"The visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon is typical of the
greater homage of the Queen of the South to the Lord Messiah in the glorious age
of peace. She is amazed at the wisdom and glory of Solomon, as the earthly
thrones of the millennium will be startled by the magnificence of the future
Age. [1] Sheba hears of the fame of Solomon: vv 1-3. [2] The Queen is impressed
because of the wonder of the regal majesty of Jerusalem: vv 4,5. [3] The Queen
gives her confession of faith: vv 6-9. [4] The development of international
traffic: vv 10-12. [5] The Queen conveys the knowledge of the king to her home
nation: v 13. [6] The world pays tribute to the great king: vv 14,15. [7] The
shields and targets of gold displayed: vv 16,17. [8] The magnificence of Zion's
throne: vv 18-20. [9] The splendour of the house of the forest of Lebanon: vv
21-25. [10] The stately processions of the king: vv 26-29" (GEM).
"The visit of the Queen of Sheba is therefore typical of how
the peoples of the Millennium will come to worship Christ. The motive behind her
visit was that she had heard about Solomon's wisdom, and wanted to learn more
for herself. Through our teaching of the people in the towns and villages over
which we rule, the motivation for the visits to Christ at Jerusalem will be
similar. The Queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom through seeing the "sitting of
his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel" (1Ki
10:4-8). It was through her observation of Solomon's people that she perceived
and understood his wisdom. The nations will likewise learn the knowledge of
Christ through observing the example of natural Israel and ourselves; as they
should in this life too" (DH, LD 6:1).
1Ki 10:2
CARAVAN: "Retinue" (RSV); "train" (KJV).
...CAMELS... SPICES... GOLD... PRECIOUS STONES: First,
to show her own great wealth, but then to pay tribute to Solomon (v
10).
1Ki 10:5
THE ATTENDING SERVANTS IN THEIR ROBES: If the robes of
these servants were so striking, then what of the robes of Solomon himself? "I
tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of
these" (Mat 6:29).
BURNT OFFERINGS: KJV and NIV mg have "ascent" (ie steps
up to the temple), but the Heb "olah" almost always refers to burnt offerings,
their smoke "ascending" to God.
SHE WAS OVERWHELMED: Lit, "it took her breath
away!"
1Ki 10:10
Typ of Christ: "The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts...
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long" (Psa 72:10,15).
IVORY: Compounded of an "elephant" (S Indian word) and
"tooth" (Heb word).
BABOONS: Heb "thucciyim". Traditionally rendered
"peacocks" (so KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB). Albright (Archaeology and the Religion of
Israel 212), on the other hand, equates it with the Egyptian "tky", which sig
ape. JB translates "baboons" and NEB, "monkeys".
1Ki 10:24
The worship of Gentiles at Jerusalem (Zec 14:16). Tribute of
Gentiles to Jerusalem and its king (Isa 60:11).
1Ki 10:28
KUE: Poss a place in Egypt, where horses were obtained
(v 29). Or Cilicia in Asia Minor (EBC).