1 Kings Chapter 4: God Gave Solomon Immense Wisdom and a Broad Heart

Let us look at 1 Kings Chapter 4 today. It is an exceptional chapter. The theme is clear: God gave Solomon immense wisdom and a broad heart.

Solomon Selects His Ministers

So King Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and the king’s friend; Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labor. (1 Kings 4:1-6)

We must understand one fundamental truth: Solomon possessed wisdom, and wisdom is a formidable asset. If you want to govern, to manage, and you lack wisdom, chaos will inevitably ensue. I often ponder how Solomon selected his ministers. Let me tell you this: if you choose a foolish minister, you might think he is easy to manage. But the truth is, fools are not necessarily easy to manage, and worse, they cannot deliver results. On the other hand, if he is smarter than you, and you appoint him, is that not highly dangerous? Of course it is.

There is a saying that the collective intelligence of an enterprise will never exceed that of its chief executive—the man at the top. Solomon was the leader of Israel. When his subordinates performed their duties, Solomon could instantly discern what was done right and what was done wrong. Let me ask you: if these ministers do not know how to do their jobs, how do you manage them? The men Solomon selected were all exceptionally sharp, the absolute elite.

Take the chief of the officers, for instance. This is the man who oversees all government officials. Is that an easy job? No, it is not. Why? Because if your intellect is inferior to those beneath you—if the chief of officers is less intelligent than the officials he governs—he will surely be deceived and manipulated. Once that happens, once others see that he can be fooled, everyone will start playing the system. The entire administration falls into disarray.

Therefore, as the leader, if you lack wisdom, you cannot manage the chief of officers. If you appoint a highly capable chief of officers but you yourself are weak, he will end up managing you. That is unacceptable. But if you lack wisdom and appoint an equally foolish chief of officers, the entire system below will descend into utter chaos. Is that not so?

This is why God granted Solomon immense wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart. He chose the elite of the elite. How did he select them? He looked for one primary quality: they must be able to deliver results. If a man cannot do the job, it matters not how clean or honest he is. He may be incorruptible, but if he is incompetent and carries no weight, of what use is he to the state?

Do not make the mistake of equating incompetence with integrity. Incompetence is never a virtue; it is a liability. The reason Israel was governed so exceptionally well was because Solomon had the capability, the wisdom, and the breadth of character to manage these highly intelligent, sharp individuals.

This underscores the critical importance of the immense wisdom, understanding, and broad heart that God gave Solomon. This chapter is profound; it offers us deep insights. The leader at the very top must possess heavenly wisdom and understanding, and he must select the right ministers. That is the formula for success.

But here lies the problem: if an organization is in utter chaos—say you walk into a hotel and find it completely disorganized—the fault does not lie with the front-line staff. It lies squarely with the top management. Do you understand this? If there is infighting and power struggles within a church, it is because the leader at the top has failed.

Whether a project succeeds or fails depends entirely on the number one leader. If the top leader prioritizes a task, it gets done smoothly. If he ignores it, the work stalls. Solomon was an outstanding top leader. What did he ask of God? He asked for the wisdom to govern the people of Israel. And what kind of wisdom did God give him? God gave him the wisdom to manage these brilliant, sharp ministers.

Let me tell you, there are certain realities that may seem counterintuitive, but the worst thing is a lack of wisdom. There is a historical perspective—whether it is entirely accurate, I have not deeply researched, but I will share it with you. The Qing Dynasty went through Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, down to Emperor Jiaqing. Jiaqing executed Heshen. After Heshen was gone, it became extremely difficult to find anyone as capable of executing tasks. Heshen was corrupt, yes, but he was highly competent. Historical records show he was exceptionally good at getting things done. So, how do we judge him? It is highly complex.

I tell you, some people are completely clean and incorruptible, but they are foolish and incompetent. How then do you govern a nation? The men Solomon chose—whether they were entirely clean, we do not know—but they were certainly men who delivered results. Competence is a formidable quality. My brothers and sisters, you must understand: it is not the ministers who determine the ultimate state of a nation. It is the king above them who determines the height the nation can reach. The wisdom of the top leader—be it of a nation, an enterprise, or a church—is what decides everything.

Some things are indeed peculiar. I know a pastor who used to complain to me endlessly about the conflicts and lack of unity in his church. As I listened, I thought to myself: "If you are complaining to me about this, the problem is you." Therefore, I tell you, wisdom and understanding are crucial, but that phrase that follows—"a broad heart"—is extraordinary. Frankly, my own heart is not large enough, which is why I cannot be a Solomon. But my heart is certainly larger than average. Why is that? Reflect on this: if my heart were not broad enough, would I not have been pierced through like a sieve by now? Of course I would.

A broad heart is absolutely essential. If your heart is narrow, you cannot do this work. I have seen through life, death, and all the trivialities of existence. Sometimes I boast to you, saying that a person like me only comes along once every five hundred years. Do not take it too literally; it is just my way of speaking. But indeed, very few in this world truly see through these matters. Of course, to be completely candid with you, there are times when I too lose clarity, and I have to fight my way back to seeing through it again. Do you understand what I mean?

Therefore, a broad heart is of paramount importance. Whether your heart is large enough depends on your personal growth and destiny. If you are narrow-minded, you cannot contain wisdom. If your eyes are fixed only on trivial, petty matters, and every minor annoyance triggers your temper, you must change. Without change, wisdom is impossible. The scripture puts it beautifully: God gave Solomon great wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart. If you lack a broad heart, you cannot manage ministers. Look at what those ministers managed below. Were there loopholes? Yes, many! How could Solomon oversee them so precisely? If you were a provincial governor, could you look into every minute detail? No, you could not.

Take Hubei Province during the pandemic, for example. Could the governor personally oversee the institute of virology or the Military World Games? It is highly unlikely, yet he had to bear the ultimate responsibility. If your heart is not broad, you will lack this wisdom. A broad heart focuses on the big picture, the macro perspective. I tell you, in our church, we do not have these power struggles and infighting. Where does this peace come from? It comes from the wisdom, the understanding, and the broad heart that God has granted me. I can truly tolerate and accommodate. Some of you may not realize it, but if you were to sit in my position, you would quickly realize that without a broad heart, you cannot survive.

Solomon Appoints Twelve Governors to Provide Food for the King and His Household

Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year. These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife); Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land. (1 Kings 4:7-19)

This passage reveals something remarkable about Solomon's administrative capability. Solomon secured his provisions for the entire year without spending a dime of his own. January was provided by one governor, February by another, without a single day's lapse. And Solomon's consumption was massive. His daily provisions consisted of thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten fat oxen—ten oxen a day!—and a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

How could Solomon personally consume so much? How much can one man actually eat? Let me ask you, even if you eat every day, how much can you put away? Not that much. The reality is that he hosted massive banquets. We must understand that these twelve governors had to deliver their quotas month after month without fail. Over thirty days, that amounted to three thousand sheep and three hundred oxen! The scale of consumption is staggering.

Consider when Donald Trump visited China. The grand banquets laid out before him were of a scale the Americans had rarely seen. Where else would they witness such grandeur? Or take the minor rulers of Southeast Asia visiting the Emperor of China in the old days. The palaces of these Southeast Asian chieftains were tiny. When they arrived at Tiananmen and walked in, they were utterly overwhelmed. The Duanmen gate, the vast distances—large enough to drill entire armies—then the Wumen gate, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. They had never seen anything like it. Today, when foreign leaders enter the Great Hall of the People, they are struck by the sheer scale and majesty of it.

Do you think Solomon was a frugal man? He was not. Solomon was formidable. Where did his strength lie? It lay in his grand style of consumption and hospitality. Every court session was a banquet; every foreign envoy was received with a feast; every ministerial meeting was accompanied by a spread. It was always on a grand scale. Let me tell you, if your heart is not broad enough, you cannot operate at this level. My brothers and sisters, if you are to be sons of God, you cannot afford to be narrow-minded. You cannot do this work with a petty mindset.

Let me ask you: is frugality the ultimate virtue, or is grand statesmanship the virtue? Tell me. If a foreign dignitary visits and you receive him in a cramped three-room flat with barely enough space to sit, is that acceptable? No, it is not. You must have stature. I tell you, a wise man is never a miserly, petty individual. A petty person cannot achieve great things. Forget about arguing over a hundred sheep or ten oxen; some people are so narrow-minded they fret over chicken feathers and garlic skins—sheer trivialities.

Solomon appointed twelve governors specifically to manage his household provisions. Consider his harem of three hundred wives. If each wife had three servants, that is a household of twelve hundred people to feed. Imagine the scale of that operation. It was massive. Did God object? No, He did not. You must realize that God's heart is infinitely broader than Solomon's, and His grand design is far more magnificent than Solomon's court. Without that scale, how do you govern? God does not mind grand scale. On the contrary, He has little regard for those who are petty and miserly.

Now, did these twelve governors view this duty as an intolerable burden, complaining about having to provide such massive quantities for one month each year? If you govern a region and cannot even produce these provisions, what business do you have governing at all? Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must understand that wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart are of paramount importance. If a man is poor in his spirit, he will inevitably be petty.

Solomon was the son of David. Did David live in such grand luxury? No, he did not. In this aspect, David did not match Solomon. And King Saul was highly frugal, far more so than David. Yet, why did God not favor Saul? What was the reason? My brothers and sisters, if these twelve governors could not even secure these provisions, they were unfit to be governors. Some might argue: "Is this not corruption? Is Solomon not selling offices and taking bribes to enrich his own household?" Yet, God did not concern Himself with such accusations. Is that not the reality?

Therefore, everyone must recalibrate. Let me tell you this: if your heart is not big enough, it cannot contain the blessings God has for you. If your capacity is small, you will lose out tremendously. Do our brothers and sisters know why we like the concept of magnanimity? As believers, we must have that bold, magnanimous spirit. It means being big-hearted.

Let me be frank with you today: many people are incredibly narrow-minded. I once knew someone who came to my office, saw a book, said, "This is a good book," and just walked off with it. I bought that book with my own money! Just because it is good, you simply take it? Well, take it then. Take it all. If your heart is not big enough, you cannot do this. For those of you who have interacted closely with me, tell me honestly, do you feel I have a big heart? If your heart is small, you cannot bless others, nor can you carry blessings. It is as simple as that. Solomon appointed twelve governors, and these twelve governors also had to have big hearts. Do you understand this?

Today, we must train ourselves to expand our hearts. When your capacity is enlarged, wisdom and understanding will follow, and you will be able to carry blessings. One can tell your capacity simply by looking at the trivial things you fuss over. Sometimes, I hesitate to speak my mind. Forget about appointing someone as one of the twelve governors; some cannot even manage to be a minor official. We must adjust. God’s house has no shortage of resources. There is no need to be petty and stingy.

Our brothers and sisters must realize that Solomon himself could only eat so much. Most of the provisions were actually for his household, his family, and the state banquets he hosted for his officials. You need wisdom to select your ministers, and wisdom to delegate authority. Of course, this authority came with a small price: each governor had to provide for Solomon and his household for one month of the year.

The Surrounding Nations Brought Tribute to Solomon

The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life. (1 Kings 4:20-21)

Why did they bring tribute? Because if you did not, you would be dealt with. Politically, failing to pay tribute is simply unwise. Why? When these nations faced problems they could not resolve, they had to turn to Solomon. Why was Solomon so effective? Because he had wisdom. You must understand that neighboring small states were constantly at each other's throats. Solomon stood firm. He did not just settle the petty disputes of the Israelites—like whose child belonged to whom, or the squabbles between prostitutes that ended up in his court. Solomon settled those easily. But he also had the strategic wisdom to resolve geopolitical conflicts among surrounding nations.

Take Iran and Israel today. To resolve such deep-seated conflicts, you need high-caliber intelligence and wisdom. If you can get these two nations to sign a treaty—agreeing to cease hostilities because peace and prosperity are more important, and agreeing not to attack each other—that is real capability. When Solomon was in power, he maintained order and settled these matters.

Once order was restored, everyone marvelled at Solomon's capability. In the Chinese classic Journey to the West, all kinds of demons and spirits acknowledged the Monkey King as their leader. Why? Because he could get things done; he was genuinely powerful. Likewise, these nations brought tribute to Solomon. If you did not pay tribute, he would not solve your problems when you ran into trouble next time, would he? Solomon was exceptionally wise.

Remember, this level of wisdom allowed him to resolve conflicts without deploying a single soldier. In this regard, he far surpassed David. That is why the surrounding nations brought tribute. Solomon’s military wisdom was even more formidable, yet he rarely resorted to military force. He solved problems through intellect, not sheer force. The Bible does not record all these details; if it did, the scriptures would be far too voluminous to read. We would have ten volumes, which would be unmanageable. So we will leave it at that; it is enough for us to know this fact.

The Israelites Ate, Drank, and Lived in Safety

Do you know how he obtained this wisdom? It was because he had a heart to build the Temple. He had a pure, sincere heart, and he deeply desired to govern the people of Israel well. He did not seek luxury, longevity, or the destruction of his enemies. No. He sought wisdom to govern Israel. Once he became king, he realized the immense responsibility of governance, and knowing his own limitations, he asked for wisdom. He was made king because of his heart to build the Temple. Once on the throne, governance was a heavy burden, so he petitioned for wisdom. That is how it happened.

After Solomon made his request, let me tell you, as a wise king, he made sure to select highly competent individuals for those twelve administrative posts. They were doers. They drove investments, spurred development, established industrial zones, and perhaps even developed new energy sources—though we cannot be sure what kind of energy they used in those days. Solomon was exceptionally capable, and the ministers he appointed were top-tier talent. The result? The national economy was incredibly robust. How could it not be? It was bound to thrive. Consequently, the people of Israel lived in safety, eating, drinking, and enjoying life. Where else could you find such an outstanding leader?

For a nation to live in safety and enjoy prosperity, it is not a stroke of luck falling from the sky. It is the result of wisdom descended from heaven. Do you understand? Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must realize that wisdom is supreme; you must pursue it. The essence of what I am saying is this: if you have a heart of reverence, God will entrust you with governance and make you a leader. Once you are in a position of leadership, you must govern. And to govern, what you need most is wisdom. Once you acquire wisdom, the rest follows naturally, leading to the state described in 1 Kings Chapter 4—eating, drinking, and rejoicing.

Solomon’s Fame Spread, and All Nations Sent People to Hear His Wisdom

In those days, there was no internet, but let me tell you, news traveled incredibly fast—even faster than today. It spread like wildfire: "There is a man in Israel named Solomon, a king endowed with heavenly wisdom." Countless stories about him circulated. Consequently, neighboring kings came to Israel to hear his wisdom. I do not know if his fame reached China back then, some three thousand years ago, during the Shang or Zhou dynasties.

Solomon's reputation spread far and wide. Human nature is such that people recognize the immense value of wisdom and will send emissaries to acquire it. Why did Xuanzang and his disciples in Journey to the West travel to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures? Because those scriptures represented wisdom. Do you see the point now? They crossed mountains and rivers because they knew how vital it was. Similarly, many came to learn from Solomon; kings of all nations sent men to hear his wise words. I suspect Solomon might have established a dedicated workshop to engrave his words onto scrolls, so that visitors could take copies back to their own lands. Unfortunately, archeologists have yet to excavate any definitive proof of this.

But let me assure you, Solomon’s fame was widespread. When you possess wisdom, you will find it brings true honor. If a person is wealthy but lacks knowledge and wisdom, it is highly embarrassing. Solomon's wisdom made him famous. Wealth alone is unremarkable—you may be rich, but others are rich too; you may be the wealthiest man in one region, and I in another. That is meaningless. It is wisdom that truly attracts people. Just like the eighty-one trials in Journey to the West to obtain the true scriptures—the true scriptures represent wisdom. That is why people came to hear Solomon's wise words.

It was difficult for foreign kings to visit in person, but it was common for them to send envoys. Remarkably, the Queen of Sheba from Ethiopia came in person with her entourage to hear Solomon's wisdom. It is said that she slept with Solomon, became pregnant, and returned to Ethiopia. She did not just bring back wisdom; she also bore Solomon descendants. That is how the story goes.

What did Solomon give her in return? He gave her a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. That is why Ethiopia claims to have it today. We have not verified this scientifically, but let it be. What is certain is that Solomon's fame spread far and wide.

Solomon’s Wisdom: Three Thousand Proverbs and One Thousand and Five Songs

Solomon was highly accomplished; he composed many songs and wrote many proverbs. The Book of Proverbs we read today was written by him, though whether all three thousand have survived is unclear. I have not counted them myself.

But regarding these proverbs, you must realize that wise men write books. Look at China's great thinkers: Laozi wrote the Tao Te Ching, Confucius's teachings are recorded in the Four Books and Five Classics, Shang Yang wrote the Book of Lord Shang, and Han Feizi wrote Han Feizi. These exceptional individuals all put their thoughts into writing. Solomon was no exception. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about beasts and birds, reptiles and fish.

My goodness, Solomon knew everything. It is said he possessed exhaustive knowledge of astronomy, geography, and all living creatures—whether they flew, walked, or swam. Whether this is an exaggeration, we do not know. But when we read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes today, both written by Solomon, we find them incredibly profound. They dissect human nature thoroughly. His proverbs, songs, and insights spanned biology, physics, and much more.

Therefore, you must realize how magnificent wisdom is. If you wish to become wise today, you must study Ecclesiastes and Proverbs diligently. This coming Sunday, I will preach on Ecclesiastes. Solomon’s writing in Ecclesiastes is masterful; it dissects the inner workings of man and explains the reality of human life with absolute clarity.

Conclusion

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. When I read this passage, I feel a sense of envy. When will God grant me such wisdom and understanding? When will He expand my capacity, just as He expanded Solomon's?

Of course, I do not need ten oxen or a hundred sheep. Ten fattened oxen, twenty from the pastures—my goodness, thirty oxen! I missed twenty earlier, but let that pass. Still, I believe this wisdom is highly desirable; I yearn for it even in my dreams.

I believe our brothers and sisters will eventually take on roles of governance and administration. Do you realize this? Whether you like it or not, God intends for His people to govern. Have you noticed that our God delights in administration? But if a person lacks wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart, it is impossible to govern effectively.

Among those I train, I have a grand vision: I hope our brothers and sisters will emulate Solomon, desiring to govern God’s people and lead them into the Promised Land, equipped with wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart. We must begin expanding our capacity today. If your heart remains as small as a sesame seed, you will face serious limitations.

Therefore, after reading this, do not return everything to Solomon or return my words to me. If you do that, what have you gained? Do you only want the thirty oxen? I could just sell one ox. If one ox is worth ten thousand, thirty oxen would be three hundred thousand. That is three hundred thousand a day! My goodness, a daily expenditure of three hundred thousand! Some people only see the money, without examining what is inside their own heads. Some say an ox is worth far more than ten thousand. Well, whatever the exact figure, it is a substantial amount of hard cash. But where did it come from? Did it not come from wisdom, understanding, and a broad heart?

Brothers and sisters, you must begin, by all means, to desire governance and to seek wisdom and understanding from God. If you are to govern, can you actually manage? It begins with personal conduct and executing tasks, which then scales up to managing people and managing affairs. It is my earnest hope that all of you will obtain wisdom and understanding.

May God bless you all!

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