GODLY WISDOM

Home / Parables / Logos & Rhema / Women / 3Feasts / Fig. of Speech / SixDays

He made us male AND female

This familiar story is found in 1Kings3 -- How God appeared in a dream to King Solomon and granted him his wish for the WISDOM to know how to lead Israel.

Two Women - One Baby.
His very first act after receiving this GODLY wisdom was to sit in judgment of the case where two women both claimed the same baby. The first woman spoke and declared how she had given birth to a son, and the third day following the other woman had also delivered a son. Then, during the night, she testified, "the other woman's son had died and she stole my son for her own."
Then it was the other woman's turn to speak and she claimed the story was true but that she herself was the true mother and it was the other woman's son who had died.
Both women were claiming the same baby and there were no witnesses, so what was Solomon to do? DNA wasn't available then. Would he be able to use the Godly Wisdom so recently granted him?
Cut the baby in half - "divide it in two" !
When King Solomon spoke this judgment, one of the women [incredibly!] said "OK", but the other woman said "No, don't harm the baby -- let her have him, instead". So the King knew from her answer that she was the rightful mother, and the other one was a liar and a thief. He ordered that the child not be harmed but be awarded to the rightful mother, and when all Israel heard about his outrageous bluff, they applauded the wisdom of Solomon. These days we'd be more apt to describe it as 'common sense', wouldn't we?

Now the "god of this world" is Satan, 2Cor4:4, so it's apparent that we are being raised by the wrong mother, and the tares won't be separated from the good wheat until they reach the Age of Accountability. There's more to this story than it first appears!
We're the baby! Of course we all acknowledge GOD as a Heavenly Father (not mother), and we realize that King Solomon was bluffing--that he wouldn't really have cut the baby in half, because that would have violated the commandment against murder. The one baby in this case represents all mankind (fig. of speech "synecdoche"), in a manner similar to the way Scripture says: "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive". 1Cor15:22. We're all born "IN ADAM", but only those "IN CHRIST" have the Eternal Life. Scripture calls wisdom a "she", and God is "Love", and Jesus is "Truth".

The story agrees with the account in Job where Satan had a discussion with GOD, and we learned that Job was really in Satan's territory -- "Behold, he (Job) is in thine hand; but save his life", Job 2:6. The "Sons of God" were in heaven also, and probably increased in numbers since we first learned about them back in Genesis chapter six. The believers and followers of the Almighty aren't simply salt and light, and kings and priests, and living epistles and lively stones, but are also the Sons of God. John 1:12 tells us that "as many as received him, [Jesus] to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
The "lying mother" is a type of Satan -- today we'd say she was certifiably insane for agreeing to accept half a baby. Most allegories include some kind of preposterous contention which gets pounced upon by the skeptics and unbelievers.

The story also agrees with the accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke concerning the temptations of Jesus. Satan declared that this world had been given him, and Jesus didn't deny his statement. The serpent had been right there at the first in the Garden with Adam and Eve!

Personally, I don't take stock in the notion that supernatural beings were spoken of in Genesis Six -- The New Testament confirms that we shouldn't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, 2Cor6:14, and I see the story as confirming what is likely to happen when Christians marry infidels: when "Sons of God" take a fancy and lust after the flesh, instead of walking in the spirit. (Gal 5:16) God looks on the inside, and sees where true committment lies. From this perspective "righteous Abel", Matt23:35, has the seniority among the Sons of God in heaven.

Don't imagine this puts down women in any way -- "there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus", Gal 3:28, and "Sons" (Children) of God are without regard to gender. But it is interesting to note that Scripture refers to wisdom as a "she". Will the unisex folks insist on wisdom being an "it", do you suppose?

SPIRITUAL FRICTION is akin to Figurative COMPETITION

And a pearl is never going to come from an oyster unless a grain of sand is introduced...amen?
Why did GOD mess up His creation by allowing Satan to have a part in it?? I think it was John Osteen who opined that he'd be happy to explain why Satan must be loosed again in the future (Rev20:7) if someone would tell him why he was loosed in the first place.
One of the Laws of Physics is that of friction -- without it, nobody goes anywhere and nothing wears out -- you would simply be spinning your wheels and going nowhere.
The Ultimate Competition! Similarly, the oppression of Satan is what gives us the opportunity to "prove ourselves", Ex16:4, whether we will obey God's commandments or not. God said of Abraham: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD to do justice and judgment..." Gen18:19. Whether it is High School against High School, the Rams against the Razorbacks, democracies against fascists, good versus evil, or hunger versus obesity; life is the ultimate struggle and Scripture is advising us how to be OVERCOMERS! "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith". 1Jn5:4.
And, after all, our comparatively short life here on earth is so insignificant compared to the eternal life ahead. Right? Aren't we lucky that we don't have to put up with this for hundreds or thousands of years??

Magnetism
Do you suppose the Author of Scripture understood how a magnet will attract iron, but not gold or silver or brass? I'm thinking of how Jesus said "I'll draw all men to me" and how He is the same 'yesterday, today, and forever', and of how those IN CHRIST will be rising to meet Him in the sky. That is; those having the same composition as the 'magnet'. "Christ in them; the hope of glory!"

Newton's Third Law:

If two objects interact the force on object A due to object B is equal to and opposite in direction from the force exerted on object B by object A.
Friction is a familiar effect that plays a central role in everyday life, but scientists say they still don't fully understood it. Two physicists recently related the macroscopic forces involved in friction to the atoms of the surfaces in contact. Michael Marder and Eric Gerde of the University of Texas at Austin believe their model could describe frictional effects in systems that range in size from nanomachines to the Earth's crust (E Gerde and M Marder 2001 Nature 413 285). They probably aren't thinking in terms of competition (one against another), nor the way it pertains to the Bible.

Godly wisdom is not opposed to science.

Our universe is mostly space and when we look at atoms we see they're mostly space, and when we get better microscopes it appears that even the quarks aren't the basic building block. Everywhere we look, we find more and more space surrounding bits of matter. Here we are on Planet Earth traveling at over a thousand miles an hour, just because of the rotation of 26K miles in 24 hrs., and that's just the rotation speed (the "spin") and doesn't include the trajectory or cosmic speed.
If it weren't for gravity and centrifugal force, I'd wonder "What's the hurry?"
Science is focused only on the literal exact truth, whereas the Bible uses poetic and figurative truth, including figures of speech, to impart the Godly message. Science insists on a 24 hour "day" (sometime's down to the nanosecond), but Jesus asked "Are there not twelve hours in the day?", Jn11:9, and both Moses and Peter spoke of how a thousand years are as one day with the LORD. How a "day" might speak of a varying period of time was shown in scripture when Jesus said "In that DAY ye shall ask me nothing", Jn16:23.
Still, many religious leaders have declared that the days of creation, in Genesis chapter one, must absolutely be 24 hour days, and therefore the earth must be only about six thousand years old. Hah! The fault is not with science or scientists, but with religious dogma rooted in old-fashioned tradition.

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Heb11:3. Seen an atom lately?

CONFUSION FACTOR? Joshua declared "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Ajalon". And the Sun stood still, and the Moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. So the Sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. Josh 10:14.

It was a notable miracle indeed. (There are no "small" miracles.) Some have concluded that not only the sun and moon had to come to a screeching halt, but the entire universe as well. Could be, but that conclusion seems to somehow limit the miracle, I think. Kind of like saying that a miracle could raise a person from the dead, but not if they'd already been embalmed. ha. Anyway, it's debatable whether this event altered the timing of the 7th Day Sabbath, or produced a 36 or 48 hour day at that time. Gibeon means "height", and Ajalon seems connected to the Tribe of Dan (missing in Rev7) and we may yet recognize a figurative meaning.
The Star of Bethlehem led the wisemen, so a Devine control over the heavenly host isn't unexpected, and not forgetting how "a day is as a thousand years", 2Pet3:8.

When we pound the table it feels solid, despite the assurance of scientists that it is made up of atoms which are mostly space. In the natural we wouldn't try to go through a spinning revolving-door, but with atomic control and/or speed it shouldn't be a problem.

The atoms can be split or fused, but not "destroyed" in the sense of being no longer in existence -- we alter the form or shape of matter and know how to convert solids to gas or smoke, but figuratively that only sweeps it under the rug and doesn't ship it to Mars.
It's the Biblical stance of eternal life and/or damnation which figures here.

Why Noah got drunk after his feat of building the Ark seems inexplicable, but the process of fermentation (or zymology), which converts sugar to alcohol, might help our understanding. Fermenting of fruit occurs naturally today, but before the Flood when the earth was surrounded by a greater watery atmosphere which shielded against the sun's radiation, there may have been no fermentation. So Noah may have been ignorant of the alcoholic content of his wine. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge", Hosea 4:6.

The DNA double-helix Diagram
Reminds me of a circular staircase or Jacob's Ladder, and isn't it wonderful how even the hairs of our head are numbered. We thought fingerprinting was the greatest, but now it's DNA and mtDNA which zero's in on identity and population.
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered".Mt10:30.

PATTERNS

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens..." Heb9:23
Visual patterns like in checkerboard or wallpaper or hilbert curves, and audible patterns like in music or chants, are basically just repetitions of a particular design. Biblical patterns are events which should be seen with the mind's eye ("The eyes of your understanding being enlightened..", Eph1:18). He's not talking physical eyes like with cornea and retina; it's a figure-of-speech whereby a body part is used to illustrate a figurative action.

1. Joseph took an Egyptian wife whose father was Priest of On, Gen41:45, and begat two sons. Manasseh & Ephraim
2. Moses took a Midianite wife whose father was Priest, Ex3:1, and begat two sons. Ex18:3. Gershom & Eliezer
3. Our bridgroom Jesus is a High Priest, Heb3:1, and a Father, Isa9:6, and the "sons" come collectively from the Jew & Gentile: Rom2:9, Acts15:9.
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him". Romans 10:12

Parable of the Tares -- Matthew 13
The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, Nay; lest while you gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matt 13:24-30.

That's right; we're being brought up in Satan's Territory (by the lying 'mother'), but God has given us His Word so we'd know better than to act like the devil.

"Know anybody named Eve?"

God hadn't said not to TOUCH the tree, and He'd said SURELY it would result in death (not just "lest ye", or maybe).
But Eve wasn't there when God told that to Adam...remember?

Did Eve know about the second tree -- the Tree of Life? She was "greatly deceived" (1Tim2:14) -- no doubt by Satan, but maybe also by her husband? Hos6:7. So where do WE get our info about God? People think "it was her fault", but Adam was right there with her, so why wasn't he deceived?.
Because, he knew EXACTLY what God had said!

Poem:The Solomon Decision

TWO NAMES
The name of Solomon (similar to the Hebrew "shalom" for peace) was prophesied and given to him by God himself, 1Chr22:9, so when the Prophet Nathan gave him a second name "Jedidiah", 2Sam12:25, it seemed rather peculiar. Why two names? Not until we learn that Jedidiah means "Beloved of God" (the same as the name Theophilus in Greek) does the logic appear -- Solomon is a figure of the New Covenant believer who receives the material and riches from "David" --

Now the New Testament believers are lively stones (1Pet2:5) forming the spiritual Temple ("know ye not that ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost?", 1Cor6:19), and having the "sure mercies of David", Acts13:34.

The analogy of how we are like Solomon, extends to an understanding of why David wasn't permitted to build the Temple -- His era fought flesh & blood enemies, using weapons made with hands, whereas in the New Covenant we "wrestle not against flesh & blood", Eph6:12, but against wickedness and wide-spread ignorance of the Truth.

Jedidiah/Theophilus
They both mean the same thing "Beloved of God" in Hebrew and then Greek after the same fashion as Joshua ("Saviour" in Hebrew) and Jesus ("Saviour" in Greek). Because the physician Luke addressed his gospel as well as the book of Acts to a Dear Theophilus, many believe he had a special friend by that name--and maybe they hadn't noticed how the name of Jedidiah in the Old Testament complements the record and gives added meaning to the Scriptural precept regarding two names:
1. Abram/Abraham 2. Jacob/Israel 3. Emmanuel/Jesus 4. Saul/Paul 5.Jerubbaal/Gideon 6. Solomon/Jedidiah
Both names above refer to the same individual, whereas the Old Testament account of King Saul (of Benjamin) whose reign is superceded by King David is clearly that of two different persons. Only when we understand from the New Testament how the "Old Man of the Flesh" must be replaced by the new "hidden man of the heart" does the story of Saul and David take on the allegorical quality of "two that are one", and helps to explain why David didn't kill Saul at his first opportunity. The story is teaching concerning how the two "persons" represent the same individual who gets born-again and becomes a new person in Christ Jesus!
"Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker". 2Sam3:1

"To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba". 2Sam3:10.

House of Moses and House of Christ
"Moses was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end". Hebrews3:5,6.
From the tents of Abraham to the "House of David" and Solomon's Temple, the scripture teaches and leads us in this concept. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, "House of Bread", and spoke of how a wise man builds his house on the Rock, but the foolish man builds his house on the sand. Unless the foundation is a good one, the house won't last, and this speaks of a spiritual, or figurative (monolithic) house.
"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great". LK6:46-49.

The title "Father David" isn't found in Scripture; however, the logic follows that of Father Abraham, Father God, and of being "gathered to our fathers". The subject is compounded when Jesus states "call no man your father upon earth, for one is your Father, which is in heaven". Mt23:9. Clearly it is the Scripture, the Word, our "Father", which provides us with the material for building our spiritual house, just as it was David who furnished the materials for Solomon. It's because of this scripture that we say Dad or Daddy when honoring our parent according to the flesh.

From trees and potters clay in the Old Testament to houses and vessels in the New Testament -- we aren't simply salt and light, but also living epistles, lively stones, kings & priests, and sons of the Living God! The Holy Ghostwriter challenges our logic and understanding of analogy, and rewards the study of His Word! If we're wise as serpents and harmless as doves, we'll mount up with wings of eagles! (Mixed Metaphor)