Bibledoorajar agrees with the queen that the king's wisdom was excellent and that its' source was Divine.

  The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgement, and equity; To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.   Proverbs 1: 1-7

     Think of it. A gentile queen is so impressed with the wisdom of the Jewish king that she acknowledges the true God who alone could have so gifted Solomon with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Through this wisdom a great house was built (Proverbs 24:3). The queen ended her visit by giving Solomon gifts and she went back home with a great story of all that she had experienced.
     On the one hand we have the beautiful temple that Solomon built with the wisdom God gave him. The plan for the temple was given to David of Judah: a shepherd, a king and a priest. It was built by Solomon through the Spirit of God according to His pattern. It was built by wisdom and many wise builders and skilled craftsmen from many nations contributed to its structure and beauty. On the other hand, we have the beautiful temple that Jesus is building with the wisdom from above. The plan was given given to Christ in eternity: a Shepherd, a King and a Priest, born to the tribe of Judah. The temple is being built by Jesus through the Spirit of God according to His pattern. It is being built by wisdom and many wise and skillful Jews and Gentiles are helping to build it.
     On the one hand we have King Solomon whose name means peaceful and beloved. He was anointed king before David and before Israel. He ruled over Israel and there was none to compare to his earthly throne. He conquered enemies and his kingdom was the greatest on earth. His government was administered by twelve officers and his wisdom was unsurpassed on earth. On the other hand we have King Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace, the beloved Son. He was anointed King before John the Baptist and before all heaven. He is the King of the Jews, King of Israel, King of Saints and King of Kings. His heavenly throne is one to which none can compare. He has conquered and has His enemies under His feet. His kingdom is the greatest in the universe. Twelve apostles are the foundation of His government. Jesus is God's wisdom personified.
     Both Solomon and Jesus had a royal mission and a good name. Both had wisdom about God that could not be measured. Solomon glorified God in his temple. The believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. According to Paul in 1 Cor. 6: 19-20, believers are to glorify God in our spirit and body because we are God's. In Ephesians (2:19 ff.),  Paul says that together we are growing into a habitation of God through the Spirit. And then there's Peter's comments that we are lively stones being built up together so we can offer spiritual sacrifices to God (2:4-9). Praise God for His glorious creativity which shows us in the natural how He through His eternal ability  built up a house in Israel for His honor and glory. Their experience in the natural is our "schoolmaster" in the spiritual realm. In Ephesians 3:10, Paul says that the eternal intent of God is that the church will make known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. Our challenge is to maintain our focus and not faint. This will be our glory and will bring honor to God.

Bibledoorajar rejoices with saints who are happy this week

     Have you ever thought about happiness being excellent?  The Queen of Sheba did.When she observed how happily Solomon's servants served him, she found their happiness excellent. They served him with joy and their joy was an undisputed sign that they were daily drawing strength by being in the presence of the king and by being in a blessed environment. Solomon's servants were happy because the king had been able to greatly improve their living conditions. Through him, they too, attained wisdom and understanding. How happy to live at a time when there was no war, no protests in the city, and when prosperity reigned. How happy are people who live in such conditions. Their children prosper and grow into fine servants suitable to serve the king (See Psalm 144 in which David envisioned such an environment after God would give victory and also Proverbs 3:13 which attests to the happiness of those who find wisdom and its' gain).
     God had instructed Israel to "rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you undertake to do" (Deut. 12:18). As long as they lived on their property they were not to abandon spiritual matters that would bring them joy. Strength and gladness were to be found in His presence (1 Chron. 16:27). This is simply what God thinks---the righteous should be glad and His wisdom and understanding can make it happen in spite of life's circumstances. If we realize we are not happy, then, we can appeal to God for revival. However, during the period in which the queen visited King Solomon, the servants were at perfect peace and full of joy thinking of all that God had done through their king.
     Jesus said that every time a sinner repents there is great joy among God's servants in heaven. This set against the revelation that there are many who do not think they need repentance and these bring heaven no joy (the 99). Jesus had some advice for his disciples as to how to maintain joy in their service to God. According to John 15:12, He told them to stay in His love and follow His commands and, then, their joy would be complete. Is this not when we usually lose our joy? Something happens in our "world" and we respond poorly. We lose our desire to serve the King and our love wanes. We wonder why our environment is not blessed and happy. But Jesus had to walk out terrible suffering in order to follow the commands of His Father. The apostles and disciples of the New Testament attest that sometimes tribulation will be a part of the picture until the King returns. Our responses to tribulation will be critical if we wish to maintain our joy. Paul said it is possible to be "sorrowing yet always rejoicing, poor yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6:10). One way he said we could attain this state when we have lost our joy is to be filled anew with the Spirit. This happens by renewing our minds (repenting) and speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord. Humbling ourselves in the sight of the Lord leads to Him being able to lift us up. In our weakness we become strong and though our environment be filled with tribulation, our hearts can know happiness and can look with great joy to a time coming when all servants of the King will serve Him happily. According to the king whom the queen was visiting, this viewpoint is that of those who have wisdom (Prov. 15:21) and, it too, is the wisdom of that One greater than Solomon. Praise Him for all He has done, is doing, and will do for those who love Him and wish to be His servants.

Bibledoorajar walks the Royal Bridge with the Queen

     The time for the royal retinue to move from the palace of Solomon to the temple in order to worship God and give offerings had come. And the foreign enquirer, the queen, was being allowed to go with the king. God had made it plain. There was to be a place made for foreign enquirers who seriously sought the God of Israel. It was necessary to ascend from the new palace up to the inner court of the temple, also called the royal porch.
     In artistic renderings one can see the huge bridge built on arches that spanned the valley between the palace and the temple. Scholars tell us that the royal bridge was 250 feet long and 62  feet wide. Single spanning stones in this bridge measured 24 feet wide! As the royal entourage made its way up the bridge, the view of the valley below was breathtaking. The city of Jerusalem with all its buildings and gardens lay down below about 225 feet. Not only could the entourage look down on all the city's splendor, but the people could also look up and observe the royal splendor. I can almost feel the excitement of the queen as she traversed the bridge knowing that she was going to a temple whose God claimed to be the one and only true God. The splendor of the ascent was magnificent, an astounding work of architecture. Psalms 127, was one of the psalms of ascent. Solomon possibly conceived the psalm as he approached the temple via this route. In the psalm, Solomon declares that unless the Lord build a house, it is built in vain. We build but, if in our building we do not realize that we must humbly ask that God help us build, we have built in a lessor fashion that will be in vain. Solomon points out that it is God that helps the watchman watch and protect His people. And, lastly, he cites that God helps his people build families by giving them children. All our security in all our efforts comes from Him. So, no matter how wonderful the ascent was in the natural, the thought of ascending to worship our God and all that He secures for His people was even more lofty.
    Inside the temple, the queen was impressed with the burnt offerings that Solomon brought. In Solomon's temple the size of the altar increased by 4 times in length and 3 and 1/3 times in height to that of the wilderness tabernacle. Here, all animal nature would be totally consumed and the smoke would rise as incense before God. The amount of sacrifices that Solomon had offered to God time after time was staggering, showing his complete devotion to his God. In this effort he, of course, needed the assistance of priests who served voluntarily in their capacity. The priest would slaughter and burn the animals whose lives would be given in the people's stead. Such was the divine order and Solomon wanted God to know how sincerely he believed and trusted his God. Such a relationship between a worshipper and his God greatly impressed the queen.
    Scholars tell us that years later Jerusalem looked up at that royal bridge and saw one greater than Solomon being led to meet with the Sanhedrin and to the judgement of Pilate. How great was His ascent and how great would be His offering. Thank you Lord, perfect Lamb, perfect High Priest, perfect Redeemer! So great was your ascent that Christians everywhere repeatedly worship and offer the praises You so richly deserve. May our offerings be as abundant as those of Solomon!

Bibledoorajar wonders that in the court all that was done was for the king!

     The queen of Sheba was awed with the way Solomon's cupbearer efficiently saw that all officials served the king and maintained honor in his court. The cupbearer was an officer of most honorable rank and was highly valued by his sovereign. He was selected for his trustworthiness and his maturity and consequently had great influence with the king. He bore the cup before the king and was responsible for tasting everything and for not allowing anything poisonous to enter the sovereign's court. An excellent cupbearer, he was fearless and willing to give his all for the king. No other character and strength of heart would have so impressed the queen. Because of his remarkable trustworthiness, all that he remembered and reminded the king of was well received. The cupbearer's life revolved around the king's court and it was with great joy that he came to his sovereign's banqueting table.
     In the Genesis story of Joseph (chapter 40), it was the cupbearer who was in a position to help Joseph by remembering him and advising the Pharaoh about Joseph's abilities. The influence on the Pharaoh by this key person led to a release from prison and promotion for Joseph. Nehemiah (chapter one) was another trustworthy person that a king (Artaxerxes) elevated to the noble position of cupbearer. He had a confidential relationship with the king and greatly influenced the king's decision making. It was having the ear of the king that led to Nehemiah receiving all that was needed to begin rebuilding in Jerusalem.
     Our King, Jesus, also has a wonderful and trustworthy Cupbearer. The Holy Spirit has chosen to be His Cupbearer. He works efficiently to keep all poison out of the court of the King by leading all of us into truth and right ways. While the Father reigns in Heaven and the Son is at His right hand, the Cupbearer in right here on earth with us. He leads and counsels, maturing us for court behavior that pleases the King. The poisons of the old nature, the sexual immorality, the feuding, the envying, the factionalism, and things like these, are replaced with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and other stellar attributes. It is these things that the law of God cannot stand against and of which the Kingdom of God will be filled. When we do not know what to do or how to pray, the Cupbearer intercedes with sorrowful groaning over our tragedies in this life. He fights for people whose stories are yet to be told. Since it is the Cupbearer who brings us into this new life, it is also the Cupbearer who orders our lives day by day so that dignity may be found in the court of the King (Gal. 5:25). As we grow, we respond more positively to the Lord's suffering people. Thanks to the Cupbearer we are better able to remember the words of Jesus and act on them: "Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my Name, because you belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." It becomes more and more pleasurable to serve.
  I end this blog thanking all the cupbearers who lovingly approach the altar table to share the cup of our Lord with us. You do well in your service to the brethren. Holy Cupbearer, we are depending of You to be with us and grow us into the one new man of which the Holy Scripture speak. We trust Your gentle nature and we thank you.
                                                                

Bibledoorajar joins the Queen in noticing the apparel worn by those serving Solomon's Ministers

     In the dark movie, Alice's Restaurant, there is a scene where a husband and wife talk following the untimely death of a loved one. They discuss the sad circumstances of the death and ponder their influence on the person. The wife says, 'I guess our beauty wasn't coming through'. The husband responds, 'maybe we haven't been so beautiful lately'. So, seeking happiness, they put on wedding apparel of their choice and get married again in an old church building they own. Friends from the restaurant were invited, and the couple was sure they were inviting their very best support system. After all, they had shared so much at the restaurant over the years. Things would be great following the big celebration. However, when all the dressed for the moment guests were gone, and all the drink gone, the couple realized they were still alone. They still had no family to minister to or from whom they could receive ministry. They were still wondering how they had dressed for life. The movie ends with the couple just as alone and just as depressed as ever. It is a sad movie, but it does cause one to ask, am I dressed for a good life and what kind of beauty do I want others to observe in me? What kind of family do I want and what will be my ministry to them?
     The Queen of Sheba was very impressed with the apparel that was worn by those who served Solomon. Importantly, they were dressed with the type of apparel that Solomon would ACCEPT. Lesser garments had been "put off" and garments appropriate to honor the king had been "put on". I am sure the Queen had attendants who wore fine clothing, but there was something about the apparel in Solomon's court that was so exquisite, so lovely, that the queen was very impressed. Clearly, all the people there had wanted to be finely dressed when the king appeared.
     The Bible is clear about the apparel that God will accept from those who serve Him. Under the Old Covenant, Isaiah encouraged the sorrowing people of Jerusalem to be beautiful AGAIN and dress themselves in a way that holy ones would want to worship with them. He prophesied about a coming suffering Savior who would give them beauty for ashes and a crown for their heads. The Lord would cover them with clothes of salvation. All blemishes and difficulties would be concealed by this wonderful clothing. Their coat would be a coat of goodness and they would be like a bride dressed in jewels joining her bridegroom (Isaiah 52; 61). But alas, most of God's people were not able to see Him when He came at His first appearing and refused the new apparel. But praise God for 120 Jews who did; and praise the Lord for those who heard the call to share the good news of new apparel with the Gentiles.
     The Church, too, is to be clothed in fine linen of righteousness (right ways, Rev. 19). This means we need to quit "patching" our old clothes and allow God to give us brand new clothes. God gives the new clothes by his grace and His people take care of them through their obedience. His grace, our obedience-what a powerful milieu in which God can work! There is no doubt about it, Christians are being clothed for victory and we must always draw our strength from the Lord Himself. We seek for our clothes to match those of Christ who is dressed in pure white linen. Everyday, we choose to dress to please the King. In Matthew 22, we see how important it is to be dressed correctly and to maintain the right garments. In the passage, the king appeared and was dumbfounded. He asked people how they had gotten into the ceremony without putting on the right wedding clothes. No way! He told his attendants that the people improperly dressed must be bound and cast out.
     In the movie, Alice's Restaurant, none of the characters were dressed appropriately. In the end they were all bound by the enemy and found themselves in a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth". They could have blinded the enemy with the right clothing, but there was not enough "right ways" to stop him and he won the battle. This was not a destiny that God had planned. our King wants better for people.

     "Lord, please  help us maintain our linen clothes; we have no interest in weeping and gnashing of teeth!" Help us share our Source for our finery with others. In Jesus Name, Amen".