The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-11-21
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ron SUNDAY, nov. -
"Soiomon's Wise Choice" Kings 8,
3-t5 Golden Text; Prov. y. Ii
Comments.

tion upon the house OF his God he gave and
gathered I'm 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 plncc
where Abraham had centuries before offered
up Isaac III Chron. ill.,, 1; Gen. xii. 2. Ia
and there he built an altar unto the Lord and
offered sacrifice. the Lord answering him by
fire from Heaven q Chron. xxi, e2-5N
so David slept with his fathers, and was
buried in tho city OF David; having reigned
over Israel forty years; seven years in Heb
ron and thirty-threo years in Jerusalem. y
ukings, H., 10. III
Then solomon sat on the Throne Of tho
Lord ns King instead OF David his father.
and prospered, and all Israel obeyed Him V
I'll Chron. XIX, 23l
D. I'm Gibeon the Lord appeared To- Solo
mon IN n dream by night The ark OF God
was in tent which David had pitched for lt
IN Jerusalem, but the tabernacle aud altar OF
burnt Offering were at Gibeon III Chron. 4
y, ~, and thithcr Solomon and all the con,
gregation had gone to Offer sacrifice Tho
LORD had appeared 60 Samuel nj the taber-
nacle IN Shiloh and to David Mt the threshine
noor OF Araunak uSam. iii, II; II Chron'
III ~, hut we do not read that He ever ND
pearcd TO Saul, for Saul was thorv.shly Iisn-
bedient and rebellious but David and Solo.
mon, though great sinners and often over.
come, sincerely sought tho Lord The Lord
appeared to Solomon second time ON
another occasion and these great favors
should have drawn and kept him very close
n uod Il Nj X, 2; XII, ~. Tho Lord fire.
quently revealed Himself to His servants I'm
visions AMI dreams Mum. xii u; job xxxiii.
lo, but Moses was honored above all others
IN this respect Mum xh, :, s: Deut. xxxiv
lWi tod now reveals Himself Ia us by His
word and Spirit as really as He did to Moses.
Samuel, Solomon and Others
A,I
thee" lt IL written that Ahasuer,Is said Ia
Queen Esther: "What is thy rcaucstp IL
shall he even given thee to the half of tho
Kingdom" And that Solomon gave unto
the Queen of Sheba all her desire whatso-
ever she asked Esther ", q. q: Kings K
~; but here is the King Of Kings saying To
King solomon: ASK what I shall giyo
thee; This same Lord said once to poor
blind bcggar: "What wilt thou that shall
do unto theey luke xviii. Az and is saying
today; ASK and ye shall receivc:n "Aii
things whatsoever yc shall ask in PRAYER he
heving, ycshall receive Mat. vii, :; xxi. 21)
90. And Solomon said: Thou hast showed
unto thy servant David, my father. great
mercy" Acknowledgment of mercieS re-
ceivcd Is always most appropriate in all our
approaches TO God our highest place Il lny-
ing low Mt our Rcdeemers feet. realizing our
own weakness hut rejoicing In His wisdom
and strength, glorying not in wisdom. might
VI liVneN oul III khoWllS ftlu who ts in Him
self all wisdom and wealth aud poNer un
that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.
He walked before Thee i'm truth and In
Righteousness, and In uprightness ~ heart
with Thee ihis Is his testimony To Ciod
concerning rs father; happy the fathers who
ccan have such testimony given concerning
them 10y their sons.
81 am hut a little child. | know mot how
to so out or como i'm This il his testimony
concerning himself, and his unntneSs In him
SELL Tor the high position 10 which he had
been called
"Thy people which Thou hast chosen
They are the Lords people whom He has
CHOSEN To make Him name, aud solomon Is
the Lords representative among them.
David said In his last words that "He that
rnleth over men must be Just ruling in
the Tear OF Cod and Solomon seems to de.
sire to bc just such ruler over Gods chosen
people.
Give therefore Thy servant an under.
standing heart 10 judge Thy people" In tho
parallel passage of RI Chrou l., 7-l2. his
request is stated to be for wisdom and knowl-
cdge that he may go out and in before the
people ana judge them. That Jesus Christ
Himself is the Wisdom of God we ara
plainly told In Cor. l., -, 80, and that He
Is made unto us Wisdom; but while we trust
INN To save us, how very few seem willing
TO leo Him be their Wisdom in the everyday
life preferring rather 10 lean upon their own
understanding and go their own way.
1914. And the speech pleased the Lord
that Solomon had asked this thng.n IL was
wisdom for judgment that solomon asked
Tor, that he might discern between good and
had, NJ Is manifest in the record which fol.
lows our lesson and in the last verse OF this
chapter.
Understanding to discern Judgment" It
pleased the Lord that he had not asked riches
nor long life, but this one thing-the power
TO discern right aud wrong and to do the
right, or in one word, "Righteousness." This
IL one peculiar feature of the character OF
Jehovah that The righteous Lord loveth
righteousness (Ps Si., y, and above all places
is this desirable in ruler
"b"hold, l have done according to thy
words; 10, ] have given thee a wise and AN
understanding heart" In chapter iv., 2O-29,
we read that Judah and Israel were many ~
the sand which Is by the sea in multitude.
and that God gave Solomon wisdom and I'M
derstanding exceeding much, and largeness
or heart even as the sand which is ON tho
seashore; which certainly indicates that.
though the people wero TO numerous, Solo
mon would have wisdom given him for every
case that 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 and raiment and have little or no
time left 10 seek God, while He keeps saving:
seek We irst the Kingdom of God and His
Righteousness and all these things shall bo
added unto vou." Offering 10 do for u, exceed
ing abundantly above all We ask or think
Matt vi, 33; Eph, ill.,, 2O.
"lf thou wilt walk in my wavs
then will lengthen thy days Wisdom is
given him for the asking riches aud honor
without being asked for, but length of days
Is promised only on condition Of obedience.
provided he will keep Gods statutes and COM
mandments and walk in His ways; otherwise
1t would not be blessing either 20 himself or
his people 10 have his days on earth length
ened
10, "And Solomon awoke; and behold IL
was "A dream" IL was. however, "A dream TO
some purpose, for the Lord was in IL as Ho
was IN the dreams of Jacob, Joseph his son,
Nebuchadnez2ar, Daniel, Joseph, husband Of
Mary, Pilates wife and others. God does
sometimes even tn this day reveal His will
III dream or vision OF the night, concern
ing special guidance on unusual matters;
bnt ordinarily He does rot reveal Himself
except by His Word, and never in conflict
with it. Whatever is not in perfect agree
ment with tho Word of God proceeds not
ION God but from the prince of darkness.
lisa. viii, 2O.) "He came 10 Jerusalem .
and offered up burnt offerings and peace
offerings" The burnt Offering typifed our
LORD Jesus offering Himself wholly 20 God,
every thought, word and desd acceptable
ana appreciated only by God. The peace
ererins was partly burnt and partly eaten.
partaken OF both by God and man. and shows
laaNW