(18) Apes and Peacocks

From: Solomon and His Temple By: William Woldridge Fereday

IN the early years of his reign Solomon prized wisdom and understanding above all things, and God in His goodness responded to the desire of his heart and gave him wisdom “exceeding much.” He excelled in wisdom all the men of the East and all the sages of Egypt. “He was wiser than all men... and his fame was in all nations round about.” In consequence “they came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, for all the kings of the earth had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:29-34²⁹And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. ³⁰And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. ³²And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. ³³And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. ³⁴And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29‑34)). In Proverbs 2:13¹³Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; (Proverbs 2:13) he commends wisdom thus: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” Rubies and fine gold, he tells us, are worthless in comparison. But as the material prosperity of his kingdom developed, we are told that his imports were “gold and silver, ivory, and apes and peacocks” (1 Kings 10:22²²For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. (1 Kings 10:22)). Every three years the supply of all these was maintained by ships of Tarshish.

“Apes and peacocks!” For a man pre-eminent in the earth for wisdom this is a descent from the sublime to the ridiculous. We find a strange blending of things that differ in Ecclesiastes 1:17¹⁷And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. (Ecclesiastes 1:17): “I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly.” In ch. 2:12 also: “I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly.” Not at the same moment, surely! First, he valued wisdom as more precious than rubies and fine gold; then he resorted to madness and folly. Apes are she synonym of folly, and peacocks of vanity.

We recall J. N. Darby’s well-known lines:

“O Lord, alas what weakness

Within myself I find;

No infant’s changing pleasure

Is like my wandering mind.”

up our hands in amazement at the fickleness of Israel’s great king; but what about ourselves? Wisdom such as Solomon never imagined is within our reach today, but do we long after it? The Apostle prayed for the Colossian saints that they “might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9⁹For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9)). He had in mind the great treasure which had been entrusted to him for administration, “the wisdom of God in a mystery” (1 Cor. 2:7⁷But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1 Corinthians 2:7))―the mystery of Christ and the Church (Eph. 3) God’s greatest and grandest thoughts concerning the glory of Christ have been revealed since His rejection on earth and His return on high. What men refused Him―the kingship of the Jews―was a small thing compared with that with which the Father has invested Him. He has placed Him at the head of the universe, and—wonder of wonders―He has given Him a body to share His glory, and that body is made up of sinners saved by grace. In the great mystery of God is “hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3³In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3)). What value do our hearts set upon this? Paul could not teach the mystery at Corinth because of the carnality of the believers in that city.

“Apes and peacocks” — folly and vanity! Yet Solomon desired them. We may not value these particular creatures as pets, but do we in any degree cling to things which correspond to them? We sometimes sing:

“All the vain things that charm me most

I sacrifice them to His blood.”

But let us consult our hearts and examine our ways. What vanities have we surrendered is response to the appeal of the precious blood? In the bird world it is the male who flaunts his splendor. The pea-hen is modest in comparison with her mate. But in the world of men and women it is the female that is in special danger. Hence the Spirit’s pointed words in Timothy 2:9, “That the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety (or, with modesty and discretion); not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh worn professing godliness) with good works.” God appreciates ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. In His sight it is of great price” (1 Peter 3:4⁴But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. (1 Peter 3:4)). Are these instructions always obeyed by women who profess to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ? Are men absolutely immune from the ape and peacock danger? Alas, no! The writer has sat alongside an “elder” at the Lord’s Supper who had carefully waxed his mustache before leaving home, and this as recently as the year 1943!

Our God hates fleshly display. When Hezekiah displayed all his treasures to the messengers of the king of Babylon (probably feeling flattered by their visit) he was told that they should all be carried to Babylon, and that his sons should be eunuchs in the King’s palace (2 Kings 20:12-19¹²At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. ¹⁴Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. ¹⁵And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them. ¹⁶And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord. ¹⁷Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. ¹⁸And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. ¹⁹Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days? (2 Kings 20:12‑19))

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