Solomon, king of Israel, was a man of remarkable learning. The Bible describes
him as having great interest and understanding in scientific disciplines.
Solomon understood the movement of the prevailing winds about the earth
and the hydrological cycle that brings rain (Ecclesiastes 1:6-7). He was
a horticulturist, creating a great assortment of vineyards, gardens and
orchards (Ecclesiastes 2:4-5).
He was something of a botanist and zoologist, understanding plants, animals,
birds, insects and fish (1 Kings 4:33). He was a student of psychology,
sociology and human relations, as demonstrated by the subject matter of
the book of Proverbs.
But Solomon eventually realized that all his scientific, material knowledge
did not bring him satisfaction. His life grew hollow and unsatisfying.
His concentration on scientific knowledge, without proper emphasis on God's
spiritual knowledge and understanding, rendered life meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18). He concluded, after much retrospection, that a man must put the
knowledge of God first: "This is the end of the matter: you have heard
it all. Fear God and obey his commandments; this sums up the duty of mankind" (Ecclesiastes 12:13, Revised English Bible).
Moses is another example of a man trained in the physical sciences but
blessed with spiritual understanding. Moses was educated "in all the wisdom
of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22). With the guidance of God he could separate
the good from the bad, and undoubtedly his early education was of great
help in his life of fulfilling God's calling to lead his fellow Israelites
out of Egyptian slavery and to govern a nation.
