Last week we read about God’s provision for the birds of the air in Matthew 6, but there is more. Let’s keep reading.

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:28-34).

Do you think that Solomon had enough of clothes to wear as the king of Israel? In 1 Kings 10:14 it states that King Solomon’s income was about 250 tons of gold per year. (You can look it up.) What is the present dollar value of an ounce of gold? It is somewhere around $1,068 an ounce at the time of this writing. (You can do the math.)

If Solomon measured his income in tons of gold per year, it would appear like the King had more than enough financial capacity to provide more than enough clothing! When Solomon went out to battle, he might not have had his whole wardrobe available but it was only for a short time; he generally had more than enough clothes.

Jesus is talking about physical, natural provision here in Matthew 6. He did not use John the Baptist, who only had camel’s hair to wear, as His example. He could have, but instead He used Solomon as an example.