Without question,
greatest story in
Bible of someone who sought after
knowledge and wisdom of God and actually received it was King Solomon in
Old Testament. What happened to this man was just about beyond belief. When Solomon became King of Israel, he knew he did not have
knowledge and wisdom to properly rule his people. So what did he do? He went direct to God
Father and asked Him for His knowledge and His wisdom to rule
people. He admitted his weakness in this area and was not afraid to press in and start asking God for His knowledge.
So what did God do when he asked Him for His knowledge to help rule his people? God did not meet him halfway - He met him all
way! As you will see in
two verses I will list below - God tells Solomon because he did not ask for long life, riches or
death of his enemies for himself - but just asked for an "understanding heart" to judge his people and help with discerning between good and evil - God tells him that He will give him a "wise and understanding heart."
But then God takes it one more incredible step further. He tells Solomon that
knowledge and wisdom that will be given to him will be like what no man has ever had before him and what no man will ever have after him! In other words - God will make this man
smartest man in God that has ever lived, and that there would never be another man in
course of human history that would ever have
knowledge that he would be given.
Just stop and ponder on what an incredible thing that this was - to have been given so much knowledge and wisdom direct from God Himself - that no man would ever be his equal in this gift!
Then God goes one more extra step in order to put
icing on this man's cake. He then tells Solomon that since he did not ask for riches for himself - but just for
knowledge of God to rule his people - that he will now be given incredible riches and honor to go along with
knowledge and wisdom to rule his people. Then God adds
final touch on
riches and honor he will be given - telling Solomon that there shall never be another king like him all
days of his life and that he will surpass all
kings of
earth in "riches and wisdom." In other words - God ends up making this man
smartest and richest man in all of
earth at
time that he was living!
If Solomon was really not asking God for wealth and riches - but just for
knowledge and wisdom to rule his people - why would God go so overboard in blessing this man with this kind of wealth - especially if he was not asking for it and possibly not even desiring it?
I believe
main reason God rewarded Solomon with this kind of maximum wealth was not only to show him, but
rest of His people that would come later on,
extreme importance that each and every person seek after
knowledge of God for their own lives. By blessing Solomon with this kind of wealth - God is telling all of us
extreme importance that we seek after Him and His knowledge for our lives.