A Shadow Cast in the Midst of Glory

The Queen of Sheba hears of Solomon’s fame only by report and travels a long way to see him. When she meets him in person, she finds that the report had actually fallen short of the truth. Deeply moved, she praises God and presents many gifts.

Solomon’s fame came through the name of Yahweh. Yet even at that very moment, Solomon was handing over to foreigners the land God had given, putting to work as slaves the peoples God had commanded to be utterly destroyed, and bringing in a culture of idolatry through trade with foreign nations. Behind the glory on display, a crack of disobedience was already growing.

There are times when God does not stop a hardened heart right away but leaves it as it is. This is because of his love, which waits for people to turn back. God’s people must examine whether, drunk on success and prosperity, they have lost sight of God, and must make the grace they have received the place where they turn their lives around.