XIII.

SOLOMON'S REQUEST.

1 KINGS III. 1-16.

SOLOMON had succeeded his father David on the throne of Israel. It was the most splendid period in the history of that people, and the most brilliant reign recorded in Scripture. Solomon was preeminently a type of Christ: the peace and prosperity of his reign typifying the blessed reign of the King of kings.

When David was dying, we read that he offered a last service of praise and prayer to the Lord. (1 Chron. xxix. 10.) Praise for the past and prayer for the future. In ver. 19 he prays that God would give Solomon "a perfect heart:" the prayer was answered. We read in ver. 3 of our chapter, "Solomon loved the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father." This love was the secret of his acceptable service; it will be the secret of our strength and service and of our joy. and are we serving Him in the strength of that love?

Do we love the Lord?

Solomon had another name,-a name which had

been given him by the Prophet Nathan. This name was Jedidiah, which had the blessed meaning of "beloved of the Lord." (2 Sam. xii. 25.) "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John iv. 19.) None love the Lord till they find out and understand that they are "beloved of Him."

This love led Solomon to honour the Lord, and to give to Him of his substance. He went from Jerusalem to Gibeon, where there was a great high place (for as yet there was no temple), thus testifying to all, I serve the Lord; and he made it known to all that his desire was to build a temple to the Lord. He gave (ver. 4): not thinking it waste to offer a thousand burnt offerings; for he rightly considered that what is offered to the Lord and accepted by Him, cannot be in vain.

Moreover, the sacrifices were types and figures of Christ's one Sacrifice; and by faith Solomon saw the atonement for his own and his people's sins. In that night (2 Chron. i. 7) the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, saying, “Ask what I shall give thee." What a wonderful offer! Visions of glory, wealth, power, and happiness might have arisen before the youthful imagination of the King. But he passed by all that, pleaded his youth, his inexperience, his powerlessness, to manage so vast a people, so great a kingdom. He reminded the Lord of His goodness to his father David-he asked "for a wise and understanding heart." This was the real thing. By faith he saw it, by faith he grasped it, and the Lord was pleased.

Now look at God's answer in ver. 11. Not only does he give him what he asks for, but (ver. 13) He adds that which he had not asked for. Is not this an explanation of Matt. vi. 33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all other things shall be added unto you"?

After this Solomon returns to Jerusalem, and by the Ark of the Covenant he sacrifices to God burnt offerings and peace offerings,-a sweet smelling savour acceptable to God,-because that Ark, as I have so often reminded you, was the type of Christ Himself; and there it was that God met His people and communed with them.

Are there not lessons for us in this most interesting chapter? Let us look at the two chief points of instruction.

I. GOD'S PROMISE.

Not only to Solomon were these words sent, "Ask what I shall give thee." Perhaps as we read, some such thought as this may cross our minds, " If I could have such a direct communication from heaven, I should be more inclined to pray and to believe in the efficacy of my prayers."

Now will you listen whilst I read God's own Word, spoken to you and to me, and we shall see that there is the very same offer made to us in almost the very same words. In Matt. vii. 7, we read, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." In Luke xi. 9, we find the same words, only more enlarged

upon. In John xiv. 13, 14, the Lord Jesus says, "Whatsoever ye shall ask, that will I do; and if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

Can there be any fuller, more unmeasured language than this? Is there any limit imposed upon us? And is not the Word of God as direct a communication from God to us, as was His appearing to Solomon in a dream? Indeed it is, and the fault lies with us when we do not get what we want from above. It is a want of faith in God's promises that is at the root of our failures. If, instead of looking at ourselves, we were to look more frequently at God's promises, at His faithfulness, and at the examples in Scripture given us to prove that faithfulness, we should be oftener found at the throne of grace, and, the result would be seen in our lives. God does not give us these promises to mock us: He does not say "Ask," and then send us away empty. His resources are inexhaustible. We cannot overdraw our account with Him: He puts a blank cheque in our hands for us to fill up. Next time you go to pray, let these words ring in your ears, "Ask what I shall give thee."

II. ASK FOR A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING HEART.

The thing that Solomon asked for "pleased the Lord." We may be sure then that we shall be asking for that which He will approve, and which He will be more than willing to bestow. Solomon had a kingdom to rule and a people to govern, and he felt his utter helplessness: he says (ver. 7), “I am but a little child."

Our outward position may not be that of kings and queens: it may be a lowly one; but we need, quite as much as Solomon did, heavenly wisdom to enable us to fulfil to God our duties, whatever they may be.

The heart of man too may be compared to a kingdom, which we have to rule and govern. Think of what comes in and of what goes out of our hearts, and of all that goes on within, and say if there is not plenty of work for us there: the thoughts that must not be admitted, the imaginations that must be ejected. Who can tell the battles that must be fought? the strife that goes on in that citadel ? And who is sufficient for these things? Not till with Solomon we say, "I am but a child," is the work begun in the right way. It is the first step to feel we have no power and no wisdom of our own: then we look for help from above.

Let us examine these words more closely: "A wise and understanding heart. We want to be made "wise unto salvation." The way of salvation is not the way we walk in naturally; the knowledge of that way does not come by book-learning: we must be taught of God. The wisdom must come from God: it is heavenly,—not the wisdom of this world; "for the world by wisdom knew not God." (1 Cor. i. 21.) But the Holy Ghost must teach us; and the first lesson that He teaches is, that we are nothing, and can do nothing: and then He shows us that Jesus Christ is "the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor. i. 24.)