The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 89

ma.kes differences between ns in our natural tastes and capacities is seen in this, thrtt it is on the one l'itnd a blessing to society, enabling all spheres of life to be filled, and on the ofo.er a means of culture to character, by calling forth our sym- pathy, our forbea1ance, and our generosity in rejoicing over the triumphs of others. II. THE GROWTH OF HIS KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM STUDY. Solomon did not have all the mysteries of nat1U·e unveiled to him by revelation. No "royal road to learning" existed then, or ever. His studiousness as a youth may be fairly infen-ed from hie strenuous exhortations to diligence and bis frequent rebukes of sloth. Out of the depths of personal experience he declared that the "hand of the diligent maketh rich "-in thought, as well as in purse. See also Proverbs x. 5 ; xix. 24; xxvi. 13, &c. Press home on the young the value of habits of diligence. Illustrate by examples from biography. It would be interesting to know with certainty the sub- stance of Solomon's discourses. Probably he knew more than any other of his own day of horticulture, physiology, and kindred topics. But the reference is not so much to scientific treatises and orderly classifications as to the ethical use he made of the phenomena of nature. This may be infen·ed, partly from the fact that in those days, and in Eastern lands, this rather than that would be accounted "msdom ;'' and partly from such writings of his as are still extant-certain of the Psalms, the Canticles, and the Proverbs. Study the text in the light thrown by these books, and it will be seen that through Solomon's wisdom the voice of N a,ture spoke to his people for God, in the same fashion as in far nobler tones it spoke afterwards through Him who made the lilies whisper of God's care, and the fallow fields speak of Christian duty. Inanimate things and dumb crea,tures spoke to Solomon's people through him, and should speak to us. I. THE crtEATURES OF GoD SPEAK TO us OF DIVINE CARE, Solomon, like bis father, could say, "The heavens declare the glory of God;" or like One greater than himself, " Consider the lilies of the field," &c. See how he speaks (Prov. xvi. 15) of the cloud of the latter rain that filled out the ears of corn ; of the dew upon the grass (Prov. xix. 12) ; of the gladness of nature, when the winter is past and the rain is over and gone (Cant. ii. 11-13). To see God's hand in all this is true wisdom. The phenomena are visible to pure intellect, but He who is behind them can only be " spiritually discerned." Many now are losing sight of God because the menta,l perception only is employed, and believed to be necessary. Once the world appeared to men as the expression of God's thought, the outcome of His will. Now some look on it as you may look on a friend who is not dead so far as nature,! life is con- cerned, but is worse than dead, beca,uee intelligence and will are gone, and he is an idiot I May we be aroused by the Divine Spirit to yearn for the loet Father, for the vanished heaven. II. THE CREATURES OF Goo SPEAK TO us OF HUMAN DEPENDENCE. Neither " hyssop " nor " cedar '' can grow without Heaven's benediction, and of every "beast," and" fowl," and "creeping thing," and" fish," it may be said, "these ell wait upon Thee." Man, with ell his attainments and powers, cannot create a single element required by his life. He can use God's gifts, but they are God's gifts still; and because He is good, our Lord bids us learn the lessons of content and trust (Matt. vi. 25-34). We depend on these creatures in the natural wol'ld for food, clothing, shelter, &c., and they only live because God cares for them. III. THE CREATURES OF GOD SPEAK TO us OJ' DAILY DUTIES. How often in Proverbs we are reminded of that. Agur, who had wisdom similar to that of Solomon, speaks of the diligence of the ant, of the perseverance of the spider, of the strength in union of the locusts, of the conscious weakness and provided shelter of the conies. Solomon speaks of the blessing that came to the keeper of the fig tree (Prov. xxvii. 18) as an encouragement to servants to be faithful and diligent. Adduce similar examples. IV. THE CREATURES OF Goo SPBAX TO us OF HORAL DANGERS. Take three ex- amples of this. 1. In Canticles ii. 15 Solomon alludes to "the little foxes who so stealthily approach and spoil the vines and their tender grapes" as illustrations of the small evils whtch desolate men's hearts and homes. Apply this. 2. Then in Proverbs xxiv. 80-34 he draws a picture of a. neglected garden, grown over with OIL V. 1-18.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. &8