Solomon. Ritchie Character Study Series, #3

Why study the life of Solomon - What can we possibly learn from a man who lived almost 3, 000 years ago? He not only lived at a different time, and in a different culture, but he was faced with different circumstances from ours. He was a king, scientist, writer, architect, business man, and administrator. He lived in the Middle East, balancing the power of nations surrounding him. I doubt that many kings will read this volume; I am certain no one will be reading who has 700 wives! None of us is involved in the balancing of international power.
His wisdom was remarkable in its day but certainly with our technology we are far advanced (beware chronologic snobbery!). So what value is there for us? As we survey the occasions when the Scriptures illustrate truth from his life, or mention events in his life, we are reminded of what Paul penned: "The things written aforetime are written for our learning" (Rom 15:4). If the Spirit of God deemed the events in Solomon's life worthy of recounting as a basis for instruction, then we are justified in studying his life as well.