The major purpose for Jesus performing miracles is to prove what He said is what He meant and to verify who He is. The people had accused Him of being the son of Joseph and Mary implying He was not the Messiah. In Luke 11:29-32 Jesus explains that what He has done is enough to prove that He is the Messiah. He has cured so many diseases and performed so many miracles. Ironically the people responded with such great joy that those very signs actually became an indictment against them (Luke 10:10-15). They have been privileged and spoiled to witness these miracles, so much so that others would have already repented if they had experienced the same thing. Yet instead of repenting, they accuse Jesus of being a servant of Satan. The same can be said of the modern American church. We are extremely blessed and materially spoiled but we are dead in spirit, complaining and asking for more signs.
In Luke 11:31, Jesus continues comparing this generation to the Queen of the South in the time of King Solomon. Jesus says I am superior to Jonah and Solomon. I am more than a prophet or a king, I am the Son of God, the promised Messiah.
The Queen of the South is the Queen of Sheba. Jesus says she will rise up at the judgment. This judgment refers to the judgment of the great white throne at the end of time. The fact that she will rise means she became a believer and was saved. She will condemn them doesn’t mean the Queen is the judge for only God is the judge. However, it does mean she will not be condemned herself and she will shame those who are. She was not a Jew but an idol-worshipping Gentile woman. Originally she was the most condemned. She didn’t see any miracles but by hearing the wisdom of Solomon she became a believer and saved. What an accusation against patriarchal and traditional Jews. The Queen of the South not only avoided condemnation and shamed those who are condemned, but will also receive a great reward (Luke 11:31). Salvation is more than avoiding condemnation and hell but a heavenly reward with Jesus Christ.
How was the Queen of the South saved? She made an effort to go see Solomon. We don’t know where exactly she came from but we can assume she came from a very far place that took a great time to travel. As a Queen, she left her domain and responsibilities, which required great effort and sacrifice, to hear the wisdom of Solomon. In contrast, we don’t have to travel far or sacrifice much to hear the word of God. In comparison, we have no excuse. Where is our effort to know God? We have so many resources readily available to us. If we wanted to know God we easily could but so many of us don’t put in even the slightest effort.
The Queen of the South desired to hear about Yahweh from Solomon (1 Kings 10:1). The Bible says people are saved by hearing the Gospel. The Queen wanted to hear true wisdom from Solomon. Indeed, Solomon truly was a wise man of wisdom who had received divine wisdom from God when he was a child. He wrote three books of wisdom in the Bible (Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes). Solomon tells us that “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7)
After hearing from Solomon, the Queen believed and responded with praise to God and blessing towards Solomon (1 Kings 10:9). This is why rejecting Jesus is inexcusable. Jesus declares “Behold, something greater than Solomon is here.“ Even though Solomon was supernaturally gifted with knowledge and wisdom beyond normal men, he was still just a mortal and local king who had many faults and sins. Jesus is the King of Kings, fully God, and full man. Jesus is perfect, mighty and never failing; to Him be the glory and the might forever and ever (Revelation 1:5-6). Jesus is the supreme ruler of all creation (Colossians 1:15). If Jesus is your King, then you must surrender and listen to Him. His words and ways are our blessing and truth (Mark 1:8).
Solomon is one of many sons of David but Jesus is the Son of David (Mark 10:47), the promised Messiah. He is the true Savior of His people and the eternal King. Without Jesus, we cannot see the light. We are blind in our sins, but in Jesus, we can see (John 9:25). Jesus provides for our most fundamental needs. He gives us salvation and freedom from our sins through the love and grace of God. We do not need health wealth or worldly wisdom. These do not satisfy us because they don’t meet our real needs. We need Jesus! In Jesus, we have all the wonderful blessings of God.
Jesus is the source of wisdom. If you don’t have Jesus then you are not wise despite how much knowledge you have. Wisdom is the ability to see reality as God sees it. That is only possible in Jesus Christ because Jesus is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption personified (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are not wise on our own, but every Christian has access to all the wisdom in Jesus (Colossians 2:3). The smartest and brightest in the world are foolish without Jesus. The atheist is a fool because they deny God (Psalm 14:1). Jesus came to earth to explain who God is, our Heavenly Father who is full of grace, truth, love, and power. The wise believe in Jesus and trust His words.
There is also the unrealistic fool found in 1 Corinthians 1:18 who perish in their foolishness. They reject the crucifixion as God’s means of salvation. They think the cross is a nice gesture and Jesus was a nice man and a good teacher. But they do not realize that there is no other way to escape the wrathful judgment of God towards sinners and be forgiven except through the cross. This is the reality of salvation.
The independent fool does not depend on the cross but depends on their own works and religion (Matthew 7:21-23). They have confidence in their own deeds versus what Jesus did. They rely on their tradition when they possess no hope or life.
The head knowledge fool only appears wise but lacks obedience. They know the truth in their head but do not live it in their heart. It is merely lip service and not true wisdom. Jesus obeyed to the point of death. He not only spoke the truth but obeyed.
There is also the Christian fool. “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken”. The Christian knows what the Scripture says but they fail to trust in God. The wise Christian lives according to every word of God in every circumstance. Jesus went through every moment according to the Scriptures (Matthew 26:51,56).
The world is a flood of worldly wisdom. However, they are lost without Jesus Christ. He is superior to Solomon because He is real and genuine and everlasting. He is with us. Listen to His Word through the Scriptures. Ask the Lord in prayer to reveal Himself to you.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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