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Behold a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever."""*

KING SOLOMON was an eminent type of Christ, and his pacific reign was figurative of the peaceable reign of the Messiah, the Prince of peace, and was designed to show forth to mankind the peaceable nature of his Kingdom. It also showed that the warlike reign of David, however just it might be under the law, could have no part in that everlasting Kingdom of peace, to be established by the Messiah, in which war and violence shall be unknown, and of which there will be no end.

Here is displayed a most important lesson to mankind. But such is the inveterate and powerful influence of military principles, that the advocates of war appear to be blind, even to the most plain and positive facts, which seem to operate, in any manner against the unjust nature and destructive principles of war. How clearly appears, from the foregoing significant and striking figure, that the very nature and spirit of war is utterly opposed to the spirit of Christianity! Hence it is certain, that no warring spirit can have any part in the Kingdom of Christ.

It appears that king David, even at a time when wars were as justifiable, perhaps, as any wars ever were, could not be permitted to build the house of the Lord; because he had been a man of war. And yet that house, or temple of the Lord, was but a figure of the true temple of God, which Christ was to build on earth, in the latter day, and which indeed is the true Church of Christ, built up of holy souls, for a habitation of God. And is it reasonable to suppose, that those who are under the influence of the spirit of war, can build and inhabit the true temple of God, when king David himself could not be permitted to build the figurative temple, because he was a man of war? Nothing was considered so great a pollution to the Jewish temple, as the blood and dead bodies of men. Can any rational person then suppose, that the true spiritual temple of Christ would not be defiled by shedding blood, and taking the life

*1 Chron. xxii, 7-10.

of man? The very idea is revolting to the spirit of the gospel, and to all consistent ideas of Christianity.

By the peaceable and prosperous reign of king Solomon, mankind may learn two important lessons. First, that there is a peculiar blessing, prosperity, happiness and glory resulting from a state of peace, which can never be enjoyed in a state of war. Second, that Christ's Kingdom cannot, of a certainty, admit of wars and fightings. The wisdom and justice of Solomon was far more effectual, in subduing the hostile spirit of the neighboring nations, and preserving peace in the land, than all that had ever been done by all the wars of his father; and his peaceable administration increased the glory and happiness of his people and nation, beyond that of any other nation on earth. Indeed we have no account in ancient or modern history, of any kingdom or nation that ever was so signally honored and respected, or that ever enjoyed so great a degree of power and influence, glory and happiness, as that of the Israelites, during the greater part of king Solomon's reign.*

During this peaceable reign, that extraordinary temple was built, which far exceeded, in temporal glory, that of any other edifice ever erected on earth. This glorious temple was but a figure of the Church or Kingdom of Christ, which is to be built entirely through the operations of the principles of peace; in which the sound of war can no more be heard, than the sound of axe or hammer was heard in the building of this temple. And this Church and peaceable Kingdom, will as far exceed in glory all other spiritual buildings or kingdoms, as the temple and kingdom of Solomon exceeded all other buildings, or earthly kingdoms, in glory.

Let the serious professor of Christianity pause, and reflect on the remarkable circumstances attending the building of this figurative temple; and consider the predictions of the prophets concerning it; and contemplate the great work it was designed to typify; and then say whether he believes it possible for him to build, in the temple of Christ, or to have any part in his Kingdom, while his hands are stained with the blood of his fellow men, whom Christ came to redeem. How could such professors avoid polluting the spiritual temple, with their blood-stained souls, (were they suffered to enter therein,) to a far greater degree than it was possible to pollute the temple of Solomon, with the blood and dead bodies of men?

* See 1 Kings iv. 20, 21. and 2 Chron, i, 12.

So long as Solomon kept the law, and maintained a just and peaceful administration, he had no wars, nor any adversaries, neither foreign nor domestic, in his dominions. But after he had finished the temple, he began to erect great fortifications; and even transgressed the laws of God, to provide himself with horses and chariots, and make great military preparations. By this means, (as is usually the case with military characters,) his pride and ambition increased, and he became haughty, oppressive and tyrannical; and thereby stirred up adversaries, both foreign and domestic. His feelings being exalted with his great riches and glory, he forgot the Lord his God, and plunged himself into many excesses, corrupting himself with unnatural alliances with strange women. Such conduct is the natural consequence of the spirit of war; as the history of all-warring nations, in all ages, have abundantly testified. This proved Solomon's ruin, and eventually the ruin of his kingdom. Shortly after his decease, the seeds of rebellion, which originated in his own household, produced a division in the empire, and wrested the greatest portion of it from his son and successor.

REHOBOAM, the son of Solomon, on coming to the throne, turned the hearts of the people against him, by rejecting the wise counsel of his father's aged friends, and following the foolish advice of his youthful comrades. This rash conduct so disgusted the people, that ten tribes suddenly revolted from him, and placed themselves under Jeroboam, as king of Israel, and only two remained to support Rehoboam in his government. For a season however, he made a show of keeping the law; yet he pursued the policy of war. He built and fortified many strong fortresses, and made great military preparations to reduce the revolted tribes to obedience. But being forbidden by a man of God, to make war upon his brethren, the children of Israel, he forbore at that time; and while he was obedient to the heavenly injunction, and kept the divine law, the effect of his war policy was not proved. "But when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him."* war and disgrace followed.

Then

In the fifth year of his reign, "Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem; because they had transgressed against the Lord." Tho the Egyptian king advanced with

* 2 Chron. xii. 1.

a numerous army; yet as Rehoboam had an army of 180,000 men, and was strongly fortified, it could not have been considered difficult for him to defend himself against the Egyptian army, had he been favored with the approbation of Divine Providence. Such events have often taken place, with much less prospect of success. But the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, and said, “Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak." Of what use then were all his fortifications, and his great military preparations? God was against him, because of his wickedness; therefore he and all Jerusalem became an easy conquest to the enemy. The temple was taken and rifled, and all its rich treasures carried into Egypt. This is another powerful lesson to the advocates of war; a striking evidence of the weakness of human policy, and of the utter inutility of relying on an arm of flesh, to protect and defend ȧ nation, without the aid of Divine Providence.

ASA, the son of Abijah, and grandson of Rehoboam, appears to have been an upright young prince. "And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God." In consequence of his uprightness, his kingdom enjoyed peace and quietness ten years. During this period the nation prospered, and increased in strength and power. But having built strong cities, and erected walls and towers for their defence, and having raised and prepared a large army for the defence and protection of his dominions, they were at length invaded by the king of Ethiopia, with a numerous and powerful army of more than a million of men. Asa felt the insufficiency of his own power to withstand such an immense army; and therefore put his trust in God. "And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God! for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee."*

Here Asa appears to have had a just sense and understanding, that their protection was not in the strength of their arms, but in the operations of Divine Power; and being a just man, according to the day in which he lived, God heard his prayer and answered it, agreeable to his faith. "So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa, and the people

*2 Chron. xiv. 11.

that were with him, pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host."

We may here see another evident proof that great armies, and vast military power, cannot save nor protect a nation. Yet christian professors of the present day, who boast the privilege of living in an age of much greater light, and claim a right to go to war from divine authority, are still unwilling to put their trust in God for protection, without a powerful army and navy, and all the military preparations and defences necessary, in their opinion, to cope with an enemy of equal force, on equal grounds. Thus they plainly declare that their only reliance is upon their own power, skill and bravery in war; and their confidence in an arm of flesh, is their greatest hope. And when we consider the depravity, injustice and wickedness of the present age, we are not surprised at their want of confidence in the Divine protection, seeing they have no just claim to it. While they are led and governed by a spirit of strife and contention, they know not how to estimate the blessings of peace: hence they delight in the broils of war and bloodshed, and are continually marring their own peace and happiness, by striving to mar that of others. In pursuing this course, they must necessarily fall under the same curse with him who "trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm." Such professors of Christianity, with all their boasted privileges, must fall vastly short of that Divine favor which was extended to the Jews, who kept the law; and that very justly too; for the Jews placed far more confidence in the protection of Divine Providence.

After Asa's victory over the Ethiopians, God sent the prophet Azariah out to meet him, and to say to him, "Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Be ye strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded." And when Asa heard these words of the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of his dominions, and renewed the altar of the Lord, and assembled all the people at Jerusalem; and there they made offerings unto the Lord." And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;—and they sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them;

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