2 Chron. 7:11-2211Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 17And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 18Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. 19But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them. (2 Chronicles 7:11‑22); 1 Kings 10
YOU remember how God once spoke to Solomon in the night, and how He let him choose what he would have.
A long while afterward God spoke to Solomon again in the night.
God said to Solomon, 'I have heard your prayer, and I will hear the people who pray to Me in the temple: and if you will obey Me as David did, I will bless you: but if you do wicked things and worship idols, then I shall be very angry, and this beautiful house that you have built shall be thrown down.'
Ah! my dear child, do you not hope that Solomon will obey God! How kind God had been to him! Had He not given him all the things He had promised?
Solomon was very rich, and very wise, as God had promised. He built a great many ships, and He built a palace, and He built a great many towns; and He made a great throne with six steps all covered with gold, and images of two lions on each of the steps, a lion on each side; and a seat at the top for Solomon.
When Solomon spoke, he said such wise things that people came from a great way off to hear him talk, and they brought him presents; some brought cups of gold or silver, and some brought him clothes, and some brought spices, and some brought horses and mules.
So Solomon grew very rich indeed. He sent his ships to far countries over the sea, and they came back full of gold, and silver, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks. Solomon was the richest king in the world.
I told you that people came from far countries to hear him say wise things; for Solomon knew a great deal: he knew about all the plants, from the highest tree down to the least plant that grows; he knew about the beasts, and birds, and fishes, and worms, and insects; but he knew something much better than these things; he knew about God, and how to please Him, and he gave people very wise advice.
Now there was a queen who lived a great way off, who heard of Solomon, and of how wise he was; and she wished very much to hear him talk, and to see the house that he had built.
She had a great many questions to ask him: I believe that her questions were about God. She had not been taught about God in her own country, and she wanted to know a great deal about Him. She was called the Queen of Sheba. It was right of the Queen of Sheba to wish to know about God. She was a very rich lady, so she brought a great many servants with her, and a great many camels with spices and gold, as presents to King Solomon.
Solomon was very kind to her, and answered all the questions that she asked him; and he showed her all the things that he had built. The queen was quite surprised at all she saw and heard, and she said to King Solomon, 'How happy are your servants who are always standing near you, and who hear the wise things you say! Blessed be the Lord your God, Who made you king.'
Then she gave a great deal of gold and silver to king Solomon, and he gave her all the things that she liked to have: and then the queen went back with her camels and her servants into her own country.
The Queen of Sheba brought back to her own home something better than her presents; she brought a great deal of wisdom in her mind. For could she not remember the wise things that Solomon had said? I hope that she left off worshipping idols, and loved the true God.
A great many of the wise things that Solomon said are written down in the Bible; they are called The Proverbs.' When you are older, my dear children, you shall read them, that you may grow wise. I think even now you would understand some of them.
I think that the Queen of Sheba would think you very happy children if she could see you. Are you not happier than Solomon's servants? You can read the wise things that Solomon said, but you can also read a great many wiser things that the Lord Jesus Christ said. They are written down in the Bible.
Across the burning plains of sand
Came Sheba's queen to Canaan's land,
To hear king Solomon;
And when she heard his wisdom rare,
She cried, 'How blest the servants are
That stand around thy throne!'
And did she count those servants blest?
More happy we who are possessed
Of God's most holy Word.
For we can read what Jesus said,
And how God raised Him from the dead,
To be our living Lord.
But O! how will our hearts rejoice,
When we shall hear our Savior's voice,
And see Him face to face!
For then much better shall we know,
Then we have ever known below,
The wonders of His grace.
Questions on Lesson 21
What did God say to Solomon when He spoke to him the second time in the night?
Why did people come to Solomon from a great way off?
How did Solomon grow very rich?
What things did Solomon know about?
What queen came to hear Solomon?
Why did she think Solomon's servants happy?
What are the wise things that Solomon said called?
Where are they written down?
Why are you happier than Solomon's servants?