The golden age of the church
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? (1 Kings 3:5-9)
Through every age, God has somebody someplace that He can lay His hands-on and work through that person. He’s never been without a witness since the world began. In every age, He’s had, witnesses.
And back in the time that we’re now facing in the great, golden age of Israel, God had gifted a man by the name of Solomon. He’s known all through the world where the Bible is read as a man of wisdom. He prayed to God to give him the wisdom to lead the people.
And when a gift is given to the church, and the church refuses to hear that gift, then the gift becomes of non-effect. But when the gift is given to the church, and the church receives it, then it’s a golden age for that church.
Israel was living in its golden age under Solomon. All Israel glorified God because of this marvelous gift. It was perfectly operating. And they could see the results, that it wasn’t something that was just a put-on. It was a real gift from God. And then the news when the pass-bys, coming through the country, would hear of this great gift of God, they would go tell others. That’s the way the good news gets scattered: one tells the other.
And then, way down in the utmost parts of the known world, there was a little queen, perhaps, a little heathen queen called the Queen of Sheba. And in her great domain, people would come by and say, that had passed through Israel, and say, “You should see that great gift that God has given to Israel.”
You know, faith cometh by hearing, talking about it. We don’t do enough talking about the good things of God. Tonight, the church of the living God is took up too much on talking about television programs, and some kind of a ball game, or something on that order. You should be testifying to the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and let your whole life be wrapped in that.
