1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: How to their friends and faithful listeners and Welcome to 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: the Bible, explained on this absolutely beautiful morning, and I 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: am so thankful you're here with me on the podcast 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: today we're going to be talking about the Queen of Sheba, 5 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: who she was, what she did, and why Jesus commends 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: her in the New Testament. So I really hope your 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: week is going well so far mine is going just splendidly. 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: Though I am shocked that Thanksgiving is in like a week. 9 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: I am just not ready for it this year, but 10 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: I'm still looking forward to it because my family is 11 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: coming into town and it's always so nice to see 12 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: my sister and my niece and my brother in law 13 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: and just hang out with them, and so we're going 14 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: to be doing that next week, which I'm looking forward to. 15 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: But faithful listeners, let me know what you do for Thanksgiving, 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: where you go, and your Thanksgiving traditions that you do. Actually, 17 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: I know somebody who one of their Thanksgiving traditions every 18 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: year is playing football with a frozen turkey, and I 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: just thought that was really unique. So tell me what 20 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: your super unique tradition is for Thanksgiving, because I've heard 21 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: quite a few of them I'd like to know yours 22 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: as well. You can contact me. You'll find my contact 23 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: information listed in the description of this episode. But let's 24 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: go ahead and read Second Chronicles nine one through twelve today. 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: As always, I will be reading from the web version, 26 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 1: but feel free to grab the version of the Bible 27 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: you prefer this morning. And also your cup of coffee 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: or your cup of tea for you crazy tea drinkers, 29 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and share a hot beverage together as 30 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: we enjoy reading God's word. When the Queen of Sheba 31 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 1: heard of the famous Solomon, she came to test Solomon 32 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: with hard questions at Jerusalem with a very great caravan, 33 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: including camels that bore spices, golden abundance, and precious stones. 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him 35 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: about all that was in her heart. Solomon answered all 36 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: her questions. There wasn't anything hidden from Solomon which he 37 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: didn't tell her. When the Queen of Sheba had seen 38 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 39 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: the food of his table, the seating of his servants, 40 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: the attendants of his ministers, their clothing, his cupbearers and 41 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up 42 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: to Yawai's house. There was no more spirit in her. 43 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: She said to the king, it was a true report 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: that I heard in my own land of your acts 45 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: and of your wisdom. However, I didn't believe their words 46 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, 47 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: half the greatness of your wisdom. Wasn't told me. You 48 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: exceed the fame that I heard. Happy are your men? Happy? 49 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 1: Are these your servants who stand continually before you and 50 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: hear your wisdom? Blessed be Yahweh, or God who delighted 51 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: in you and set you on his throne to be 52 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: king for Yahweh your God. Because God loved Israel to 53 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 1: establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them 54 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: to do justice and righteousness. She gave the king one 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, 56 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: and precious stones. There was never before such spice as 57 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Servants of 58 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from 59 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 1: ofir also brought algam trees and precious stones. The king 60 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: used the algam tree wood to make terraces for yaway's 61 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: house and for the king's house, and harps and stringed 62 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: instruments for the singers. There were none like these scene 63 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: before in the Land of Judah. King Solomon gave to 64 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, 65 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:23,839 Speaker 1: more than that which she had brought to the king. 66 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: So she turned and went into her own land. She 67 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:31,239 Speaker 1: and her servants. In the previous chapter we talked about 68 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: the great wisdom of Solomon and also how he was 69 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: a really good king for the prosperity of Israel. And 70 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: now his fame is spreading all over the world because 71 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: the Queen of Sheba ends up hearing about him. So 72 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: this would have been a queen in the Land of Sheba. 73 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: Sheba was probably in modern day Yemen or modern day Ethiopia, 74 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: though it's not one hundred percent sure where the Land 75 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: of Sheba is located. The reason people guess that it 76 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: was either Ethiopia or Yemen is because those two regions 77 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: in Solomon's day were known for having queens as their 78 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: primary leaders, not just kings, and not to mention, Jesus 79 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: called the Queen of Sheba the Queen of the South. 80 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: Both Yemen and Ethiopia are south of Israel. So actually, 81 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: if we turn to Matthew twelve, let's read what Jesus 82 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: says about the Queen of Sheba. He mentions her very 83 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: briefly in verse forty two as an example of what 84 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: to do. He says, the Queen of the South, or 85 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: the Queen of Sheba, will rise up in the judgment 86 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: with this generation and will condemn it. For she came 87 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom 88 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: of Solomon. And behold, someone greater than Solomon is here. 89 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: So Jesus actually commends the Queen of Sheba for going 90 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: and visiting Solomon, because she traveled a great distance to 91 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: go see him. She heard of his wisdom, and that 92 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: prompted her to make a fourteen hundred mile journey just 93 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: to see him. This would have taken months and months 94 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 1: and months. And I mean, when you think of queens, 95 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: you think of somebody that enjoys their luxuries and their 96 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: comforts and probably doesn't want to make a dusty, terrible 97 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: trip through the desert for several months just to meet 98 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: a man. And yet the Queen of Sheba was willing 99 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: to do that because she heard of Solomon's great wisdom, 100 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: and that's why Jesus commends her. He's like, you guys 101 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: should be more like the Queen of Sheba, who actually 102 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: pursued wisdom. Instead, you guys refuse to listen to anything 103 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: that I say, even though I am greater than Solomon 104 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: in my wisdom, because of course, Jesus is the son 105 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: of God and has all wisdom available to him. So 106 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: that's why Jesus is like, you won't even travel a 107 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: mile to come see the Son of God. Yet the 108 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: Queen of Sheba traverses the entire desert to go meet 109 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: King Solomon. But let's get into this story a little 110 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: bit more so, going back to Second Chronicles nine one 111 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: through four, here's what it says. When the Queen of 112 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to 113 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem with a very 114 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, 115 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,239 Speaker 1: and precious stones. So it's very likely that this queen 116 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: was very powerful in her own right. If she were 117 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: from the land of Yemen, that would have been an 118 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: area of trade at this time, so she would have 119 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: been a queen very knowledgeable in trade, and so it 120 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: could be that the reason she heard of Solomon was 121 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: because Solomon in his own right was now beginning trading 122 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: in different countries. You know, we talked in the last 123 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: chapter about how Solomon was making the Israelites seafarers, and 124 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: they were going as far as oh Fear, which some 125 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: people actually think is India to get all sorts of 126 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: goods and beautiful things from Ofear and bring them back 127 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,239 Speaker 1: to Israel. So if the Queen of Sheba was also 128 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: in the trading business, it's very likely that she would 129 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: have heard about Solomon beginning all of these trade deals 130 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: in the land of o Fear, which caused her to 131 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: become very interested in who he was. You know, a 132 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: powerful king is now entering the picture, and his fame 133 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: is like legendary. So she hears all of these rumors 134 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: and she decides, I'm gonna go visit this Solomon guy 135 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: and really see who this man is, because I don't 136 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: believe these reports about him. So I'm going to bring 137 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: him riddles and really hard questions to ask him and 138 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: see if he can actually answer them. So she came 139 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: to actually test Solomon and to gain wisdom from him. 140 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: As well if he was the real deal. So she 141 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: comes with a great caravan, because you know, when kings 142 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: and queens visited each other, they came with gifts. You know. 143 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: I guess it would be pretty rude for the Queen 144 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: of Sheba to just go and pick Solomon's brain without 145 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: anything in return. So she comes with a huge caravan, 146 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: including camels that bore spices, golden abundance, and precious stones. 147 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: So it was a big parade. You know. When she 148 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: entered the city of Jerusalem. I'm sure people were like, oh, 149 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: my goodness, who is here in this city? Like coming 150 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: to visit King Solomon. This was probably a really exciting thing, 151 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: you know, for everybody in Jerusalem. So it says that 152 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: she came to Solomon and she asked him questions about 153 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: all that was in her heart. She asked him about 154 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: all the riddles that she prepared for him, not to mention, 155 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 1: probably political questions and hard cultural questions. She just wanted 156 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: to see who Solomon was and how he was going 157 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: to answer these things. She was testing his wisdom, and 158 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: it says Solomon passed the test. In verse two. He 159 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: answered all her questions. There wasn't anything hidden from Solomon, 160 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: which he didn't tell her every single hard question that 161 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: she had. Solomon had an excellent anthem her, for he 162 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: answered all her questions perfectly because he was a wise man. 163 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: God actually told Solomon he was going to be the 164 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: wisest man on the planet. So Solomon used that wisdom 165 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 1: to answer all of the queen's questions. And so it 166 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: says in verse three, when the Queen of Sheba had 167 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 168 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: the food of his table, the seating of his servants, 169 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: the attendants of his ministers, their clothing, his cupbears and 170 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up 171 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: to Yawi's house, there was no more spirit in her. 172 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: So essentially she gave up. She was like, Okay, I 173 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: give up. This man is fantastic, his kingdom is fantastic. 174 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: I truly believe the reports that I heard. Now. But 175 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: notice here that it says after she had seen all 176 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: these things, that was when she finally believed the reports 177 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: that she heard, which means that she definitely came as 178 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: a skeptic of Solomon. And that's another thing, you know, 179 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 1: don't forget. Jesus actually commended the Queen of Sheba. He 180 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: commended her for getting answers to these questions. So you know, 181 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: God does not get upset with us when we have 182 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: questions for him. It actually says that we should take 183 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: these questions to God and that He will not be 184 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: angry with us for asking for wisdom for these questions 185 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: that we have. You know, I can't tell you how 186 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: many times that's happened to me where I'm reading something 187 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: to talk to you guys about it, and you know, 188 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: I'm doubting something, or I'm going through some kind of 189 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: heart problem, or I'm just unsure of what the scripture 190 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: is actually saying, and I'm like, how am I going 191 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: to present this and talk about this to all the 192 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: faithful listeners when I don't have a good answer myself, 193 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: when I'm doubting or you know, being a skeptic about 194 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: something I'm reading. I can't tell you how many times 195 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 1: I've gone to God with these questions and He just 196 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: like reveals something to me. God God answers questions. And 197 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: if Jesus was commending the Queen of Sheba, who was 198 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: a skeptic going and seeking for those answers, God commends 199 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: us for doing the same thing, not just being like, oh, 200 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: I don't believe this Bible. You know, it seems corrupted 201 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: or it seems too old. I'm just not gonna believe it. 202 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: God doesn't commend that, but he does commend you when 203 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: you have questions about the Bible where you might not 204 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: believe something it says, but you take those questions to 205 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: God and you actually try to find answers to them. 206 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: You are seeking after God, you are seeking after the truth. 207 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: And Jesus commends that. So, yeah, if you have questions, 208 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: take them to God. He is not going to get 209 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: angry at you for your questions. So the Queen of 210 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: Sheba gets the answers to her questions, and she was 211 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: so impressed that there is no more spirit in her. 212 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: So she was like dead inside saw all of these things, 213 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: and she's like, yeah, this is way beyond me, way 214 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: beyond my kingdom. I give up. So she says to 215 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: the king in verse five, it was a true report 216 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: that I heard in my own land of your acts 217 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:14,959 Speaker 1: and of your wisdom. However, I didn't believe their words 218 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: until I came and my eyes had seen it, and 219 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: behold half of the greatness of your wisdom. Wasn't even 220 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: told to me. You exceed the fame that I heard. 221 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: So she's like, you know, when I first heard the 222 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: reports of how wise you were in my own kingdom, 223 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: I didn't believe them at all. And She's like, and 224 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: yet they were true, and they weren't even the full truth, 225 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: because now I'm actually looking and seeing how impressive you 226 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 1: actually are, how wise you truly are, and how great 227 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: Israel has become. She says in verse seven, happy are 228 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: your men, Happy are your servants who stand continually before 229 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: you and hear your wisdom. Now this does not mean that, uh, 230 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: Solomon's servants were like singing and dancing with joy as 231 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: they were serving Solomon, but rather they should be happy 232 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: being in Solomon's presence every single day, being able to 233 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: hear first hand his wisdom. So she says, blessed be Yahweh, 234 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: your God, who delighted in you and set you on 235 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: his throne to be king for Yahweh, your God, because 236 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: your God loved Israel to establish them forever. So I 237 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: don't know if the Queen of Sheba was a Yahweh 238 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: follower before coming and visiting Solomon, but it kind of 239 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: sounds like she's a Yahweh follower. Now, because don't forget, 240 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: you know, Solomon wasn't just answering her questions. It actually 241 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: says in verse four that he showed her Yahweh's house 242 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: and also he ascended to Yahweh's house, meaning he probably 243 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: did worship right in front of her. He worshiped Yahweh 244 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: in front of the Queen of Sheba. We do know 245 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 1: that Solomon was actually quite religious with his worship of Yahweh. 246 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: You know, even though Solomon unfortunately kind of went off 247 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: the deep end after a while, at the beginning, he 248 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: did the daily sacrifices, he participated in the Sabbath Day sacrifices, 249 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: in the New Moon celebrations, and all of the Jewish holidays. Like, 250 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: he was quite religious in his own right. And so probably, 251 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: you know, the Queen of Sheba is having an extended 252 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: stay with Solomon, and she probably asked how worship was 253 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: done in Israel. That might have been some of the 254 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: hard questions that she had, maybe they were religious questions. 255 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: So she goes and sees Solomon worshiping Yahweh. And now 256 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: if she didn't know who Yahweh was before, she certainly 257 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: does at this point. And She may have even became 258 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: a Yahweh follower just based upon her speech right here. 259 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: Blessed be Yahweh, your God, who delighted in you and 260 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: set you on his throne to be king for Yahweh, 261 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: your God, because your God loved Israel to establish them forever. 262 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: Therefore he made you king over them to do justice 263 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: and righteousness. Sounds to me like she has a genuine 264 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: faith now. Don't know if she did before, but after 265 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: this visit to Solomon's Kingdom, she certainly does now. And 266 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: you know, that's what Israel was supposed to be. Israel 267 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: was supposed to be a light to all the other nations. 268 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: God actually said, if you follow me, I am going 269 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: to give you so many blessings. Your crops are gonna produce, 270 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: You're gonna have so many children, You're gonna have wealth, 271 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: You're gonna have this and that. I'm gonna just bless 272 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: you so so much, and you're gonna be a light 273 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: to all these other nations. And when the other nations 274 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: see Israel being like blessed immensely with all of these things, 275 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: they're gonna be like, what God are they worshiping? How 276 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: come our gods aren't doing this for us, you know, 277 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: and so the other nations would be interested in learning 278 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: about Yahweh, and Solomon kind of did that, especially here 279 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: in the case of the Queen of Sheba. She realized 280 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: that God was true, that God loved Israel because of 281 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: the amount of blessings that Israel received. She gave the 282 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in 283 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such 284 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: spice as the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 285 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: So the Queen of Sheba gave him one hundred and 286 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: twenty talents of gold, so that would be about three 287 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: and a half metric tons of gold. Also spices in 288 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: great abundance, and precious stones. So she brought all of 289 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: these things on these camels, so don't forget, you know, 290 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: this caravan that she brought with her was huge in 291 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: order to carry that amount of gold and spices and 292 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: precious stones. Now, of course, it could possibly be that 293 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: instead of the queen bringing all of these things on 294 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: this carevan to Solomon, she brought some of these things 295 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: and promised Solomon the rest later, like she entered a 296 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: trade deal with him or some kind of business deal 297 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: with him, and over time the gold, spices, and precious 298 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: stones ended up coming Solomon's way. But my personal opinion 299 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: is that she likely brought these things with her, you know, 300 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: especially if it says that she came with a very 301 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: great caravan. So that's my guess is that she actually 302 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: did hand these things to Solomon personally. Then in verse ten, 303 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: it kind of switches tunes a little bit, which is 304 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: sort of interesting. The servants of Hrom and the servants 305 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: of Solomon, who brought gold from oh Fear, also brought 306 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: to algam trees and precious stones. The king used algam 307 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: tree wood to make terraces for Yaway's house and for 308 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: the King's house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. 309 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: There was none like these seen before in the land 310 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: of Judah. It's kind of an interesting little segue that 311 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: scripture does right here, where they go from talking about 312 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: the gold and the spices and the precious stones that 313 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: the queen brought to all of the successes Israel had 314 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: on the sea bringing these things from o Fear, And 315 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: it very well could be that since the Queen of 316 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:25,159 Speaker 1: Sheba was likely a smart business woman herself, she was 317 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: super impressed with all of the things that Solomon was 318 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: getting from o fear, you know, these algam trees and 319 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: these precious stones. It actually says the algam trees, there 320 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: was none like them ever seen before in the land 321 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: of Judah. And all of these things contributed with the 322 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: positive impression that the Queen of Sheba got with Solomon 323 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: and the land of Israel. So it says in verse 324 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: twelve that King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba 325 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which 326 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: she had brought to the king. So even though the 327 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: Queen of Sheba was a very rich woman with tons 328 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,360 Speaker 1: and tons of gold that she brought along with her, 329 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: King Solomon was even more wealthy than she was and 330 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: gave her everything she could want. So she went and 331 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: returned to her own land, she and her servants. So, 332 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: after staying sometime in the Land of Israel, after receiving 333 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 1: all these beautiful gifts from Solomon, she ends up going 334 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 1: back home, making that fourteen hundred mile trip back to 335 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: Yemen or Ethiopia or wherever she was from, and it 336 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,399 Speaker 1: was a trip worth her while. She learned a lot. 337 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: She realized the reports that she heard of Solomon were 338 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 1: the truth, and she also very possibly learned about Yahweh 339 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: and became a Yahweh follower because in faith, she chose 340 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: to find answers to her questions. Well, faithful listeners, don't 341 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: stop asking those questions, because you will receive answers to them. 342 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: I hope you all had a great time on today's podcast. 343 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 1: I will see all of you tomorrow for an episode 344 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 1: from First Timothy. Until then, happy listening, and God bless