The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 113

her. She desired" to commune with him of all that was in her heart" (ver. 1), and she did ao; and she gathered from him a great store of knowledge and of truth. She doubtless learned for the first time the fundamental truths of religion-perhaps also the elements of pure morality. It is probable that she went back to her own country mentally and even spiritually enriched far beyond her highest expectations. As she crossed the desert a second time she would feel that she had been repaid a thousand times for all her toil and outlay, Wisdom is always worth our purchase, whatever we may expend upon it. "Buy the truth," even though it cost much in travel, in money, in patient laborious study, even in fellowship and friendship. It is well worth while to "sell all that we have" in order to become possessed of "the pearl of great price," heavenly wisdom, the knowledge which is eternal life (Matt. xiii. 46; John xvii. 3). Many earnest pilgrims have traversed land and sea, many anxious students have searched books and inquired of sacred teachers, many hungering and thirsting souls have wrought and wrestled in thought and prayer for many years, that they might find rest in truth, that they might find a home for themselves in _the knowledge of the living God. And when they have found what they sought (see Matt. vii. 7, 8), they have gladly and gratefully acknowledged that the blessedness of acquiring heavenly wisdom is a most ample recompense for all they have expended in its pursuit. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; it is the absolutely incomparable good (Prov. iii. 15).-C. Vers. 4-6.-The unimaginable. The Queen of Sheba was completely overwhelmed by what she saw at the court of Jerusalem. When she had seen and heard everything there was to see and hear, "there was no more spirit in her." She was "astonished with a great astonishment." She had not credited what she had been told (ver. 6); but she found that there was a great deal more to find than anything that had been described. What she realized altogether surpassed her anticipation. Her experieuce was very remarkable of its kind, but in this particular it was by no means exceptional. We have much to do with the unimaginable. It meets us or awaits us in- I. THE MATERIAL CREATION. What wholly unanticipated wonders have been disclosed by the advance of human science I 'l'he men of remote generations had not the faintest notion of the powers we have discovered to reside in the material universe. And what still undiscovered forces await our inquiry and investigation as we patiently plod on in the paths of knowledge I Surely one-half bath not been tvld us or imagined by us. II. Oua HU.MAN EXPERIENCJE. We have our expectation concerning the life that is before us; but it is very little like the reality, as experience will prove. Many things we may picture to ourselves which will find no fulfilment; but many other things there are, of which we have no discernment, that will find their place on the page of our biography. Of these some are unexpected sorrows-losses, disappointments, separations, struggles-of which we can form no idea; others a.re unanticipated bless- ings-comforts, relationships, joys, triumphs-exceeding and excelling our hopes. We do not anticipate, for good or evil, one-half of the bright or dark reality. III. THE GOSPEL OF THE GRA0E OF Goo. " Eye had not seen, nor ear heard, nor had it entered into man's heart to conceive" one-half of" what God bad prepared for them that love him." No man could or did imagine that such wealth of grace and goodness as that which the gospel of Christ contains would be brought to us by the Anointed of God, would be purchased for us by a Saviour's sacrifice, would be pressed upon us by a. heavenly Father's urgent and persistent love. IV. Tm: GLORY WHIOH IS TO BE REVEALED. In that "land of great distances n we are one day to traverse, in that home of love in which we are soon to dwell, what unimaginable good is in reserve I What joy and what glory; what rest and what activity; what realization and what hope; what knowledge of God and what pursuit of that knowledge; what royalty and what service; what purity and what progress; what unanticipated and inconceivable blessedness to satisfy but not satiate the soul !-C. Vers. 13-20, 21.-Gold and silver. The chronicler who records these events of Solomon's reign dwells upon the abundance of gold and silver as one who takes a delight in his story. And there was something in which to triumph, if not to rejoice; for it spoke of a certain eitcellency and strength which has its own value. But what II, 0!fRONlCLEB, J  114 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [orr. rx.1-31.