New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-08-27
LESSON FOR AUGUST 20
BEGINNING OF soLoMoN's REIGN

LESSON TEXT Kings Is; 3:l3.
TENT-The fear of the LORD
that il wisdom: and to depart from eva
Is understa nding Job 2s:2s.
PRIMARY TOPIC-SolOmon's Choice.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Solomon's Wise Be
ginning.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Choosing the Best Things.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
True Wisdom and How TO Get It,
!. Solomon Amounted King q: 5-40).
David had hitherto failed TO show
the people who should be king AFTER
him ". 20). He is now stirred 10
action by the combined appeals OF
Bathsheba and Nathan. He immedi-
ately sent for the faithful three, Ia
dOk, Nathan and Benniah. and bade
them TO anOint Solomon king. they
speedily executed their commission
and soon the people shouted God save
king Solomon !"
u. solomon's Acts to Establish His
Kingdom q: Az: 46).
Coming TO the kingdom ut such a
time as this. he noted certain danger
Gus elements, which. If allowed to de-
his rule.
!. AdOnijah placed under surveil-
lance wv. 1853. Though he had at
tempted 10 usurp the kingdom. SOLO
mon placed him N good behavior. In
this treatment, Solomon displayed
both clemency and dignity, which are
praisewOrthy in a ruler.
2. AdOnijah executed e.: 1325).
Solomon ordered him executed be-
aus he made an u~nderhanded effort
10 become king.
8. Abiathar removed from the priest
hood & :26, 20. This man had Joined
AdoniJah In his plot Of usurpatiOn.
Solomon removed him from Office and
appointed ZadOk in his stead.
4. JOab executed G. :2S-35). JOab.
loo, was a party In AdOnijah's rebel
lion. Beside this he had ~treacherOus-
ly murdered his rivals In the army.
He was succeeded In the generaiship
by Benaiah.
5. Shhnei executed e. :38-48). Shlmei
had deserted David and Joined his
enemies, even bitterly cursed him.
Solomon first parOled him aud confined
him 10 Jerusalem, but when he broke
his parole he had him executed.
~. ood's Gracious Offer to Solomon
t3:4, 81.
Solomon made a lavish sacrifice TO
the Lsrd. II was not that the Lord
cared for the number of animals. but
the attitude Of the mans heart to-
ward him. ASK what ! shall give
thee" placed very wide possibilities be-
fore the king. God. as Il were. signed
blank checks and turned them over
TO Solomon ia MI in any hat
his heart desired.
~. solomon's Wise Choice G :6-9).
The Lords gracious offer brought
the king face to face with the re-
sponsibility Of making a choice. God
30 deals with his children that a
choice must be made by everyone.
Solomon was keenly sensible of the
difficulty and the responsibility Of his
position. David was a great king.
Fol- a young mar TO take up the work
Of an ilustriOus father and push II
TO completion Ii a most difficult tas'
Besides all this, the disturbing ele-
ments set in motion by the usurper,
Adonijah, were TO he dealt with. In
his reply TO God he pleads that he
was not king as a result Of his own
choosing, but because OF Gods loving
Kindness. All who have been called
If God to fiji positions OF honor and
trust can truly exercise that same
holiness Of faith. This Is true of the
minister, Sunday school teacher, and
Christian worker In general. When
called 10 positions Of honor and trust
we should not become high-minded and
vain, but humbly present ourselves be-
fore God for help. His petition was
most unselfsh: he desired inward
worth, not outward show. Let us
learn. like Solomon, TO be grateful to
God for his gifts and TO keenly recog-
nize our responsibilities, showing be-
coming humility.
v. Gods Unstinted Gift to sviomon
"a: lOlo).
SoIomon's speech pleased the Lord.
The Lord is always pleased when we
place ourselves before him In such
attitude. Solomon get more than he
asked for. Because he put wisdom
first, God saw that he could be trust.
ed with material good, also. Christ
taught the same thing when he said.
~Seek ye first the kingdom OF God
and his righteousness: and all these
things shall be added unto you
Matt. 6:33. He that puts God and
spIhtual things hrst In time and i'm
portance can be trusted with temper
al things. That which God promised
him above what he asked was riches.
honor and length Of days. All who
feel the lack Of wisdom can 70 to God
With confidence (James 1:s). God
blessed Solomon with singulariy
comprehensive mipd Il Kings l.2e-3l).
He vae a betanist. sooioefst, archi-
tec. poet, and . moral philosopher.
When we ask what God Wills, we shall
surely get what We ash.