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1KINGS
CHAPTER 10

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

Solomon's wisdom and fame spread throughout the whole world. This queen came to see if what she'd heard was really true. She came to "test" him with hard questions.
She came in glorious display of her own strength and importance (verse 2). And when she talked to Solomon and questioned him there was nothing he couldn't answer (verse 3).
She witnessed his wondrous wisdom (verse 4), the majestic buildings (verse 4), and the tremendous number of servants and attendants at each meal (verse 5). She also noted their mannerisms: how they attended their work with joy.
THEN she witnessed how this glorious and regal king went humbly to worship at the house of the Lord (verse 5).
And she'd never see anything to compare with this grea contrast! There was "no more spirit in her." No more did she have a desire to "test" him; now she had a desire to know how! More importantly, this simple display of humility so grasped her attention, she wanted to know WHO!

6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

She exclaimed that all she'd heard was true, even though she had presumed most of the stories were exagerated rumors or fables. But now she proclaimed that she had not even heard 1/2 of all that was truly magnificent in Solomon's kingdom.
Notice verse 8. She was amazed at how happily and with what contentment the soldiers, officers and servants did their work.
Then she declared a tremendous testimony (verse 9). It is no other than GOD Who has done this! There can be no other explanation! God, in His infinite wisdom, has seen fit to give Israel a tremendous blessing and placed Solomon on the throne.
From her testimony, one can say she had a "conversion experience." Whatever her former belief and practice of faith, she now believes in GOD!
Let us, as Christians, take heed to this story. Whatever blessings and glory are poured upon us by His grace, let us make it our practice to "..walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8). Then our witness will be genuine, and will bring others to know God as we do - in trust and obedience.

10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

Just the amount of gold (120 talents), was worth over $55,000,000!! This was quite a GIFT!
PRINCIPLE: When someone is truly converted to Christ, their pocketbook will willigly open to the things of the Lord.

11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

The navy also brought gold, and almug trees. These trees were used to make musical instruments.
The gifts which Solomon received were more than enough to supply this questioning queen "all her desire."
Christians, what God has given us, is more than enough to supply the answers to all the questions of those who truly seek truth.

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

Solomon's wealth, and also the wealth of the kingdom of Israel, is told here.
When God's people truly and humbly seek Him, there is no end of the "exceeding abundance" of His grace (Ephesians 3:20).
The kingdom of Solomon was richer and wiser than any in the world.
The Kingdom of God on earth is richer and wiser than any kingdom on earth!

24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 28 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

EVERYONE wanted to hear the wisdom of this king. And they would bring presents just to have an audience with him.
Christians, we should take notice here. When we genuinely serve the Lord, He will send people to inquire as to how they can have the joy and peace and wisdom that He gives us.
Solomon's leadership had caused Israel to have so much gold, that silver was no more important than stones (verse 27).

"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it."(Proverbs 10:22)