TOPIC: Evangelism; Good News, Hope, Promise, Sovereignty, Testimony, Witness
TITLE: THE HALF NOT TOLD – Seeing Christ in Solomon and Sheba!
TEXT: 1 Kings 10:7 [1 Kings 10:1-13]
It’s legitimate to relate Solomon to Jesus as a "type" of our Lord; support for this view comes from Christ Himself: Jesus Himself said -
Paul Harvey relates half of the story to get his listeners' attention, to stimulate his curiosity … he then tells "The Rest of the Story".
This is the way it was with the Queen of Sheba, but she didn't know she had heard only half the story. She told Solomon, "the half was told to me." The claims concerning Solomon heightened her curiosity.
Weren't we told Jesus would never forsake nor depart from us; has He lied? The Bible says hope is a byproduct of the Good News; isn't real hope still found between faith & love? [1 Corinthians 13:13]
Sheba was an ancient kingdom in the southern tip of Arabia: present-day Yemen (meaning south or southern). Its people colonized Ethiopia in the tenth century BC and were known for their wealth and commercial prosperity.
Wealth was useless in those days unless one had the power to hold it … and the Queen clearly held hers well. In order to understand today's message we must walk through our passage, verse-by-verse …
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: The foundational inquiry for this outline appears later.
EXPANDED OUTLINE: [Editor's note – the preacher may make as much or as little of each point as he wishes.]
I. THE QUEEN HEARD THE REPORT!
We can’t exhaust the wonders of God; He is infinite, we are finite. What was Solomon's kingdom in the light of God's grace? Sinners need infinite grace, only our God has that much grace.
Those who dine at the Lord's table are abundantly satisfied.
TITLE: THE HALF NOT TOLD – Seeing Christ in Solomon and Sheba!
TEXT: 1 Kings 10:7 [1 Kings 10:1-13]
TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: A type is a representation of a higher, greater, or truer value. For example, the image left by the key of a typewriter is a representation of the engraved head of the key.“Nevertheless I did not believe the reports,
Until I came and my eyes had seen it.
And behold, the half was not told me.
You exceed in wisdom and prosperity
the report which I heard.'
It’s legitimate to relate Solomon to Jesus as a "type" of our Lord; support for this view comes from Christ Himself: Jesus Himself said -
“The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”Now the similarities between Sheba as a seeker of truth and spiritual seekers of every age is amazing. Of course very few seekers are monarchs or as powerful as Sheba. One might also see Sheba as a type of the Church.Matthew 12:42
Paul Harvey relates half of the story to get his listeners' attention, to stimulate his curiosity … he then tells "The Rest of the Story".
This is the way it was with the Queen of Sheba, but she didn't know she had heard only half the story. She told Solomon, "the half was told to me." The claims concerning Solomon heightened her curiosity.
[GOOD TIMES] There have been times when the first half HAS been told very well, and seekers have come from all over to hear "the rest of the story." E. g., Moody, Finney, Edwards, Wesley, Whitefield, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Graham ... Gillmartin … just kidding!Haven't you found the Good News to be much more than what you heard? You were told you would have peace which passes understanding; isn't what you have twice as good as what you thought it would be?
Weren't we told Jesus would never forsake nor depart from us; has He lied? The Bible says hope is a byproduct of the Good News; isn't real hope still found between faith & love? [1 Corinthians 13:13]
Sheba was an ancient kingdom in the southern tip of Arabia: present-day Yemen (meaning south or southern). Its people colonized Ethiopia in the tenth century BC and were known for their wealth and commercial prosperity.
Wealth was useless in those days unless one had the power to hold it … and the Queen clearly held hers well. In order to understand today's message we must walk through our passage, verse-by-verse …
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: The foundational inquiry for this outline appears later.
EXPANDED OUTLINE: [Editor's note – the preacher may make as much or as little of each point as he wishes.]
I. THE QUEEN HEARD THE REPORT!
II. THE QUEEN CAME TESTING!“… the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon …” [la]
Someone traveled to the Sheba and told her of this northern king, whose faith was in the God of Israel. A picture was painted her mind in words that seemed too good to be true.
III. THE QUEEN CAME BEARING!“… she came to test him with difficult questions.” [1b]
Like most doubters, Sheba was puffed up by her own self-image and her faith was in her nation's superstitions and powers. She thought herself intelligent and experienced.
She probably consulted others before she came, even brought some with her. She had her talking points just like someone participating in a political debate.
IV. THE QUEEN CAME REVEALING [she was transparent]!“… she came … with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones.” [2a]
She probably wanted to shame Solomon, if he didn't live up to his reputation. If the stories were true, the gifts would have elevated herself as a superior monarch or possibly to compromise the king.
V. THE QUEEN WAS ANSWERED!“… she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.” [2b]
Seeing was believing. She boldly told of her doubts. How can we deny what we see with our own eyes. Truth shatters the hard shell of pride, and its secrets spill out.
"… Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden … which he did not explain …” [3]VI. THE QUEEN WAS RECEPTIVE [open to the truth]!
The text says, “nothing was hidden from the king.” He gave her the answers she sought. He was not just a puppet in God's hands, God gave him understanding so he could explain it to her.
How often seekers are given "facts" by well-intentioned witnesses, yet no understanding follows because the student remains a student. [Cf. Hebrews 5:11-12]
VII. THE QUEEN GAVE TESTIMONY TO THE KING!“When the queen … perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.” [4-5]Sheba sensed one who was far superior to herself; far wiser, whose palace exceeded her own, whose table was so sumptuous all his subjects could feed at it. All of it was too much. And her spirit of pride departed from her. Some expositors say she was left breathless by the king's splendor.[PERSONAL TESTIMONY] This is how I felt when I was saved. I was so filled with pride and self-centeredness. When I came into the presence of the Living God for the first time all my senses screamed out in recognition of His greatness and my insignificance.
“Then she said to the king, 'it was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me.” [6-7a]VIII. THE QUEEN PRAISED THE KING AND GOD!
“You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” [7b-9; notice Messianic tone]IX. THE QUEEN GAVE TO THE KING!
X. THE QUEEN RECEIVED FROM THE KING!“And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.” [10]When one is in the presence of someone greater the natural motivation is to give tribute.
XI. THE QUEEN RETURNED HOME!“And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty.” [13a]When a righteous sovereign is consulted, no matter the intentions, a righteous response is given. And a great and righteous sovereign gives more. You can't out give Him.
“Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants.” [13b]FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Now, how does this apply to us today?
We're told to be …
- People must hear the first half [Good News] before they're able to say "not the half was told to me."
- People will come to test what they've heard.
- People will challenge the King of kings.
- People open to the truth will pour out their hearts once they've heard it.
- People will then receive "the rest of the story" and the truth shall set them free!
“ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you."APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Head knowledge is not enough:1 Peter 3:15
Those who are truly born-again go home and love to tell the story … just the first half, they have to hear the rest of the story for themselves, directly from the King of kings, before they can pass that on!
- True conversion comes from openness to the whole truth.
- True conversion is accompanied by true testimony and submission.
- True conversion is accompanied by praise of God, through the King.
- True conversion is accompanied by a giving spirit, but you can't out give the King.
We can’t exhaust the wonders of God; He is infinite, we are finite. What was Solomon's kingdom in the light of God's grace? Sinners need infinite grace, only our God has that much grace.
Those who dine at the Lord's table are abundantly satisfied.
[NAMES] We've all seen graffiti. It irritates us when we see it everywhere we go. Doesn't it? But have you considered how temporary their message is, how impermanent the artist's name is? First the name is lost, then the message passes into oblivion.The challenge is telling the rest of the story ... God's grace is sufficient indeed.
Time also took the name of the Queen of Sheba, but not the name above all names, the name at which every knee shall bow and tongue confess, the name by which every man must be saved.
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