To return: how carefully the Holy Spirit now records the utterances of one emptied of herself. When all her hard questions, framed with such care in the far country (for she came to prove him with them) are forever buried in oblivion, every line of this unpremeditated song of worship is recorded for our instruction. Let us look at it somewhat closely.
She begins by acknowledging the truth of the report as she had heard it; first, of all Solomon’s acts, then of his wisdom. What he had done had a prior place, in the tale of his fame, to what he was.
Not so in the queen of Sheba’s heart. After confessing (as, alas, we have to do) how she had not believed that which did not tell her half the tale, she says, “Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard;” thus putting what Solomon was in himself first, and his surroundings after. Even this little change of order shows, I think (as a straw the direction of the wind), that her heart was set on the person of Solomon. (Compare 2 Chronicles 9:66Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. (2 Chronicles 9:6). There the Spirit of God marks the person yet more clearly: “Thou Exceedest.”) I grant the change is slight, but in a picture painted by the Spirit of God the most delicate touches are well worthy of our attention.
The next verse goes even still further. “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.” This is the point with her. She does not say, which see or share thy riches, honor, or glory. A meaner mind would have been carried away by these surroundings, but in this song she ignores them all. How pure and lofty in tone are these songs that the Spirit sings. Surely they indicate a source as high as their subject. All that catches the eye alone is unnoticed here, and the real substance is firmly grasped; for,
“The soul that knows thy love is taught
To value naught but thee.”
But the wonderful part is that a queen should find a cause of envy and delight in the lot of a servant, even as David of old: “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:1010For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10)).
And now she rises in her song, as does the psalm already quoted (45) to the source of all, God Himself.
So with us, there is no true “joy in God” save “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” A real knowledge of Christ, and delight in Him, leads out the soul in praise to God, by the Spirit as nothing else will. Here is the climax and close of this exquisite little song. O! that we might ponder well the cause of its simple beauty—the secret of which is supplied by the closing line of the fifth verse. At the risk of repetition, we must again acknowledge that no “man of spirit,” even though a Christian, could have sung this, the true song of the “spiritual man.” O! that we were a little more emptied of ourselves! that “spirit” in us had given place to spirituality.
And now we get another step. The worship of the heart should and does claim the first place, but there is more. If her heart is open, so are her treasures: gold, precious stones, spices, all are his. They are not now treasures to her. Her treasure, her delight is now in Solomon, and he has her heart, “for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
So with us. When we have really found where the true riches are; when our eyes have seen and our heart loved the One in whom they all are centered; in what a different light do we regard all earthly treasures.
No tithe of our fortunes, our time, or our life is the Lord’s portion now. Those, in whose hearts He dwells by faith, know well that all they have is His, and for His service.
But it may well be asked, What were her hundred and twenty talents (great though the actual sum was) amidst the wealth of gold that abounds in this chapter (see chap. 9:28; 10:14, 17, 21) and in which, as I have said, this little picture is set? The true Solomon, however, prizes not offerings according to their intrinsic value, but according to the motive of the heart that gives them. Here it was simple heart worship of Solomon.
Let not any Christian think his mite is too small for Christ to value. He whose loving eye marked out the widow who cast all her living, one farthing, into God’s treasury, will not pass by a cup of cold water.
What a wondrous thought this presents to our souls! We all have heard of the philosopher’s stone, that substance that was supposed to transmute every metal it touched into gold. Christ, with reverence, be it said, is the true philosopher’s stone; everything you can connect with Him is changed into fine gold.
A cup of cold water, is a cup of cold water while in your hand; give it for the sake of Christ to some poor suffering one, and you associate it with Him whose worth is infinite, and the value of the cup of cold water is untold.
What a way to increase our riches!
If we but use whatever we have for Christ, whether it be little or much, we enhance its worth a thousand fold. What was the value in God’s sight of one farthing after it had been cast into His treasury? How glorious must He be that can give, in God’s eyes, such worth to a cup of cold water!
Some of us often do great things from mixed motives; would that there were more cups of cold water given purely for the sake of Christ.
But, thank God, there is yet more to comfort us in this verse. For, wonderful to say, in all the abundance that marked Solomon’s reign, amid all the riches that everywhere abounded, there was one thing he lacked; one thing for which he was indebted to the queen of Sheba, which she alone could bring in abundance to him. Hiram’s navy might bring him gold without count, and precious stones without number; but the queen of Sheba alone brought an abundance of spices.
Sweet spices; what were they for?
To burn as incense.
How beautiful and true the simile! Christ has all. “The Father hath given all things into His hand;” the cattle on a thousand hills are His; and yet, seated as He is on His Father’s throne in glory, one thing there is that He prizes at the highest value, a thing that all heaven cannot furnish, that angels cannot give.
It is the incense, the perfume of the worship that ascends from the heart that is emptied of itself. These are the sweet spices prized by Christ. What a beautiful and comforting thought that our poor hearts can supply to Christ that which nothing else can! Let us remember that it must be genuine: a counterfeit is worthless. It must be the adoration of a heart filled with Christ.
It need not find its expression in words alone. Philippians 4:1818But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18) brings this out clearly, beautifully showing that though the gift came to Paul, the fragrance of it ascended to God. This is a little picture of what Christ was on the cross: a sin offering for man, and at the same time a burnt offering wholly for God!
(Continued from page 164).
(To be continued).