But to pass on: verse 13 gives us Solomon’s side. King Solomon satisfied her desire and gave her whatsoever she asked; this comes first. But Solomon would not be Solomon if he stopped here. Is God satisfied with meeting our need? Far be the thought!
Read the first of Ephesians, and you will find but one verse, the seventh, occupied with our need according to the riches of His grace. What is the subject of the rest? Satisfying our need? No: it is the satisfying of His own heart according to the glory of His grace. See how all this in figure is contained in the verse before us.
“And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.” He satisfied her own need, and then satisfied his own heart.
Which are the more precious to our hearts, the favors we ask for, or those we receive unasked? Ah! what should we have done, if we had not to do with One “who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think?” Where should we have been had we received nothing but what was asked for?
Infinitely do the unasked favors exceed the others! Notice too how beautiful the phrase, “of his royal bounty!” What debtors are we to that “royal bounty!” and how precious Christ becomes to our souls when we think of the way He thus anticipates our thoughts and exceeds our need! What a love is the love of Christ that passes knowledge. What a love that reveals to us by His Spirit, things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart of man conceived, prepared by Him for them that love Him. What a God, and what a Christ are ours!
And now the queen returns to her own country, emptied of herself, laden with Solomon’s favors, it is true, but still she departs. If Christ is more glorious than Solomon; if His divine glory and majesty exceed the glory of Israel’s king; if the heavenly surpasses the earthly; how much on the other hand is our position higher than that of the queen of Sheba?
She had to leave all the glories, and return into her native land. We have the blessed knowledge that the One we love, has loved us and given Himself for us, to present us unto Himself a glorious church; that His glory is ours; that we shall share His throne.
Well, may we, with uplifted heads and happy hearts, walk through the world when we know our wondrous and glorious fortune, and can by faith enter now into the blessedness of being one with Christ.
Thus we reach the close of this story, so full of interest to those who can discern its hidden beauties. But let us beware of resting content with feeling interested in any part of God’s Word.
If we have learned anything from this little story, let us not rest until we, like her, have entered His presence, and our hearts have know His love. For this is the real point of practical importance.
It is one thing to know and own the beauty and attractiveness of an object, and quite another to enjoy and be swayed by it. Do we possess this knowledge of Christ? A mere assent to the truth of what is presented to us is of no value. We want a real, practical, and individual knowledge of Christ in our own soul.
We need more to know and feed on Him as our satisfying portion. O! to possess this, to enjoy it. To be filled to overflowing with the beauties and glories of Christ, nay, with Christ Himself. This, this is indeed what we so much need. For it is this alone that can produce real spirituality in us. If, alas, we have been living the lives of “men of spirit,” may Christ by His own blessed presence so empty us of ourselves and fill us with Himself, that we may become truly “spiritual men.”
O, that we may know Him more, whom to know is not only “life eternal,” but is also the transforming power to our souls, and the rest of our hearts. He only who knows Christ is satisfied, and yet not fully satisfied, for we are still waiting in patience to see Him as He is. It is truly good to understand these truths; but what we want in this day of knowledge is to know a little more of Him, that we may be able to say, each in his own measure, “We see Jesus.”
“Unseen we love Thee, dear Thy name
But when our eyes behold,
With joyful wonder we’ll exclaim,
The half has not been told.
For thou exceedest all the fame
Our ears have ever heard,
How happy we who know Thy name
And trust Thy faithful Word.”
(Continued from page 188)
(Concluded).