The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-12-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson X, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES. DEC. 6.

copyright. 1908. by American Pres Association
The statement I'm verse 3 that Solo
mon loved the Lord Is about the best
thing that could be said of him, but II
is not 30 grand as that In ii Sam. xii,
"a, %, 1.-The Lord loved him." Tor Is 1t
so great az the Significance Of his name
Jedidiah, the beloved OF the Lord. Our
love to God is so poor compared with
His love to us that II is neither worth
singing about nor talking about; II Is
too often something like Solomon's.
who though he walked in the statutes
OF David, his father yet sacrificed and
burned incense in high places and made
affinity with Pharaoh. There is little
whole heartedness for God notwith-
standing III Chron. xvi o.
The ark of God was In a tent which
David had pitched for 1t In Jerusalem.
but the tabernacle and altar of burnt
offering were at Gideon I'll Chron. /,
3, A.. and thither Solomon and all the
congregation had gone TO offer sacri-
flee, and there the Lord appeared to
Solomon in a dream by night, and God
The Lords appearing to His servants
is a most interesting and inspiring
study from the time when He clothed
Adam and Eve Gen. iii, 2D and on
ward, but as in the olden time so now
His usual method is To reveal Himself
by His word q Sam. iii, 49,. The
Lords offer To Solomon at this time re-
ind ~ or Il I'm
13: Luke xviii, Al Matt vii, Z; xxi. %:
John xiv, 13, IA Nv, Z; lisa. xiv, II, |. G
But what do we know of the power Of
such words? How much do we ask
and receive, or what do we know of the
great and mighty things of Jer XXXiii,
8?
Solomon's reply to God begins with
an acknowledgment of great mercies to
his father and to himself, a thing most
appropriate in all our approaches to
God prov. iii, 6; Phil. iv, g.. Notice
the words thou hast" in five different
connections in this prayer-thou hast
showed. kept, given, made, chosen, Civ
ing all the glory to God in all these
things. We are reminded of David's
prayer in | Chron. xxx, 1919, where
he acknowledges so humbly his own
nothingness and Gods greatness and
bounty, using the pronouns Thou, Thy,
Thine, Thee, at least twenty times.
Our highest place is lying low at our
Redeemers feet, glorying not in wis
dom nor might nor riches, but in know
ing Him who is in Himself all wisdom
and wealth and power der. tx, %, 24.
His conscious weakness and igno-
rance Solomon sets forth in the words
Il am but a little child; | know not
how to go out or come in" Verse -, re-
mnding us of Jcr. /, 6. If he had al
ways remained consciously weak and
had leaned wholly on the Lord how
different would his record have been,
UZZiah. one of his successors, was mar
velously helped till he was strong, but
then his heart was lifted up TO his de-
struction QI Chron. XVI, 10, 1G). Not
in pride. but only in humility, can we
walk with God (A1ic. vi, 8, margin).
His request as given i'm verse . is
stated in III Chron. /, 10, as follows:
Give me now wisdom and knowledge
that ! may 20 out and come in before
this people" Wisdom is the principal
thing. better than rubies and all other
things that might be desired. and can
be obtained when men honestly desire
ii prov. ii. SO; iv. I; viii. IL. 1t can
be had for the asking, but it must be
sincerely asked for JAS. /. -. Ii is
part Of the fullness that dwells in
Christ for His people Col. ii, 9; | Cor.
/. "a. 30).
Because Solomon made such q re-
quest and did not ask for himself rich
Is or long life the Lord was pleased
to grant him what he asked abundant.
~ and also an abundance of the things
he had not asked for. 1t is written
that God gave Solomon wisdom and
understanding exceeding much and
largeness Of heart even as the sand
that Is on the seashore," but this
strange measure of wisdom is explain
are spoken of as being many, as the
sand which is by the sea in multitude
Il Kings iv, 20, 29). Solomon was thus
promised wisdom for every individual
case he might have TO deal with, and
an illustration is given in the record
which follows our lesson.
As TO Solomon's request pleasing the |
Lord, our Lord Jesus said of Himself,
II do always those things that please
the Father" and the Father testified OF
Jesus, This is Ny Beloved Son. in !
whom ! am well pleased" John viii %;
Matt iii. II: xvii, -. When we are so
fully yielded to God that we can truly
say. II live, yet not I, but Christ liveth
i'm me-" He who always pleased the |
Father in the mortal body prepared for /
Him will also please the Father in our |
mortal bodies Gal H. 20; III Cor. iv, IL; |
Heb. xiii, 20 y; Rom. xii. /, y.
Although this was a dream, yet II |
was a real communication from God, |
who in former times often revealed |
Himself In visions and dreams. as He |
did to Jacob, Joseph. Nebuchadnezzar,
Daniel, Joseph. the husband OF Mary, |
Pilates wife and others (Num. xii, 6-S;
lob XXyiii LII Even IN this dav God