Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-22
SOLOMON'S WISE CHOICE.
LES SON VIII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATiONALS SERIES, NOV. %.
Text of the Lesson, ] Kings iii, 5-15-
Commit Verses 12-15- Golden Text,
Prov. viii, 10 mentary by
the key. ID. NJ. Stearns.


gathering together materials for the Temple
of the Lord, to be built by Solomon, his son,
at Jerusalem. Because he had set his affec-
ton upon the house Of his God he gave and
gathered in great abundance wood iron,
brass, silver, gold ard precious stones and
gave to Solomon solemn charge concerning
the house and kingdom David also pur-
chased n site for the house, the very place
whero Abraham had centuries before offered
up Isaac or Chron. iii, Il Gen. xxi, 2, Ia,
and there 10 built an altar unto the Lord and
offered sacrifice, the Lord answering him by
fire from Heaven Il Chron. xxi, 1890.
$50 David slept with his fathers, and was
buried in the city Of David; having reigned
over Israel forty years; seven years in Heb
ron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem"
q Kings, ii, 10, H.
'Then Solomon sat on the Throne of the
Lord as king instead Of David, his father,
aud prosperod and all Israel obeyed him"
Il Chron. xxx, 49,
5. TN Gideon the Lord appeared to Solo
mon in dream by night" The ark of God
was in "A tent which David had pitched for it
in Jerusalem, but the tabernacle and altar Of
burnt offering were at GIDEON QI Chron i,
s. y, and thither Solomon and all the CON
gregation had gone to offer sacrifice The
Lord had appeared to Samuel at the taber-
nacie in Shiloh and to David at the threshing
floor Of Aramak q Sam. III, 2l II Chron.
iii, H. but we do not read that He ever ap-
pearei to Saul, for Saul was thoroughly dis
obedient and rebellious, but David and Solo
mon. though great sinners and often over.
come sincerely sought the Lord. The Lord
appeared to Solomon second time on an-
other occasion, and these great fovors should
hove drawn and kept him very close to God
Il XII tx, q; Vi, 81.
"And Cod sad, Ask what I shall give
thee 1t is written that AhGsuerus said to
Queen Esther, "What IS thy request 1t
shall be even given thee to the half Of
The kingdom And that Solomon gave
INTO One queen of Sheha all her desire
whatsoever she asked Esther V, 3, 6: Kings
Y, 49,; but here Is the King Of Kings saying
to King Solomon Ask what / shall give
theen This same Lord sad once to a poor
blind begEar, WHAT wilt thou that I shall
do unto thee duke xviii III and is saying
today, AS; and ye shall receive"
Our lesson today seems to divide itself natu-
rally into four parts: The Lords appearance
aud offer TO Solomon in verse s. which we
have brefy considered; SolJmon's request,
verses 90; the Lords reply. verses lola;
Solomon's thauii Offering, verse II.
G-&. And Solomon said, Thou hast Showed
unto thy servant David, my father great
mercy Acknowledgment Of mercies re
ceive1 is always most appropriate in all our
approaches to God; "Acs~owlcige Him in all
thy ways;" In everything y prayer and
supplcation, with thanksgivin2 let your rc-
quests he made known TO Goa prov. iii,
q; Phil. ", g.
He walked before thee in truth, and in
Righteousness, and in uprichtness of heart
with Thee This is lis testimony to God
concerning his father, happy the fathers
who can have such testimony given concern
ing them by thcir SONS.
Il am but q little child I know not how
10 20 ont or come in" This IS his testimony
concerning himself. and bis uniitnass in him
sell, for tno nigh position 70 which he had
been called.
Thy people which Thou hast chosen"
They are the Lord people whom He has
chosen 40 make diG d, name cud solomon is
the Lord, representative among them
GIVE therefore Thy servant an under
standing heart to judge Thy people" In
tho parallel passage in n CLron. i, 7-l2, his
request l. stated to Toe for wisdom and knowl-
edge that he may go ou1 and in before the
people and judge the,a.
1G-l4. And the speech pleased the Lord,
thai solomon had asked this thing It is
t,ul to read Of any one pleasing God ;
Jesus said OF Himself, [ do always those
Things that please Him tJonn viii, ~. AN /
the Father testified Of Jesus on two different
occasions, This is my beloved son in whom
am wei pleased Matt iii, L; xvii, -
! understanding to discern jud .nc1t.' 1t
pleased the LORD that ne had not asked riches
nor long life, but this one thiuc-the power
to discern right and wrong ana to do the
right, or in one word, Righteousness. This
is one peculiar feature OF the character Of
Jehovah that The righteous Lord loyeth
1 righteousness" (Ps Ii, ~ and above all places
is this desirable il Il ruler
Behold, / have done according TO thy
words; 10, have given thee u w;to and an
understanding heart In chapter iv, 20-?9,
We read that Judah and Israel were msav as
the sand which ID by tho sco in multitude,
and that God gave Solomon wisdom and I'M
derstanGiug exceeding much, AMI largeness
of heart even as the sand which is on the
-oashore, which certainly Indicates that,
though -he peopla were SO HUMOROUS SOLO
mon would have wisdom given hun ior every
case Tat might come before him.
Il have also given thee that which thou
hast not asked, both riches and honor" How
diligently people seek that which NAV get
them food aud rgin,ent and have little or a.
tiIuo lett to seek God, while lie keeps saving,
Seek We first the Kingdom Of God and Hi,
righteousness and ali these things shall be
added into you;' Offering to do for us exceed
ing abundautly above all NC as, o. thinl.
tilatt. ii, 80; Eph, iii, 20J.
"lt thou will walk III my ways, =
then l will lengthen thy days" Wisdom is
given Inn for the asking, riches and honor
without being asked for, but length Of days