2 Chronicles 9:20
All King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
Sermons
Gold and SilverW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 9:13-20, 27
The Glory of SolomonT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 9:13-31














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 excellency and strength which has its own value. But what was (or is) the value of it? We may consider the extent to which the plentifulness of silver and gold is -

I. A SOURCE OF PRESENT GRATIFICATION. Undoubtedly Solomon, his courtiers, and his subjects did find a pleasure in the fact that all these objects were "of beaten gold," that gold and silver met their eye everywhere. At first that pleasure may have been keen enough. But it was one of those joys that pall and pass with time; familiarity with it made it to lose its charm; it must have become less delightful as it became more common, until it became literally true that "it was not anything accounted of" (ver. 20). Splendid surroundings are pleasurable enough at first, but their virtue fades with the passing years and even with the fleeting months; and it is not long before that which seemed so brilliant and promised so much enjoyment is "not accounted of" at all.

II. A LASTING ENRICHMENT. Abundance of material wealth often proves a transient good. In the nation it becomes a prey for the spoiler, a temptation to the neighbouring power that can come up with a victorious army and go back with a well-stored treasury (see 1 Kings 14:25, 26). In the man it often allures the fraudulent adventurer and becomes his possession. No one can be sure that he will hold what he has gained. "Securities" are excellent things in their way, but they go down before some of the forces which no finite power can control.

III. A REAL ENLARGEMENT. Great wealth does not go far to enrich a nation when it does nothing more for it than provide targets and shields, drinking-vessels and ivory thrones overlaid with gold with golden footstools: - nothing more than multiply splendours about the royal palace. When it promotes healthful and remunerative activities among the people, when it facilitates and quickens the expenditure of profitable labour in agriculture, in seamanship, in manufacture, in art, in literature, in worship, then it is really and truly serviceable. So with individual men. Wealth that only ministers to luxury does very little good to its owner. But when it enables a man to put forth mental and physical powers that otherwise would slumber for lack of opportunity, when it stimulates to worthy and elevating enterprise, when it opens the door of usefulness and helpfulness, then it is a blessing indeed, a real and true enlargement.

IV. A SPIRITUAL PERIL. Serious and strong indeed are the Master's words (Mark 10:23-25). But they are amply verified by human history, both national and individual. Wealth tends to luxury; luxury to indulgence; indulgence to deterioration; deterioration to ruin. Much gold and silver may be attractive enough; but they need to be well fortified with sacred principles who would stand the test of them, and be quite unscathed by them.

V. PICTORIAL OF A WEALTH THAT IS TRUER AND BETTER. ][t is possible to be endowed with those resources that make rich and that add no sorrow thereto; it is possible to be "rich toward God;" to have treasures within our keeping which the strong thief of time has no power to steal. These are to be had of the ascended Lord. He counsels us to buy of himself "gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich." Of him we may gain the riches of a reverence that ennobles, a faith that saves, a love that blesses and beautifies, a hope that strengthens and sustains, a joy that "satisfies and sanctifies" the soul. - C.

And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon.
I. THE SPIRIT WHICH PROMPTED THE VISIT.

1. A spirit of curiosity.

2. A spirit of inquiry.

3. A spirit of restlessness.

4. A spirit of self-sacrifice.She undertook a long and risky journey. A reproof, says Christ, to indifference and stupidity concerning Himself.

II. THE MUTUAL INTER- COURSE DURING THE VISIT.

1. Solomon answered her questions.

2. Received her gifts.

III. THE IMPRESSIONS RECEIVED FROM THE VISIT.

1. She was astonished at the magnificence of Solomon.

2. She was surprised at the wisdom of Solomon.

3. She was confirmed in her belief concerning Solomon.Faith exercised will be greatly strengthened. This just the result —

1. Of honest search after truth.

2. Of personal intercourse with Christ.

3. Of engagement in God's service.

(J. Wolfendale.)

This is what the Bible itself asks for; in effect the Bible says, "Prove me, put me to the test, under all circumstances of triumph, joy, need, fear, and see if I have not within me a better answer than can be found in any other book." This is the criticism to which Jesus Christ is always willing to submit Himself. It is His complaint that we do not ask Him questions enough, the assumption of course being that all inquiries are put in a reverent and faithful spirit. There is a question-asking to which the Bible will pay no heed, and there is a question-asking which Christ will regard as impious and frivolous. Whatever we really want to know with our hearts, whatever is necessary for us to know, Jesus Christ is willing to answer. When we bring our riddles and enigmas to Christ, they must be riddles and enigmas that express the very agony of desire. To our speculation or curiosity Christ may have nothing to say, or if He condescend to speak to us it may be in tones of rebuke and repulse. Do not be afraid to put hard questions to Christ. The Queen of Sheba did not put any flippant questions to Solomon; she rather sought out the most difficult inquiries which it was possible to propound. The meaning of this is that we are to ask the very hardest questions which our soul wishes to have answered, always remembering that there are some questions which need not be answered in time, and which indeed could not be answered to our present incomplete or depraved capacity and power. Properly considered, it may be impossible to put any easy questions to Christ within the range of the scope which His mission fills.

(J. Parker, D. D.)

I. THE MEETING TOGETHER OF THESE REPRESENTATIVES OF TWO DIFFERENT NATIONS HAD THE HAPPY EFFECT OF DRAWING CLOSER THE BONDS OR UNITY.

II. THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT WHICH THE EXHIBITION OR THE WORKS OF NATIONAL INDUSTRY MAY HAVE UPON THE THOUGHTFUL AND WELL-GOVERNED MIND. The things seen by the Queen of Sheba did much to correct and enlarge her mind; far more than all her previous intelligence and inquiry.

III. THE SPECTACLE OF WORKS OF ART AND MAN'S DEVICE, VAST, MULTIFORM, AND BEAUTIFUL, REFLECTS AS IN A MIRROR THE WONDROUS POWERS OF MAN'S MIND. As we turn from the statue to the mind that sketched and the hand that chiselled out the wonderful design, so let us turn from man with all his wonderful skill and give to God the glory. The Queen of Sheba returned to her home with higher thoughts of God than she had before.

IV. THE IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE OF SOLOM'S DEVOTION. The Queen admired "the ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord." Some understand these words of a magnificent communication which Solomon had prepared between his palace and the courts of the temple; while others explain them of the cheerful and fervent solemnity with which he worshipped, showing that his heart was deeply engaged in the hallowed and hallowing service.

(S. Bridge, M. A.)

We have in Christ one greater than Solomon.

I. WE OUGHT TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM OF ALL THAT IS IN OUR HEART. Neglect of intercourse with Jesus —

1. Is very unkind.

2. Betrays the sad fact of something wrong.

3. Shows a want of confidence in His love, sympathy, and wisdom.

4. Will be the cause of uneasiness in ourselves.

5. Will involve the loss of counsel and help.

6. Is greatly aggravated by eagerness to tell our troubles to others.

II. WE NEED NOT CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OF TOPICS.

1. Our sorrows.

2. Our joys.

3. Our service.

4. Our plans.

5. Our success and failures.

6. Our desires.

7. Our fears.

8. Our lives.

9. Our mysteries.

III. NOR SHALL WE CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OF REASONS. Intercourse with Christ —

1. Is ennobling and elevating.

2. Consoling and encouraging.

3. Sanctifying and refining.

4. Safe and healthy.

5. Delightful and heavenly.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

People
Ahijah, David, Huram, Iddo, Jeroboam, Nathan, Nebat, Nehemiah, Ophir, Rehoboam, Solomon, Tarshish
Places
Arabia, Egypt, Euphrates River, House of the Forest of Lebanon, Jerusalem, Ophir, Sheba, Shephelah, Tarshish
Topics
Articles, Considered, Drinking, Forest, Goblets, Gold, Household, Lebanon, Nothing, Palace, Pure, Silver, Solomon's, Value, Vessels
Outline
1. The queen of sheba admires the wisdom of Solomon
13. Solomon's revenue in gold
15. His targets and shields
17. The throne of ivory
20. His vessels
23. His presents
25. His chariots and horse
26. His tributes
29. His reign and death

Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 9:20

     4363   silver
     4448   forests
     5119   Solomon, life of
     5283   cup

2 Chronicles 9:13-20

     5211   art

2 Chronicles 9:13-21

     4333   gold

2 Chronicles 9:15-20

     5437   palaces

2 Chronicles 9:17-20

     5399   luxury

2 Chronicles 9:20-21

     4303   metals
     5407   merchants

Library
The Great Gain of Godliness
'And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 26. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 28. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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