Solomon’s Blank Check

What would you do if God offered you something in the world that you wanted? In “The Blank Check” we saw a man named Lot, and what he did with his “Blank Check”, and how he didn’t do very well. Then in “Another Blank Check,” we saw a prophet named Balaam, and what he did with his blank check, and how it ultimately cost him his life. Now I would like to look at a man named Solomon who was offered another blank check.

First, let’s take a look at who Solomon was and why he was king over Israel. Solomon succeeded David as king of Israel; however, he was not David’s firstborn son. Therefore, the question is: Why was Solomon appointed King over Israel? To answer this question we must first take a look at when and where David’s sons were born.

Let’s look at 1 Chronicles 3:1-9. Here we see a list of David’s sons: Amnon, Daniel (Chileab), Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Itream, Samua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. Now according to 1 Chronicles 3:4, the first six were born to David at Hebron, where he reigned over Judah for 3 years and 6 months. The other 13 children were born in Jerusalem. The first four mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:5 are born in Bathsheba. Solomon now appears as the last son on this list; however, we know from 2 Samuel 12:24 that Solomon was the first living son of David and Bathsheba, not the fourth.

Therefore, Solomon was the firstborn son in Jerusalem after David was anointed King over all Israel. David reigned as king in Jerusalem for 33 years. According to Eastern tradition, the eldest son born after his father’s ascension to sovereign authority would be the heir to the throne in his own right. Therefore, Solomon is the proper heir. Therefore, apart from Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5-9, 2:13-25), he did not receive any resistance once David appointed him as his successor.

This is how Solomon became King over Israel. As King, Solomon worshiped the Lord, and according to 1 Kings 3:3-9 he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to the Lord. It was then that the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered him his blank check. We see the offer made in 1 Kings 3:5. The Lord asks Solomon what he wants, and the implication is that whatever Solomon asks for, it will be his.

Now you would think that if the Lord God Himself offered you a blank check, you wouldn’t have to worry about it going bad. But let’s take a look at Solomon’s blank check and see what it was and how it turned out for him.

First, let’s see what Solomon asks for. I mean he could have asked for riches, health, peace, honor, a long life, a healthy family – the list could go on forever. Just imagine that the creator himself offers you unlimited opportunities, resources or desires. What would you ask?

This blank check was worth much more than Lot’s or Balaam’s checks. So how did Solomon respond to the Lord? Let’s look at 1 Kings 3:6-10 to see. Solomon fought against the likely temptation to ask for something selfishly. Instead, he asked God to give him the wisdom that would be necessary to rule the kingdom. Now, this sounds like Solomon had it all under control, and there’s no way this can come back and bite him like Lot and Balaam’s checks did.

We see in 1 Kings 3:11-14, and again in 1 Kings 4:29-31 that the Lord honored Solomon’s request. So Solomon was offered a blank check and cashed it too. At this point, it appears that Solomon did the right thing with his blank check. He was not selfish or greedy, but generous and selfless in his request. He understood the great demands that would be placed on him as king and used his blank check to be the best king he could be.

In 1 Kings 3:16-28 we even have an example of Solomon using the wisdom God gave him. Basically, two women came to him arguing about who was the real mother of a certain baby. You see, they both gave birth to children around the same time. These women lived together in the same house, and one night the son of one of them died. So, while the other was still asleep, she switched to the babies. The next morning, the other woman woke up with a dead baby, but she realized it wasn’t hers. They then came to Solomon to find out whose baby was still alive. They had no DNA evidence back then, so Solomon simply asked for a sword and said that he would split the baby in half so they could both have it. Of course, the real mother protested and said that she should just give the baby to the other woman; therefore, Solomon knew who the real mother was. (The other woman didn’t protest her decision. In fact, he applauded her.) Solomon then rewarded the true mother by returning her child to her, and in doing so demonstrated her great wisdom and judgment.

Finally, we have a blank check offered and cashed for the right reasons. Then we find ourselves in 1 Kings 11:1-8 where we find that Solomon; in direct defiance of Deuteronomy 17:17 he had 700 wives plus another 300 concubines. As if having so many wives wasn’t bad enough, we see in 1 Kings 11:1 that he married women from other lands; namely, daughters of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.

These women came from lands where they worshiped other gods, and when Solomon was old, these wives convinced him to go after these other gods. Once Solomon began to worship these gods, and his heart turned to the Lord, the Lord twice commanded him to turn away from these gods and return to the Lord God of Israel, but Solomon ignored these warnings.

Solomon was offered a blank check, he cashed it, and at first it looks like we finally have someone who is doing the right thing with his check. Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:9), Solomon receives wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-30), but Solomon does not use that wisdom (1 Kings 11:5, Nehemiah 13:23-26).

So how did Solomon’s blank check work for him? Well, if he had used it correctly, he might have turned out just fine, but as Romans 3:23 reminds us: we are all sinners, and Solomon was no exception; Therefore in 1 Kings 11:11-13 God promises to divide the kingdom at the end of Solomon’s reign.

The Bible teaches in Luke 12:48 that where much is given, much is required. Solomon was given much in the wisdom that he received, but he chose not to use it. We need to take a lesson from Solomon in this area. As believers, we must act on the knowledge and wisdom that God gives us. In James 4:17 we are told that if God has shown us what is right to do, and we choose not to do it, then we have sinned against him.

We all make mistakes and fall into temptation and sin. The issue at hand is what we do when God brings our sin to light. Do we ignore his voice as Solomon did in 1 Kings 11:10? Or do we repent of that sin as his father David did in 2 Samuel 12:13?

According to 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, Jesus will forgive us and restore us to a right relationship with him.

Do you have any unconfessed sin in your life today? If you do, confess those sins to the Lord and repent (walk away). Once you do, then according to 1 John 1:3-4, you will be able to have fellowship with Jesus again.

May your joy be complete in the Lord Jesus Christ today.