The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-11-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER "a
Lesson TcAt: 3Olomon's s w ise Choice.
I Kings, iii,,< 5f5.-Goiden Text:
Prov. viii, IL Commentary
on the Lesson.

The last days OF David were devoted to
gathering together materials for the Temple
of the Lord. to be built by SoloIfion his son,
ut Jerusalem. Be,puse he had set his affec.
tion upon the houso of his God ho gave and
gathered in great abundance wood, iron.
brass silver, gold and precious stones and
gave to Solomon n solemn charge concerning
the house and kingdom. David also pur-
chased site for the house, the very place
where Abraham had centuries before offered
up Isaac uI Chron. ill.,, /: Gen. xii, =, lA,
end there he built an altar unto the Lord and
offered sacrifice, the Lord answering him by
fire from Heaven Il Chron. xxi. 22-o6).
SO David slept with his fathers. and was
buried in the city Of David; having reiynell
over Israel forty years; seven years i'm Heb
ron and thirty-thre" years in Jerusalem. y
ukings H., 10. ID
Then Solomon sat on tho Throne of th1
Lord ms King instead of David, his father.
and prOspored, and all Israel obey ed Him =
Il ChrOn. xxx, 23l
.. I'm Gideon the Lord appeared to Solo
mon in n dream by night" The ark of God
was in tent which David had pitched for it
i'm Jerusalem, but the tabernacle and altar OF
burnt offering were at Gibnon UI ChrOn j .
3, ~, and thither Solomon and oil the con =
gregation had gone to offer sacrifice The
Lord had appeared to Samuel AZ the tabcr-
nacle in Shiloh and to David az the threshing
floor of Araunak uSam. iii. 81: II Chron.
i'll, u, but we do not read that He ever ap-
peared 70 Saul, for Saul was thoroughly disc
bcdient ard rebcllious, but David and Solo
nol, though great sinners and often over
como, sincerely sought the Lord. The Lord
appeared tn Solomon second timn O,
another occasion, and those great favors
should have drawn and kept hin, worry Close
to tod IL HI. tx, =: XII, ~. 'rh" Lord fire.
luontly revealed Himself TO His servants il,
visions and dreams (Num. xii, q: Job xxxiii..
15), hut Moses was honorri above al other,
IN thlSr2Sport (Num. xii, Z. s; Dcut. ExNiv
lW; God now reveals Hms If To- us by~ His
word and Spirit rs really ms He did to Moses
Samuel, Solomon and others
And God said: Ask what ] shall give
thee" 1t is written that AhasucruS said To
Queen Esther: What is thy request II
shall Il" even given thee to the half of the
Kingdom And that Solomon gave unto
the Queen of Sheha ell her desire. whatso
ever sh" asked Esther V, .. Il: I Kings X,
l3; but here is tn" King Of Kings saying to
King Solomon: ASK what 7 shall give
the" This same Lord said oncs to q poor
blind beggar: "What wilt thou that Shall
do unto theey (l.ukc xviii. AZ and is saying
to-day: Ask and ye shall receive" All
things whatsoever We shall ask ~ prayer, be.
N9ving, We shall receive Mat. VIII Z: xxi, p \
60. And Solomon said: Thou hast showed
unto thy servant David. my father. great
mercy" Acknowledgment Of mevcies re
"e'ved IS always most appropriate in all our
approaches to God. Our highest place is Law.
ing low at our Rc,leemar's feet. realizing on,
own weakness, but rejoicing in His wisdom
and strength; gloryinG not in wisdom, Nigh,
or riches, but in Knowing Him who is IN Him
self nil wisdom ?nd wealth and power He
that glortGth, let him glory in tho Lord
''lie walked before ThCn in truth and in
righteousness and in uprishtncsS of heart
with Thee. This is his testimony to God
concerning his father; happy tn" fathers whu
can have such testimony given concerning
them by their SonS.
"a al
to 60 ont or com" in" This /, his ias; ;inony
concerning himself. and MS nuiitrc,S in hint
."lf, for tho high position to which he had
Leon called.
THY people which Thou hast CHOSEN" "
They are the Lords people whom He has
chosen 10 max" Him name. and Solomon is
TN" LordS representative amonI them.
David SAID in his last words that ~" that
rul"th over men must bn Just ruling in
the feav of God, and Solomon seems 10 de
CIV" e. Y" j"~t @""h " rw.cr over God'si chosen
people.
"Giv" therefore Thy servant an under
standing heart (" Judge THY pcnnln" In liz.
parallel ra>Sa"" uf " thrCn j.. -. his
request - stated g. bn cor wisdom and knew,
"dg" that he may go cut and in hcfrr,, III,
pcop'" and ju'!C" them. That Jesus Christ
Himself IS tn" Wisdom ui God wc ar.
plainly told IN Cor. j.. -, ~. and that II.
is made unto us Wisdom; h,lt while ;vc lr,lsr
Tim To- sew" US, how very few s"nm willing
to let 'um he their Wisdom ip the EVERYDAY
life: prrfcrring rather 10 lean upon their owi
understanding and - their own way.
lo-l4. 'Ard III" speech pleased fh" ord
that Solomon bad asked this tniug" Il; was
wisdom for Judgment that Solomon asLct
for that h" night discern hntwc,n cool az,
bad, aS Is manifest in tn" record which rol
lows oIir lesson anil i'm the last YER" OF thi.
chapter
understanding to discern Judgment" II
plea I'D the Lord that II" htd mo-, asked richie
nor hong life, but Tai, one thng-;hc nowry
To discern right and wrong and 10 ,io Til:
right or in on" word, "Ri2h.eo,isncs. This
is on" peculiar feature oT the character o.
Jehovah that ''Ih" riGhteGuS Lord lorct;l
righteousness 0'S xi.. ~. and above all places
is this deSirahi" in ruler.
'S"hold, | have done according to thy
words; 10, | hav" given thee Il wis" and an
understanding heart I'm rhnnter iv 20 20
we r"ad that Judah and israel were many rs
IL" Sani which Is hy tln sea in multitude,
and that God gave Solomon wisdom md ur.
deratandinS exceeding much. aid lararnrSs
ot heart, even as the sand which is on tho
sHash"rc; which certainly Indicates that,
though the people werr so numerous s;OIo-
mon wCH!,l hay" wisdom given him for every
case that might com" before him
~ haN" also given the" .h1t which thou
hast not asked, hoth riches and honp,." How
diligently p"Hrl" seek that which may get
them foC1 and raimcnt and have little or no
tim" left to s,"!; Goi. wlIilc II" lc"DS saving :
Sock yr first tIie kingdom of God and His
ht."rSn"SS and all these things ghall hn
added unto y0;C e'f~-iae'>
ing 0bundant