Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-11-24

~
HZSsT .r!A46en queen of Sheba was
w <~xsrTE - seeking and what
-~~ she found, and also
that we may see In
'his story another safeguard for Solomon
against falling. 1t seems as IL the Lord,
seeing his great danger from wealth ana
power. and that he was walking on the
very verge or precipice, not only ap-
Peared 10 him again in q dream Lessoh
VIII, with bright promises and earnest
warnings. but used this visit of Shears
queen as an additional safeguard. for
solomon would be reminded of his reli-
Sious duties and privileges and of the fact
.nat the honor of God and of true religion
throughout the world were in his keeping.
Jesus himself used this story for an IL
Iustration Matt IL: 49, and we may
wisely use ii in the same way to teach
.ine very important lessons, making the
nppilcations as we go along and not wait
ing I'LL the end of the story.
Inc section includes the story of the
VISIT OF the queen of Sheba as told In
hlngs 10: LILO and 2 Chron. 8: liz. to-
sether with a review of Solomons great
ness In the remainder of these chapters.
historical Setting-Time About d. c.
1924. After the twentieth year of Solo
mon reign Il Kings 8: 100: and ten years
AFTER the completion of the Temple. Place:
W Jerusalem, where Solomon had his
royai palace. (2) Sheba, or Sebaea.
wealthy region in Southern Arabia, Dor
uerlng on the Red Sea. 1t was 1900 to
1900 miles from Jerusalem. Solomon's
hinsdom had an area of 10000 square
Ihiies, and population of about 6.O00.Ooo
israeiites according to Chronicles). The
glory OF the kingdom was now at lis
height
The text of to-day's lesson, with ex-
piahatory notes. is as follows:
~ l.. when the queen of Sheba-"
N
famous for its traffic in gold. franklin
cehse, and precious ones."-Farrar.
3. And Solomon told her all her ques-
uons, her problems. enigmas and ques-
uons or religion. Nothing was too deep
Tor him In all she asked: he discovered
the correct answer and gave 1t to her. -
Cambridge Bible.
4. "All Solomon's wisdom" in his ar
rangements. the ordering of the kingdom,
architectural inventions and everything
mat required great skill. But especially
MS wisdom in answering hard questions.
And the house that he had built" The
reference is probably not to the Temple,
but TO the beauty and richness of his pal
ace. as the particulars that follow relate
TO the elegance of the atvies ,ip which he
lived and the admirable manner in which
everything was arranged. --Prof. w. II.
Green. ~" 3g at
8. "And the meat of his table" 1. e..
placed upon the kings table Il Kings 4:
3-20 and also the costly furniture Of the
table Il Kings 10: 2D. His banquets were
OF the most superb kind. All his plate
and drinking vessels were of gold. 1.-THE
sitting of his servants" Here servants
signifies the officers and distinguished
persons who were privileged to sit at the
kings table, and were ranged according
to rank and in large numbers at the royal
banquets 1.-The attendance of his min
listers" This refers most probably to
those persons who stood to serve the
guests. And their apparel (cf Matt.
6: 20). The rich and costly dress of East
ern courtiers and attendants is sometimes
furnished by the king Gen. 45: %; Sam.
Is: 4; Kings 8: 5; Dan. S: Z; Esther 6: 81.
Pulpit Commentary "And his ascent"
the passage from the palace to the Tenn
pie up the Tyropean valley, referred to in
Kings 16: Is. This valley was rayine
over 100 feet deep between Zion and the
Temple hill. The robes of the king are
described as so laden with the richest
perfumes Of India and Arabia that they
seem made of myrrh. and aioes, and cas-
STA. The joyous music of stringed instru-
ments floats round him out of ivory pal
aces. The queen sits on his right hand, in
robes glittering with the gold Of Ophir."
-Geilsie. There yas no more spirit
breath. in her" Her amaZement was so
great that as we say. 1t took away her
breath: she was lost I'm admiration. ZAP
parently the queen had come with some
hope that She might get the better OF Sol
ONION. either in her display of oueeniy
splendor or in the questions which she
propounded. Cambridge Bible.
G. 1T was a true report" She nobly
acknowledges the truth. without any
envy or concait.
T. Behold. the half was not told me-"
Nor would she have believed II II 1t had
been told. Mich OF 1t could not be told
In such way that she could really IN
derstand It, any more than native of
central tropical Africa could understand
that water could be changed into ice or
comprehend the workings of the tele-
phone. telegraph or the monograph
s. Happy are thy men," Not because
of their fine clothes. of their high posi-
lion, of their splendid possessions, did the
queen regard the people and the servants
Of Solomon as blessed and happy, bu,
because they could always listen to his
wisdom. Pulpit Com. 1t Is a great adyan-
tage to be in good families. and to have
opportunity of frequent converse with
those that are wise and good.-W. Henry.
0. BLESSED be the Lord thy God"
This shows that the queen understood
Solomon to recognize all his wisdom and
wealth as the gift of God. He was faith
full to his God, and 1t Is possible. as lew
lsh writers claim, that she was convert
ed to the true God through Soiomon's
influence. 1.-THE Lord loved Israel for
ever with q love which was so strong
rs never to fail. Gods love was indeed
AN everlasting love. We live under it's in
!luence to-day. Therefore made he thee
king" This was the highest possible
compliment TO Solomon.
TO- "A hundred and twenty talents of
gold" About $3,000.0 600. See ON verse
mo such abundance of Spices"
49, And Solomon gave unto the queen
of Sheba all her desire" "A royal prog
ress in the East is always necessarily ac-
companied by a train of costly gifts, pro-
portioned to the wealth and Importance
of the soverelgns who are to be the dom
orc nd tba