A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Chronicles 9.
“Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with riddles” (2 Chronicles 9:1 NASB). Other translations (ESV, NIV) say, “hard questions.” For the moment, I like riddle.
A riddle is a question that seems to be silly but has an amusing answer.
- What’s black and white and red (read) all over? A newspaper. (A macabre answer: A bloody zebra).
- Say my name and I disappear. What am I? Silence.
Samson posed a riddle to entertain and take advantage of the Philistines. “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” Spoiler: it’s the lion he killed with his bare hands where bees made a hive filled with honey (Judges 14).
So if I had a chance to speak with Solomon, a king gifted with divine wisdom, I’m not sure I would come with riddles. Instead of trick questions, I would want to know about his father David. I’d have questions about the temple. And the amazing wealth he had. And all the foreign dignitaries he had come to visit him.
So many tell me the questions they will have for Jesus when they finally see him face-to-face. I just smile. I have a feeling that none of those questions will matter when you’re with Jesus.
Waite for it... 