God endowed King Solomon with wisdom like no other king before or after him. His wisdom was demonstrated with an incident which involved two harlots who came before him for judgment over a baby. They lived in the same house together, and their case was a sad one. They both gave birth to sons, and one of the infants was tragically smothered during the night. One woman accused the other of switching the dead baby with her living one, and the other denied it. In those days there was no DNA testing, and being only three days old perhaps the babies were quite similar in appearance and behaviour. Who was the real mother of the boy both claimed as their own?
1 Kings 3:24-28 reads, "Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other." 26 Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!" But the other said, "Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him." 27 So the king answered and said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother." 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice." In his wisdom, King Solomon used the threat of a sword dividing a living child in two to unite a child with his rightful mother. The genuine mother had compassion for her son - willing to give him up forever to spare his life - whilst the baby-swapping culprit was exposed by her coldness. The sword which divides can also be used to unite.
Solomon is known for his great wisdom, and Jesus has become wisdom for all who believe (1 Cor. 1:30-31). Jesus is the one of whom John the Baptist said baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11-12 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." John contrasted the living water of the Holy Spirit with eternal fires of judgment. The example of the harvest is a picture of salvation and damnation: the farmer brings the good grain into the storehouse, but the worthless chaff is thrown into the fire. Jesus is a righteous Judge, and uses His Word like a sword to divide believers from the unbelievers. His Word is like a fire that separates the dross from precious metal, like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces.
To take the illustration of the sword further, consider the impact of the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:34-38: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." The word of God is called the sword of the Spirit (Eph, 6:17) which is able to divide bone from marrow and judges the intent of the heart (Heb. 4:12). The sword Jesus brings has the capacity to divide men from their family, but is able to unite a man with his Father in heaven. The scriptures divide people concerning their hearts and belief, but a man whose heart has been pierced by the Word, repents, and believes is adopted into the family of God.
God is brilliant, isn't He? Only He can use a sword to divide and unite at the same time! The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Bible is a two-edged sword which brings life to those who believe and condemns all who refuse to trust or heed it.
1 Kings 3:24-28 reads, "Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other." 26 Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!" But the other said, "Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him." 27 So the king answered and said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother." 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice." In his wisdom, King Solomon used the threat of a sword dividing a living child in two to unite a child with his rightful mother. The genuine mother had compassion for her son - willing to give him up forever to spare his life - whilst the baby-swapping culprit was exposed by her coldness. The sword which divides can also be used to unite.
Solomon is known for his great wisdom, and Jesus has become wisdom for all who believe (1 Cor. 1:30-31). Jesus is the one of whom John the Baptist said baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11-12 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." John contrasted the living water of the Holy Spirit with eternal fires of judgment. The example of the harvest is a picture of salvation and damnation: the farmer brings the good grain into the storehouse, but the worthless chaff is thrown into the fire. Jesus is a righteous Judge, and uses His Word like a sword to divide believers from the unbelievers. His Word is like a fire that separates the dross from precious metal, like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces.
To take the illustration of the sword further, consider the impact of the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:34-38: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." The word of God is called the sword of the Spirit (Eph, 6:17) which is able to divide bone from marrow and judges the intent of the heart (Heb. 4:12). The sword Jesus brings has the capacity to divide men from their family, but is able to unite a man with his Father in heaven. The scriptures divide people concerning their hearts and belief, but a man whose heart has been pierced by the Word, repents, and believes is adopted into the family of God.
God is brilliant, isn't He? Only He can use a sword to divide and unite at the same time! The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Bible is a two-edged sword which brings life to those who believe and condemns all who refuse to trust or heed it.
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