1 Kings 10:1-13
"10 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.
6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.
13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants."
There is much that we may learn from this important story of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. The fact that she should come at all bears witness to the amazing rise to fame and prosperity which Israel had experienced over the years, whereas Israel had been known in the past as a despised people. Yet, in accordance with the promises, God had raised her to a position of eminence among the nations. To look back to the days of Exodus and compare them with the glory that was Solomon's is to gain some idea of what God can do in His sov- ereign grace with men. This must have been a tremendous witness to His faithfulness and could not but have impressed neighbouring nations, the more so when it had been so clear that Israel's leaders, particularly David and Solomon, had sought to live under the leadership of God. A modern parallel to this may well be discerned in the undoubted influence that Scotland as a people has had in the past. Scots character in older days was no fiction; and it was certainly derived from the strong and vital religious background of our covenanting fore- fathers, not only in religious life, but also, as a direct consequence, in trade, commerce and industry. Sadly enough, Scotland, like Israel of old, made the mistake in subsequent genera- tions of living on her moral and spiritual capital in such an improvident way that bankruptcy was inevitable. The lessons of history are often the most neglected of all.
