King David, considered Israelis greatest king was an exceptional man of courage. David, a shepherd boy, was anointed to be king of Israel long before he assumed the position. When he was only a child, "a gracious God" chose him to replace Saul, Israel's first king. David was a young lad who was dedicated to his father's sheep. The young lad did his daily chores with gladness. His dedication to shepherding the sheep did not go unnoticed, but prepared him for the time when he would take responsibility for leading Israel.
David, it appeared had a good relationship with his earthly father, Jessie and his Lord, the ruler of heaven and earth. David like most humans, was not without fault. The Bible says David was a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Whatever sin David committed, David knew the path of repentance. David knew that his God was "a gracious god," full of grace and mercy. Now, as David's time on the throne was ending, Solomon, his son time was beginning. David had prepared Solomon as much as he could to lead the Israelites, however; it was not time for Solomon to demonstrate the same trust and faith that his father had.
As David said in Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Solomon would have to declare those same words also, and believe that "a gracious God," would be his Father, as his father had been to him. Solomon would also have the task of building the temple that David so desired to build, but "a gracious God" would not permit David to build the temple, because "he had too much blood on his hands."
1 Kings 3:3 makes it very clear that at the beginning of Solomon's reign, "Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statues of his father David, except he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places." "The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar" (1 Kings 3:4).
While Solomon was in Gibeon "the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you'" (1 Kings 3:5). The Lord knows the desires of our hearts. Not only does He knows, but when He calls us for His purpose, He is always with us. If we seek Him in our walk, His grace and mercy will sustain us.
Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day" (1 Kings 3:6).
What a powerful and humble statement. Let's not just gloss over theses words of Solomon. The Lord is communicating with Solomon as a father to a son, and Solomon as the son, reminds the Lord of the relationship that He had with his father. Solomon knew that the Lord had been good to his father David. As a child, Solomon was a recipient of those blessings as well, and now the blessing of being king was bestowed upon him by "a gracious God."
When we walk according to God's will, we are not only blessed, but our children are blessed. God's great mercy keeps us in communion with Him. Mercy speaks of God not giving us what we deserve. According to Solomon, David walked before God in truth. What a testimony, and David himself said, "Thou word have I hidden in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). David walked in the truth. He talked in the truth. He lived in the truth. Truth was all around him, because he served "a gracious God."
Righteousness speaks of our position in God. It was David's Lord who declared him to be righteous and in up rightness of heart. We can not obtain these precious attributes. It is not in our DNA. Only "a gracious God" can make way for us to be transformed into the goodness of God. Another key here is, that Spiritual surgery must be done to the heart so that we may be called righteous and upright. Solomon further states, "David was given him a son to sit on his throne this very day." Solomon was the anointed one to sit on the throne after his father's passing.
Solomon is now king over the multitude of people. He recognizes himself to be a servant king, and although he has been around his father and have seen how his father led the people, he wants to be a wise leader and also he wants to walk according to the will of the Lord.
Solomon acknowledged that when it came to leading the people, he was only a child and he does not know how to carry out his duties. Although he was probably in his twenties, he recognized that he was a babe when it came to experience.
I have learned that without God you are burdened down with many problems, but by staying on your knees will loosen the burdens, but as time goes on, God will suffice you and lead you in your going out and coming in. It is all about being faithful.
Solomon saw through his own eyes what seem like an impossible task, and without the Lord hearing his cry, the situation would be astronomical. Solomon said to the Lord, "Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number" (1 Kings 3:8).
In response to the Lord's question, in a dream, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you," Solomon responded, "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad" (1 Kings 3:9). May I ask you a rhetorical question? If God came to you and asked you that question, what would you have asked for? I have asked myself that same question. Honestly, I do not know what would I have asked for. When I was much younger, I probably would have asked for something material.
James 1:5 states, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and is shall be given him." What a promise to all of us. John tells us these words, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Matthew further states, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).
There is one word that is important to understand what is happening here. The Lord said to Solomon "ASK." "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." That invitation is open to all of God's people today. Whatever you want of God, all you have to do is "ASK." Of course, He knows the desires of your heart, yet He wants to hear it from your mouth. If your will is in line with His will, it is a done deal. Ask, Knock, and Seek.
When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, God knew what Solomon needed most. God knew Solomon's answer, before he communicated it verbally. God knew Solomon's humble condition. He knew his innocence at that time was about to be challenged and that he needed the wisdom of the Lord.
Of all the things Solomon could have asked for, including earthly treasures, he refused to ask for any. Yet he asked for wisdom, the ability to have understanding, to judge God's people, "that he may discern between good and bad." We need the wisdom of God in making all of our decisions, not just large ones. God's response to Solomon was, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee (1 Kings 3:11-12).
What a mighty God we serve. What God gave Solomon in his request was so great that, "there was none like him before, neither after thee shall thy arise like unto thee." We serve "a gracious God." First of all, we can see the graciousness of God in His open invitation to Solomon when He approach Solomon in his dream and "asked what I shall give thee." Secondly, we can see the graciousness of God in the affection He had for David. God showed great mercy in forgiving David of his transgressions. Therefore David walked in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. Thirdly, we can see the graciousness of God in the affirmation of Solomon as king, "O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of my father." Fourthly, we can see the graciousness in the multiplication of God's people. "A great people, too numerous to count or number." Only God can give the increase. Lastly, we can see the graciousness of God, as Solomon gives his explanation as what he asked of the Lord, "an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad."
We serve not only "a gracious God," but a gracious Father. We do not have to wait on our God to ask us what our needs are. We can freely ask what we want. Jesus said, "Whatever we ask in the Father's name we shall receive it." We do not have to go to a priest or a preacher, we can make our request known unto God. Scripture states, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7). What a mighty and gracious God that we serve!