At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (vv.5-9)
This remarkable visitation from God happened to Solomon in a dream. This is one of the more significant dreams in the Bible. In it, God asks Solomon, "What shall I give you?" God seemed to offer Solomon whatever he wanted. This wasn’t only because Solomon sacrificed 1,000 animals (v.4); it was because his heart was surrendered to God, and God wanted to work something in Solomon through this offer and his response.
Before responding to God’s offer and asking for something, Solomon remembered God’s faithfulness to both David and now to Solomon himself. He then comes to God in great humility, knowing his inadequacies and the difficult tasks of leadership he faced, he asked God for "an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil" (v.9). Wow! Solomon already understood that a key component of leadership is wise and just discernment. A quality lacking in many leaders today.
Our text goes on to say God was pleased by what Solomon asked for, in that he knew his great need for wisdom, discernment, and understanding. God was also pleased by what Solomon did not ask for, in that he did not ask for riches or fame or power for himself. Therefore God not only answered Solomon’s prayer, He also answered it beyond all expectation. Though Solomon did not ask for riches and honor or a long life, but God gave him those anyway. (vv.10-15).
Then Solomon awoke: It was a dream, but it was at the same time also a message from God. God answered Solomon’s prayer and made him wise, powerful, rich, and influential. His reign was glorious for Israel. At the same time, his end was tragic. We can fairly say that Solomon wasted these gifts God gave him. Though he accomplished much, he could have done much more – and his heart was led away from God in the end (1 Kings 11:4-11).
The Truth: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (1 John 5:14)
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)
