The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-04
t,4e SUNDAY SCHOOL.
r.tsrnationsi Lesson for December q 800
-~solomon's SIM Kings Ii:4-i3.

EXPLANATORY.
I The Influences by Which Solomon
Was Led Astray; or. the Rocks on
Which Solomon Was Wrcckcd.-N.A
FIRST. %Polygamy. Contrary TO the
divine law of his kingdom tDcut. l'lD,
solomon multiplied wives I'LL he had
roo ives and 800 concubincs tl:3),
partly for the sake of political alli-
anccs, partly from ostentation, that he
might be first in this as in all other di-
rections, and partly from sensualism,
which is the most common failing OF
oriental monarchs.
1T came to pass. when Solomon
was old" Between 80 and co years old,
when he ought to have been in his spir-
itual and mental prime. Blu his great
labors. his burdens of wealth aud pleas
ure and his monstrous polygamy had
sappcd his manhood, weakened his con.
stitution and made him prematurcly
old. "Ilis wives" many Of them for
eion p%rincesscs. the daughter of Pha-
,aoh. and women of the Moabites, Am.
monites. Edomitcs. Sidonians and Hit
tites. heather women, who brought
their heather natures. training and
customs with them. Turned away his
heart after other gods"
Second. An Imperfect Heart. "And
his heart:' The word rendered heart
in the Old Testamcntis very significant.
u means more than the will, the emo
tions and the affections; IL reaches
down into the depths Of ones sclfhood
out of which thought. feeling. action
flow.
II. The Sins Into Which Solomon
Fell.-Vs. 81. Solomon's fall was tirsi
a fall within. and then n fall without.
5. For Solomon went after" Some
Commentators think that Solomon
actually worshiped idols. but most
think that his sin was that described
In verse Z. where he favored and abcttod
idolatory. by building dol temples, and
supported idol worship. "IIe went not
fully after the Lord "Milcom. the
domination Of the AmmonLtes:" This
IS the same divinity who is called be-
low ". y Molcch. Mohch was q fire
god. and was worshiped with human
sacrifices.
:. "Then did Solomon" as the next
step, build n high place" n shrine
or temple on a hilltop among the trees.
For Chemosh. n local name for Baal,
the sun god. The abomination," the
idol and its worship intensely hateful
to God.
All this naturally encouraged inn
morality. and cruelty. and crime. which
were a part of the idolatrous worship.
1t was a public dishonoring OF God and
the true religion. which he had done
SO much to urbuild.
What God Did TO Prevent His Fall
Us. o, 10. Solomon was not left TO aim
self all this time. but God withstood
his downward way. He would make
the way Of the transgrcssor so hard
thai he would turn from that way into
the paths OF Righteousness.
o. "And the Lord was angry with
Solomon" The Lords anger is not
a burst Of passion. nor a desire to re-
,enge, but n burning Indignation
against wrong; n sense of justice which
would stop the cvil-doer in his course
and punish him. All good beings must
have this anger; and it is the more in
tense in proportion to h purity OF the
person who feels it. and his clear per-
ccption of the evil. and his love for
those who are injured by the wrong.
(which had appeared unto Him
twice." First at Gideon, at the begin
ming of Ills reign @: $3.50 and then A.
Jerusalem, about the middle OF His
reign %: 49, in the very height OF His
prosperity. These were special warn
ings and announcements because of his
great danger.
10. And had commanded Him:
both in the visions and in Ills word.
Solomon had the Pentateuch. Joshua
and Judges, and practically both books
Of Samuel. As a wise and learned man
He must have studied these thoroughly.
Ills conduct was direct disobcdience of
a positive command.
The Consequences of His Sin.--Ns.
li-l3. First. A Large Partof His King
dom Was to he Taken from His Family.
III. THE Lord said unto Solomon"
Probably by a prophet. perhaps Ahijah
Tvs. 29-37.) If still living. II will surely
rcnd." will violently take away. The
kingdom from thee, and will give it to
thy servant" Not merely subject, but
officer. employe. This made the decree
the more bitter.
II. "Notwithstn nding, in thy days l
will not do it," the threatening had
two gracious and merciful limitations:
ID The blow should not fall until after
his death (cf. V. "a; chap. 81: 30; . Kings
22:20;) and (2) the disruption should
be but partial. There should be a
remnant" - Pulpit Commentary.
FOR David thy fathers sake" We little
know the benefits or the evils cntailed
upon MS by our forefathcrs. II will rend
1t out of the hand of thy son." whose
pad conduc arose largely from the
poiygamy and sins OF Solomon.
Is. II will give ono tribe to
thy SON. The tribe Of Judah, which
absorbed the tribe of Benjamin. 80 that
ms il entirely consistent with the
statement by the same writer a few
verses farther on that two tribes should
Wmnt -