The Winslow mail., 1924-03-21
Lesson for March 23
THE REIGN OF SOLOMON


10 the beginning OF kno nowledge.-Prov.
PRIMARY TOPIC-A Young Kings
Dream.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Solomon's Choice.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Solomons Wisdom and Fo ~.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
1C-Lessons From Solomons Reign.
Here again we must go outside of
the particular text assigned and make
survey of Solomon's reign.
|. Solomon Anointed King q Kings
1:5-4O).
David had heretofore failed to show
the people who should be king after
him ". 20). Through the combined
appeals of Bathsheba and Nathan, he
IS now stirred to action. He immedi-
ately sent for the faithful three, Ia
dok, Nathan and Benaiah, and bade
them to anoint Solomon king. They
speedily executed their commission,
and soon the people shouted, God
save King Solomon"
1:7-12)
/. Gods Gracious Offer (v. y. This
offer followed SolOmons lavish sacri-
fee to the Lord. God said, ASK what
I shall give thee" thus placing very
wide possibilities before the king. God,
as 1t were, signed blank checks and
turned them over to Solomon to fill in
any amount that his heart desired.
This offer to Solomon was no excep-
tional one, for opportunities equally
limitless are placed before US. God
is saying to every one Of His children,
"ASk, and 1t shall be given you"
John Is: 10.
2. SolOmon's Wise Choice wv. 8-19).
The Lords gracious offer brought the
king face to face with the responsible
ity Of making his choice. Solomon
did not ask for wisdom for vain dis
play, but for the good Of others. He
desired inward worth, not outward
show. In this choice, he asked for
two particular things:
ID That Gods promise to his IA
ther, David, might be established.
(2) That wisdom would be given to
him to perform his duties.
8. Gods Unstinted Gift to Solomon
". ~. Solomon's petition pleased the
Lord. Because ne put wisdom first
God saw that he could be trusted with
material goods also.
III. The Glory of SoIomon's Reign.
4:2125). He ruled over the kingdoms
from the Euphrates river to the Medi-
terranean sea- except the PhoenicianS,
and they were in alliance with him.
2 His Great Wisdom q Kings
4:29-34). 1t excelled that of the Chal-
deans, Persians and Egyptians. He
had a singularly comprehensive mind.
He was:
0) A moral philosopher. He spake
three thousand proverbs.
(2) A poet. His songs were one
thousand five.
(3) A botanist. He spake of trees
from the cedar tree, which was in Leb-
anon, even unto the hyssop.
"a A Zoologist. He spake of beasts
and of fowl, and of creeping things,
and of fishes.
5. The Temple q Kings 5-6). This
was an exact reproduction of the tab
ernacle, double in size, executed in
marble and gold. The amount of la
Dor, skill and money expended on the
building was exceedingly great Il
Chron. % :14-16).
a. His Royal Palaces Adjoining the
Tl 10 nj
twice as long in building these as in
building the Lords house
5. His Commerce q Kings 9:26-28
Compare II Chron. 9 and 10 :21). His
trading ships went east as far as the
Indian ocean, perhaps even to India !;
and west as far as Spain.
6. His Army and Navy Il Kings
10:26-29). This was for more than
display. He put his nation into a
state of preparedness.
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.
~. SoIomon's Failure Ct Kings
II :6-12).
because SoiolHon ulu eVl III Ine
sight of the Lord, the Lord was angry
with him and assured him that the
kingdom would be rent from him and
given to his servant. However, for the
sake of David, he would not bring this
humiliation upon Solomon while he
lived. SolOmons chief offenses were
alliances with foreign powers through
marrying kings daughters. This com
promise weakened his moral nature
and he soon followed his wives In the
worship of false gods.
The Real Source.
A great part of human suffering has