883 arrived at by a reasoning process. His analytical power is shown in his ac quaintance with and description of human character. He sees the springs of action, he understands the motives and impulses that sway men and make them what they are. With swift and unerring judgment he labels each man according to his character and puts him in his proper place. Great as was the wisdom of Solomon, it did not save him from folly and sin and the wrath- of God. If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding,: then the humblest follower of Christ is greater than he. FRIDAY, Sept. 10. Matt. 12:38-45. A Greater than Solomon. The visit of the queen of Sheba to Solomon has been made memorable by the reference of Christ to it.- Much of the history of the Old Testament has been authenticated in this way.- The Saviour made use of it to condemn the indifference of His own generation to His Messiannic claims. The queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to be instructed by the wisdom of the Hebrew king, whose boasted wisdom was earthly and finite after all. One who spake as never man spake, whose wisdom was heavenly and Divine, pleaded in vain for recognition and re ception with those who turned a deaf ear unto His words. Prov. 1:20-33. Jesus not only asserted His superiority over Solomon, but His lordship over David. This proves Him to be more than man for these are two of the most illustrious names in Hebrew history. SATURDAY, Sept. 11. 1 Kings 3:16-28. Solomon’s Practical Judgment. A concrete .example is given of the application of Solomon’s wisdom in the administration of justice. In ancient times a king was judge as well as ruler. Quite as much depended on the exercise of the judicial function as upon
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S learn something of the wisdom of Sol omon. He answered all her questions. What she saw and heard exceeded all reports. Haring given and received costly presents, she took her departure, blessing the Lord and the people to whom he had given such a ruler. “ The half has never yet been told, of grace so full and free.” WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 . 1 Kings 10:18- 29. Magnificence of Solomon. Israel was God’s peculiar people, and Solomon was the Divinely-appointed king. To the southwest was the mighty Egyptian nation, and on the east was Assyria. Many other nations, large and small, lay around them in other direc tions, yet Solomon ranked in wealth and wisdom above them all. Many petty kings were subject to him, while others brought the best gifts they could offer year by year. The outward splen dor of his reign hid the invisible and inevitable decline in the real elements of national greatness and permanency. Too great luxury destroys physical, mental and spiritual vigor. His per sonal faults were the natural result of unbounded wealth, unbridled luxury, and unlimited power. In his later years, his experience is summed up in the despairing dictum, “ All is vanity,” and he comes back to the simple, truth ful conclusion that the summum bonum consists in the discharge of duty from right motives. Eccle. 12:13. THURSDAY, Sept. 9. Prov. 1:1-9. Solomon’s Wisdom. The wisdom imparted to Solomon came in response to the request which he had made of the Lord. 1 Kings 3:5-12. He was a philosopher, a poet, a botanist, zoologist, architect, as well as king. 1 Kings 4:32-34. His mental grasp is more clearly seen in his char acter as moralist. He had unusual powers of analysis and classification. He had an intuition of mind which was able to see at a glance what others
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