PRESENTATION OUTLINE
The Israelites were sacrificing on the high places because no temple had been built for God yet. Although Solomon loved and respected God, he offered sacrifices and burned incense there. The king went to Gibeon, an important high place, to sacrifice there. Solomon sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings on the altar.
God was pleased with the offerings. The Lord spoke to Solomon while he was dreaming. God said that He would give whatever he asked for.
So, Solomon thanked God for His kindness to his family, told him that he was just a kid, and asked for an understanding heart to know righteousness from evil. He truly wanted to know how to rule the people fairly.
The Lord was gratified by Solomon’s request. It's safe to say that God thought Solomon was going to ask for wealth, his enemies destroyed, or a long life for himself. So, when Solomon asked for wisdom, God said that not only would he be the wisest person of all time, but he would receive riches and power beyond belief. God also made a deal with Solomon that if he follows Him, he will have a long life.
When Saul woke up, he went before the ark of the covenant to sacrifice and threw a feast for all his servants. Later, two prostitutes stood before him with a quite baffling case. One woman claimed she gave birth, and the other one was with her. Three days after, the other woman gave birth. The one woman claimed that the other woman's son was smothered by his mother while she was sleeping. So, at midnight, the other woman stole the one woman's son for her own, and put the dead one in his place is what the one woman claimed. She claimed to have woken up to the other woman's dead son. They continued to argue whether the dead son belonged to another. Solomon asked for a sword and was going to cut the child in two, when the true mother begged for her son to be spared. She said to let the other woman have her child so he could live.
Solomon realized that she was the mother because she would do anything to protect her child, even if it meant giving him to someone else, and gave the mother her child.
Solomon's wisdom and his mother's love ultimately saved him.
