1. =It was a period of peace.= For sixty years there were no wars. This
gave opportunity for development, for wealth, and for culture.
2. =It was a period of strong government.= The age of individual and
tribal energy was ended, and now all the life of the nation was gathered
around the throne. All the tribes were held under one strong hand;
tribal lines were ignored in the government of the empire (1 Kings 4.
7-19); every department was organized.
3. =It was a period of wide empire.= It was Israel's opportunity for
power in the East; for the old Chaldean empire had broken up, the new
Assyrian empire had not arisen, and Egypt was passing through a change
of rulers and was weak. For one generation Israel held the supremacy in
the Oriental world.
4. =It was a period of abundant wealth.= (1 Kings 3. 12, 13; 4. 20; 10.
23, 27.) The sources of this wealth were: 1.) The _conquests_ of David,
who had plundered many nations and left his accumulated riches to
Solomon (1 Chron. 22. 14-16). 2.) The _tribute_ of the subject kingdoms,
doubtless heavy (1 Kings 10. 25). 3.) _Commerce_ with foreign countries,
Egypt, Arabia, Tarshish, and Ophir, in ancient times was not carried on
by private enterprise, but by the government. The _trade_ of the East
from Egypt and Tyre passed through Solomon's dominions, enriching the
land. 4.) There were also _taxes_ laid upon the people (1 Kings 4. 7;
12. 4). 5.) The erection of _public buildings_ must have enriched many
private citizens and made money plenty.
5. =It was a period of literary activity.= The books written during this
epoch were Samuel, Psalms (in part), Proverbs (in part), and perhaps
Ecclesiastes and Solomon's Song. Not all the writings of Solomon have
been preserved (1 Kings 4. 32, 33).
III. =DANGERS OF THE PERIOD.= There was an Arabian tradition that in
Solomon's staff, on which he leaned, there was a worm secretly gnawing
it asunder. So there were elements of destruction under all the splendor
of Solomon's throne.
1. =The absolute power of the king.= David had maintained the theocratic
constitution of the state; Solomon set it aside and ruled with absolute
power in all departments. He assumed priestly functions (1 Kings 8. 22,
54, 64); he abolished tribal boundaries in his administration (1 Kings
4. 7-19); he ignored both priests and prophets, and concentrated all
rule in his own person.
2. =The formal character of the worship.= There was a magnificent temple
and a gorgeous ritual, but none of the warmth and personal devotion
which characterized the worship of David. The fervor of the Davidic
psalms is wanting in the literature of Solomon's age.
3. =Luxury and corruption of morals.= These are the inevitable results
of abundant riches and worldly association. We do not need the warnings
in Prov. 2. 16-19; 5. 3-6, etc., to know that a flood of immorality
swept over Jerusalem and Israel.
4. =The burden of taxation.= With a splendid court, an immense harem,
and a wealthy nobility came high prices and high taxes; the rich growing
richer rapidly, the poor becoming poorer. The events of the next reign
show how heavy and unendurable these burdens grew.
5. =Heathen customs.= With the foreign peoples came the toleration of
idolatry, its encouragement, and all the abominations connected with it.
Jeroboam could not have established his new religion (1 Kings 12. 28) if
Solomon had not already patronized idol-worship.
6. Underlying all was the old =tribal jealousy= of Ephraim and Judah,
fostered by an able leader (1 Kings 11. 26), ready to break out in due
time, and to destroy the empire.
After all, it is uncertain whether the reign of Solomon was a golden or
only a gilded age.
Blackboard Outline.
=I. Rei. Sol.= 1. Cl. thr. 2. Acc. 3. Emp. [Lands. Cities] 4. For.
rel. 1.) Ty. 2.) Eg. 3.) Ar. 4.) Ind. 5.) Sp. 5. Buil. 1.)
Tem. 2.) Pal. 3.) For. cit. 4.) Aque. 6. Sins 1.) For. mar.
2.) Tol. idol. 3.) Mag.
=II. Gen. Asp. Isr.= 1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Abun. weal. 1.) Conq.
2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5). Pub. build. 5. Lit. art.
=III. Dan. Per.= 1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4.
Bur. tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal.