From the Head of Junior School 

The Queen of Sheba

If you read my last article, you may wonder if I have some fascination with royalty! I am starting to ask myself the same question; however, the Queen of Sheba, written about briefly in 1 Kings 10:1-12 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-13, has been on my mind for some months, so I decided she was worthy of my investigation. 

Having heard of Solomon’s grandeur and God-given wisdom (or maybe knowing that Solomon controlled the trade routes that were important to her), the Queen of Sheba, and an impressive entourage carrying an amount of gold, spices and precious stones came to visit King Solomon. For the Israelites, this was important as Israel had, for the first time, become a significant player in the arena of international power politics. This was a significant opportunity for the Israelites to place their God centre-stage (aren’t we set apart as God’s chosen people with this task of drawing people to Him?). This was their opportunity. 

Solomon had started his rule as a man of God, walking in the way of the Lord. In 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon asked God for an ‘understanding heart so that (he could) govern (God’s) people well and know the difference between right and wrong.’ (NLT)

Solomon is still known for his incredible wisdom, and it was no doubt this wisdom that enabled him to take control of the surrounding people groups and accumulate much wealth. This impressiveness, no doubt, is what drew, in part, the queen to come and visit. 

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.' Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

Solomon likely wrote this proverb and it would have been timely advice for him to continue to abide by. However, his desires, ambition, and wealth (originally a by-product of wisdom) caused him to become self-reliant, not God-reliant. Within a few chapters of the glory of the queen’s visit, we see Solomon’s demise. The author of Kings wrote a history of Israel’s monarchy to illustrate the two paths in life that everyone must choose: one path pursues God in heart and so pleases him, the other fails to obey God because of lack of devotion and is ultimately self-destructive.

What a timely reminder for us all! We are blessed abundantly. We live in such an amazing country where we have freedom and abundant food and provision. We are blessed so that we can bless others, and our blessings come from God. Once we lose this reliance on and appreciation of God’s provision, how quickly could we, like Solomon, become self-reliant and proud of our own achievements. 

But what about the Queen of Sheba, you ask? Well, I am left wondering about what she did with the knowledge she gained from her visit. Did she just set out on a trade mission as some commentators suggest, or did she set out to discover Israel’s God, who had given them such knowledge and wisdom? 

We know that the queen was clever as she came to Solomon with ‘hard questions’ to have answered. She must have had sufficient knowledge to enable her to discern his answers. Had she been a fool, she would unlikely have been given a royal tour or entertained in such a lavish fashion in his court. She was undoubtedly persistent in her search. Bible commentators have her situated near modern-day Yemen, so it was likely that she travelled over 2000 kilometres on a camel. Can you imagine journeying for three months on a camel? That is something to be admired. Jesus said that she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon. 

She came with a heart to seek answers. Jesus used the Queen of Sheba as an example of a seeker:  “The queen of Sheba will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here - but you refuse to listen.” Luke 11:31 (NLT) 

If the Queen of Sheba sought Solomon and the splendour of his kingdom so diligently, have we considered how much more we, today, should seek Jesus and the glory of His Kingdom?

We read the words of the queen in 1 Kings 10:8-9: ‘How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.’  (NLT)

One wonders if the queen understood the relationship between the happiness of all the people (not just those in the royal palace) and justice and righteousness. We are blessed to be living in the understanding that our righteousness comes from the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and that our happiness rests in this assurance. We can praise our Lord God knowing that He delights in us. What a privilege! But with this privilege comes the responsibility of providing justice for all, loving God, loving others unconditionally and relying on God not our own prosperity.

So did the Queen of Sheba come to understand this? We will never know, but my interaction with her did present me (and perhaps you as you read this) with some personal challenges. 

Liz Hinrichsen

Head of Junior School, South Plympton