Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-07-29
LESSON FOR AUGUST l
QUEEN OF sHE6A VISITS SOLO
MON.


LESSON TENT Kings lo.f-io. 49,
GOLDEN TEXT-wisdom is better than
rabies. Prov. Sill.
The visit OF this wealthy queen
from the region OF southern Arabia
has always appealed to the magma.
tons OF men. Solomon's kingdom
was at the apex of its glory. There
were no wars. Israels borders were
extended and the temple and those
other wonderful buildings had all been
completed.
The chief value of this lesson Is not
In Solomon's wisdom nor In what this
queen saw and heard. but rather 1t is
in what has, Is being, and will be done
by Christ, of whom Solomon Is type
and who seized upon all OF this glory
to teach US a great lesson (see Matt
6:2S-SD. Caesars famous phrase,
slightly altered. is in this connection
quite applicable-"I came, saw,
(was) conquered"
I. lizard Questions w. 1-3. Solo.
mon is here great type Of Christ: (a)
His greatness could not be hid mark
7:24). Solomon's fame filed the
known world Il Kings. 4:34). The
fame of Solomons wisdom, philosophy,
proverbs. poems and knowledge Of God
". u drew to his court this queen,
and we must recall that 1t was proba.
bly, 1,500-miIe toilsome camei-back
journey for her to come to his court.
(b) She brought very great store.
tv. 10) Of gifts. which, according to
oriental custom, she presented to Sol
ONION. Our best gift to our King is
ourselves g Cor. $3.50. (c) She came
to learn of ''the name of the Lord"
who had done so much for Solomon
and his people; to learn wisdom for
the guidance of herself and her peo
pie. We come to a King who pos
sesses all wisdom Matt 12.42). Solo
mon had a wonderful missionary op
portunity. God Is today sending heart
hungry people to this land from the
most remote parts of the earth. Are
we using our privilege to point them
to the true God and to Jesus, his son?
This queen did not believe what she
had heard ". y and resolved to find
out for herself In this she is rebuke
to those more favorably situated who,
though constantly beholding the work
OF God in human hearts and lives, still
say, Il do not believe" The queen
of Sheba will rise up in judgment
against all who refuse to come and
see" John 1879, 45-51; Matt. 12:42).
I'D This visit is a prophecy of that
day when the kings of Sheba and
Seba will come with their gifts for
the greater son of David psalm 1910,
IS; lisa. 60:6-9). The wisdom which
our king bestows is eternal life. ito
know him" prov. 1926; John 1873.
II. "Had Seen ALL" w. At. When
she had listened to Solomons wisdom
and heard the answers to her ques.
tons, the solutions to her problems,
and had witnessed the wonders of his
temple, court and ministers, there
was no more spirit (breath) In her"
(Cf. Josh. BID And similar expert
ence came to those three who went to
the Mount of TRANSPORTATION with Je-
sus. Solomon's wisdom Is fulfilled in
Christ (Col. 2:3). "The house that he
built" is type of that temple he Is
building of living stones q Peter ga,
5; Matt. 1919. 1.-THE meat of his
table" is excelled by the food on our
kings table, the word of life Ger.
1915; Ps. 49, 03), his own body
John 6:55). Our king, too. has his
servants fEph. 2:6; Rev. 3:2I. Their
appeal is not to be compared with
the robe of his righteousness" and
our standing" q Cor. 5:21) Is more
exalted than that Of any at Solomon's,
or other earthly courts. We are not
servants but friends" yet we are
"his ministers" (Rev. $40; Pet. 2:9)
Various translations suggest ". 81,
"and his burnt offering which he Of
fered in the house of the lord"
III. Praises, Wv. S-19, 10. ~ BY
testimony, Wv. 5, g. Happy are thy
men" who listen to such wisdom, who
dwell in the midst of such achieve
ments. One Of the greatest joys is
to converse with the wise and the
good. Our happiness is in our privi-
lege Of standing before Christ and to
hear his wisdom (Luke 10: 39-42; Prov.
1926; 3:13, I'd; no servant is de-
barred John 1920. The queen glori-
fed the source of Solomon's glory,
which was all the gift of Jehovah's
grace (seo 2 Sam. 1924, 25 R. v.
marg., Matt. 3:17; lisa. 42;D. She did
not see the oppression of the people.
the temptation to luxury and the de-
cline In religious life which so soon
led to decay after Solomon's death.
When our king shall reign he will do
judgment and justice"
Even SO our king blesses us abund-