Yesterday I spoke in a study about Solomon’s judgment, in which Solomon judges between two whores and through his wisdom brings the truth to light. Solomon uses a sword for this, without actually using the sword.
1 Kings 3
24 Then the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought the sword before the king.
the sword
Literally it says that they brought the sword to the king. So we might know which sword this was. Do we know a sword that qualifies for this? In 1 Samuel 17, David, Solomon’s father, defeated the giant Goliath. He initially does this with a sling and five stones. But then David does something remarkable:
1 Samuel 17
51 And David ran and stood before the Philistine. And he took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head.
no sword like this
This sword was later kept in the tabernacle. When David comes to the priest Ahimelech after some time and is in need of a weapon, he is given this sword (1 Sam. 21:8-9), and David says about the sword: “There is none like it! Give it to me.” There was no sword like it and it is likely that when Solomon later asks for the sword, it is this sword. After all, we know of no other sword that qualifies for this.
Hebrews 4
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…
the word of God
The sword is a representation of the word of God. David, as a representation of Christ, defeats the opponent with it. And later, it is Solomon, the son of David, who, as a representation of the great Son of David, judges and in his wisdom separates truth and lies with the help of a sword.
In Ephesians 6 Paul describes the spiritual armor and also mentions the sword.
Ephesians 6
17 And receive as a helmet salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (literally: statement) of God.
from His mouth
Here too it is confirmed that the word of God is a spiritual sword and for good reason. When Christ comes to judge this world and establish His Kingdom we read that out of His mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword (Rev.1:16; 19:15). His word is sharp when He comes, He will speak and judge this world in His wrath (Rev.6:16-17). Evil will be removed from it. But make no mistake, this is also gospel, it is a painful but necessary intervention that God uses to bring all creation back to Himself (Rom.11:36; Col.1:20).
We are also told to be sharp when it comes to sound doctrine and where the truth comes into play.
Titus 1
13 Therefore expose them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 And heedless of the Jewish myths, and of the ordinances of men that turn away from the truth.