- 43-
commencement of his reign, celebrated a great festival, probably to inaugurate and
consecrate his accession by a public acknowledgment of Jehovah as the God of Israel.
All the people took part in what was a service of hitherto unparalleled magnificence.^82
But something far better than the smoke of a thousand burnt-sacrifices offered in
Israel's ancient Sanctuary, attested that the God, Who had brought Israel out of Egypt
and led them through the Wilderness, still watched over His people. The services of
those festive days were over, and king and people were about to return to their homes.
As Solomon had surveyed the vast multitude which, from all parts of the country, had
gathered to Gibeon, the difficulty must have painfully forced itself on him of wisely
ruling an empire so vast as that belonging to him, stretching from Tiphsach (the Greek
Thapsacus), "the fords," on the western bank of the Euphrates, in the north-east, to
Gaza on the border of Egypt, in the southwest (1 Kings 4:24). The conquests so lately
made had not yet been consolidated the means at the king's disposal were still
comparatively scanty. tribal jealousies were scarcely appeased; and Solomon himself
was young and wholly inexperienced. Any false step might prove fatal; even want of
some brilliant success might disintegrate what was but imperfectly welded together. On
the other hand, had Israel's history not been a series of constant miracles, through the
gracious Personal interposition of the LORD? What, then, might Solomon not expect
from His help?
Busy with such thoughts, the king had laid him down to rest on the last night of his
stay in Gibeon. Ordinarily dreams are without deeper significance. So Solomon
himself afterwards taught (Ecclesiastes 5:7); and so the spiritually enlightened among
other nations, and the prophets in Israel equally declared (Job 20:8; Isaiah 29:7). And
yet, while most fully admitting this (as in Ecclesiasticus 34:1-6), it must have been also
felt, as indeed Holy Scripture teaches by many instances, that dreams might be
employed by the Most High in the time of our visitation (Ecclesiasticus 34:6). So was
it with Solomon on that night. It has been well remarked, that Adonijah would not have
thus dreamed after his feast at En-rogel (1 Kings 1:9, 25), even had his attempt been
crowned with the success for which he had hoped. The question which on that night the
Lord put before Solomon, "Ask what I shall give thee?" was not only an answer to the
unspoken entreaty for help expressed in the sacrifices that had been offered, but was
also intended to search the deepest feelings of his heart. Like that of our Lord
addressed to St. Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" it sounded the inmost
depths of the soul. Such questions come, more or less distinctly, to us all, and that in
every crisis of our lives. They may become fresh spiritual starting-points to us, seasons
of greater nearness to God, and of spiritual advancement; or they may prove times of
"temptation," if we allow ourselves to be "drawn away" and "enticed" of our own
"lust."
(^)