Evening star., 1924-03-22
Sunday School Lesson

precious stones, nard, aloes, sandal
wood and ivory. apes and peaooolA"
They carried on trade with Spain, is-
lands in the Atlantic ocean and Greet
Britain. They secured tin in Cornwall
The metal workers united 1t with copper
and made the bronze ornaments and
utensils for the temple services
Many other places in the kingdom re-
cAived consideration from Solomon be-
sides Jerusalem. Among the cities he
built was '"Taemor in the wilderness"
Known as Palmyra, which became . CEN
ter for commerce 1t was a great en-
poriun, whore merchants from Syria
and Euphrates on the north traded and
south. It's great ruins ill the traveller
and tourist with wonder by their extent
and magnifcence The same is true Of
Baalbec, which was Also improved and
Sun, which now is a great mass Of ruins.
reveals the evidence of Solomon's de-
parture from the faith.
wealth accumulated until Solomon
was recognised as the wealthiest and
wisest of all the kings. The great
king, who has been said to have rep
resented the Prince of Peace. failed at
the point of his strength. The inter-
course with other nations brought
change in the character Of the So
cial customs and ideals of the He
brews. 1sraefs isolation became
thing Of the past as a result not only
of trade, but also OF political alliances
with powerful rulers. 1t Is evident
that Solomon looked with favor upon
international relationships and used
the same in an effort TO advance his
peace policy and promotion of trade.
solomon sought to strengthen the
commercial and political alliances
with other nations by a series OF
marriages. These multitudinous mat
rimonial adventures of the great king
were evidently of political nature
In compromising his religious con-
victions and obligations for the sake
OF business, Solomon sowed the seeds
of his failure. He did not insist that
the wives should adopt his faith He
listened to the requests made by these
pagan wives for d place to worship
their god. While 1t is possible that
he may have built them heather
shrines and temples, as one has sug-
gested. believing that they would
sooner or later be won over to the
adoption of Jehovah as their God. yet
IL work ed out in a different manner
Twice during the records of our
Lords ministry we find that He re-
ferred to Solomon. In both allusione
there is an undertone of rcbuke TO
popular estimate. IL is difficult to
sus when He spoke of Solomon. who.
in the common thought. typified the
height OF Israers glory. Possibly
Christ judged by the principle that
He has given to us: ITO whomso-
ever much is given of him shall much
be required: and TO whom they COM
NIT much of him will they ask the
more"
Solomon failed to live up to his own
teachings that he expressed in the
book of Proverbs in an effort to pre-
vent the nation from falling into the
perils that usually follow the pos
session OF much wealth. Solomon's
contribution to science and literature
Ia haf h h. nl-
tion between the Lord and life. New
ertheless Solomon failed to live life
that would remove the spiritual
weakness of the people seeing in their
consulting of the for tune tellers and
their iniquitous practices AS long as
Solomon followed the leadership of
the spirit of God and sought the pro-
motion of peace and the advancement
Of knowledge and religious life he
grew in favor with God and men.
By his failure to stand four square
for the glory of Jehovah by refusing
to permit his pagan wives, marriage
with whom was against Gods de-
clared will. to worship any of their
heather gods, solomon opened up the
door for the entrance in of idolatry.
While it is probably true that Solo
mon had not thought OF being untrue
TO Jehovah, yet the fact remains that
lsraels life during his reign that 1t
required seventy years of bondage TO
remove the spirit of idol worship in
troduced during SolomoDs reign. Men
are in danger at this very moment
through their spirit of liberalism and
liberation to fall. into the same err
rors that caused the division of the
empire.
There is only one way for safety.
We must keep ourselves from idols"
If we are allowing anything to take
the supremacy in our lives over the
Will of Christ, let us in His name and
for His glory root il all out.