“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”” In these words Jesus tells us what it is that will bring us every perfect gift, the one thing after which we should seek, for this will bring as everything that God wants us to have. It is the righteousness of God, which His holy Spirit will bring into our hearts if we ask Him. In seeking this we are seeking the kingdom of God, for “the kingdom of God is righteousness.”

In the life of Solomon we see the truth of these words of Jesus. Near the beginning of his reign, God said to him, “Ask what I shall give thee.” What a wonderful opportunity for Solomon, that the One who owns all things and can do all things should set him such a question!

(Think well what your answer would be if God should come to you with the same words, and then read His words to you in Matthew 7:7.)

Let us see what Solomon desired and sought above all things, and perhaps this will help you also to seek for that which will bring you the greatest blessing. Was it great riches and honour, a long life, or that he should be a renowned conqueror who should kill all his enemies?

No; the great desire of Solomon’’ heart was that he might be a good man, that he might have the Spirit of God in his heart to lead him always to do what was right, and to give him wisdom to rule the people over whom God had placed him, and show him what to do in all the perplexities that came to him in governing the kingdom. He did not seek for a great reputation, but a true character.

God was pleased with Solomon because he sought “the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and He promised to add to him those things that he had not asked, riches, prosperity, and long life.

But notice that it was through giving him the thing that he had asked for, that God added them other things to him. Let us now see how this was done.

“And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth which had heard of his wisdom.”

“And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear big wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armour, and spices, horses and mules, a rate year by year.”

In this way great treasure was brought to Jerusalem, and so much gold came to Solomon that he had his ivory throne overlaid with it, and “all the king’s drinking vessels were of gold: none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.”

“Once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory [or elephant’s teeth], and apes, and peacocks. So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches” as well as “in wisdom.” And you see that it was his wisdom that brought his riches, so it brought also prosperity and happiness to his people.

Perhaps you will remember the words of the great Queen of Sheba, who came “from the ends of the earth” to visit Solomon, because in that far country she bad heard of his wisdom, and was determined to see for herself if what she had heard was true. She too brought her present, “spices, very much gold, and precious stones.”

But when she had “communed with him; of all that was in her heart,” and found that “there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not,” when she had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the prosperity that it brought to his kingdom, she said:

“Behold, the half was not told me. Happy are thy men; happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.” “Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king, to do judgment and justice.”

Remember that the reign of King Solomon, was but a type of the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, and read now the twenty-first and twenty-second chapters of the book of Revelation, which give us a description of the beautiful New Jerusalem, wherein, will be the throne of the King of kings, who shall rule the whole earth in wisdom and righteousness.

Of Him God says, “Behold My Servant shall deal wisely; He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”

Now you will see in old Jerusalem during the reign of Solomon, a type of what the New Jerusalem shall be when “they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it,” and “the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it;” when from all parts of the earth kings and peoples shall flock to this beautiful city of God, bringing their offerings, to hear the wisdom of “a greater than Solomon,” the true Son of David, who shall reign for ever.

Much has been told us of the glories of His reign; of the beauties of His kingdom; the splendour of the city with its golden streets and pearly gates; its jasper walls with foundations of twelve manner of precious stones; the clear river of life, with the tree of life on either side bearing twelve manner of fruit which it yields every month.

But when we reach that goodly land, and stand in the presence of the King “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;” when we see the peace, joy and happiness that His reign brings to all His subjects, do you not think we shall say, like the Queen of Sheba, “Behold, the half was not told me”? Shall we not feel and know of Jesus what she said of Solomon: “Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made He Thee King, to do judgment and justice.”

If those who stood by the throne of Solomon, and heard his wisdom, were counted “happy,” how much more happy may we be, whom Jesus has promised to give “places to walk among those that stand by” His own throne of glory, if we will only seek His kingdom and His righteousness.

“Happy is the man whom Thou chosest,
and causests to approach unto Thee,
That he may dwell in Thy courts:
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house.”

The Present Truth – April 5, 1900
E. J. Waggoner

Story in pdf  A Happy People