This lesson deals with Israel at the time of the Empire. Lack of space
forbids more than a general outline. Israel’s history is familiar to
every reader of the Bible. Egypt, the Desert, and Canaan; Slavery,
Training and War; these words give their geography and history till
Joshua’s death. The Theocracy follows; then the kingdom under Saul and
David, and then the Empire, or the Golden Age under Solomon the peaceful.
We call it the Golden Age because:
_I. It was the time of their widest dominion._—(_a_) For centuries the
Israel of possession was not the Israel of promise. Read Deuteronomy
11th chapter, verse 24, for the promise, and the first chapter of Judges
for the possession. (_b_) The people were bound by no national feeling.
“Every man went to his own inheritance.” The last verse of Judges is a
vivid picture of disunion. Under such a condition there could be no such
thing as wide and powerful dominion. (_c_) Under David and Solomon the
promised boundaries were reached. See 1st Kings, 4:21. Let the student
find the extreme northern and southern limits of the Empire of Solomon.
(_d_) Immediately after Solomon came disruption, and the loss of portions
of the Empire, which were never regained. Read the history of Jeroboam
and Rehoboam and their successors.
_II. It was the time of their greatest national wealth, and individual
welfare._—(_a_) Read 1st Kings, 10:14-23. (_b_) Read 1st Kings, 4:20
and 25. Brief as is the record in each of these references, there can
be no doubt as to the fact recorded. There is no such picture suggested
elsewhere, either before or after this period.
_III. It was the time of the production of the finest portion of their
literature._—The second book of Samuel, which we have, Ruth, and a large
portion of the Psalms, and all the wonderful writings of Solomon belong
to this period. This last and greatest king of all Israel seems to have
made very large additions to the literature of the people. See 1st Kings,
5:32-33.
Let us note some of the causes of this power and prosperity:
_I. The growth of the people._—The people are said, in Solomon’s reign,
to have numbered five millions, or five hundred to every square mile.
Compare with our present population. The army was of vast numbers. See
Joab’s report, 2d Samuel, 24:9.
_II. The character of the king._—He was (_a_) a statesman; he ignored
tribal lines; he recognized the value of extended commercial relations;
he opened intercourse with foreign nations, 1st Kings, 4:34; he made a
powerful foreign alliance, 1st Kings, 9:16; he built a navy, 1st Kings,
9:26; he attended personally to the affairs of his kingdom, 2d Chron.,
8:17; he fortified his outposts, 1st Kings, 9:17-19; he centralized
the religious worship by building the magnificent temple at Jerusalem;
he built permanent buildings for the seat of the nation’s capital.
(_b_) _A lover of Liberal Arts._—He was a poet himself, 1st Kings 4:32.
Literature affords nothing more gorgeous in imagery than the Song
of Songs; he was famed for his conversational powers; he engaged in
conversational controversies with the most noted of his time—see his
riddles as preserved in Proverbs 6:6, and 30:15-16-18; he was a lover of
architecture—witness his building; he was a lover of music, inherited
from his father, and the musical service of the temple was one of its
most attractive features.
_III. The character of his court._—All his counselors were men of note.
Let the student see what he can find from the Bible as to the worth of
his high priest, Zadok; his nearest friend, Zabud; his chief priest,
Azariah, son of Zadok; his captain of the guard, Azariah, son of Nathan;
his general in chief, Benaiah; his historian, Jehoshaphat; and his grand
vizier, Ahishar.
_IV. David’s work._—This was (_a_) a widely extended kingdom; (_b_) a
centralized government; (_c_) peace with all the world. His son’s name,
_Solomon_, _Shelomoh_, _Peace_.
_V. The country’s external relations._—(_a_) By Ezion-Geber a water route
was opened to the far east. Traces of this commerce with India can be
found in their language. See Stanley, “Jewish Church,” Vol. I.
(_b_) By Damascus, a land route to the far interior highlands.
(_c_) By the Mediterranean traffic with Spain—in ships of Tarshish.
(_d_) By Tyre, commerce with Phœnicia.