The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-09-17
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER II
THE GLORY OF SOLoMoN'S
REIGN.

LESSON TEXT Kings 1O:1-13, 1926.
GOLDEN TEXT-Bessed is every one
that feareth the Lord. that walketh in
his ways.-Ps 1881.
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Kings 9:
1-28; 10:14-29.
PRIMARY ToPIc-A Queen Visits
King
JUNIOR ToPIC-The Queen of sheba
Visits Solomon.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Climax of Israel's Greatness.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Tests of National Greatness.
I. The Queen of Sheba Visits Solo,
mon wv. 1, p.
Her visit was the result of Solo
mons widespread fame. That which
made him famous was:
1. The extent of his kingdom a :21-
25). He ruled over all the Kingdoms
from the Euphrates river to the Medi-
terranean sea, except the Phoeneci-
ans, but they were in alliance with
him. This was the nearest to the
realization of the divine promise,
(Gen. 15:1S), that Israel ever en-
joyed; but the fulness of the promised
possession shall be realized when the
Greater than Solomon is king.
2. His great wisdom (4:29-34). 1t
excelled that of the Chaldeans, Per-
SLAMS and Egyptians wv. 80, 80. None
of his contemporaries approached
unto him in knowledge. He had
singularly comprehensive mind. He
was (D a moral philosopher-spake
5000 proverbs; (2) poet-his songs
were a thousand and five; (3) bot
anist-he spake Of trees, from the
cedar tree that is in Lebanon even
unto the hyssop that springeth out of
the wall; (4) zoologist-he spake
of beasts and fowl, and Of creeping
things, and of fishes. He was SUI
perior in intellect to any of his own
or any other age.
g. The temple (chs. 5 and g.. This
was an exact reproduction of the tab
ernacle, double in size. in marble and
gold The amount of labor, skill and
money expended on the building was
exceedingly great Il Chron. % :14-16).-
Never before had such a costly struc-
ture appeared.
4. Royal palaces adjoining the tenn
pie (ch. y. Following the erection of
the temple he began the building of
his own house. He was nearly twice
as long in building this as in building
the Lords house.
5. His commerce 20 1923; ct. II
Chron. 9:1O. 21). His trading ships
went east as far as the Indian ocean,
perhaps even to India; and west as
far as Spain.
6. Army and navy (1O:26-29; CT.
9:27). Such wealth and greatness
would at some time provoke opposi-
ton, so he put his nation into state
of preparedness.
All this greatness was associated
with the name of the Lord. 1t was
known that his fame was due to his
relation with the living God. No one
ever had a greater missionary Oppor-
tunity than he. Wealth and knOwl-
edge may be powerful factors for the
extension Of the cause Of Christ.
u. The Queen Of sheba Astonished
wv. 3-9).
After the interview In which Solo |
mon answered all her questions, she |
was overwhelmed with his great wis |
dom. She had piled him with hard |
questions to see If he could measure
up to his reputation, and found that
the half had not been told her.
III. The Queen Of sheba Gives
Gifts to Solomon (vv. 1913.
AS was the custom, she brought
gifts to Solomon, the king, the gold of
which was in value between three and
four millions of dollars.
This was large gift for that time,
but Solomon more than recompensed
her. He gave her all she desired and
In addition, of his royal bounty. While
her gift to him was great, his to her
was greater, even in keeping with his
possessions. God gives unto them
who give their hearts unto him ex-
ceeding abundantly above all they
ask or think (Eph. S:20).
~. All the Earth Sought Solo.
non wv. 23-26).
His fame spread to all the earth so
that the people came to hear the wis
1om which God gave to him. They
came with their gifts Of silver, gold,
spices, horses and mules. so
hat silver came to be as common in
Jerusalem as stone. There Is time
coming when the Greater than Solo
non shall be king over all the earth,
md then all the people thereof shall
.ome to him with their gifts, and he
shall give unto them OF his royal