The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-12-11
sOLoMoN's FALL.


International Sunday School Lesson for
December 10. 1889.
Especially arranged from Q. 8. Qusrterly@
LxssoN TEXT Kings II: 4-1S.
GOLDEN TExT-Wherefor let him thai
thipketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall
=. Cor. 1912
CENTRAL TRurH-Watch and pray, lest 70
enter into temptation.
TIMB-B. q. 9S5 to $50; 5or 10 years before
Solomon's death; 10 or Is years after the
last lesson.
Place. Jerusalem and the southernmost
summit of the Mount of Olives, called the
Mount of Offense.
SoLoMoN-Now 50 to IS years old, having
reigned 80 to IS years. He died B. G. $40,
after reign Of 40 years.
INrRoDUCTIoN-The height Of Solomon's
glory was about the time Of the visit OF the
Queen Of Sheba. Confident In his wisdom
and strength, Solomon multiplied wives
contrary to Gods express command, and
by them was led astray as God had fore
told. The story of his fall is the subject OF
to-day's lesson.
HELPS OVER HARD Places Whss SG'o-
mon was old: SO to IS years old. His wfres:
he had 700 wives, Princesses, and 800 concu-
bines. Many Of these wives were for the
sake Of an alliance with the neighboring ma
tions. He disobeyed God in two respects:
~ He was forbidden to multiply wives
Deut 17:l7); (2) he took wives from for
hidden nations Deut. 7:l-D. Turned aray
his heart: Solomon's sin was a. idolatry;
C) disobeying Gods command as to his
wives (see above); 49, extravaganoe; ~
oppression; (5) tolerance of false religion;
(6) encouragement Of immortality and cruelty
(see under Astarte and Milcom); C) he dis.
honored the God who gave him all he had;
(S) he sinned in spite Of repeated warnings;
(9) he led Israel into sin. 5. Ashtoreth: also
called Astarte, the Ph1nician Venus, and
worshiped with immoralities and debauch
cry. Ztdontas: inhabitants Of Zidon, now
Sidon, 20 miles north Of Tyre. Ailoo,n: the
same as Molech. An idol made Of brass, to
which human sacrifices, especially Of chill
dren, were offered, Ammonttes: descendants
of Lot, by his son Ammon. They lived east
Of the Jordan, north Of Moab I. A high
| place: !. e., place Of worship on hilltop.
Csemosh:: the chief god Of the Moabites, and
much the same as Molech. .. Which had
appeared unto him twice: at Gideon Il Kings
| $3.50 and at Jerusalem Il Kings 9:0. II.
To thv servant: Jer0boan, the son of Nebat
| Il Kings II 1881. IS. One tribe: Judah, In
which Benjamin was also absorbed. ~ w
SoLoMoN's TEMPTATIoNs-U His foreign
wives, many Of them heather; t2) bad COM
pany; (S) @ false liberation Of idolatry, ~
ambition and pride; (D great wealth; (6)
fattery. nT tH9W Gii1fWt o-tH
.SoLoMoN's SAFEGUARDS to keep him from
falling. ~ Special warnings; (9 the word
Of God; C) wisdom to see where his course
would lead; a. wide experience and OBJ
servation; 10y Gods great blessings; (G re-
ligious worship; ~ teaching others. id d..
CoMMENTs-Thus far, all in the life Of
Solomon has been outwardly fair. Prosper
ity, in an overwhelming tide, has steadily
been setting toward his kingdom. Wealth
untold has been gathered into his treasury.
Palaces, public works, armies, nsvies, Char
lots, horses, orchards. gardens, orchestras
and all the delights OF the sons Of men have
been gathered around the throne Of the
monarch. Yet, in the midst Of all this ex-
ternal tide Of success, the seeds Of desola-
ton and ruin have been thickly and per-
sistently sown. What q condition, relig-
iously speaking, that palace Of the King
$50 hard by the temple) must have been in,
with these idolatrous women and their chill
dren, STRIVING to influence the King each In
behalf of her favorite gods At first, the
poor wicked King gave way to their impor-
tunities only so far as to allow them to have
4liberty OF conscience for themselves. But
by and by the evil progressed, and the
heart Of the King himself was affected, and
we find that Solomon goes after Astoreth
and Milcom. Then he went further still,
and built on the Mount Of Olives an idola-
trous place of worship for Chemosh and
for Molech. This kind of wickedness he had
to repeat for all the strange wives he had
wickedly married; for when he had cried
A, he had to say B, and then go on to G and
d, clear through the alphabet. Thus one
step led to another, until the land was
filled with official idolatry, and polluted with
every manner of religious abomination. God
was angry. No wonder. The wonder rather
is that He did not smite Solomon dead long
before this. In fact, God was withheld
from visiting all his deserts on Solomon ','for
David thy fathers sake.'' And even when
the major part Of the kingdom was taken
away from the rightful heir, Judah was left
only "for David my servants sake and for
Jcrusalem's sake"
How was 1t possible for the wisest man
Ill the world to sink into such wickedness
as we have been talking about If he knew
so much, why did he not do betterl The
answer is plain. True wisdom is not mere
knowing. II it We're, then we should only
have to educate people in order to save
them. But there are many whom to edu.
cateis to furnish them with greater power
for evil. True wisdom is found in the fear
of God. If Solomon had this wisdom at the
outset Of his career, hi began. to lose II
long ago. and, by the time spoken of in our
lesson, the last vestige OF it seems to have
disappeared He knew the right, and chose
the wrong in :he face Of his better knowi.
edge. What tremendous difference bo
tween the young and humble Solomon, ask.
ing for Gods guidance, and Solomon the
hoary sinner, leading the people into gross
idolatryl!! Can this be the same mani Go
ask him whether he is the very same young
man Of Lesson III. Tell him that millions
Of Sunday-school scholars are wondering at
the change, and asking how it came about.
All! it came about step by step. Nothing
went suddenly. One by one came evil
thoughts, one by one came evil desires, lit
tie by little followed evil practices, year
after year added sin to sin, until at last Sol
ONION could sin with high hand and not
fear God or man. So sln always works.
Little by littlel How much that means
Like little leak in a dam, that, unstopped,