The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-11-21
soLoMoN's DREAM.


November "a, 1889.
Especially arranged from s. s. Quarterly.1
LESSON TExr--1 Kings 3:5-15.
GOLDEN Wisdom is better than
rubies. s.-Prov. S:11.
CENrRAL TRUrn-Seek first the Kingdom
o. Heaven, and ell other things shall be
added unto you.
The Books or KrNas-O Originally one
book. Author unknown; written probably
ABOUT B. G. $50.
-iME-B. c. 1015. Solomon reigned B. G.
1015-975
PLAcE-Gibeon (high place., six miles
north of Jerusalem, perhaps the same as
Mob (height) and Mizpah (tower). Here
the old tabernacle stood, while the ark was
on Mt Zion. Worship was kept up at both
places.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTS Chron. lib. David
died a short time before this, about seventy
years old.
SoLoMoN-Eighteen to twenty years old
His mother was Bathsheba, the grand
daughter Of the wise Ahithophel.
THE STATE OF THE KINaDoM-In perfect
peace, wide extended, prosperous, entering
upon q new era of religious worship, OF
commerce and trade, Of literature and learn.
ing.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-5. Asks, etc.
the answer to his prayers and worship. 6.
And Solomon said: Solomon grounds his
request that Jehovah would grant him the
gifts needful for q sovereign upon the mercy
shown his father David, to whom God had
performed His promises. Z. am but lttie
child: his humility shows his wisdom. He
saw how weak he was for the great work
to be done. HOw TO 90 out or come IN: 1. e.,
transact the business of the government.
8. Witch thou hast chosen: it was not only q
great nation, but the nation chosen to rep.
resent God before the world, and carry out
His Kingdom, and teach the world His
truths. All this was a far greater respon.
sibility than the ruling OF an ordinary king.
dom. a grcd. people: 1,5s0,OO0 warriors, be.
sides 5000 Levites Il Chron. 1858; 81 IS, o.,
which would imply population Of 6,000, 1000.
9. Gfre an understanding heart: true, relig
ious wisdom, applied to the affairs Of his
kin gdom; clear perception Of right and
wrong, and skill to decide every difficult
question Alright. It included also an apti.
tude for the acquisition and use of the high.
er branches of philosophical knowledge,
natural and moral, which constituted the
learning Of his age. In the latter, he ex-
celled the most famous men of his time.
lOs Att'tocu Gtc LOfus lOI uC dohCu uOUuiuk
for himself, but only fitness for his work.
12 None Ike thee: his knowledge of nature
extended to all the kingdoms Of creation and
the products Of every country Il Kings 4 :31-
33). He gave special attention to the study
of man. His manifold observation and ex-
perience he expressed in maxims, of which,
according to l Kings 4:32, he composed
three thousand. IA. II, etc. :. then I ,DtI
lengthen Thy days: long life was conditional
on obedience. Solomon failed in his part,
and he died at the age Of 60 10. Behold, u
tCds dream: but the results show that 1t
was real choice.
CoMMENTs-At last David went the way
Of all men. He was buried, and Solomon
reigned in his stead. The new King was
only eighteen years old, and naturally felt
his own inexperience. HIS young heart
seems to have been well inclined, for he
went to Gibeon where the tabernacle was
(the ark was in Jerusalem), and where
Zadok, the high priest, was, and there
offered G great sacrifice to Jehovah. It was
q singular state Of affairs to have the tab.
ernacle and altar of sacrifice at one place
and the ark in another. But it took years
to restore the ancient order of things, and
not until the temple was built were ark and
altar again united. While in Gibeon, at
this sacrifice, Solomon dreamed the dream
which Is given In our lesson. Cali atten-
tion to the character of the young King ss
by his dream (our dreams are
often really mirrors Of our characters). (a)
he was thoughtful. He pondered over the
past experiences of his father David. This
was . good thing for Solomon to do. For,
in fact, Gods mercies to Solomon did not
begin when he was born, but long before.
So Gods mercies to US did not commence at
our birthday, but were shown even in the
days of our forefathers. (b) He was hum
BILE. "And am but little child; know
not how to 60 out or como in" He felt his
want Of experience, and realized that he
needed guidance. (c) He was patriotic.
"Give, therefore, thy servant an under
standing heart to judge Thy people" In all
this the character Of the young ruler shows
to good advantage. It is the more pity that
he did not maintain this simplicity and
purity Of character and life all his days.
Now notice Gods answer to Solomon's
prayer. He approves Of the Kings petition,
and, because OF the wisdom Of the request,
He gives him more than he asked for.
Riches and honor are added to wisdom, 80
that Solomon was really blessed above most
Let the teacher, however, in all
this, notice that the wisdom asked OF God
by Solomon was not spiritual wisdom,
which is found in the fear Of God, but mere
earthly, political wisdom to govern the ma
tion Alright. God never gives holiness of
character in the same way in which He be-
slows other endowments. With all the
''wisdom" He had gwen Solomon, God still
watched to see ''if thou wilt walk in Nv
ways" God gives no man . moral charac-
ter, but gives him talents, and then allows
the man to work out his own moral charac-
ter. Gcd gave Solomon practical wisdom,
and Solomon subsequently abused it, and
Injured himself and his people.-Rev. A. F.
Schaufiler.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
]. To every one comes the offer, Ask
what shall give thee.
O. What we ask tests our character and
determines our destiny.
g. We should answer this question in our
early youth.
4. The best time for deciding is when
lnder the best religious influences.
B. II we seek first the Kingdom of God |
md its righteousness, all other things will |
De added unto us.
o. True wisdom, by which we serve God
md bless our fellow men, Ia the chief hleae