Some Bible commentators calculate that the Queen of Sheba traveled close to 1,500 miles just to visit Solomon. Upon her arrival she observed Solomon’s splendid kingdom, and servants. She then had her questions answered and the secrets of her heart revealed by Solomon (2 Chr. 9:1-6).
Notice, if you will, the verbs used to describe the queen. She “heard”; she “came”; she “communed”; she “seen”; she “said”; she “gave”; and she “turned and went away.” Her long trip to see Solomon would not be wasted. This was an opportunity of a lifetime.
The Queen of Sheba seen with her eyes. She heard with her ears. She spent her time in communion. She gave of her abundance. She professed with her mouth the blessings of the Lord. The sad part of her story, however, is that she returned back to her land, without the God of Israel in her heart. Chances are high that she went back to her gods in her homeland, though she had experienced the glories of the God of Israel.
Often times people come a long way to hear the gospel, commune with church people, and see God’s blessings only to return to their old way of life. They profess faith with their mouths, but their hearts are far from God. Though they travelled far, they didn’t make the most of the opportunity. In other words, so close but so far away.