Read 1 Kings 5:1-6

 

Studying the Kings of Israel,

We have recently seen Solomon rise to power.

 

• We saw his passion and conviction to establish his kingdom by removing all stumbling blocks, lawlessness, and blood guilt.

 

• Last week we saw the petition of Solomon. After seeking out the Lord God, Solomon then requested that God would give to him an understanding heart.

 

Of course God blessed Solomon not only with great wisdom,

But also with great riches and honor as well.

 

This morning we see yet another aspect of Solomon’s reign, and that is:

The Project of Solomon.

 

Solomon’s legacy was really carved out before him,

Before he ever began to reign.

1 Chronicles 28:2-6 “Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. “But God said to me, ‘ You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ “Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. “Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. “He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him.”

 

And that is precisely the event that unfolds before us this morning.

 

But even in this,

We have a tremendous lesson to learn this morning.

 

It is important that you and I understand the heart of God,

And what it is that He truly wants from us.

 

When we come to present something before God,

We must learn to recognize what it is that God wants to receive,

Not merely what it is that we want to give Him.

 

We will see this point magnified as we study “The Project of Solomon”

 

2 main points this morning

#1 SOLOMON’S INTENTION

1 Kings 5:1-6

You recognize the setting of what has occurred.

The King of Tyre sends servants to Solomon to continue an alliance.

 

Solomon responds with a request.

 

(3-4) “You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.”

 

And I hope you recognized Solomon’s language.

In verse 3, in reference to David it was “the LORD his God”

In verse 4, Solomon called Him, “the LORD my God”

 

Solomon no longer seeks to worship the God of his father.

God has revealed Himself to Solomon, and now He is Solomon’s God.

 

It is never enough for God to be the God of your father,

There must come a day when He becomes your God.

 

And now that this is the case, Solomon has a plan to honor his God.

(5) “Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’”

 

And there you see the intention of Solomon.

“I intend to build a house”

 

The writer of Chronicles gives us a little more insight.

2 Chronicles 2:4-6 “Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, this being required forever in Israel. “The house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods. “But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?”

 

SOLOMON KNEW A GREAT GOD DESERVED A GREAT OFFERING

He was not about to give God some shack to live in.

 

But notice still more.

“I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God”

 

Solomon never said he was building a house for God.

There was no way anything Solomon built could contain his God.

 

Isaiah gave us a brief sketch of the size of God.

Isaiah 40:12 “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?”

 

Jesus gave us a picture of God’s size.

Matthew 5:34-35 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.”

 

You may remember Paul preached this to the people of Athens.

Acts 17:24-25 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;”

 

There was no way God was going to fit in any man-made temple.

And Solomon never intended for Him to.

 

This house was “for the name of the LORD my God.”

 

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

1 Kings 8:27-30 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! “Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. “Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive.”

 

All Solomon was asking for was a point of reference

Where he knew that he could come into contact with the living God.

 

Solomon had a passion for God’s presence.

He always wanted to be able to get in touch with God.

 

And so he is building this temple in Jerusalem.

 

And to help him build the temple,

He is contacting the King of Tyre to help with provisions.

 

(Verse 6), “Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

 

And the rest of chapter 5 deals with Solomon gather provisions.

Chapter 6 deals with the building of the temple.

Chapter 7 deals with the utensils of worship that would fill the temple.

 

You can read those chapters and get an idea of what Solomon built.

 

Without reading them in their totality,

Let me just highlight a few magnificent things the temple.

 

(VERSE 6:2) – IT WAS A LARGE PROJECT

 

A Cubit = 18” (the length of the forearm and hand)

A Span = 9” (the distance from pointer finger to thumb)

A Handbreadth = 3” (the width of the hand)

 

So this temple was roughly 90’ long x 30’ wide x 45’ tall

(approx: 2700 square feet)

 

(VERSE 6:7) – IT WAS A SOLEMN PROJECT

 

Due to the reverence of the project,

Solomon did not want the sound of any tool in the actual temple,

So all the stone was fitted together in the quarry and then transported in.

 

(VERSES 6:20-22) – IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT

 

We don’t know how much Solomon actually used.

But we do know how much David stored up.

 

1 Chronicles 29:1-9 “Then King David said to the entire assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for the LORD God. “Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and inlaid stones, stones of antimony and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance. “Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple, namely, 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings; of gold for the things of gold and of silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work done by the craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the LORD?” Then the rulers of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the overseers over the king’s work, offered willingly; and for the service for the house of God they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. Whoever possessed precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, in care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the LORD with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.”

LET’S FIGURE THE WORTH OF GOLD ALONE.

David gave: – 3,000 talents of gold

 

The People gave: – 5,000 talents of gold

 

Total = 8,000 talents of gold.

1 talent = 75 pounds.

So David and the people gave 300 tons of gold.

 

This week gold was trading at $832 per ounce.

The gold in Solomon’s temple = $7,987,200,000

(not counting silver, brass, iron, stone, wood, labor, etc.)

 

(VERSE 38) – IT WAS A LENGTHY PROJECT

 

(VERSES 7:48-51) – IT WAS A METICULOUS PROJECT

 

Solomon got everything, right down to the last spoon and pot.

 

He cut no corners, he spared no expense.

This temple was the building of buildings.

 

Solomon accomplished his intention.

1 Kings 8:13 “I have surely built You a lofty house, A place for Your dwelling forever.”

 

So now, let’s hear from God on the issue.

Solomon went to all that trouble, certainly God is impressed.

 

#2 THE EVALUATION OF GOD

1 Kings 6:11-12

 

Now you will first notice that Solomon was not yet finished

When God interrupted to speak to Solomon.

 

Verse 9 does say, “So he built the house and finished it;”

Verse 14 also says, “So Solomon built the house and finished it.”

 

But reading the whole chapter reveals that

It was just the outer structure that Solomon had finished.

 

Before he went to work on the inside, God has a visit with him.

And notice how it begins.

 

“Concerning this house which you are building”

 

It sounds as though God is going to give

A few mid-construction adjustments.

 

Only God’s assessment is not what you might think.

• God says nothing about the size of the building…

• God says nothing about the work done in silence…

• God says nothing about the pile of gold that will soon be siding…

• God says nothing about the meticulous detail that is involved…

 

God doesn’t say a thing about the construction of the temple at all.

 

But rather, “If you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

 

DID YOU CATCH GOD’S POINT?

It is almost as though Solomon

Was getting a little too carried away with the things that did not matter.

 

It is almost like Solomon had it in his mind

That all the, gold, silver, and stones was impressive to God.

Like this place was so impressive God would want to live there.

 

And so God shows up in the middle of the construction as if to say.

“My presence is not dictated by worldly wealth and gaudy structures. Houses trimmed in gold do not impress Me.

If you are serious about having Me around, then your focus should be on obedience, for that is what secures My presence.”

 

WHAT A CONCEPT!

 

 

And notice the conditions that God gives to Solomon.

“If you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them…”

 

Anytime God repeats Himself 3 times, that is a Biblical clue

That what He is saying is important and He doesn’t want you to miss it.

 

3 times God reiterates the importance of obedience to Solomon.

“walk in My statutes”

“execute My ordinances”

“keep all My commandments by walking in them”

 

And don’t you love that last one!

“keep all My commandments” How? “by walking in them”

 

I don’t just mean that I want you to keep a copy of my word in your safe.

I mean apply my word to your life.

God doesn’t just want for you to keep a copy of the Bible

God wants you to READ His word, ENFORCE His word,

And CONTINUALLY OBEY His word.

 

Fabulous structures have never been God’s desire.

 

In fact, look at what God told David when he desired to build the temple.

2 Samuel 7:1-7 “Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the LORD is with you.” But in the same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, “Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? “For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. “Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?'”‘

Absolutely not.

 

He did talk a lot about His presence dwelling with them,

But having a house was never a factor in whether or not He did.

 

In fact, remember after the golden calf incident.

The people were on the verge of losing God’s presence.

Exodus 33:1-3 “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ “I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

 

They were about to lose the presence of God,

But it was not because they had yet to build Him a temple.

It was because they were “an obstinate people”

 

God is not interested in outward offerings.

God is interested in the obedience of a grateful heart.

 

Listen to what Solomon would later write in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 15:8 “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.”

 

Proverbs 21:27 “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent!”

 

David also knew this:

Psalms 51:16-17 “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

The prophet Isaiah delivered the word of God on the matter:

Isaiah 1:11-17 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”

 

God wants obedience, not some token outward display of religion.

• How else can you describe Jesus rejecting the gold of the rich young ruler, yet being amazed at widow’s mite?

 

God wants a heart filled with righteousness,

Not a temple trimmed in gold.

 

Solomon thought that a permanent structure

Meant the permanent presence of God.

 

BUT THAT WAS WRONG.

 

Permanent structures don’t secure God’s presence,

Consistent obedience secures God’s presence.

 

I told you earlier that Solomon knew that

A GREAT GOD DESERVES A GREAT OFFERING.

That is true, but the offering He desires is your life on His altar.

 

And if Solomon would give God the obedience that He desired,

Then look at how God would respond.

 

“then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

 

ISN’T THAT WHAT SOLOMON REALLY WANTED?

• He wanted God to secure his kingdom…

• He wanted God to be accessible to His people…

• He wanted God to never leave…

 

Give God obedience, and God will dwell with you always.

 

Now, in all fairness,

I must tell you that it does not work exactly like this today.

In fact, we have the promise of God,

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

 

Jesus said, “surely I will be with you always, even to the very end of the age.”

 

And so we don’t walk in fear of God leaving.

BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT

WE NEVER WORRY ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

 

Remember the church at Ephesus?

Revelation 2:1-4 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

God never left, they did.

 

Through their lack of love for Him, and their superficial obedience,

THEY HAD WANDERED AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

 

That is the same warning given to Solomon.

 

In Solomon’s day it was obey from your heart

So that you can experience My presence.

 

In our day, it is still obey from your heart

So that you can experience God’s presence.

 

There is a difference between religion and a relationship.

Religion seeks to build God a temple,

A relationship seeks to give God a heart.

 

 

This week, do more than just build God a temple.

Do more than just involve yourself in superficial religion…

Do more than give money…

Do more than attend church…

Do more than serve on a committee…

 

 

THIS WEEK GIVE GOD YOUR HEART.

• Don’t just have a prayer time, have a time of prayer.

 

• Don’t just read a daily devotion, devote yourself to hearing from God’s word, and don’t leave until you do.

 

Take the time to speak to Him, and to listen to what He has to say.

SO HOW IS YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD?

How is your prayer life?

How is your daily Bible study?

 

This morning, learn a lesson from Solomon’s Project,

Make a conscious decision

To tune your heart to seek the presence of God,

To walk in His ways, and to fellowship with Him daily.

 

It is the blessing of the presence of God,

And it will change your life.

 

1 Kings 6:11-13 “Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon saying, “Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. “I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

 

1 Kings 3-4

 

Studying through the Kings,

Last week we saw Israel’s third King rise to the throne.

 

David left an established kingdom to Solomon,

And because of his conviction, Solomon was able to keep it established.

 

David told him, “Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man”,

And that is precisely what Solomon did.

 

• He dealt with the DECEPTION of Adonijah

• He dealt with the DISOBEDIENCE of Abiathar

• He dealt with the DEPRAVITY of Joab

• He dealt with the DISRESPECT of Shimei

 

Solomon protected his kingdom because of his great conviction.

 

This morning we look at “The Petition of Solomon”

 

TO BEGIN, LET ME ASK HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THIS STATEMENT?

“Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

If you walked into a grocery store and the manager said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

If you walked into a car dealership and the salesman said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

If you walked into a bank, and the manager of the bank said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

If you walked into the oval office, and the President of the United States said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

What would you ask for?

 

But let’s raise the stakes a little.

Suppose the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE approached you and said:

“Ask what you wish me to give you.”

 

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?

 

If someone with unlimited power, and unlimited resources

Handed you a figurative credit card, how would you spend it.

 

The answer to that question reveals what it is you most desire in life.

This morning we will see what that one thing should be.

(Read: 1 Kings 3:1-9)

Pray

 

I’ve told you one of the main themes to the books of 1 & 2 Kings is:

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING GOD

This morning I hope to show you just how important it is.

 

Namely that, there is a blessing found in seeking God

That does not exist in seeking any other thing.

 

Psalms 119:2 “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.”

 

With that in view, let’s look at THE PETITION OF SOLOMON

3 things:

#1 THE REQUEST OF SOLOMON

1 Kings 3:1-9

 

The first two verses of that chapter, are not our focal point this morning,

But I most certainly want you to recognize them, because these two seemingly insignificant statements will prove to bite Israel in a few years.

 

The writer here not only reveals that Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter (an act that will haunt him later), but he also gives insight to us as to why he did it.

 

The fact that he “brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem.” Reveals to us that Solomon most likely sought the protection of Pharaoh.

 

With Pharaoh’s daughter living in this un-walled town,

He would be a strategic ally if Solomon had to fight a battle.

 

We also learn (2) “The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days.”

 

It is true they didn’t have a temple, but they did have the tabernacle,

And until the temple was built, it was to be the place of sacrifice.

 

However, Israel followed the pattern of pagan worship.

 

And so, every so subtly you see two major cracks

That will eventually threaten Israel in a major way.

 

But at this point, that is not the theme.

Rather, the writer focuses us in on the very heart of Solomon.

And in verse 3, we begin to see what mattered most to him.

“Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.”

 

Aside from his misunderstanding of the place of worship,

Solomon loved God, and he revealed that through his obedience.

 

And it was because of this great love that we see what happens next.

(4) “The King went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.”

 

Although it is not stated,

It is obvious that Solomon is following David’s advice.

 

1 Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

 

And here Solomon puts that advice to practice.

 

It is obvious that Solomon was not giving a token offering,

He was serious about finding God.

It is one thing to attend church and then say, “I sought God”.

It is quite another to give a thousand burnt offerings to prove it.

 

Solomon wanted His will,

Solomon wanted His guidance,

Solomon was willing to sacrifice to get it.

 

And that in itself is worth noting.

When is the last time you sacrificed to make sure you had an encounter with God?

 

Jeremiah was clear on this:

Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

 

And it is obvious that this is how Solomon has shown up.

This is no ordinary church service, Solomon wants to meet up with God.

 

And notice how God honors his commitment.

(5) “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

 

Notice that Solomon went to that place, and he was spending the night.

This was also no quick thing.

 

Solomon didn’t expect to go attend some hour and a half church service that cost him nothing and meet the God of the universe.

Solomon was in it for the long haul, and it paid off,

For God recognized the desire of Solomon’s heart

And actually gave Solomon that infamous statement.

 

“Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

 

And there you have it.

 

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK FOR SOLOMON?

 

READ 6-9

 

Now to make sure that the magnitude of what he just asked for sinks in,

Let’s take a moment and analyze what he said.

 

There are several things that become blatantly obvious.

1) SOLOMON HAD A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE

 

What I mean by that is that Solomon

Knew who he was, and who God was.

 

Some times we get the “big head” with God,

As though God actually needs us to accomplish His will.

 

And certainly Solomon could have had this mindset.

 

But you will notice that he had no arrogance whatsoever.

In fact, he had a good sense of perspective.

 

(6) “Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before you in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day.”

 

Solomon knew that he was where he was by the grace of God.

He had earned nothing, and he deserved nothing.

God had graciously allowed him this opportunity.

 

Beyond that, look at how Solomon identified himself to God.

(7) “Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king”

(8) “Your servant…”

(9) “So give Your servant…”

 

It would have been very easy for Solomon to identify himself as

“God’s King”, but Solomon didn’t.

 

He was a servant of God.

It just so happened that the Master desired

For this particular servant to also be king.

But it didn’t change the fact that Solomon saw himself as servant

 

And then look at how Solomon refers to his subjects.

(8) “Your people…”

(9) “Your people…”

(9) “this great people of Yours.”

 

God was God, Solomon was servant,

And the people and the kingdom belonged to God, not Solomon.

 

He had a sense of perspective.

 

2) SOLOMON HAD A SENSE OF PERCEPTION

 

Solomon realized the enormity of the task that was before him.

Unlike Adonijah who thought he was ready to be King,

Solomon sees things more clearly.

 

He knew that this task was beyond him.

(8) “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.”

 

Solomon knew this was a big task,

And he knew it was too big for him.

 

Notice how he concluded verse 7, “I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.”

 

He ends verse 9 in similar fashion, “For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

 

He knows God called him to this task,

But he is also wise enough to realize

That he cannot do it without God’s help.

 

Solomon had a sense of perspective, Solomon had a sense of perception.

3) SOLOMON HAD A SENSE OF PURPOSE

 

Solomon also knew why God had made him king.

 

This honor of being king was not for the glory of Solomon,

It was for the glory of God.

 

God did not call Solomon to further Solomon’s agenda.

God called Solomon to further His own agenda.

 

And Solomon knew this.

For when he was given God’s credit card.

 

“Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

 

HOW DID SOLOMON ANSWER?

(9) “So give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil.”

 

Solomon asked for an “understanding heart”. Literally “a hearing heart”

 

He wanted to have God in his ear all the time.

He simply wanted to make sure that in all he did

That God would be near him guiding him every step of the way.

 

• Solomon knew it was about God.

• Solomon knew the kingdom was God’s.

• Solomon knew the task was too large for him.

 

So all he wanted was God to give him clear guidance all the time.

 

That was the request of Solomon.

• He was not self seeking…

• He had no selfish ambition…

• He had no pride or arrogance…

• He simply wanted to do God’s will all the time.

 

IS THAT WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR?

 

Because, by the way, we have such a promise as well.

O Yes, God has given each of us the exact same offer.

 

John 14:13-14 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

 

It is worded a little differently in the sermon on the mount.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

 

THEN WHY DIDN’T GOD GIVE ME WHAT I ASKED FOR?

James has the answer.

 

James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

 

That is precisely what Solomon didn’t do.

He sought God for God’s will and for God’s glory.

 

NOW, HOW DID GOD RESPOND TO SOLOMON?

#2 THE RESPONSE OF GOD

1 Kings 3:10-14

 

Verse 10 really says enough. “It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.”

 

Verse 11 records that God was actually impressed with Solomon’s humility and genuine desire to please God.

 

And then look at how God responds.

Verses 12-13, “behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.”

 

God simply said, “I have done according to your words.”

 

God gave him wisdom like no other man.

And then God threw in a bonus.

 

“I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.”

 

Now I am not real big on “principle preaching”,

But let me just give you an obvious and logical truth.

 

If you are willing to bless God with all that you have,

Why would God withhold from you?

 

Remember the parable of the talents?

The man who used them for the glory of the Master.

Matthew 25:21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

 

Remember when Jesus gave the parable of the soils?

Matthew 13:12 “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

 

God responded well to Solomon’s selfless request.

 

But do notice there was a stipulation.

(14) “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”

 

God was more than happy to bless Solomon,

So long as Solomon continued with that same humble attitude.

When you come to God, truly seeking God and His glory,

God is motivated to answer the prayer.

 

Just listen to the sermon on the mount.

 

First Jesus gave “The Wealth Warning”

“Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal…”

 

Then He gave the “The Worry Warning”

“Do not worry about what you will eat, or what you will drink, or what you will put on for clothing…”

 

And Jesus closed that section with this great verse.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

 

Set your heart on the things of God, and God will supply the rest.

 

DID HE FOR SOLOMON?

Let’s look.

#3 THE REALITY OF GOD’S BLESSING

1 Kings 3:15-4:34

 

Certainly we can’t read them all, but let me show you the point.

 

God told Solomon, (3:12) “Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.”

 

WISDOM (3:16-28)

And God did, for if you read VERSES 16-28,

You will read that story about the women who argued over the child.

(Paraphrase the story)

 

And notice how the people responded.

(28) “When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”

 

But that is not all God promised.

(3:13) “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor…”

 

Well, let’s see.

 

 

 

RICHES (4:1-28)

 

It lists all his servants, and all his daily provisions.

(READ: 4:22-28)

 

Solomon was a rich dude!

 

HONOR (READ: 4:29-34)

 

Can you see that Solomon was famous the whole world over?

No body had more honor or glory than him.

 

WHY?

Because he “sought first the kingdom of God, and all those things were added unto him.”

 

So let me ask you again.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT IN LIFE?

WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?

• Are you trying to succeed in a job?

• Are you just trying to make ends meet?

• Are you trying to “get ahead” in life?

• Are you trying to live the American dream?

 

According to Jesus

Matthew 6:32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

 

Those are the things that preoccupy the world.

Don’t worry about those things.

 

In fact, Jesus even gave you a little example

Matthew 6:28-29 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”

 

In other words, what God did for Solomon

Wasn’t a drop in the bucket for what God can do for you,

But you have to get your priorities straight.

 

Quit seeking the world, and start seeking the things of God.

 

Psalms 34:8-10 “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.”

 

Psalms 119:2 “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.”

 

Amos 5:4 “For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, “Seek Me that you may live.”

 

Psalms 105:4 “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.”

 

And there you have it.

If you crave the things of the world,

You can expect no blessing from God.

But if you will seek Him and His glory and His kingdom

“all these things will be added to you.”

 

SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

 

Sounds to me like time to get still before the Lord.

We are so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life,

That we don’t have time to go spend the night at God’s altar.

 

Solomon was king, and I’m sure he was busy, but he wasn’t too busy

To camp out at God’s altar until God met with him.

 

It also sounds to me like it is time to give to the Lord.

I know of no better way to show God that you love His kingdom more

Than worldly comfort than to sacrifice worldly comfort

In order to give to His kingdom.

 

We call it tithing, but it is really even more than that.

 

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”

 

Solomon sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings no the LORD’S altar,

Because he was serious about meeting God.

 

Perhaps we need PERSPECTIVE about who we are and who God is.

 

Perhaps we need PERCEPTION that we need God to succeed in this life.

 

Perhaps we need PURPOSE and remember that we are here for God.

 

WHATEVER WAY YOU APPLY IT IN YOUR LIFE,

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND

THAT IT IS NOT OUR KINGDOM GOD SEEKS TO GROW, BUT HIS,

AND TRUE BLESSING IS FOUND IN PARTICIPATING IN HIS WORK.

 

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

 

1 Kings 2:1-4

 

Last week we started our study of 1 Kings with a usurper.

 

We saw Satan’s puppet, Adonijah, rise to the scene

And do everything he could to usurp the thrown away from Solomon.

 

But of course God reigned supreme and Adonijah’s attempt was foiled.

 

And so this morning we see God’s chosen King take the throne.

It is the man we call SOLOMON.

 

He was the son of Bathsheba.

 

After God took the child conceived in adultery by David and Bathsheba,

God granted favor to her and she bore David another son.

 

2 Samuel 12:24-25 “Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah for the LORD’S sake.”

 

David named him Solomon = “His Replacement” or “God is Peace”

Both of which were true for Solomon.

 

God named him Jedidiah which means “Beloved of the Lord”.

Which is also true for Solomon since God selected him,

Even though he was not the oldest of David’s children.

 

But none the less, here is the king we know as Solomon.

The kingdom was united under Solomon,

And was never bigger than when he and David sat upon the throne.

 

You and I know him as

The man who actually built the temple of God

The wisest man to ever lived.

 

1 Kings 4:31-34 “For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.”

 

We also know him as quite the ladies man.

1 Kings 11:3 “He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.”

 

That verse also reminds us that Solomon was not perfect.

We will study him as “The King who got Distracted”

He started strong (as we will see today) and he finished poorly.

In fact, you can read the book of Ecclesiastes, written late in his life,

And read the regret that plagued Solomon at the end of his life.

 

At the end of his life, he had come to realize

That too many times he was intrigued by the things of this world,

And that all that glitters certainly was not gold.

 

And so we will have much to learn from this man about

• The importance of seeking God,

• Obeying His word,

• Maintaining your convictions.

 

This morning we see the beginning of Solomon’s reign,

And it is one that started extremely well.

 

There are two main points this morning,

And we will break each down a little further as we go along.

#1 THE SOURCE OF SOLOMON’S CONVICTION

1 Kings 2:1-9

 

Over the first 9 verses, we learn were Solomon got his conviction.

This is a vitally important section of Scripture.

 

For every person must have convictions to follow.

One of the undeniable facts of Scripture

Is that your actions will follow your beliefs.

 

And in our text, we see three places

Where Solomon drew his convictions from.

 

1) THE CHARGE OF HIS FATHER (1-2)

 

“As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son,”

 

This is the final wisdom from David to his son.

These are those infamous “last words” of David.

Of all the things he taught Solomon, THIS IS WHAT HE WANTED TO STICK

 

(2) “I am going the way of all the earth.”

In that, we are also reminded of a sobering truth,

And that is that great and small all alike die.

David was a giant slayer, and yet he died.

David was a powerful king, and yet he died.

David was a man after God’s own heart, and yet he died.

 

Death comes to everyone, and now it is coming to David.

“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.”

 

I do apologize if this sermon gets a little one sided,

But there are some things that just cannot be avoided.

 

One is that in Scripture the role of leadership

Almost always falls upon the man’s shoulder.

He is not better than woman, he was just created different than woman.

 

And as is seen in this text,

Not only is man to bear the burden of leadership,

But he must be a man if he is to handle it well.

 

That is why Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

 

It paints the persona of being bold, courageous, and uncompromising.

 

Earlier in life David had told Solomon

1 Chronicles 28:10 “Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

 

What a charge!

This life is filled with obstacles and hardships.

And those obstacles are magnified if you step into leadership.

 

The Bible is clear that leaders are vitally important.

• They are meant to be visionaries, protectors, providers, and guides.

• They are problem solvers and examples that are worth following.

 

History almost always remembers the great ones in glorious fashion.

But that is history.

 

History loves them, but generally the present cannot stand them.

Most leaders are hated and opposed during their reign

And only achieve greatness after they are gone.

 

• They are the ones who must make the tough decision.

• They are the ones who must be willing to make somebody mad.

• They are the ones who risk the blame for something going wrong.

And often they are hated for it.

 

And so a leader must be a man who has conviction,

For most of the time he will stand alone.

 

David knew that, and here he prepares Solomon for it.

“Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.”

If Solomon was to be King, he would have to be tough.

 

In fact, look at VERSES 5-9

 

David gives Solomon three tasks.

In regard to Joab (6) “do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace.”

 

Joab was the commander of the army, and if you will remember,

He wasn’t all that easy to get rid of.

 

David tried a couple of times and it never worked.

That is why Joab killed Abner and Amasa.

Both threatened to take his position.

 

And yet as David is dying, he gives Solomon the tough job

Of unseating Joab and punishing him for his heinous crimes.

 

There was no way he could handle Joab if he wasn’t willing to be tough.

 

In regard to Barzillai, – “show kindness…and let them eat at your table;”

 

And the reason for this kindness is given,

“they assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother.”

 

It may not seem like much to reward someone, but be careful.

For as sure as you reward someone, OTHERS BECOME JEALOUS,

And it can easily become a difficulty.

 

In regard to Shimei of whom David said, “do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood.”

 

Of course Shimei who cursed David and even threw stones at him,

And yet David did not retaliate.

 

But now, the duty of dealing with such mockery has fallen to Solomon.

And not only does Solomon require STRENGTH to bring him to justice,

But also WISDOM to know how to handle it.

 

No doubt this was a tough assignment.

 

And so you see what Solomon would have to be tough man.

“Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.”

 

There was a second source of conviction that Solomon received

2) THE COMMANDS OF HIS GOD (3)

 

Now of course this is still a part of David’s charge,

But in it, David is telling Solomon where else to look.

 

I told you that the kings is really about the word of God,

And few verses illustrate that like this one.

 

Notice how many times David references God’s word in this verse.

“His way” “His statutes”

“His commandments” “His ordinances”

“His testimonies” “Law of Moses”

 

There was an obvious standard that Solomon was to follow.

 

And this is a very fitting next step to Solomon’s conviction.

 

David wanted him to be “a man”

BUT WHAT IS A MAN?

 

A hard worker? A fighter? A womanizer? A High pain tolerance?

 

David gives Solomon insight by telling how to be a man, and very simply,

You only become a man by becoming a man of God.

 

Lance Harris wears a shirt that says,

“To be a man, you’ve got to know the Man”

 

True manhood is found in the pages of the word of God.

 

WHY? Because that is the source of true conviction.

 

Any body can try to look tough

While conforming to the pattern of this world.

Only a real man can go against the flow,

Turn his back on the culture, and follow the precepts of God.

 

In short one could say, “You have to be a man of God before you can be man, and you have to be a man before you can be a man of God.”

 

Solomon was going to have to let the word of God shape his convictions.

He was going to have to let God’s word be his authority for all things.

 

And even though Solomon stumbled in life,

At the end, he was still holding on to this precious truth.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

 

And you can see why David pushed this so hard.

“that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn,”

If you want to be successful in life, follow the blueprint in God’s word.

 

Adrian Rogers said, “Men are like rivers, they become crooked by following the path of least resistance.”

 

You will never find the success you are looking for,

Until you align your life with the word of God.

 

The Charge of his Father The Commands of his God

3) THE COVENANT FOR HIS FAMILY (4)

 

Here David gives another reason to rest your convictions in God’s word.

 

“so that the Lord may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”

 

David says, you have to be a man of God’s word,

“so that the Lord may carry out His promise.”

 

God has made a promise to our family,

But that promise hinges upon our faithfulness to His word.

 

And think about the motivation this must have supplied for Solomon.

Your conviction not only affects your kingdom in the present,

But will also affect those who come after you.

 

If Solomon didn’t get it right, it could ruin it for all of his ancestors

 

But think about that, in your areas of leadership.

Think about that in your family, or in this church.

 

If you tolerate certain sins, it will only make it

That much more difficult for your children to overcome them.

 

Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

 

God was reminding Moses that what one generation

Does greatly affects those who come after him.

 

And as David is about to die,

He is most concerned that Solomon be a man,

And be a man of God, so God will be able to keep His promise.

Those three things are the source of Solomon’s conviction.

#2 THE SCOPE OF SOLOMON’S CONVICTION

1 Kings 1:10-46

 

Now let’s see what he does with his conviction.

 

VERSES 10-12

After 40 years of service, David’s torch officially went out.

But you will notice, this passage is not about the passing of David,

It is about the beginning of Solomon.

 

(12) “And Solomon sat on the throne of David hi father, and his kingdom was firmly established.”

 

That is a key phrase and I want you to remember that.

David left to Solomon a solid kingdom.

 

And then we begin to see what Solomon would do from here.

 

We see Solomon handling four incidents.

1) DECEPTION (13-25)

 

Of course we covered this last week,

So we won’t spend much time here this morning.

 

But Adonijah was the usurper. In chapter 1,

He tried to steal the throne from Solomon.

 

Of course the plan failed, and after asking Solomon for mercy,

He was allowed to go on his way.

 

However, Adonijah’s arrogance would not allow him to leave it alone.

He actually goes to Bathsheba (Solomon’s mother) and asks her

To ask Solomon if he can marry Abishag the Shunammite.

 

This was another attempt to steal the throne, and Solomon recognized it.

VERSES 23-25

 

And so we see that Solomon’s convictions are standing strong.

Here we had a deceiver, a usurper,

And one that threatened not only Solomon’s kingdom,

But also God’s chosen kingly line,

And Solomon had the conviction to deal with him.

 

2) DISOBEDIENCE (26-27)

 

Here you will remember that Abiathar was one of two high priests

And he had actually taken sides with Adonijah

In case you didn’t realize it, by aiding Adonijah,

Abiathar was actually committing an act of treason against David.

 

This was a clear act of disobedience and disloyalty,

And Solomon deals with it swiftly AND JUSTLY.

 

For he doesn’t kill Abiathar, “because [he] carried the ark of the Lord God before [Solomon’s] father David, and because [he was] afflicted in everything with which [David] was afflicted.”

 

Instead he banishes Abiathar.

And you will also notice that not only was Solomon dealing with a clear case of disobedience, BUT ALSO FULFILLING PROPHESY.

 

Solomon not only followed his convictions, but the word of God as well.

 

3) DEPRAVITY (28-35)

 

VERSES 28-29

 

Next came the villain.

Joab was a wicked man, who had clearly transgressed the Law of God

• By continually shedding innocent blood,

• And by flaunting it by not even changing his blood splattered clothes

 

He was a major inhibitor to God’s blessings on the nation.

 

Solomon minced no words, that Joab should die.

Solomon flees to the altar and eventually dies there.

 

VERSES 31-33

 

And there you learn that this was not an act of revenge,

But a conviction of Solomon that as long as Joab was unpunished, God was not able to send peace to Israel.

 

Solomon answered with enough conviction

To remove this depravity from his kingdom.

 

Deception, Disobedience, Depravity

4) DISRESPECT (36-46)

 

Solomon doesn’t immediately kill him, but rather gives him a test

To see if his mocking, disrespecting ways have changed.

 

VERSES 36-38

But if you read on, you will notice that one Shimei’s servants ran away,

And Shimei broke his word to go and find them.

Solomon confronted his rebellious spirit and then said:

VERSES 43-46

 

And so there Solomon dealt with disrespect.

 

Again this was not revenge, for Shimei had an opportunity,

But by mocking King David, he was mocking God’s anointed,

And by ignornig Solomon, he was disregarding God’s authority.

 

Such must be removed.

 

You see how Solomon started his kingdom on the right foot.

 

He removed Deception, Disobedience, Depravity, and Disrespect

 

He knew that those things would destroy his kingdom.

Those things had to be dealt with,

And he had to be man enough to deal with them.

 

Verse 46, “Thus the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.”

 

Now that is interesting.

I thought we already read that back in verse 12.

(12) “and his kingdom was firmly established.”

 

Verse 12 spoke of the kingdom David left to Solomon,

Verse 46 spoke of Solomon’s conviction to keep it that way.

 

It didn’t matter how secure the kingdom was,

Had Solomon not been a man of conviction, and let these matters slide,

His kingdom most certainly would have faltered.

 

Solomon understood the need for a man to take charge,

Deal with those things that threaten the purity of the kingdom,

And to establish the kingdom.

 

Certainly in life he reiterated that in his Proverbs.

Proverbs 25:26 “Like a trampled spring and a polluted well Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”

 

Proverbs 20:26 “A wise king winnows the wicked, And drives the threshing wheel over them.”

 

Proverbs 21:12 “The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked to ruin.”

 

Proverbs 22:10 “Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.”

And this morning, we would all do good to learn the passion of Solomon, but I especially would challenge our men today.

• You are the leaders in our society…

• You are the leaders in our schools…

• You are the leaders in your household…

• You are the leaders in this church…

 

“Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn,”

 

We must be men

We must be men of God

 

There are some things that just cannot be tolerated.

There are some cancers that cannot be allowed to fester.

I’ve been guilty of letting some remain in our own Church at times.

 

I know it is not pleasant to have to deal with some tough issues,

But that is why you have to be a man to be a man of God.

God’s word is worth obeying.

God’s word is worth standing upon.

God’s word is worth enforcing.

 

Let God’s word be the source of your convictions,

And then let your obedience prove that it is so.

 

And may you “succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn”

 

It was the key to the establishment of Solomon’s kingdom,

And it is the key to God’s hand of blessing in your life.

 

Learn it, trust it, obey it, preach it, and watch it work.

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

 

1 Kings 1:5-8

 

This morning we begin a new study,

And it is one that is extremely intriguing to me.

 

We are going to study 1 & 2 Kings.

 

Since I have been here, we have not yet studied a book like Kings.

Kings is written as a narrative. (story)

 

And so as you read the story as a whole,

You must then determine what the main point is.

 

AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU,

It is NOT about the men who were the actual kings of Israel and Judah.

 

In fact, they aren’t even the main characters.

The book doesn’t divide based on certain Kings,

It divides based on the prophets of God.

 

In 1 Kings the prophet Elijah emerges as the hero…

In 2 Kings his protégé Elisha emerges as the hero…

 

What these books are really about is the importance of God’s word.

 

With some notable exceptions 1 & 2 Kings focuses

Primarily on wicked Kings who led God’s people astray,

And the prophets of God that called the people back.

 

And so the themes of this book are simple:

SEEK THE PRESENCE OF GOD

OBEY THE PRECEPTS OF GOD

TRUST THE POWER OF GOD

 

And as we study these two books,

These themes will continually rise to the top.

 

This morning we begin our study at the end of the life of David.

He is very old, and the end of his life near.

READ: 1 Kings 1:1-4

 

You can see that not only is the King old,

But it blatantly obvious that he is about to die.

And so the entire country knows that Israel is about to have a new King.

 

Now the decision should have been a slam dunk decision.

God had already named the next King.

 

1 Chronicles 28:1-8 “Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the valiant men. Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. “But God said to me, ‘ You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ “Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. “Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. “He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. ‘I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.’ “So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the LORD your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever.”

 

And so, there is no reason why the nation should have had any confusion

It had already been announced that Solomon would become king.

 

BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS

In steps a Usurper

 

No doubt, in order to thwart God’s eternal plan,

Satan rises to the occasion with the intent of

Usurping God’s throne with his own chosen King.

 

Now Satan is never mentioned anywhere in our passage,

But upon studying this text, you will find his fingerprints everywhere.

 

He is at work to mess up God’s plan.

And his puppet of choice is one of David’s sons known as Adonijah.

 

AND THE MAIN SATANIC ATTRIBUTE WE FIND IN OUR TEXT

IS THAT OF ARROGANCE.

 

So this morning let’s talk about “The Kind who Exalted Himself”

#1 THE EVIDENCE OF ARROGANCE

1 Kings 1:5-8

And as we look at these 4 verses,

You will see his arrogance in 3 ways.

 

1) HIS ASCENSION (5)

 

Notice what it says immediately about Adonijah.

The Scripture says he “exalted himself”

How did he exalt himself?

He said, “I will be king.”

 

He even took the next step and “prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.”

 

And so you see the rise of Adonijah.

No one told him he was king.

No one asked him to be king.

 

He granted himself the position.

“exalted himself”.

 

AND THIS IS EXTREMELY FOOLISH FOR ANY MAN.

For no one has the right to be his own judge.

 

Paul wrote this about himself.

1 Corinthians 4:3-4 “But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.”

 

HAVE YOU EVER FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION WHERE THEY WANT YOU TO EVALUATE YOURSELF?

 

But I always find that strange, and difficult to answer.

Because while we do examine ourselves regularly to push ourselves to improve, it really doesn’t matter if we declare ourselves acceptable.

 

You see, some day when you stand before God,

He is not going to hand you his evaluation sheet and say,

“Here, you fill this out.”

 

You are not your own judge.

It is God who rewards, and it is God who punishes.

 

But Adonijah wasn’t concerned about that.

• He wasn’t concerned what God thought.

• He wasn’t concerned about who God wanted.

• In his eyes, he thought he would make a good king, and so he assumed the position for himself.

 

That is a major fingerprint of Satan.

Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”

 

And it is the same attitude of Adonijah.

 

We see his arrogance in his ascension.

2) HIS ASSUMPTION (6)

 

Some would ask, why in the world would Adonijah

Assume that he had the right to become king?

There were three things that caused him to think that way.

 

HIS BEAUTY

“And he was also a very handsome man”

 

Apparently when Adonijah looked at himself in the mirror,

He just assumed he looked like a king.

 

It was not hard for him to picture himself wearing a crown

Being led through the streets with fifty men to run before him.

In his mind he looked kingly.

 

That was one of Satan’s dowfalls.

Ezekiel 28:11-13 “Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared.”

 

Just like Satan, apparently Adonijah’s beauty went to his head.

 

And we do this all the time.

We think we are someone important because of outward success.

Beauty or Wealth or Wittiness or Ability

 

But we would do good to remember that the true Judge

Is not impressed with any of those things.

 

1 Samuel 16:6-7 “When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

 

Dizzy Dean once coined the phrase, “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging.”

 

Well, that might be true,

But just because you can do it, doesn’t mean God is impressed.

Do you think God is impressed because you have long golden hair?

Do you think God is impressed because you have 10 million dollars?

Do you think God is impressed because you can throw a baseball 100mph?

Do you think God is impressed because you kick a football?

 

Your outward attributes are not what impresses God,

But they certainly can lend to arrogance.

 

Adonijah’s beauty caused him to assume he deserved to be king.

 

There is more that led to his assumption

HIS STATUS

 

Notice what verse 6 says about him, “and he was born after Absalom.”

 

WHAT DOES THAT MATTER?

2 Samuel 3:2-4 “Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;”

 

David’s oldest son was Amnon.

But remember, he raped Absalom’s sister Tamar, and Absalom killed him.

 

David’s second son was Chileab (called Daniel sometimes),

And most scholars believe Chileab died in his youth.

 

David’s third son was Absalom, who also tried to usurp the throne,

But he was killed by Joab while hanging in a tree by his hair.

 

And the fourth son was Adonijah.

“he was born after Absalom”

 

That means that Adonijah was the oldest.

And by his calculations his status

Gave him the right to the throne of Israel.

 

This is also one of Satan’s fingerprints.

Ezekiel 28:14-17 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you.”

 

Satan had that same high position, and thought that entitled him to more.

No doubt Adonijah had the same thoughts.

Because of his status as the only son, he thought it entitled him to more.

 

We would do good to remember

That we are entitled to nothing on this earth but judgment.

It is only by God’s mercy that we ever receive anything good.

 

But Adonijah looked at his status and assumed he should be king.

 

And there was one more thing that attributed to this arrogant assumption

HIS FREEDOM

 

Notice how verse 6 begins, “His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?”

 

I suppose you could pin the blame on David here for not taking charge,

But let us not forget that David is barely alive,

And probably didn’t know a whole lot about the situation.

 

But either way, Adonijah took his father’s silence as approval.

 

Notice how Satan operated.

Ezekiel 28:18-19 “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you. “All who know you among the peoples Are appalled at you; You have become terrified And you will cease to be forever.”‘”

 

Satan just continued to take liberty,

And because he was not immediately destroyed he assumed it must be ok.

 

And people do this today.

They take the fact that God doesn’t immediately stop them

As though God were giving them permission.

“It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission”

“God hasn’t convicted me of that yet.”

 

That is an arrogant assumption.

 

It is not God’s job to give permission or deny permission

For every thing you think you want to do in life.

 

He gave us His word, and He expects that you will have enough fear and reverence that you will make sure you don’t cross Him.

 

David had already announced that Solomon would be king,

That should have been enough.

 

But because David didn’t immediately stop him, he assumed it was ok.

So we see evidence of his arrogance

Through his ASCENSION and through his ASSUMPTION

 

There is a third area that we see evidence of his arrogance

3) HIS ALLIANCE (7-8)

 

Notice what it says.

“He had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest”

 

If Adonijah really wanted to know if he should be king, why not seek God?

At least, why not talk to David.

 

Adonijah did neither.

Instead he had already “conferred” with two other men.

 

This is not seeking God, this is scheming.

He was working stealthily.

 

Even though God and David had already revealed the next King,

Adonijah was so certain that he deserved the position

That he was willing to lie and scheme to get it.

 

It is an arrogant man that thinks he knows more than God,

And is willing to scheme get his way over God’s way.

 

Yet this is precisely how Satan works.

Psalms 10:8-11 “He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate. He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net. He crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones. He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

 

That is precisely what Adonijah is doing.

And you will notice that there were some who recognized his evil plot.

 

(8) “But Zadok the priest, Behaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.”

 

There were those who saw through his little plan, and would not help,

But it did not stop Adonijah.

HE WAS FILLED WITH ARROGANCE.

• Because he was beautiful…

• Because he was the oldest…

• Because he thought he could get away with it…

He willingly sought to usurp the plan of God and the throne of David.

And it appears as though it is working.

 

The Evidence of Arrogance

#2 THE EFFECT OF ARROGANCE

 

At this point in the story, Nathan realizes what is going on.

READ: 1 Kings 1:11-12

 

Nathan goes to Bathsheba and gives her some counsel.

 

In short, she is to go in to King David and ask him if he really intended to make Solomon King, and then to inform him of all that Adonijah is doing.

 

And while she is giving this report,

Nathan will come in an confirm her words to the king.

 

And this is precisely what they did.

 

Now David vows to Bathsheba that Solomon will be king,

And notice what he does.

 

READ: 1 Kings 1:33-35

 

Now that is the way to become King.

 

Later that day, as all the commotion of Solomon’s coronation would break out, Adonijah and his guests were in the middle of their celebration.

 

READ: 1 Kings 1:41-43

 

He is so arrogant, he can’t imagine anyone else undoing what he has done.

 

Well, once the news spreads what David has done,

All of Adonijah’s followers flee

And Adonijah runs to the temple and takes hold of the horns of the altar.

 

Solomon then offers mercy.

READ: 1 Kings 1:52-53

 

NOW IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED THERE.

Adonijah should have learned his lesson.

 

But arrogance has a way

Of not letting a person accept disappointment.

 

So, after David dies, Adonijah tries it again.

 

READ: 1 Kings 2:13-25

 

And now you see the effects of arrogance.

All because Adonijah was unwilling to accept God’s will,

And thought he deserved better.

 

It is no wonder that when Solomon penned the book of Proverbs,

He made so much reference to arrogance.

He had seen firsthand the effects or pride and arrogance on a life.

 

Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”

 

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”

 

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”

 

Proverbs 25:6-7 “Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.”

 

Jesus taught this very same truth.

Luke 14:7-11 “And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

In fact, the New Testament also teaches:

1 Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

 

In our lives we must understand something.

God is God, and He is the sovereign ruler over this world.

 

• When creating this world, He did not ask for your input.

• While sustaining this world, He does not ask for your help.

• He does not need your advice, nor does He require your counsel.

 

In fact in Romans we just learned:

Romans 11:34 “For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?”

 

 

 

The Lord said through Isaiah:

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

 

God does not need your help, nor does He ask for it.

All God asks is that you humble yourself

Under His mighty hand and trust His word.

 

This is the one thing that Adonijah would not do.

He could not help but think that God had made a mistake

And so he took matters into his own hands.

 

This morning, as we begin our study,

I want to ask you to do what Adonijah would not,

 

Humble yourself under the mighty had of God.

Seek His will for your life.

And follow His will whatever that might be.

 

And that begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Do you realize that there is no more arrogant decision you can make than the decision to reject Jesus?

 

Not only are you rejecting God’s ordained plan of salvation,

But you are also saying you can do it on your own without any help.

 

And that is arrogance which will end in destruction.

• Only Jesus lived a sinless life…

• Only Jesus shed His blood for you…

• Jesus is the ONLY way for salvation…

 

This morning humble yourself under God’s mighty plan,

And let God exalt you at the proper time.

 

James 4:6-10 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”