Wisdom: With Bible Study FellowshipSample

Test Case

Israel’s people expected their king to deliver civil justice.(1) God soon gives Solomon an opportunity. Verses 16 to 23 tell of two prostitutes in a heartbreaking dispute. They appear before Solomon, seeking a verdict from their king. Possibly tribal judges or city elders had refused to address their grievance. Or the leaders may have been unable to reach a decision. Now, Solomon needed to trust God and act in faith to give a wise ruling.

The women present their case to Solomon. They live in the same house, and both had recently delivered infant sons. Tragically, one of the babies died. Then, the woman whose baby had died swapped her dead baby for the living child of the other mother. Now, each woman claims she is the mother of the living child and accuses the other of lying. What would you do?

A Wise Ruling

King Solomon cannot know which woman is telling the truth based on their testimony alone. But God answers his prayer for wisdom, giving him the insight to reveal the truth. Verse 24 records Solomon’s surprising response. He calls for the baby to be cut in two so each woman can have half.

One woman immediately cries out, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” Solomon identifies the speaker as the real mother and returns her son. Notice how the king of Israel cares about preserving the life and rights of the mother and child, regardless of her background, occupation, or ability to repay.

God-given Wisdom

Along with those who first heard this story and every generation since, we learn that God gives wisdom to those who ask.What amazing news for all who know they need help and fear being unheard or ignored!

God promises His wisdom will be the strength of those who trust in Him and walk by faith. The Bible teaches us how to put God first in our lives. Through faith, He helps us learn to love and respect Him and other people. His wisdom helps us govern our own responses and lead others in life’s daily pressures. In the tests of relationship struggles and work responsibilities, how often do you ask God for help? Where do you need wisdom today?

Questions & Insights

1. How do the two women (their lives, relationship, and dispute) represent humanity’s common struggles and desperate needs?
2. In what situations do you currently need God’s wisdom to discern truth and act justly?
3. Who or what are your primary sources for receiving truth and justice, and what does 1 Kings 3 teach you about them? (Also see James 3:13-18.)
   
   Insights: 1 Kings 3 teaches us that God possesses all truth and perfect justice. People and their works must be evaluated for trustworthiness based on how well they reflect His knowledge. We will struggle, even suffer, due to sin in this world, but God’s children can expect His truth and justice to prevail in the end. James 3:13-18 says God’s wisdom comes from heaven. This means we go to God’s Word, as His children, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We trust the Holy Spirit to give us an understanding of the Word. We join with other believers to learn, practice, and live out this wisdom in our thoughts, plans, prayers, words, and deeds.

Related Verses

1. 1 King’s justice: 1 Sam 8:19-20; 2 Sam 15:2-3