Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-11-22
S0L0MON'S WISE CHOICE.
LESSON VIII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, NOV. "a.

Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of II. S, Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
phia.1
The last days of David were devoted to
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 and precious stones, and
gave to Solomon a solemn charge concerning
the house and kingdom David also pur-
chased a site for the house, the very place
where Abraham had centuries before offered
up Isaac I'll Chron. iii, /; Gen. xxi, g l4,
and there he built an altar unto the Lord and
offered sacrifice, the Lord answering him by
fire from Heaven Il Chron. xxi, 22-20.
$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"
Il Kings, ii, 10, 11.)
"Then Solomon sat ON the Throne of the
Lord as king instead of David, his father,
and prospered, and all Israel obeyed him."
Il Chron. xxx, 49,
5. "In Gideon the Lord appeared to Solo
mon in dream by night" The ark of God
was in tent which David had pitched for it
in Jerusalem, but the tabernacle and altar of
burnt Offering were at Gideon III Chron. l.
B, A., and thither Solomon and all the con-
gregation had gone to offer sacrifice. The
Lord had appeared to Samuel at the taber
nacle in Shiloh and to David at the threshing
floor of Araunak q Sam ill., 81; ii Chron
ill., y, but we do not read that He ever ap-
peared to Saul, for Saul was thoroughly dis
obedient and rebellious, but David and Solo
mon, though great sinners and often over.
a1t- tb,T n,.I I o,.l
appeared to Solomon second time on an
other occasion, and these great favors should
have drawn and kept him very close to God
Il XII tx, 2; xi, 81.
And God said, Ask what | shall give
thee" 1t is written that Ahasuerus said to
Queen Esther, "What is thy requestl 1t
shall be even given thee to the half of
the kingdom" And that Solomon gave
unto the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatsoever she asked Esther V, 8, 6; Kings
x, l3) but here is the King of Kings saying
to King Solomon, ask what l shall give
thee" This same Lord said once TO poor
blind beggar, "What wilt thou that | shall
do unto thee!" luke xviii, Az and is saying
today, ASK and ye shall receive"
Our lesson today seems to divide itself natu-
rally into four parts: The Lords appearance
and offer to Solomon in verse 5, which we
have briefly considered; Solomon's request,
verses 60; the Lords reply, verses lola
Solomon's thank Offering verse 10.
60. "And Solomon said, Thou hast showed
unto thy servant David, my father, great
mercy" Acknowledgment of mercies re-
ceived is always most appropriate in all our
approaches to God Acknowledge Him in all
thy ways" I'm everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your re-
&; Phil. iv, g.
HE walked before Thee in truth, and in
Righteousness, and in uprightness of heart
with Thee" This is his testimony to God
concerning his father; happy the fathers
who can have such testimony given concern
ing them by sheir sons.
~ am but little child know not how
to go out or come in This is his testimony
concerning himself, and his unftness in him
self for the high position to which he had
been called
Thy people which Thou hast chosen"
They are the Lords people whom He has
chosen to make Him name, and Solomon is
the Lords representative among them
GIVE therefore Thy servant an under
standing heart to judge Thy people," In
the parallel passage in II Chron. j. 7-12, his
request Is stated to be for wisdom and knowr
edge that he may go out and in before the
people and judge them
lola, And the speech pleased the Lord,
that Solomon had asked this thing" 1t is
beautiful to read OF any one pleasing God
Jesus said of Himself, Il do always those
things that please Him" John viii, 30, and
the Father testified of Jesus on two different
occasions, This is my beloved Son in whom
am well pleased" Matt In, II; xvii, 81
Understanding to discern judgment" 1t
pleased the Lord that he had not asked riches
nor long life, but this one thing-the power
10 discern right and wrong and to do the
right, or In one word, righteousness" This
Is one peculiar feature of the character of
Jehovah that The righteous Lord loveth
righteousness" US. xi, n, and above all places
Is this desirable in ruler.
Behold, have done according to thy
words; 10, have given thee wise and an
understanding heart" In chapter iv, 2O-29,
we read that Judah and Israel were many as
the sand which Is by the sea i'll multitude,
ana That God gave Solomon wisdom and I'M
Outstanding exceeding much, and largeness
OF heart, even as the sand which is on the
SeaShOre which certainly Indicates that