“Everywhere God is present, and always He seeks to discover Himself to each one.” —A.W. Tozer
The report of Sheba’s queen visiting Jerusalem in 2 Chronicles 9 closely follows the account in 1 Kings 10. We won’t duplicate our earlier commentary, but if we made an outline of the passage, the headings might look like this: 1. How curious had she become? It’s thought that Sheba was in the location of Yemen or Saudi Arabia. How would she have heard about Solomon? Perhaps through his far-flung merchant marine, sailing out of Elat (2 Chron 8:17). Had she heard of the temple, which David said must be “famous and glorious throughout all countries” (1 Chron 22:5)? Maybe it had been reported to her that, in his dedication prayer, the king had asked God to hear the prayers of serious Gentiles. All we know is that she had heard of his fame and set out to meet him (2 Chron 9:1). 2. How far did she travel? It was about 1,500 miles! Like the eunuch from Ethiopia and the wise men from the East, distance seemed to be no object when answers to life’s hard questions might be found. 3. How much did she bring? We don’t know the value of the spices and jewels, but four tons of gold would exceed $256,000,000 US today! 4. How impressed was her heart? Like David, evidently she felt that “The judgments of the Lord are…more to be desired…than gold” (Ps 19:9-10). We read, “there was no more spirit in her. Then she said…It was a true report which I heard in my own land…However I did not believe…until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half…was not told me” (2 Chron 9:4-6). 5. How instructive is the scene? “A greater than Solomon is here” (Mt 12:42). Here? Yes, right here. He has made the offer, “Learn from Me” (11:29). Does He know the answers to all our hard questions? He IS the Answer!