Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-12-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson l.-FirSt Quarter, For
Jan. I, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Test Of tho Lesson, Kings xii, LA.
Memory Verses, 10, 14-GolGen Text,
Prov. xiii, 20--Commentary Prepared
by Rev. d. NJ. Stesrns.

Prov. xiii, 2o--Commentary Prepared
by Rev. d. NJ. Stesrns.
Our last lesson in regular Old Testa-
ment studies was in December. 1908,
and in connection with the dedication
or the temple, and we asked special
attention to the fact that the desire of
the Lord was that through Israel and
the temple all the people of the earth
might know the Lord as the only God |
and put their trust In Him q Kings viii, !
1860. 1t Is the eternal purpose OF
God that all ne tions shall yet know
Him through Israel and worship Hun
Ger. Iii. Ia. and this was foreshad-
owed in the days of Solomon, when not
only the queen of Sheba, but all the
earth. sought to hear the wisdom OF
God through Solomon aud brought Him
gifts q Kings Y. /. 10. ~, 25). There
was another foreshadowing when the
wise men from the East brought their
treasures to Jesus as an infant and
worshiped Him as the King OF the
Jews Matt. Ii, l. ?. 10.
Perhaps the deceitfulness and des-
perate wickedness of the heart were
never more manifest than I'm Solomon,
of whom 1t is written: There was no
king like him who was beloved Of his
God. Nevertheless even him
did outlandish women cause to sin
(Neh. xiii, 2Gl. His wives turned away
his heart after their gods, and there
fore all the kingdom was taken from
him except the tribes Of Judah and
Benjamin Il Kings xi. 9-l3l. for Jeru-
salems sake, the city which He hath
chosen, and for the sake of David, His
chosen servant.
Canon Fausset thinks that the Song
of Solomon represents his first love to
Jehovah In youth, Proverbs his ma
tured experience in middle age and
Ecclesiastes the sad retrospect OF old
age, the latter giving probable evil
dence OF his repentance. AS to his son
and successor. II may be that Solomon
had him In mind when he wrote. "Who
knoweth whether the man that shall
be after me shall be n wise man or
fool? Eccl. II, IS. 10; Ps. xxx, 6,
is always true of those who gather
riches. HE heapeth up riches and
I
The way of man is not In himself.
1t is not in man that walketh to direct
his steps DER. K, 23), but the counsel
Of the Lord will stand, and He will do
all His pleasure lisa. XVI. 1O. Al
though all Israel came to Shechem to
make Rehoboam king. the Lord had
purposed otherwise because of Solo
mons sin. When the ten tribes revolt
ed under JerobOam because Of Re-
hoboam's threats of increased oppres-
sion by the advice OF his young men
and RehObOam gathered Judah and
Benjamin to fight against Israel and
bring the kingdom back to himself
the Lord sent His messenger to forbid
Judah TO fight against Israel and said
Return every man to his house, fol
this thing is from me" oversees 21-24)
1t is also written In verse 10 Of oui
lesson that the king hearkened not un
to the people, for the cause was from
the Lord, that He might perform Hi.
saying which the Lord spake by Ali
jah. Had the king listened to tn,
counsel of the old men who stood be
fore Solomon. his father, while he ye
lived oversees @, y the kingdom nigh
have remained united, but 1t was no
so TO be.
RehobOam therefore strengthened
himself In Jerusalem and reigned sew
enteen years in the city which tn,
Lord had chosen. The priests anC
+ Levites in all Israel, being cast Off b.
Jeroboam. resorted to him. as did ais,
some out Of all the tribes of Israe
who set their hearts to seek the Lor,
God of Israel and therefore came f
Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lore
God Of their fathers Oh Chron. xl
, 1916; xii, 1919. Yet Rehoboam iii,
evil and prepared not his heart to seel
the Lord. When we remember tina
those who reigned at Jerusalem wer
said to sit ON the throne of the Lor,
90 1t makes their disobedience AM
misrepresentation OF Him seem al
the worse
But what shall be said Of Us who ar
redeemed with the precious blood o
Jesus Christ and who are here
represent Him and make His If
, manifest in these mortal bodies If we
e instead of being separate and give
7 wholly up to Him and filed with HI
spirit. become confOrmed to this ev
age and walk in fellowship with II
AS TO the Lord working out His pul
r poses I'm spite OF people. good or bat
{ see how He defeated the counsel {
; Alsthophel by the counsel OF Husha
the friend Of David Oh Sam. xvii, I'D.
= We are on our way to "A kingdom {
d peace and Righteousness on this eartl
" when the Son of David shall sit on III
"a / Throne cf His f1fhar af TaruSaI an