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THE KING’S BUSINESS (6) Blessed-is the king of Israel that com- (7) Even Solomon was subject to the Eter- eth in the name of the Lord. John 12 : na^ Sovereign. (8) Whosoever exalteth himself shall be IÎ" abased. ------------ & ----------- Solomon Chooses Wisdom JULY 18, 1915. LESSON III. 1 Kings 3 :4-15. (Commit vs. 9, 10:) ' G olden T e x t : “The fear or the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”—Prov. 9:10. HOME READINGS,' Mon., July 12—1 Kings 3 :4-15.
Tues., July 13:—Prov. 2:1-9. Wed., July 14—Matt. 6:25-34. Thurs., July IS—Psa. 119:97-104. Fri., July 16—1 Kings 4:29-34. Sat., July 17—Prov. 9:1-10. Sim.', July 18—Job 28:12-28.
EXPOSITION a n d p r a c t ic a l a p p l ic a t io n s .
v. 4. “And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there.” Solomon went to Gibeon because the Tabernacle, the place where Je hovah peculiarly manifested Himself to His people, was there (1 Chron. 21:29; 2 Chron. 1:3, 7, R. V.; Ex. 29:42, 43, R. V.). At a later day the Temple superseded the Taber nacle, but the Temple was not yet built; and men who longed to meet God went to Gibeon, where the Tabernacle was,, at the place which God Himself had appointed. The Tabernacle was a type of Christ (John 1:14, R. V.). Today it is in Christ that we meet God, and in Christ alone (John 14:6). “A thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar." Each one of. the thousand burnt offerings that Solomon of fered also pointed forward to Christ. Every sacrifice and offering of the Old Testament was a type of Him—teaching lessons about One who was to come. The New Testa ment makes plain the meaning of those lessons. But in Christ Himself there is a better ground of approach to God than in all these countless slain beasts of the Old Testament (Heb. 10:1-22). v. 5. "In Gibeon the LORD appeared to
Solomon in a dream by night.” The desire with which Solomon went to Gibeon was that he might meet God there, and this de sire was satisfied: God met him there. No one ever has a genuine desire to. meet God but what God satisfies the desire. Twice in his life was it granted to Solomon to meet God (cf. Ch. 9:2; 11:4). To very many of us it is granted to meet God far more frequently than that. Indeed, we can meet Him any day we will. That shows the advantage that the New Testament saint has over the Old Testament saint. The ap pearance to Solomon was in a dream, but it was none the less a real appearance, (cf. Gen. 28:12, 13; Num. 12:6; Job 33:14, 15; Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19; Acts 18:4, 10). That God really spoke to Solomon, and that the whole incident was no product of a disor dered fancy, is evident from the outcome— viz., Solomon really obtained what God promised at this time. "And God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” It was a wonderful thing that God said to Solomon—“Ask what I shall give thee.” Just think of God setting all the infi nite resources of His power at the disposal
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