Women in white raiment

by John Lemley

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA.

At the city gate Solomon came forth to meet the queen in all his glory, with flashing crown of pure gold, and royal robes of costliest magnificence. About him are the great officers of state in their gorgeous apparel, the old wise counselors, the chief captains of his army. Everywhere are the vast crowds of citizens, thronging every house roof and city wall, and clustering on every point of vantage. The music of his singing men and singing women fills the air with glad welcome.

And now, seated at his side, in the chariot of cedar with its tapestried curtains, and drawn by the horses of Egypt all richly caparisoned, they go on their way. Solomon points out to her the Temple which he was seven years in building, and which Josephus likened to a “mountain of snow, covered with plates of gold, whose brightness made those that looked upon it turn away their eyes.” He told her there were used “talents” of gold, of silver, and of brass in its construction valued at the enormous sum of $34,399,110,000. The worth of the jewels placed at figures equally as high. The vessels of gold, according to Josephus, were valued at 140,000 talents, which reduced to money, was equal to $2,821,481,015. The vessels of silver were still more valuable, being set down at $3,231,720,000. Priests’ vestments, and robes of singers, at $10,050,000. He told her ten thousand men hewed cedars, seventy thousand bore burdens, and eighty thousand hewed stones, and it required three thousand three hundred overseers. Surely it was the wonder of the world. Then he pointed out to her the Judgment Hall, the house of the forest of Lebanon, and many other stately edifices.

And now they reach the palace, with its luxurious gardens filled with treasures from all lands. And, seated at the great banquet which the king had spread in her honor, she sees his wealth, the vastness of his possessions, the hosts of his servants, the cupbearers at his side, the banqueting hall, itself a marvel of splendor, the “ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord.” As she saw all this, we read, “there was no more spirit in her.” She was overwhelmed by the sight of such boundless wealth and the vision of such glory.

The Queen of the South communed with Solomon, we are told, of all that was in her heart. Simply and earnestly she told of her longings for her people and of the difficulties that beset her. She communed with him of the mystery of life, how to reach the highest and best. She asked him of many a matter that perplexed her. Graciously the king listened, and wisely he answered her. We can easily imagine the words which showed his skill in answering her questions. There may have been and doubtless was the keen wit, the brilliant saying, the flashes of wisdom, the glow of poetry, the genius like that which settled the dispute between the two mothers. Never did she dream of wisdom like that, and she exclaimed, “Behold, the half was not told me!” What she saw and heard excited her wonder to such a degree that it seemed to her directly imparted by the God of Solomon, whom he adored, and for whom she became filled with reverence. The light of heaven seemed to break on her soul when she exclaimed, “Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel.”

She gladly acknowledged the truth of all that she had heard. “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.” It was not mere learning, the answering of hard questions, the solution of metaphysical problems, but his works, appointments, the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, the civil officers who sat at the royal table, convinced the queen of his great wisdom, in which she recognized the working of a peculiar power and grace imparted by God. It was also a practical or life-wisdom, such as Solomon himself describes, “a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor.” Such wisdom, which rests upon the foundation of the knowledge and love of God, “is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”

But the queen was not content with the words of praise and thanks. She makes proof of her gratitude by means of great and royal gifts. “She gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones.” The presents which she made consisted of those articles in which her land most abounded, and for which it was most famous. The spices were principally the celebrated Arabian balm, which was largely exported, and the shrub of which is said to have been introduced into Palestine by the Queen of Sheba.

How high the significance which has always been attached to this visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon is shown by the fact that the remembrance of it has been preserved outside of Palestine for thousands of years, and that two ancient peoples, the Arabians and Abyssinians, regard her as the mother of their line of kings. And when the Lord, from out the treasure of the Old Testament history, chooses this narrative, and presents it for the shaming of the Pharisees and Scribes, this presupposes that it was known to and specially esteemed by all other nations. Sheba was reckoned to be the richest, most highly favored and glorious land in the ancient world, and therefore was given the unique name of “The Happy.” Now when the queen came with a splendid retinue to visit this distant land, and from no political design, but merely to see and hear the famous king; and when she, the sovereign of the most fortunate country in the world, declared that what she had seen and heard exceeded all her expectations; this surely was the greatest homage Solomon could have obtained. The visit of the Queen of Sheba marks, therefore, the splendor and climax of the Old Testament Kingdom, and marks an essential moment in the history of the covenant as well as of Solomon, and when our Lord said, “The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon is here,” He recognized the prophetical and typical meaning of our narrative. It is said in the prophetical descriptions of the peaceful Kingdom of Messiah, “The Kings of Sheba and Seba (Meroe) shall offer gifts; yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him.” The Queen of Sheba, who came from afar, is a type of the kings who, with their people, shall come from afar to the everlasting Prince of Peace, the King of kings, and shall do Him homage. Her visit is an historical prophecy of the true and eternal Kingdom of peace.

The Queen of Sheba had everything that pertains to temporal prosperity, high rank, honor and wealth. But all these satisfied not her soul. She spared no expense or hardships, in order to satisfy the longing of her heart for the Word of Life. She said not, “I am rich, and have an abundance, and need nothing,” but she felt she still needed the highest and the best. How superior is this heathen woman to so many in Christian lands, who hunger and thirst after all possible things, but never after a knowledge of truth and wisdom, after the Word of Life. And then we do not need to journey on camels through burning deserts to Jerusalem to find Him who is greater than Solomon, for He has promised, “I am with you forever, until the end of the world,” and can be found by “whosoever” will seek after Him.