"he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth" - An Episode of King Solomon: Wisdom above Longevity

 

Cherry Blossoms around Tokyo

An Episode of King Solomon: Wisdom above Longevity

It is said that some psychic can appear in a dream of his follower.  With such ability, such psychic sometimes claims that he or she is a kind of god.  But, the God truly appeared in a dream of King Solomon:

  (1 Kings 3)

5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
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9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

Solomon did not ask the God to give him longevity but beseeched wisdom to know truth about people, which pleased the God, thus making Solomon's life time prolonged.

This episode tells what is more important than length of life for a king.  A king has to have the wisdom and ability to see reality and truth of people and their minds. 

However, from a point of spiritual view, it is natural and reasonable that Solomon did not ask the God for longevity but for wisdom.  Because there is the afterlife after death in this human world and human souls will survive physical death to continue to live as spirits in the spirit world.

In this sense, Christ Jesus came to this world not to give longevity to people, but to give them wisdom to understand how much the God loved them.  Indeed, Christ Jesus taught people that poor people would be accepted in Heaven after their death in this world and they would live forever happily there.

So then, what should we ask the God for?  The answer should be poverty, since poor men can be accepted in Heaven to live happy forever there and rich men cannot be allowed to enter into Heaven.

The existence of the God and Heaven, poor and rich in this world, and judgment on dead men are all interconnected. 

 

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John 3, King James Version

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.