God’s Blessings

Dear Friends,

The Art Gallery of NSW has a spectacularly magnificent painting of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to the court of Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-13). The painting communicates the abundance of beautiful objects and the grandeur of Solomon’s court. The Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon to find out if his wisdom and wealth was as amazing as she had heard. In fact, she came to find out about the relationship of Solomon with the God of Israel because everyone knew that if Solomon was wise and wealthy it was because his God had blessed him.

The Queen of Sheba was in awe of everything she saw, even the offerings made at the temple to the Lord. This is a very important event because it portrays a Gentile (non-Jewish) person being drawn to the God of Israel and His people. This prefigures the Gospel going out to the nations with the coming of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus comments on the coming of the Queen of the South (Sheba) and her hearing of the wisdom of Solomon, stating that one greater than Solomon has come and that is of course Jesus Himself (see Mathew 12:42). It is very interesting that the Queen of Sheba sees God’s hand behind all the blessings that Solomon has. It is easy in our day and age to forget that every good thing we have is a blessing from God and that without Him we would have nothing and be nothing.

God’s blessing David O’Mara

From the Pastor’s Bulletin, 23 January 2022