The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-12-03
rAe SUNDAY SCHOOL.

(Arranged from Peloubets Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-Let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall.-L Cor.
1912
TIME.-The last third of Solomon's
reign. B. c. 990-975.
EXPLANATORY.
/. The Influences by Which Solomon
Was Led Astray; or. the Rocks on
Which Solomon Was Wrecked.--V. 4.
First. Polygamy. Contrary to the
divine law of his kingdom (Deut. 17:17),
Solomon multiplied wives till ne had
700 wives and 300 concubines (11:3),
partly for the sake of political alli-
ances. 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.
4. ut came to pass. when Solomon
was old" Between so and GO years old.
when he ought to have been in his spir-
itual and mental prime. But his great
labors. his burdens of wealth aud pleas
ure and his monstrous polygamy had
sapped his manhood. weakened his con-
stitution and made him prematurely
eign princesses. the daughter of Pha-
raoh. and women of the Moabites. Am
monites. Edomtes. 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 Testament is very significant
| II means more than the will, the emo
| tions and the affections; it reaches
down into the depths of ones selfhood
out of which thought. feeling. action
flow.
II. The Sins Into Which Solomon
| FELIX'S. 81. Solomon's fall was first
a fall within. and then q 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 abetteh
idolatory, by building idol temples, and
supported idol worship. "He went not
fully after the Lord" "Milcom, the
abomination of the AmmolL.tes:" This
is the same divinity who is called be-
low ". y Molech. Mohech was fire
god, and was worshiped with human
sacrifices.
Z. Then did Solomon." as the next
step, build high place." shrine
or temple on hilltop among the trees.
For Chemosh, local name for Baal,
the sun god. "The abomination," the
idol and its worship intensely hateful
to God.
All this naturally encouraged i'm
1oolulity, and cruelty, and crime, which
were a part of the idolatro,is worship.
It was public dishonoring of God and
the true religion, which he had done
so much to upbuild.
What God Did to Prevent His Fall
VS.. 8, 10. Solomon was not left to him
self all this time, but God withstood
his downward way. He would make
the way of the transgressor SO hard
that he would turn from that way into
the paths of righteousness.
9. "And the Lord was angry with
Solomon" The Lords anger is not
a burst of passion, nor desire to re-
,enge, but a burning Indignation
against wrong; sense of justice which
would stop the evil-doer in his course
and punish him. All good beings mus.
have this anger; and it is the more in.
tense in proportion to the purity of the
person who feels it, and his clear per.
ception of the evil, and his love for
those who are injured by the wrong.
(Which had appeared unto Him
twice" First at Gibeon, at the begin
ming of His reign @: 4-l5,) and then az
Jerusalem, about the middle of His
reign g.: 1-9,) in the very height of His
prosperity. These were special warn.
ings and encouragements because of his
great danger.
10. "And had commanded Him.
both in the visions and in His word
Solomon had the Pentateuch, Joshua
and Judges, and practically both books
of Samuel. AS wise and learned maj
He must have studied these thoroughly
His conduct was direct disobedience oI
positive command.
The Consequences of His Sin.-Vs
11-13. First. A Large Part of His King
dom Was to BE Taken from His Family
IL. "The Lord said unto Solomon
Probably by prophet, perhaps Ahijal
Tvs. 29-37D if still living. II will surely
rend." will violently take away. 1.-The
kingdom from thee, and will give it te
thy servant" Not merely subject, but
officer, employe. This made the decree
the more bitter.
| IL. Notwithstanding. in thy days
will not do it," The threatening had
two gracious and merciful limitati tions
~ The blow should not fall until aftcl
his death (cf. v. "a; chap. FL: 20; 2 Kings
22:200 and (2) the disruption should
be but partial. There should be {
remnant" Pulpit Commentary
"For David thy fathers sake" We littl,
know the benefits or the evils entailet
upon us by our forefathers. 81 will reno
it out of the hand of thy son." whose
bad conduct arose largely from tn,
polygamy and sins of Solomon.