The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-12-06
THE QUEEN or sHrsA.


0oLph> 4Exf-cnc came from the utter
most parts Of the earth 10 hear the wisdom
~ solomon; and, behold. greater than
solomon IL here Matt ~ -.
CENTRAL TRrTn-They are wiscst who
most earnestly seek Christ, Of whose bless
ings the half has never been told.
IfME-B. q Hb. Ten years after the tenn
pie was finished
PLAcE-n Jerusalem; (2 sheba. /. o,
saoaa, very wealthy region in Southern
Arabia, bordering on the Red Sca. II was
1850 miles from JersusaIem
PARALLEL AccouNT-2 Chron. 9:1-f2.
SOLOMON. who was nearly 10 years old.
and had reigncd 20 years.
ISTRoDrcTioS--After the completion Of
the temple Solomon exercised his genius in
building palaces and public buildings, aquc-
ducts and fortresscs, extending his COM
mercc and organizing = splendid court Tho
story Of his magnificcncc reached distant
nations through his fleets, and people came
from long distance 70 SEQ and TO hear.
Among them was the Queen Of Sheba.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs--1. CONCERNING
The nGm< Of the Lord; His name in connection
with the Lords temple, and the wisdom
the Lord had given HIM. TO prore Tor test,
try,) him NTH hard q,tcdions: enigmas. dim.
cult problems, and also questions OF 70
ligion and government. 3 Much gold; see
" 10. 4. Solomoa's Wisdom: as shown in his
works, splendid palaces. ivory and gold
throne. commerce that extended from spain
TO Egypt, the temple. etc. 8 The sitting "
hk servants: tho assembly OF his high on
GERS The attendance Tor service) u he
ministers: his servants, attendants. HI
accent: connecting his palace with the
temple court 10. One hundred aud trentv
taenfs Of gold: each talent was worth $o6.-
$50. II. Nary of Hiram: King OF Tyre, q
sea-faring nation, whose sailors manned
Solomon's ships. Ophir: either part Of
Arabia, near Sheba, or part Of India. IL.
Almug tres: perhaps sandal wood.
SoLoMoS's WIsDoM-u) In solving hard
questions, in unfolding tho mysteries OF
life and religion. (2) As a judge. (See ex.
ample in Kings 3;l5-2S) 81 In knowledge
and literature. Solomon wrote probably
three books Of the Bible We are told that
be spoke three thousand proverbs and one
thousand songs. He was vcrsed IN the
natural science Of the day Il Kings :30-3l).
az In art and architecture. Illustrations
are seen in the temple, in his palaces and
gardens and in his Notifications. {5) In
commerce, which was very wide and
successful 90 In organizing the army
and building fortresses throughout his
Kingdom. % In his court splendors.
LESSON Pofxrs-This time we have q
royal visit to neigh boring sovereign. Call
the attention Of the class to the cause OF the
visit. This was the widespread fame OF the
wisdom Of King Solomon. Not 50 much Of
his riches, though these were very great.
nor Of his buildings, though they were very
"maCuifical," but Of his almost supernatur-
al wisdom in giving answers to hard ques-
tons, whether theological ". u or practi-
cal Next speak Of the great carncstness
OF the Queen Of Sheba as shown BY the dis
lance she Travelled. Her journey must
have been about fifteen hundred miles, and
that, too, either on camels or IN chariots
across the Arabian deserts. During her
visit to Jerusalem she must have had many
with the King, and have asked
and received answers 10 many questions.
solomon doubtless took great pleasure In
showing her - much Of the temple as .
Gentle woman might see and in conduct
ing her through his palace, which il took
him thirteen years TO build. His reRalia
also was exhibited, and his store OF
vessels Of gold (for gold was %
plentiful In Jerusalem that SILVER was moth
ing accounted Of, and all the varied glories
Of an Oriental court This array Of intel
lectual wonders and material treasures
seems at last 70 have quite overcome the
Queen, who is said to have had no more spirit
left in her. In her enthusiasm she declares
Israel to be an especially favored people,
and Soomon's servants TO be peculiarly
privileged men, and she testifies By her
large gifts OF gold and SPICES her gratitude
for the royal reception she had been vouch-
safed.
Having thus brought out the narrative,
cali for the Golden Text OF the lesson.
These words were uttered by our Lord at
The time that the scribes and Pharisees
we're wicxedly asking Him to work some
especial miracle In order that they
might know whether He was the Messiah.
Jesus had already performed scores OF
and they would not believe, and
Sole refused 70 acccdc to their request. He
merely warned them that with their spirit
ual rights and privileges that they enjoyed,
many would rise up in the judgment to con-
iemn them, because with fewer advantages
hey had really done better. 'sThc Queen
81 the south shall rise up in the judgment
With this generation, and shall condemn il;
Tor she came from the uttcrmost parts OF
he earth TO hear the wisdom Of solomon.
Ind behold . greater than Solomon is here"
COMMENTS There are many to-day who
ire ready to hcarwhat any '.wisc man. mas
o say about science, or history. or invcn-
ions, or politics, who never care 70 hear
my thing from the Word OF God Nav.
here are thousands who will listen 10 what
my foos has 70 say about religion ard tho
world to come rather than 10 listen 10 what
'csus OF Nazareth says on these topics.
Hose people will not only NOS travel .
'rcat way for additional light in spiritual
Kings, but they will not even 80 around
be corner to church. or open the Word OF
iod in their own homes. IhcS AFRO In some
ascs even worse than this. Tor, IN any
come 70 visit hon in their
Ones. they almost refuse T. listen 20 the
rords Of Divine wisdom spoken to them for
oihing. The jews Of the S.yiours time
elected Him and persisted. So people in
y day reject Jesus and His Divine revelar
ION, and are laying up for themselves wrath
gainst the day Of wrath.
Notice ono thing more. Solomon could
My give the Queen Of Sheba good advice,
: clear up TO her mind theological dificui-
es. He could not in any way help her %
hey that wisdom which begins in the fear
God. In this respect, any book with the
amc words in II that Solomon spoke would
ave been just as good for her. But the
greater than Solomon" to whom we may
Dme, can not only make US wise unto sal
1fiOn. y hut can rive ma fhnt eaivafiou ~