Captivating Bible Stories for Young People, Written in Simple Language

Twenty-fifth Sunday.

SOLOMON'S FALL.

FIRST READING.

"All the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart."—1 Kings 10:24.

KING Solomon was the greatest king in wisdom and riches who ever lived. He had an ivory throne with golden lions standing on the steps, and a beautiful house lined with sweet cedar-wood. He sent ships which brought home gold and silver, and apes and peacocks; and it was said that gold was as common as silver generally is, and silver as common as stones!

All people honored him, and the Queen of Sheba came from her far-off country to see him, because of the fame of his greatness. And when she saw him she was quite overcome, and said that all she heard was not half so grand and glorious as what she saw. Very happy, she said, were the people who stood round him and heard the words of his wisdom.

We have the words of his wisdom in the Book of Proverbs in the Bible, for his wisdom came from God. And though we shall never see his purple robes or his gold and silver, do you know what our blessed Saviour said?—"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITING SOLOMON.—1 Kings 10:6-10.

The least little flower, if you look well into it, is more beautiful than anything King Solomon ever wore, for God made it; and he could only put things together that were made already.

QUESTIONS.

1. Why was Solomon so rich? 2. Whose son was he? 3. What had he built? 4. When he had built the House of God what did he build? 5. What sort of throne had he? 6. What were the steps? 7. Who came to see him? 8. What did she say of him? 9. Where have we got his wisdom? 10. What do we call it? 11. What did our blessed Saviour say about him? 12. What have we got which are more beautiful than Solomon's robes? 13. Why are flowers more beautiful than Solomon's robes?

SECOND READING.

"Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes."—Psalm 89:32.

IT is very sad to say that as Solomon grew old he left off being good. He married a great many wives, and brought them from the heathen nations round; and he did not teach them to worship the true God, but let them worship each in her own way.

So, out in his gardens, one lady had her idol to the moon, and another had hers to the dreadful idol Milcom, and so on; and though Solomon knew so much better, even he was persuaded to come and pay honor to these idols, just to please these women—he, the son of David, whom God had blessed so much.

IDOLATRY OF SOLOMON.—1 Kings 11:4.

And what the king did the people were sure to do. So God spake to Solomon, and told him that since he had fallen away from the right way, he must be punished, and that ten out of the twelve tribes would be taken away and not belong to his kingdom.

REVOLT OF THE TRIBES.—1 Kings 12:16, 17.

It was not to happen in his own time, but in his son's time, but it must have been very sad to him to know that his beautiful kingdom and great power were to be so lessened, and that his son Rehoboam was a very foolish young man, who would spoil everything. But he was not to lose all, only part, for the sake of the holy King David, to whom God had promised that his throne should last for ever.

QUESTIONS.

1. What wrong did Solomon do? 2. Where did his wives come from? 3. What did they want to worship? 4. Did Solomon let them? 5. What did he do himself? 6. Why was this wrong? 7. What is the First Commandment? 8. What did God tell Solomon? 9. How was he to be punished? 10. How many tribes were to be lost? 11. How many were to be kept? 12. Why were any to be left? 13. What had God promised David? 14. In whose time was the trouble to come? 15. What was the name of Solomon's son?

THIRD READING.

"I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand."—1 Kings 11:35.

THERE was a strong brave man of the tribe of Ephraim, named Jeroboam, and God sent his prophet to speak to him. Jeroboam had a new mantle on, and the prophet took it and tore it into twelve pieces, and gave Jeroboam ten of them.

Then the prophet said this was to show how God was going to tear away ten tribes from Rehoboam, the grandson of David, and give them to Jeroboam, because Solomon was bringing idols in to be worshipped. And he told Jeroboam that all should go well with him, and he would be a great king, and his sons after him, if he would go on serving the Lord, and the Lord only, and would keep from idols.

QUESTIONS.

1. What was to be taken from Solomon's son? 2. What was the name of Solomon's son? 3. Who was to have the tribes? 4. Who told Jeroboam so? 5. What sign did the prophet give? 6. What was torn? 7. Of how many tribes would Rehoboam be king? 8. Of how many would Jeroboam be king? 9. Why were any taken from Rehoboam? 10. Why were any left? 11. What does the Second Commandment say? 12. How long would Jeroboam go on well?

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