The Big Idea

An Introduction to Be Skillful
by Ken Baugh

King Solomon was the wisest man who had ever lived. He asked God for a “discerning heart” and the ability to “distinguish between right and wrong,” and God granted his request (1 Kings 3:9, 12 NIV). Not only that, but the Lord was so pleased with Solomon’s request that he also gave him “riches and honor” (v. 13 NIV)—so much so that during his lifetime, Solomon had no equal.

One would think that the king who had everything—all the riches and fame one could possibly imagine—would be on top of the world all the time. Yet when you read his outlook on life recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes, you get a very different picture. “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Eccl. 2:11 NIV). Wow. How could a man who had everything come to such a place of despair? What happened to him? I mean, the first twenty years of Solomon’s reign were amazing. He had peace on every side of his kingdom, God blessed him with wisdom and wealth beyond any king of his day, he completed the temple that David his father instructed him to build, he designed and built for himself a magnificent palace, and he had an incredible amount of money—an annual income equivalent to $328 million in our day. And in addition to all of this, Solomon had the respect and admiration of the entire world! So how did a guy who had all of this fall into the pit of despair? I believe the answer is that Solomon didn’t obey the Lord; he knew God’s Word but did not apply it to his life.

I think there is a formula to wisdom: wisdom = knowledge + obedience. Solomon had all the knowledge; he always knew what God wanted him to do. He just didn’t do it. There’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing the right thing to do; wisdom is actually doing it. That’s why I think the Big Idea that runs throughout the book of Proverbs is not just getting more and more knowledge—instead, it’s choosing to apply that knowledge in ways that honor and please the Lord. True wisdom is seen through an obedient life.

Solomon knew what he needed to do to please the Lord because God had given him a “wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:12 NIV), but he chose not to obey. That’s the difference between a foolish person and a wise person. Fools just blow off what they know they should do, but a wise person turns knowledge into action. James says the same thing: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22 NIV). Frankly, I think Solomon should have asked the Lord not only for wisdom but also for the desire to be obedient. Let’s take a quick survey of Solomon’s life and try to discover where he went wrong so that we can avoid making the same mistakes. As I have studied Solomon’s life, I have discovered three specific sins that led to his demise.

Solomon’s first sin was that he did not trust in the protection of the Lord. God forbade the kings of Israel from accumulating horses and chariots because those could lead a king away from trusting solely in the Lord as his protector: “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them” (Deut. 17:16 NIV). But Solomon disobeyed the Lord. The Bible tells us that “Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses” (1 Kings 4:26 NIV). Instead of trusting in the Lord to protect him and his kingdom, Solomon put his trust in himself and his army.

Solomon’s second sin was that he did not trust in the promise of the Lord. Solomon built up a large number of fortified cities, such as Gezer, around Jerusalem as major defensive outposts to defend against any Philistine attack. He also fortified Hazor north of Jerusalem to protect the city from northern invaders. And he fortified Megiddo in order to protect a major trade route that connected the Plain of Sharon and the seacoast to the valley of Jezreel. In addition, according to 1 Kings 9:16–17, Solomon fortified a number of other important cities. So as you can see, Solomon was building a defensive perimeter around his kingdom to protect the city of Jerusalem and all his interests. Now, here is the ironic thing: Solomon had no enemies, because God had promised his father David that during the reign of his son there would be peace. “But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign” (1 Chron. 22:9 NIV). God had promised peace during Solomon’s reign, so why did Solomon feel the need to fortify cities around his kingdom? Simply put, it was because he did not trust in the promise of the Lord.

Solomon’s third sin was that he did not trust in the provision of the Lord. Again, the Lord forbade the kings of Israel from marrying foreign women and from amassing large amounts of wealth (see Deut. 17:17), but Solomon ignored these instructions too. He had “seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines” (1 Kings 11:3 NIV). Having wives of royal birth was Solomon’s way of creating alliances with all the other nations around him in order to secure the peace, and the three hundred concubines make it clear that Solomon was a ladies’ man. He was also incredibly wealthy, and according to Ecclesiastes 2:8 he said, “I amassed silver and gold for myself” (NIV). Again, Solomon did exactly the opposite of what the Lord instructed him to do as the king. “He [the king] must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold” (Deut. 17:17 NIV).

Now, you tell me—are these the actions of a wise man who is applying his knowledge to a lifestyle of obedience that brings honor to the Lord, or are these the actions of a man who is foolishly trusting in himself? Suffice to say, Solomon did not practice what he preached; he did not apply his knowledge to a lifestyle of obedience, and as such, he suffered the consequences. But we can learn from Solomon’s example; we can practice what he preached in the Proverbs and learn from his mistakes.

I hope you will. I hope as you read through Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on Proverbs, you will keep the story of Solomon and his failures in the back of your mind and decide to live differently. Every one of us who calls Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior can be wise if we choose to obey the Word of the Lord instead of ignoring it like King Solomon. Remember, true wisdom is composed of equal amounts of knowledge and obedience.

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Dr. Wiersbe’s commentaries have been a source of guidance and strength to me over the many years that I have been a pastor. His unique style is not overly academic, but theologically sound. He explains the deep truths of Scripture in a way that everyone can understand and apply. Whether you’re a Bible scholar or a brand-new believer in Christ, you will benefit, as I have, from Warren’s insights. With your Bible in one hand and Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary in the other, you will be able to accurately unpack the deep truths of God’s Word and learn how to apply them to your life.

Drink deeply, my friend, of the truths of God’s Word, for in them you will find Jesus Christ, and there is freedom, peace, assurance, and joy.

—Ken Baugh

Pastor of Coast Hills Community Church

Aliso Viejo, California