1 KINGS 5


1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

The hearing of the aonian gospel transforms the hearts of the humbled nations of modern day Tyre and its associates. Submission and willing offering, they bow the knee to Zion's King who has been victorious over the defeated armies of Gog the Prince of Rosh, Meschec and Tubal

Now the relation of things in the days of Solomon was this - a Son of David, the wisest, richest, most powerful and glorious king the world has ever known, reigning on Mount Zion, over the twelve tribes of Israel then in united occupation of the land. A Gentile power of commercial and maritime pre-eminence in alliance with him, and co-operating in naval affairs, and the building of a magnificent temple.


These powers, Israelitish and Gentile, headed by Solomon and Hiram, in possession of the commerce of India and the west, and in consequent amity with Tarshish, and the Queen of Sheba, their contemporary. Jerusalem peaceful, prosperous, rich, and happy in the favour of God; and her king the admiration of all the earth. Such was the state of things in the reign of "the great king"-a state resulting from the successful wars of David, and consequent spoliation of all the enemies of Israel and their God.


This was an exhibition in miniature of what shall hereafter obtain on a grand scale when the "greater than Solomon" is there. Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon, Cyrus, Zerubabel and Joshua son of Josedeck, are representatives of Christ in his several official relations to Israel and the nations.

 

He is like to Moses as their deliverer from the bondage of modern Egypt, and their lawgiver, &c., and the destroyer of him that will not give them up. He is like to Joshua in giving them rest in the glorious land. He is like to David in being a man after God's own heart, who will do all his will upon Israel's foes, and the blasphemers of his name; and in establishing the kingdom of Israel under the sceptre of David's son.

 

He is like Solomon in being the wisest, richest, most powerful and glorious of all kings; in inheriting the throne of David; and in reigning thereon in peace without end. He is like Cyrus in being the conqueror of Babylon, the restorer of Israel, and the builder of the future temple. He is like Zerubabel in being the governor, and like Joshua the son of Jozedeck in being the High Priest, of the restoration from the captivity of the Roman Babylon. These are not accidental resemblances, but admirably displayed illustrations of the substance which is of Christ.


In contemplating Solomon, and the things related to him, as representative of the substance at the epoch of Christs' manifestation, we are naturally led to inquire, where are Sheba and Tarshish, and the Gentile power in friendly connection with Israel? We must wait till the actual appearance of the greater than Solomon to see things in contemporary manifestation; but as Sheba, Tarshish, and Tyre existed before Solomon's reign, we may even now cast about, and see if any thing obtains in relation to them at all likely to correspond with their representative relations of the olden time.


Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, March 1858



3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of Yahweh his Elohim for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet.

The one whose reign is to be 'Greater than Solomon's' frees Israel from its enemies

"until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet".



12 And the Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.


The allocation of Tarshish with Sheba and Dedan by the prophet Ezekiel, indicates their geographical relationship. Sheba was south east of Jerusalem, and a spice and camel producing country. Its queen, who visited Solomon with camels bearing spices, is styled Queen of the South; that is, of Arabia the camel-country, as that of Tarshish was the elephant, or ivory region.

Sheba joins Dedan, and lies between it, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. Sheba Dedan, and Tarshish occupy the coasts of the Erythræan Sea, from the Straits of Babelmandeb to Cape Comorin. How far Tarshish extends beyond is not important to the subject in hand. Dedan and Tarshish stand face to face on either side the Mocander, which is a broad water exterior to the Persian Gulf.

Now the relation of things in the days of Solomon was this-a Son of David, the wisest, richest, most powerful and glorious king the world has ever known, reigning on Mount Zion, over the twelve tribes of Israel then in united occupation of the land. A Gentile power of commercial and maritime pre-eminence in alliance with him, and co-operating in naval affairs, and the building of a magnificent temple.

These powers, Israelitish and Gentile, headed by Solomon and Hiram, in possession of the commerce of India and the west, and in consequent amity with Tarshish, and the Queen of Sheba, their contemporary. Jerusalem peaceful, prosperous, rich, and happy in the favour of God; and her king the admiration of all the earth. Such was the state of things in the reign of "the great king"-a state resulting from the successful wars of David, and consequent spoliation of all the enemies of Israel and their God.

This was an exhibition in miniature of what shall hereafter obtain on a grand scale when the "greater than Solomon" is there. Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon, Cyrus, Zerubabel and Joshua son of Josedeck, are representatives of Christ in his several official relations to Israel and the nations. He is like to Moses as their deliverer from the bondage of modern Egypt, and their lawgiver, &c., and the destroyer of him that will not give them up.

He is like to Joshua in giving them rest in the glorious land. He is like to David in being a man after God's own heart, who will do all his will upon Israel's foes, and the blasphemers of his name; and in establishing the kingdom of Israel under the sceptre of David's son. He is like Solomon in being the wisest, richest, most powerful and glorious of all kings; in inheriting the throne of David; and in reigning thereon in peace without end.

He is like Cyrus in being the conqueror of Babylon, the restorer of Israel, and the builder of the future temple. He is like Zerubabel in being the governor, and like Joshua the son of Jozedeck in being the High Priest, of the restoration from the captivity of the Roman Babylon. These are not accidental resemblances, but admirably displayed illustrations of the substance which is of Christ.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Mar 1858



17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

Yahweh could build the temple ((both physical and spiritual) ) in an instant if he willed it. But he requires man to do his part - all his zeal and all his effort. He does not create automatons. The stones of Yahweh's spiritual holy temple must be hewn into shape. They must fit perfectly. It may take a lifetime to form that Christ like character, and a lifetime of patient continuance in works of righteousness under adverse circumstances.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ - 1 Peter 2:5.



18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

As the finest stones were selected for the temple, so out of nature's dark quarry, living stones (1Pet. 2:5) precious living stones have been hewed, cut and polished for a place in the spiritual temple

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people - 2Cor. 6:16.

The stones were quarried and prepared away from the temple site, and brought together for building. So also for Yahweh's spiritual temple, for during the absence of the Great King, the Builder of the temple, the living stones are being prepared, shaped and made ready for the glorious spiritual building of the future.

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