## Introduction
Good day, everyone. Today, we are studying Chapter 10 of 1 Kings. Allow me to begin with a short anecdote before we get to the core message of this chapter.
Recently, I came across a news report about people attempting to list a religious temple on the stock market. Unsurprisingly, the deities housed within were not pleased. In truth, within the hierarchy of spiritual entities, the so-called "God of Wealth" is small fry. If all manner of spirits and deities were assembled, the God of Wealth would stand way at the back—even armed bandits command more clout. 
The question we must ask is: why did they try to list a temple on the stock exchange? Purely out of greed for money. The result? The deities were offended. Previously, people found their prayers answered at that temple; now, it has lost all spiritual efficacy. This happened because those people failed to recognize basic hierarchies—they mistook a obscure, low-ranking "God of Wealth" for a supreme deity and worshipped it accordingly. Is it any wonder the higher deities were angered and withdrew their favor?
If that is the case, what then is the ultimate asset? The answer is wisdom. If a person possesses wisdom, will he suffer from a deficit of capital? Absolutely not. A man of wisdom will never lack financial resources. Will he lack health, joy, or quality of life? Of course not. King Solomon was an exceptionally brilliant man. When God asked him, "Ask what I shall give you," Solomon did not hesitate. He requested wisdom. This response pleased God immensely.
God looked down from His throne and saw that the vast majority of people on earth were busy worshipping Mammon, with very few seeking the true God. Solomon stood out as an extraordinary exception—a rare individual seeking what truly matters. God was surprised, but what impressed Him even more was that Solomon asked for neither wealth nor long life, but solely for wisdom to govern the nation of Israel effectively.
Consider the reality of the situation: although the Israelites had left Egypt, their minds were still cluttered with petty tricks, stubborn antics, and short-sighted cunning. Governing such a stiff-necked people without exceptional wisdom was an impossible task. Once Solomon received wisdom, he deployed it to build the Temple of the Lord and his own palace—both monumental engineering feats. He used this wisdom to manage foreign diplomacy and govern the people of Israel. Wisdom was his ultimate force multiplier; it brought him national order, international renown, and unmatched success.
Therefore, the theme of this chapter is: **"Wisdom Brings Reputation, Wealth, and National Power."** 
I have spent several minutes discussing the God of Wealth and King Solomon, but the fundamental point is this: a person must acquire wisdom. Without wisdom, you are a complete liability. What a human being needs most is not raw cash, but functional wisdom. Without wisdom, how can anyone expect to survive, let alone thrive?
We must all earnestly desire wisdom. If an unwise person achieves fame, it becomes a disaster. Do you understand this principle? If you lack wisdom, fame is merely a target on your back—the tallest tree catches the most wind. If you have no wisdom, do not stick your head out; do not seek the spotlight. Consider Abraham, the patriarch of Israel. He possessed immense wisdom. He sought God, and God promised him: "I will make of you a great nation, I will make your name great, and all nations on earth will be blessed through you." That promise began with Abraham.
What disappoints me most today is that many people are foolish enough to despise wisdom and chase only money. But loving money does not make you rich. Even idolaters understand this better than most. Why do some worship Guan Yu—the God of War—instead of the God of Wealth? I investigated this, and they told me, "Guan Yu is the Martial God of Wealth." I asked, "Why the Martial God?" They replied, "If you have money but no blade, others will simply rob you. You cannot survive without power to defend your assets." You see, even they possess a practical, cold-eyed logic.
In contrast, the practical IQ of some Christians is lower than that of idolaters. What is the point of accumulating wealth if you have no leverage or wisdom to protect it? You are simply waiting to be plundered. Let me share a true story from my hometown before we return to Solomon. 
During the early days of China's Economic Reform, an elderly couple in their sixties rode the wave of economic dividends and accumulated substantial wealth. However, while they had money, they lacked the "blade"—they had no wisdom or defense mechanisms. This was an incredibly dangerous position. 
A few penniless thugs spotted them and spent days surveying their residence. One day, they kicked the door open and stormed in. Realizing the danger, the old woman said, "Take whatever you want, just don't harm us." The robbers took the valuables and left. 
Just then, the couple's son returned home. Seeing what had happened, he refused to let the robbers escape. Armed with nothing but hot blood, he fought them bare-handed and was promptly stabbed to death. Devastated by the loss of their son, the heartbroken parents burned millions of real RMB as hell bank notes at his funeral. What good was all that money when their son was gone?
Later, the couple donated their remaining fortune to build a temple. Today, we do not need to acquire knives, guns, or raw cash; can we come to the church to acquire *wisdom* instead? If you go to Shenzhen to make money, you come to the church to build wisdom.
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## The Queen of Sheba Tests Solomon with Hard Questions
> **Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.** (*1 Kings 10:1*)
Make no mistake: the Queen of Sheba was a master of statecraft. Do not make the mistake of thinking she was an ordinary, uneducated woman. She was an exceptionally powerful and shrewd ruler in her region. If we use the game of Go as an analogy, she was easily a 9-dan master—a top-tier head of state who governed her country with great competence.
Yet, despite her capability, she faced complex, systemic problems that she could not resolve regardless of how hard she deliberated. When she heard that there was a King in Israel named Solomon who surpassed her in capability, she decided to bring her toughest political and philosophical dilemmas to test him.
How did she learn about Solomon? Sheba's merchants had traveled to Israel for trade. They witnessed the magnificent scale of the Temple and Solomon's palace, and they were awestruck. Upon returning home, they realized the Queen's palace looked modest by comparison. 
(While Sheba’s palace could not compare to Solomon’s, Solomon’s palace could not match the scale of the Forbidden City in Beijing—though that came three thousand years later.) 
When the merchants reported what they saw, the Queen of Sheba was deeply moved. She longed to see Solomon in person, but due to the immense distance, she had to wait. Over time, this unresolved ambition left her restless and preoccupied.
After a long period of preparation, she finally assembled a massive caravan carrying 120 talents of gold, precious stones, and spices. Beyond official diplomacy, some historical legends—such as those recorded in Ethiopian traditions regarding the "Beta Israel" or Black Jews—suggest a romantic alliance between them. Whether that is mere folklore or history, the central point remains: in Ethiopia, no nobleman met her standards. She was a top-tier leader seeking an equal—someone who could offer her strategic security and absolute competence. Solomon was the only ruler who commanded her absolute respect.
She brought her most perplexing problems to Solomon. As Solomon systematically answered every single one, she was thoroughly awed by his intelligence, governance, and insights.
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## Solomon’s Wisdom Subdues the Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba was a decisive leader. Having set her sights on meeting Solomon, she pursued her objective relentlessly.
> **She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.** (*1 Kings 10:2-3*)
Laozi wrote in the *Tao Te Ching*: "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." That opening statement left generations confused. But Solomon, in writing *Ecclesiastes*, explained the fundamental truths of life with absolute clarity. If a leader cannot explain principles clearly, he is no master. If an audience leaves a lecture completely baffled, has the speaker actually communicated anything?
I frequently see churches invite famous guest speakers. After the sermon, the audience applauds enthusiastically, yet I am left bewildered because the sermon lacked clear logic. I would ask attendees, "Did you understand what he meant? Could you explain it to me?" And they would reply, "Actually, I didn't understand it either." Why applaud something you did not understand?
Worldly thinking is often inverted: people assume that whatever is incomprehensible must be profound. If I wanted to sound "profound," I could simply talk in chaotic riddles. But true mastery lies in absolute clarity.
Whether in Bible study or preaching, my objective is to ensure that everyone understands the message clearly. When my late mother was alive, she told me, "Son, I cannot understand other preachers, but whenever you speak, I grasp it instantly." That was a great encouragement to me. Why? Because the truth was presented with precision and clarity.
Solomon spoke with absolute clarity. There was not a single question brought to him that he failed to resolve cleanly.
> **And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.** (*1 Kings 10:4-5*)
The Queen of Sheba was completely overwhelmed by what she witnessed. She realized she had found a ruler of unprecedented caliber.
> **She said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.”** (*1 Kings 10:6-7*)
Solomon's intellect, governance, and national prosperity completely redefined her understanding of leadership.
> **“Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”** (*1 Kings 10:8-9*)
Make no mistake: the Queen of Sheba did not make these statements out of superficial admiration. She was genuinely subdued by Solomon's administrative genius and strategic wisdom. 
Solomon likewise recognized her intelligence. He granted her every request and extended complete royal hospitality to her before her return.
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## The Queen of Sheba’s Tribute to Solomon
Consider King Solomon's standing: could you dismiss a man of his stature with a modest gift or a hundred-dollar tip? Certainly not.
> **Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.** (*1 Kings 10:10*)
When genuine wisdom is demonstrated, immense value and resources naturally follow. Wealth, prestige, and national strength are not achieved through superficial shortcuts—they are the direct dividends of divine wisdom.

Do you know that Ethiopia was a land famed for producing the finest spices? The treasures the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon included tons of gold, transported in heavy carts and loaded on camels. Ask yourself: what kind of ruler commands such immense wealth? This proves beyond doubt that she was no ordinary figure, but a formidable and capable leader.

Let me tell you this: whenever you see someone who hungers for wisdom, that person is either a Solomon or a Queen of Sheba. They are cut from a different cloth. Look at the Book of Proverbs—it tackles wisdom right at the start. Why? Because without wisdom, a person simply cannot navigate life. The Queen of Sheba gave Solomon a vast quantity of spices—a one-off, all-out effort. She risked everything and spent heavily, but achieved a decisive outcome: she secured exactly what she sought.

King Solomon Granted the Queen of Sheba All She Desired

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. (1 Kings 10:13)

I surmise that what Solomon gave her far exceeded the value of what she brought to Jerusalem. What was she truly after?

Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness. (1 Kings 10:9)

Could an average person say such words? Absolutely not. Only someone with a deep, profound understanding of God could utter this. What did she want? Gold? Nonsense. What value would mere gold have to her? Here is a historical account—unverified by my own research, but legendary nonetheless: it is said that the Ark of the Covenant was seen in Ethiopia, matching the biblical description perfectly.

In other words, Solomon likely commissioned his master craftsmen to build an exact replica of the Ark of the Covenant and presented it to her. What an extraordinary eye for value she possessed! That was three thousand years ago. Imagine preserving such a treasure to this day—it would be utterly priceless.

She brought the Ark back to Ethiopia, and that single act led her nation to believe in the Lord and walk the path of divine blessing. She did not stop there; I suspect she also requested a copy of the Pentateuch, because she understood that true wisdom comes only from knowing the Word of God.

Did Solomon give her his songs, including the Song of Songs? Undoubtedly. The brilliance of the Queen of Sheba lay in her insistence on acquiring the ultimate truth. She recognized that Solomon’s wisdom originated from God, and so she hungered after that same divine wisdom: the Word of God.

While your appetite for God’s Word may surpass that of many others, I am still not fully satisfied. We are talking about wisdom here! I often see brothers and sisters ramble on endlessly about trivial worldly matters, without quoting a single word of God. How foolish can one be? Their minds are entirely cluttered with worldly junk.

In our church, after the main service, we used to hold prayer sessions. One sister immediately asked me to pray for her job. Pray for your job? Is your job that magnificent? I told her: "I should pray for your wisdom instead!" With a mind the size of a walnut and a heart like a peanut, she crumbles under stress the moment work is assigned to her. Without wisdom, how do you expect to solve problems?

We must learn from the Queen of Sheba. Solomon respected her precisely because she pursued wisdom relentlessly. Consequently, he granted her everything she asked for. Understand this: when we earnestly seek wisdom, God looks down from His throne and rejoices that He has finally found a prized child. What God fears most is a foolish, unwise people.

God delights in those who seek wisdom, as did Solomon. When a person asks for wisdom, God is prepared to grant them everything else. She brought 120 talents of gold; do you think Solomon let her return empty-handed? He gave her back far more—easily quadrupling its value.

We must demand wisdom of ourselves. Once you possess wisdom, you become formidable. It is said that if you tell a Japanese businessman, "You are so rich," he might glare at you. But if you say, "You are so wise and knowledgeable," he feels deeply respected. Do you get the point? We are often the exact opposite, obsessed with being called rich because we haven't broken free from the low-level mindset of worshipping Mammon.

Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom Surpassed All Kings of the Earth

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules—according to a fixed rate. (1 Kings 10:14-25)

Do you see how far Solomon's fame spread? His wealth and wisdom surpassed every ruler on earth. Kings traveled from afar just to sit at his feet and hear him speak.

When Solomon ran his masterclasses, do you think his students were ordinary corporate executives? No. They were kings. He didn't run executive MBA courses; he ran royal academies. Do you realize what kind of tuition fees were involved? If you study for a Master's degree in Singapore today, it costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars; a two-week study tour costs a fortune.

Solomon’s lectures were not like standard university courses. He delivered them personally. The kings paid tribute just to hear his wisdom. This fulfilled God's promise: to make your name great.

How do you achieve greatness? Through wisdom. If you want Solomon’s wisdom, reorder your priorities. Seek wisdom first. If you pursue other things instead of wisdom, it will inevitably end in tragedy.

Even if you own a Fortune 500 conglomerate worth trillions, can you manage it without wisdom? Place those financial ledgers in front of you, and your head will explode like a balloon. It would be complete double-Dutch to you. Therefore, ask God for wisdom first.

Solomon’s Chariots and Horses

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. (1 Kings 10:26)

Make no mistake: Solomon’s military hardware was top-tier, the kind only a global superpower possessed at the time. Israel became the most powerful nation on earth under his reign because of his wisdom.

What is wisdom in practical terms? Some believers look for trouble where there is none, constantly offended by minor comments or cold looks. Why be so narrow-minded? Shouldn't we expand our capacity and acquire Solomon-like wisdom?

I feel strongly about this. I long for us to receive divine wisdom together, to equip ourselves with the most advanced spiritual weaponry. We must become Jehovah’s strongest army in the spiritual realm, taking cities, establishing footholds, and setting captives free. All of this requires wisdom from God.

Recently, a sister’s aunt was suffering terribly. Moved with compassion, I prayed for her constantly, binding the demonic spirits behind her torment. The sister later texted me that her aunt had improved significantly. I reminded her: "You must learn to discern between the person and the demon."

When a person is under demonic oppression, their behavior does not represent their true self. My greatest edge, my wisdom, is that the moment I encounter someone, I can instantly discern whether I am dealing with the person or a demon. If it is a demon, I command it in the name of Jesus Christ to depart. With my sharp discernment, no demon can fool me or use human lips to wound me.

Setting the oppressed free is my core profession. In spiritual warfare, I am a 9th-dan master! If anyone tries to spar with me, they had better be at my level; otherwise, they must step back. I told this sister: learn to distinguish between the person and the spirit. Without wisdom, you will simply scold the person, driving them deeper into demonic bondage.

Conclusion

Wisdom is the supreme thing; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

God is the personification of wisdom, and His Word is wisdom itself. Ask yourselves: are you wise? Do not confuse years of formal education with wisdom. Millions of university graduates enter the workforce every year—do you think they are all wise? Many possess grand visions but useless hands, staring at their smartphones all day until their health deteriorates. Some even call them educated fools.

Recently, an elderly sister in her nineties was nearing the end of her life. Her 80-year-old brother came from the countryside to see her one last time, carrying heavy bags. His 50-year-old son walked beside him empty-handed. When asked why he wasn't helping his aging father, the son replied, "I can't, I have high blood pressure." What an utter liability!

Some people are like poorly made devices—charging for two hours only to last five minutes. They are useless unless permanently plugged into an outlet. Why? Because they lack computing power—they lack wisdom.

I want all of you to break free from foolishness. Academic credentials do not equal wisdom. Desire wisdom above all else. Emulate Solomon; emulate the Queen of Sheba. May God grant us the highest wisdom.

May God bless you all!

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