomon a comfortable, peaceful reign as king of Israel. He would live a long life, and ultimately, Israel would be what God had always intended, a lighthouse to the rest of the world. The nations around Israel would see how their God provided for them, and God would be able to reach out to these nations as well. But there was also one condition on Solomon’s request. God told Solomon that he must also be careful to continue to follow the Law, as he had done. When we get comfortable and have everything we need (as Solomon did here), it is easy to become complacent. That is when we are in the most danger, and we must be even more careful to make sure we are continuing to follow God.

Matt