One Seeker, One Source: The Greater Wisdom of the Queen

King Solomon—renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and legacy—had one of the most paradoxical pursuits recorded in Scripture. Despite being gifted with divine wisdom, Solomon sought satisfaction through one thousand women (1 Kings 11:3). No one turns to a thousand companions unless they’re desperately seeking something—answers, solace, perhaps even peace.

Yet in striking contrast, we meet a woman of extraordinary discernment: the Queen of Sheba. Her approach was radically different. She journeyed far, not to be entertained, but to seek truth—from just one man, she not known but heard of.


The Queen Who Sought One

According to 1 Kings 10:1–13, the Queen of Sheba traveled from the distant South with a singular mission: to test Solomon’s famed wisdom with deep and difficult questions. Unlike Solomon, who looked for answers in a thousand places, she believed she could find them in one.


She didn’t come to flatter Solomon. She came with a heart that longed to know. And when she found the answers she was searching for, she didn’t hesitate to acknowledge it. In deed Solomon was wiser than she was.


Jesus’ Commendation: A Greater Than Solomon

“The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” — Matthew 12:42

Let that sink in. Jesus didn’t praise Solomon. He praised the woman who sought wisdom. The woman who tested Solomon with hard questions, approved his wisdom and believed. . Her pursuit becomes a measuring stick—an indictment of those who ignore the treasure in front of them.


When Gentiles and Lawyers Seek Truth

In John 12:20–22, some Greeks came to the Passover and said, “We want to see Jesus.” Like Sheba, they traveled far to encounter the source of wisdom, but first: they had to see him and be seen by him.

In Luke 10:25–37, a lawyer tested Jesus with a critical question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan—piercing the heart with truth.


Solomon's Search vs. Sheba’s Pursuit

There is a deep irony here:


  • Solomon had wisdom yet wandered, looking for meaning through endless relationships. 
  • Sheba had questions yet came focused, believing in the wisdom of one man.

Another striking contrast emerges , in the approaches of Solomon and Queen Sheba: Solomon sought right answers from wrong sources - a thousand women who couldn't provide the wisdom he truly needed - while Queen Sheba sought right answers from the right source, King Solomon, a wise and knowledgeable man. This contrast highlights the difference between seeking wisdom in all the wrong places versus seeking it from a genuine source of wisdom.


And when Jesus speaks of judgment, He doesn’t say Solomon will condemn this generation—but that the Queen of the South will. Why? Because she recognized wisdom and responded, while many in Jesus’ day ignored the One who was greater than Solomon.


Conclusion: Who Are We Like?

The Bible subtly yet profoundly contrasts these two pursuits:

  • One man who sought answers in many places.

  • One woman who found answers in one.

Let the Queen of the South be your inspiration—not your accuser.


  

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