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Solomon's God Given Wisdom · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
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  Speaker 1: largeness of heart, even as the sand is on the seashore.
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  Speaker 1: 1 Kings 4.29 Heavenly Father, I thank you that you
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  Speaker 1: are constantly available for me to draw from the well
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  Speaker 1: of your wisdom. Like Solomon in today's reading of 1 Kings,
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  Speaker 1: I ask that you give me divine understanding in all
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  Speaker 1: matters that pertain to life, business, and relationships. because your
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  Speaker 1: understanding is greater than mine. As I tap into this
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  Speaker 1: new power source, I'm excited, because I will understand situations
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  Speaker 1: like you do. I can now have access to divine
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  Speaker 1: understanding in the matters of business, even if I'm new
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  Speaker 1: to the industry. Increase the understanding in my life when
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  Speaker 1: it comes to leading others and in the matters of
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  Speaker 1: giving advice. May my speech be seasoned and well-placed. May
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  Speaker 1: my actions be calculative and precise. Thank you, Lord, that
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  Speaker 1: because I have opened my heart to you and your ways,
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  Speaker 1: I will never be without understanding as long as I
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  Speaker 1: rest and rely on you. I declare that I am
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  Speaker 1: stepping into the greatest season of understanding and wisdom in
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  Speaker 1: my life. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for praying
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  Speaker 1: with me today. Continue listening for an incredible Bible story,
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  Speaker 1: brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon's God-Given Wisdom In our last story, the great reign
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  Speaker 2: of David came to a close. David ruled over Israel
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  Speaker 2: for forty years. and blessed the entire nation with his bravery, leadership,
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  Speaker 2: and love for God. Now it was Solomon's duty to
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  Speaker 2: rule over Israel with wisdom, mercy, and justice. As his
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  Speaker 2: first act as king, Solomon took care of those who
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  Speaker 2: were loyal to his father and dealt justly with those
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  Speaker 2: who betrayed him. Now we watch the heart of Solomon
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  Speaker 2: connected to the heart of God in a unique way.
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  Speaker 2: His desire for wisdom over riches and influence sparks God's
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  Speaker 2: loyalty and blessing. Inspired by the book of 1 Kings
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  Speaker 2: and 2 Chronicles.
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  Speaker 3: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. The Bible in a Year podcast
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  Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come
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  Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners just
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  Speaker 3: like you. Your support today is so important that we
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: want to thank you for your gift by giving you
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: a copy of my book called The Jesus Book. It
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: is a powerful guide that shows how every book of
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  Speaker 3: the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word,
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  Speaker 3: the truth of God's word, will transform your life. So
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: to get a copy of The Jesus Book, simply go
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  Speaker 3: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
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  Speaker 3: you for your support. In our last time together, we
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  Speaker 3: heard how David left final words of encouragement and instruction
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  Speaker 3: for Solomon before he died. After David's death, Solomon set
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  Speaker 3: about dealing with those who had betrayed his father and
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  Speaker 3: him and blessing those who proved loyal to Israel and
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  Speaker 3: to its leader. Already, we caught glimpses of a man
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  Speaker 3: wise beyond his years, but that was just the beginning. Today,
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  Speaker 3: we'll learn how Solomon pursued godly wisdom, choosing it over
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  Speaker 3: wealth and status. God is pleased by the heart of
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  Speaker 3: the young king and blesses him in a very special way.
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  Speaker 3: Solomon's wisdom will become something of renown throughout his kingdom
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  Speaker 3: as he listens to his people and discerns right from
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  Speaker 3: wrong and good from evil. So, let's listen now to
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  Speaker 3: today's scripture.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon sat in the palace courtyard of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
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  Speaker 2: The hot Egyptian sun beat down on his back, causing
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  Speaker 2: a slight drip of sweat to fall down his neck.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon was there for a very specific purpose. He knew
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  Speaker 2: that in order for Israel to thrive, it could not
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  Speaker 2: just battle other countries. Some alliances had to be made
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  Speaker 2: for the preservation of their culture. So in the heat
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  Speaker 2: of day in the palace of Pharaoh, Solomon married one
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  Speaker 2: of Pharaoh's daughters as a symbol of political union. Trade
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  Speaker 2: with Egypt would prove useful, since Solomon had big plans
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  Speaker 2: to build a great temple for the Lord, just as
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  Speaker 2: his father David dreamed of. Solomon returned from Egypt, ecstatic
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  Speaker 2: at his new union with Egypt. There was something redemptive
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  Speaker 2: about an alliance with past enemies. Solomon felt a sense
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  Speaker 2: of purpose in creating allies instead of enemies. He made
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  Speaker 2: his way to Gibeon to worship God and get guidance
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  Speaker 2: and direction for next steps. He was still a young
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  Speaker 2: man and incredibly inexperienced. He knew that answers were found
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  Speaker 2: at the altar of God. The sun was beginning to set,
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  Speaker 2: and Solomon sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings to the Lord.
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  Speaker 2: Music and incense filled the room, as Solomon breathed out
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  Speaker 2: sweet praises to God. A smile fell upon his face,
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  Speaker 2: and he returned home. The night was calm, and there
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  Speaker 2: was no breeze or sound in all of Israel. The
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  Speaker 2: stars shone brightly, and Solomon was deep asleep in his bed.
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  Speaker 2: He shifted slightly in his bed, experiencing a dream more
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  Speaker 2: vivid and real than any other. Solomon stood before the Lord.
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  Speaker 2: He could not see him, but knew he was there.
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  Speaker 2: What do you want most? Solomon heard the Lord ask.
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  Speaker 2: Ask and it will be given to you. Solomon paused
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  Speaker 2: for a moment. He looked up and said, You showed
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  Speaker 2: my father faithful love since the beginning. He was honest
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  Speaker 2: and truly faithful to you, and you have continued your
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  Speaker 2: love for him by allowing me to sit on this throne.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon began to choke up, trying to capture the right words. Now,
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  Speaker 2: my God, you have made me king, and I am
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  Speaker 2: like a little child stumbling about. But you have placed
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  Speaker 2: me in the midst of your chosen people. They are
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  Speaker 2: a nation so great and so vast that they cannot
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  Speaker 2: be fully counted. Solomon paused again, this time kneeling before
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  Speaker 2: God with his hands spread open wide. Please give me
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  Speaker 2: an understanding heart, in wisdom to govern your people well.
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  Speaker 2: Allow me to know the true difference between right and wrong,
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  Speaker 2: good and evil, curses and blessings. There is no man
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  Speaker 2: that can govern these people without you by their side.
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  Speaker 2: Solomon finished his request and sat at the feet of
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  Speaker 2: God for a long time. The Lord was very pleased
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  Speaker 2: with Solomon's request. He could have asked for riches, success, power,
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  Speaker 2: or victory over enemies. However, Solomon simply asked for a
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  Speaker 2: discerning and loving heart. God replied to Solomon, saying, Because
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  Speaker 2: you have asked for wisdom instead of a long life
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  Speaker 2: or wealth, I will give you all you have asked
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  Speaker 2: for and more. The joy of God was palpable, and
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  Speaker 2: Solomon could feel it welling up in his chest. I
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  Speaker 2: will give you a wise heart, and no other ruler
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  Speaker 2: in history will match your mind. I will also give
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  Speaker 2: you more than you have asked for with riches, fame,
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  Speaker 2: and prosperity. All that I ask is that you follow
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  Speaker 2: me with your whole heart as your father did. And
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  Speaker 2: before Solomon could look up at the Lord, he awoke
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  Speaker 2: from his dream. He rose out of his bed and
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  Speaker 2: worshipped God alongside the governors of Israel. Soon after, Solomon
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  Speaker 2: was sitting in his court listening to the needs of
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  Speaker 2: the people. Solomon could feel God already filling his heart
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  Speaker 2: with wisdom and compassion. That day two prostitutes came to
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  Speaker 2: the king to have their arguments settled. One of the
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  Speaker 2: women was holding a newborn child while the other scowled
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  Speaker 2: at her. Solomon could already sense the situation before it unfolded.
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  Speaker 2: The woman not holding the child spoke, saying, Please, my lord,
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  Speaker 2: this woman I live with gave birth to a child
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  Speaker 2: the same week. However, her baby died in the middle
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  Speaker 2: of the night when she rolled over it. She got
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  Speaker 2: up in the middle of the night while I was
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  Speaker 2: asleep and took my child and left the dead child
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  Speaker 2: lying in my arms. Tears began to stream down the
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  Speaker 2: woman's face. When I tried to nurse the child, he
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  Speaker 2: was dead. When I looked closely, I found that it
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  Speaker 2: was not my child, but hers. She stole my baby.
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  Speaker 2: The other woman snapped instantly and said, Of course it
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  Speaker 2: was your son. The living child is mine. No, the
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  Speaker 2: other woman yelled. The two of them argued back and
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  Speaker 2: forth before Solomon. He stood there quietly, wondering how he
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  Speaker 2: could truly know who the child belonged to. Solomon had
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  Speaker 2: an idea to discern the hearts of the mothers, but
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  Speaker 2: it would risk him looking like a heartless animal. Nevertheless,
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  Speaker 2: it was the only way to judge the hearts of
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  Speaker 2: these two women. Bring me a sword, Solomon gestured to
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  Speaker 2: his servant. The servant brought him a long sword, and
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  Speaker 2: Solomon stepped closer to the two women and the child.
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  Speaker 2: Since neither of you can agree, I will cut this
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  Speaker 2: living child into two pieces. As Solomon spoke these words,
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  Speaker 2: he looked closely into the eyes of each woman. Of
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  Speaker 2: course he would not harm the child, but he desired
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  Speaker 2: to see the immediate reactions of both women. He only
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  Speaker 2: had a moment to read them both. As the words
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  Speaker 2: were leaving Solomon's lips, one of the women shouted, No, no, no,
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  Speaker 2: my lord, give her the child if it means it
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  Speaker 2: gets to live. Please do not kill him. That sentence
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  Speaker 2: was all Solomon needed to discern who the real mother was,
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  Speaker 2: for the other woman seemed to be more okay with
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  Speaker 2: the idea of killing the child. Of course I will
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  Speaker 2: not kill the child, Solomon said. Give the baby to
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  Speaker 2: this woman who wants him to live. She is clearly
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  Speaker 2: the real mother. The women left, and their story reached
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  Speaker 2: the ears of every Israelite. They knew that Solomon was
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  Speaker 2: a king able to discern truth and justice. Slowly, under
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  Speaker 2: Solomon's rule, a great deal of peace and wealth spread
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  Speaker 2: across the land.
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  Speaker 3: Today's passage begins in the distant but familiar land of Egypt.
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  Speaker 3: Solomon had traveled to the neighboring country with an important mission.
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  Speaker 3: He knew that Israel was not meant to be isolated
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  Speaker 3: and constantly at war with the rest of the world.
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  Speaker 3: God's plan for Israel was for them to bless other
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  Speaker 3: nations also, And what better way to bless another nation
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  Speaker 3: and build peace than with an alliance with a former enemy?
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  Speaker 3: When he returned home, Solomon went to the altar of
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  Speaker 3: God to offer sacrifices. David had taught him in word
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  Speaker 3: and deed that he should honor God above all and
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  Speaker 3: walk with him. And so Solomon went often to God's altar.
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  Speaker 3: One night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and
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  Speaker 3: asked Solomon what he should give him. There were no conditions, stipulations,
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  Speaker 3: or boundaries to the request. God wanted to know what
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  Speaker 3: Solomon desired most. Solomon's response is remarkable. He first acknowledged
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  Speaker 3: God's greatness, his love, and his steadfastness to David and
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  Speaker 3: to himself. Then he acknowledged his own shortcomings, his youth
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  Speaker 3: and inexperience, and the monumental task before him. Only then
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  Speaker 3: did Solomon make his request. Listen to what he said
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  Speaker 3: in 1 Kings 3, verse 9. Give your servant, therefore,
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  Speaker 3: an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may
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  Speaker 3: discern between good and evil. For who is able to
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  Speaker 3: govern this, your great people? Solomon did not ask to
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  Speaker 3: be strong and mighty like his father or rich and
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  Speaker 3: famous as many kings sought to become. He did not
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  Speaker 3: ask for a long life or great influence and power.
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  Speaker 3: Solomon asked for a discerning mind and a heart sensitive
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  Speaker 3: to God's guidance. It's no wonder that later in his
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  Speaker 3: life this man would pen words of advice for his
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  Speaker 3: young men to seek after wisdom like silver and hidden treasure.
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  Speaker 3: He understood that all the wealth, power, and health and
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  Speaker 3: fame in the world would be worthless without the wisdom
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  Speaker 3: to use it properly for God's purposes. Because he asked
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  Speaker 3: for wisdom rather than the other things one might have expected,
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  Speaker 3: God promised to grant him wisdom unsurpassed in history by
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  Speaker 3: any other. But he would also bless him with wealth
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  Speaker 3: and influence and so much more. And if Solomon would
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  Speaker 3: walk in God's ways as his father David had, God
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  Speaker 3: would give him a long and prosperous life. When Solomon
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  Speaker 3: awoke from his dream, he went to Jerusalem immediately to
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  Speaker 3: the Ark of the where he worshiped God with offerings
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  Speaker 3: and then prepared a feast for his servants. It didn't
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  Speaker 3: take long for Solomon's wisdom to be put to the test.
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  Speaker 3: One day, two women appeared before him with an argument.
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  Speaker 3: One woman claimed the other had swapped the dead child
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  Speaker 3: for her own living son and was trying to steal
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  Speaker 3: the baby. The other woman called her a liar. Solomon
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  Speaker 3: pondered a solution, and what he came up with was
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  Speaker 3: as shocking as it was brilliant. He told them that
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  Speaker 3: since they could not agree, he would simply cut the
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  Speaker 3: child in half and each could have one piece. One
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  Speaker 3: mother quickly begged him to spare the baby, to simply
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  Speaker 3: give it to the other woman lest he kill a child.
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  Speaker 3: The other woman, however, insisted that they follow Solomon's proposal
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  Speaker 3: and split the child in two. At that moment, Solomon
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  Speaker 3: knew the heart of a mother would rather lose her
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  Speaker 3: child to another than see him killed. so he ruled
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  Speaker 3: in favor of the first mother. Word of this ruling
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  Speaker 3: spread throughout Israel, and the people knew they had a
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  Speaker 3: king who could discern right from wrong and good from evil.
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  Speaker 3: This was the man God chose to rule his people and,
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  Speaker 3: as we'll soon find out, to build his temple also.
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  Speaker 3: So let's pray. Dear God, we thank you for today's scripture,
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  Speaker 3: as always, for your word, which is light and life
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  Speaker 3: to our lives. We pray, O God, that we would
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  Speaker 3: always seek your wisdom. Beyond earthly things, may we ask
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  Speaker 3: for eternal things, that we would know your heart, your will,
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  Speaker 3: and discern your ways for our lives. Thank you for
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  Speaker 3: your wisdom, God, in all that we do. Amen. Thank
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  Speaker 3: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: And before we go, I wanted to let you know
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  Speaker 3: that the Bible in a Year podcast is an outreach
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  Speaker 3: of PowerPoint Ministries, and can only come to you each
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  Speaker 3: week through the support of listeners like you. Your support
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: today is so important that we want to thank you
• 15:04
  Speaker 3: for your gift by giving you a copy of my
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: book called The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: guide that shows how every book in the Bible points
• 15:13
  Speaker 3: to Christ and how you can better read and understand
• 15:16
  Speaker 3: the Bible and how God's Word transforms our lives. So
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: to get your copy of The Jesus Book, Simply go
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: to jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: you for your support.