The Mysterious Queen of Sheba

 

“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 listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.”

—Matthew 12:42

This intriguing queen from a story in 1 Kings 10 not only was mentioned in the Old Testament, but also in Ethiopian legends as well. She was known as a searcher for truth, and had heard about Solomon’s fame and his relation to the name of the Lord. She traveled with a large caravan of camels loaded with spices, gold and precious stones to ply Solomon with her questions.

Solomon, traditionally known as the wisest man who ever lived, welcomed this Queen from the area we now know as Yemen. He answered all her questions, welcomed her into the royal palace, and entertained her at his table with all the attention of servants and cupbearers. She also accompanied Solomon to the temple where he made burnt offerings to the Lord and where she saw the worship of the one true God.

Anyone would have been impressed by the wealth and achievements of Solomon. But as recorded in 1 Kings 10:9, she responded to what she had seen by saying:

Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.

This woman, with her thirst for spiritual things, recognized the Lord God in all of Solomon’s blessings. She hungered for truth and found it. Jesus Himself acknowledged her recognition of truth, and condemned those from His generation who couldn’t see the legitimacy of His kingdom, even when the Truth walked among them.

Jesus welcomes all who truly seek truth. He who is “the way, the truth, and the life” is no respecter of persons. As He clearly said in Matthew 7:7-8:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Just as King Solomon welcomed this questioning woman from a faraway land, Jesus waits to answer your questions and reveal Himself to you. Maybe it’s not so bad to have someone say to you, “Who do you think you are, the Queen of Sheba?”