Cutting the Knot
And the king said, Bring me a sword.
And they brought a sword before the king.
1 Kings 3:24
Read 1 Kings 3:23-28
King Solomon was faced with a dilemma; which of the two women before
him was the real mother of the living child. Both said the living child was
theirs; one child had died because the mother had lain upon it. That mother
secretly took the living child and replaced it with her dead infant. But the
second mother said the living child belonged to her! How would the king be
able to solve this mystery?
Solomon gave the command that a sword be brought to him; he would
have the living child cut in half. One half would be given to the one mother
and the other half to the other. This seemed like a cruel, barbaric solution.
Some people might possibly have wondered: Is that the wisdom of widely
acclaimed Solomon?
A law indeed existed when it came to dividing a living ox that had killed the
ox of a neighbour. The ox that remained alive was to be divided in two, with
each party being given one half (Ex. 21:35-36). But that should not be applied
to this situation, should it?
When Solomon gave the command for the living child to be cut in half, the
real mother of the living child pleaded that her infant be allowed to live,
even if he was given to the other mother. The woman who pretended to be
the real mother, however, gave her approval for the living child to be cut in
half. It became very apparent which woman was the true mother. Through
this, Solomon’s wisdom was again displayed. Whatever particular task you
face, you require wisdom from above to perform it.
Thought: True wisdom comes from above!
Psalter 86:2,3 (based on Psalm 33)
He makes the nations’ counsels, The plans that people would maintain
Are thwarted by His hand;
Jehovah’s counsel stands secure, His purposes of heart endure,
For evermore they stand.
O truly is the nation blessed Whose God before the world confessed,
Jehovah is alone;
And blessed the people is whom He Has made His heritage to be,
And chosen for His own.
