The Splendor of a King

I think I recieved today the sweetest email I have ever read in my life. I tried to reply in kind, but I am still left staggering by it's coolness. I hope I have enough breath left in me to write this now.

I listened to Dan (see the link to his blog on the sidebar) speak tonight at 63 about the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon. One of the more delightful things about listening to Dan speak (and there are several such things) is the way that he always approachs everything from the angle of trying to see the big picture. He has a fascination with messianic foreshadowing that never ceases to amaze me. The basic tenet of this is that almost every significant event or character in the bible is a massive foreshadowing of Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection, His coming return, or the establishment of His kingdom. As Dan talks about these things, I notice aspects of stories I've known my whole life that I had never noticed before. I have found myself trying to emulate this practice when I read the word. One of the best places to read about this is in the book of Hebrews.

Tonight though, Dan talked about how Solomon's kingdom and the splendor of it was an earthly foreshadowing of the Kingdom of God. He talked about how the Queen of Sheba came to verify reports she had been unable to believe because they sounded too good to be true, and left thinking they were remarkably understated. She was overwhelmed it says.

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

1 Kings 10:1-10

She was completely overwhelmed by a shadow of the kingdom yet to come. I believe Dan stated that the hebrew there says she was "without breath". I can not say that with 100% confidence in its accuracy, I'm afraid, because I could be remembering wrong. At any rate though, she was awestruck. She saw the glory of the kingdom God had arranged for Solomon. So, when we think of Christ's return and the glory of His kingdom, it is good to remember that the reports we have heard are going to be similarly understated. The knowledge we have is only a tiny tiny fraction of the reality of His glory and the glory of His kingdom.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,

the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

- Psalms 145:5-6

How Great is Our God

The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

- Chris Tomlin