1 Kings 11:26-12:33

(Read 1 Kings 12:25-33)

 

This morning you could say that we are moving backward here a little bit,

But that will happen some in this book.

 

What you have is the intermingling history of two different nations.

It is two histories occurring simultaneously

And that lends itself to confusion at times.

 

Last week we talked about “Rehoboam: The Foolish King”

• He was the man who would not seek God.

• He was the man who would not accept wise counsel.

• He was the man who would not face reality.

 

Instead of realizing that he was not gold,

He spent the end of his life polishing bronze.

 

At the same time that Rehoboam was polishing bronze in Judah, Jeroboam was reigning in Israel.

They were both King at the same time.

 

So this morning, let’s back up and take a look now

At the Northern Kingdom’s first King.

“Jeroboam: The King who caused Israel to stumble.”

 

He is not the most wicked to reign, Ahab will grab that distinction,

But Jeroboam is where it all started.

 

He got Israel off on the wrong foot, and she stumbled never to recover.

 

Three things: (the first two rather quickly)

#1 THE SELECTION OF JEROBOAM

1 Kings 11:26-40

 

We studied the beginning of this chapter a couple of weeks ago

As we saw the Problem of Solomon.

 

Solomon had betrayed the Lord by worshiping foreign gods,

And because of that heresy God made a proclamation.

 

1 Kings 11:11-12 “So the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. “Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.”

 

That servant would prove to be none other than Jeroboam.

 

You see the initial Selection of Jeroboam in verses 26-32

READ 1 KINGS 11:26-32

 

And so you see God’s choice.

 

God will even go so far as to tell Jeroboam why He is doing this.

READ VERSE 33

 

So you see as God selects Jeroboam He immediately outlines

The type of behavior that is not acceptable to Him.

 

Beyond that, God will give Jeroboam the type of behavior that He rewards.

READ VERSES 34-36

 

God wanted a man like David who would serve Him with a whole heart

And keep His commandments.

 

And then God gives the charge to Jeroboam.

READ VERSES 37-39

 

So at this point, things ought to be crystal clear to Jeroboam.

 

Solomon’s folly has opened the door for Jeroboam to be King,

And if he will follow David’s example,

Then he will be a great King with a long lineage.

 

That is the selection of Jeroboam.

#2 THE SEATING OF JEROBOAM

1 Kings 12:21-24

 

This is the day that Jeroboam’s kingdom was established before God.

 

Now we are in the middle of the events we talked about last week.

• Rehoboam was a fool, and he split the kingdom.

• The 10 northern tribes departed and followed Jeroboam.

• Solomon gathered 180,000 to try and get them back

 

What we have here is the making of a civil war.

But it was the shortest civil war in the history of the world.

 

BEFORE REHOBOAM COULD FIGHT, GOD SPOKE TO HIM

 

(24) “Thus says the LORD, “You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.”

 

When Jeroboam led Israel away, it was not an act of insurrection,

It was an act of God.

 

Romans 13:1 “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

 

And here Rehoboam is forced to accept the fact.

 

THE POINT THUS FAR:

God SELECTED Jeroboam and explained to him all that was expected.

God SEATED Jeroboam and made his kingdom firm and secure.

 

You would think that at this point Jeroboam

Would be overcome with the grace and mercy of the Lord.

 

YOU WOULD EXPECT HIM TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID

But that is not at all what he did.

 

The Selection of Jeroboam: The Seating of Jeroboam

#3 THE SIN OF JEROBOAM

1 Kings 12:25-33

 

Now before we get into the specifics of his sin,

Let me first point out that the sin of Jeroboam was no minor sin.

 

In fact, what he does here, Israel will never recover from.

 

Jeroboam became King in 931 BC

Israel would be conquered by Assyria in 722 BC

(a period of 209 years – nearly the age of USA)

 

After Jeroboam, 19 different men would fight for the throne of Israel.

(Some reigned simultaneously)

Of those 19, the Scripture explicitly says that

14 of them walked in “the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat”.

 

That doesn’t mean the others didn’t, but for 14 of the 19,

Scripture explicitly says that they did.

 

This sin of Jeroboam was a major stumbling block.

 

In fact when Israel would be destroyed 209 years later,

Listen to God’s reasoning why.

2 Kings 17:21-23 “When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD and made them commit a great sin. The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them until the LORD removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.”

 

The sin of Jeroboam was a sin that Israel never recovered from,

And it was a sin that eventually led to her destruction.

Now before we see the specifics of that sin,

Let’s look at why he did it.

 

Why would a person who had received such grace and mercy from God turn against God with such a heinous sin?

 

(25-27) “Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. “If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

 

DID YOU SEE THE MOTIVE OF JEROBOAM?

Fear

 

He was afraid that if people kept traveling to Jerusalem to worship,

Then eventually they would turn against him and leave his kingdom.

 

He has completely forgotten

• The HAND OF GOD to pull them away from Rehoboam.

• The POWER OF GOD to keep them away from Rehoboam.

 

And he is afraid that he will lose his kingdom.

 

Now, if this sermon were given to preachers,

I would warn you of the dangers of being too worried

About the numbers in your church.

 

Don’t be willing to altar the word of God

Just to keep people happy and in attendance.

 

Adrian Rogers – “We don’t have to get together. The Southern Baptist Convention doesn’t have to survive. I don’t have to be the pastor at Bellevue. I don’t have to live. But I’m not gonna compromise the word of God.”

 

None the less, you see a very selfish motive here from Jeroboam.

He is not concerned about God, or the people’s relationship with God,

He is only concerned about the people’s loyalty to himself.

 

Now let’s look at what this selfish fear drove him to do.

 

READ VERSES 28-33

 

Instead of sending the people to Jerusalem to worship,

He built two golden calves and had them worship closer to home.

Now obviously we have an issue with the second commandment.

Exodus 20:4 “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.”

 

Jeroboam had dumbed God down to a likeness of a calf.

That in itself is foolish.

 

Isaiah 46:5-9 “To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike? “Those who lavish gold from the purse And weigh silver on the scale Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it. “They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; They set it in its place and it stands there. It does not move from its place. Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer; It cannot deliver him from his distress. “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,”

 

Jeroboam attempted to bring God down to his level.

 

And when the Scripture continually says that Israel stumbled over this,

It means that the people never quit worshiping before these golden calves until the day that Israel was destroyed.

 

Israel would never get over this decision.

 

BUT THERE IS MORE HERE THAN JUST IDOLATRY

Jeroboam changed the way Israel viewed the word of God.

 

There are three things Jeroboam taught the people in this heinous act.

1) GOD’S REQUIREMENTS ARE TOO EXHAUSTING (28-30)

 

Jeroboam took counsel and said,

“What can I do to keep the people in my kingdom?”

 

The answer:

Cater to their love of self, and make religion

All about their desires instead of God’s requirements.

 

And that is what he did.

He replaced what God desired

With what he thought the people wanted.

 

(28) “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:”

 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE WAS SAYING?

God’s commands are too exhausting.

It is too much work to try and obey God.

 

After all, it only matters that God is worshiped,

Does it really matter where?

Deuteronomy 12:10-14 “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.”

 

It mattered to God, and He was clear about it,

But Jeroboam challenged it.

 

“It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt. He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.”

 

Jeroboam said, “God’s requirements are too hard to be obeyed.”

 

DOES IT HAPPEN TODAY?

Sure it does.

 

You don’t have to tell others about Jesus, it’s too intimidating…

You don’t have to tithe, it’s too expensive…

You don’t have to read your Bible daily, it’s too time consuming…

You don’t have to go on mission, it’s too dangerous…

 

Listen:

Jesus had a favorite command for people. “Follow Me”

 

• Leave your mother, leave your father

• Leave your fishing business, leave your tax booth

• Leave your ambition, leave your dreams

• Leave your sin, leave your selfishness

• Be homeless, hated, persecuted, and martyred

 

But still the command was, “Follow Me”

 

Consider what Jesus said to Peter, just before the Ascension.

John 21:18-19 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

 

 

Jesus knew God’s requirements were hard,

But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow them.

 

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

 

It won’t be easy, but it must be done.

 

Whoever gets off telling someone you don’t have to obey God just because obedience is hard?

 

I WAS FACED WITH THIS DILEMMA THIS WEEK.

A woman came in whose husband was beating her and others had told her to get a divorce, but she wasn’t sure, and she asked me.

 

BUT HARDSHIIP DOES NOT JUSTIFY DISOBEDIENCE.

 

That mindset came from Jeroboam,

And it led Israel into a belief that they only had to obey

Those commands that came easy.

 

No wonder Israel wondered away from God.

 

Jeroboam taught them that God’s requirements are too exhausting.

But that is not all he taught them:

 

2) GOD’S REQUIREMENTS ARE TOO EXCLUSIVE (31)

 

He had new worship sites,

So he needed new temples and new priests.

The only problem was that the Levites served in Jerusalem.

 

But that didn’t matter to Jeroboam.

God’s requirements were too exclusive, anybody can be a priest.

 

After all, it only matters that the sacrifices are given,

It doesn’t really matter who performs the sacrifice does it?

 

It does to God.

Numbers 3:40-45 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names. “You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.” So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him; and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD.”

 

It mattered.

Ask Saul about it.

He was tired of waiting on Samuel, so he offered the sacrifice himself.

 

Look at what Samuel told him:

1 Samuel 13:13-14 “Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

 

Apparently it mattered a whole lot to God.

But Jeroboam thought God was too exclusive.

 

DOES THAT SORT OF THING HAPPEN TODAY?

Of course it does.

 

Like it or not God sets requirements for people.

 

If you want to be a PREACHER, you must be a man above reproach…

If you want to be a DEACON, you must be a tested servant…

If you want to be MARRIED, it must be to a member of the opposite sex…

If you want to get DIVORCED, it must be Scripturally permitted…

If you want to be a CHRISTIAN, you must deny yourself and fully trust Christ…

 

But come on, those requirements are too rigid.

(We are all about loving people)

 

Let anybody preach, it doesn’t matter who they are…

Let anybody be a deacon, so what if they don’t fit the requirements…

Let anybody get married, all that matters is their happiness…

Let anybody get divorced, they shouldn’t have to suffer…

Let anybody claim Christianity, who cares if they really trust Christ…

 

And in doing so we teach people

That God’s holy standard doesn’t matter.

 

That is what Jeroboam taught Israel,

And so they learned to ignore God’s righteous standard,

And they fell into heresy.

 

But that is still not all he did.

He said God’s requirements are too exhausting…

He said God’s requirements are too exclusive…

3) GOD’S REQUIREMENTS ARE TOO EXPLICIT (32-33)

 

In other words,

God gives far too much detail with His commands.

(32) “Jeroboam instituted a feast on the eight month…”

 

Now you go back and read Leviticus,

There are no feasts on the eighth month.

 

Leviticus 23:39-44 “On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. ‘Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. ‘You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. ‘You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'” So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.”

 

God was very explicit about when the feasts were to occur,

But Jeroboam didn’t care.

 

In fact look down at verse 33.

(33) “Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eight month, even in the month which he had devised in his own heart”

 

This was not God’s command, this was Jeroboam’s idea.

 

But what does it matter.

I mean, all that matters is that we have the feast,

It doesn’t really matter when does it?

Of course it does.

 

Obedience matters to God

 

Jeroboam taught people your idea is just as good as God’s.

You don’t have to give God the worship He requires,

Just give Him the worship you want to give Him.

 

That is what Israel started to do, and God was never pleased.

 

No wonder they ended up in judgment.

God’s requirements are too EXHAUSTING – let’s do something easier

God’s requirements are too EXCLUSIVE – let’s lower the standard

God’s requirements are too EXPLICIT – let’s loosen the boundaries

 

And Israel never got over it.

King after King stumbled after Jeroboam,

And 209 years later Israel was destroyed in the exact same sin.

 

SO WHAT IS THE POINT FOR US THIS MORNING?

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE COMMANDS OF GOD?

 

Certainly we cannot list every command in the Bible,

But every command is important.

 

Jeroboam was that he had a poor esteem for the word of God.

No command was sacred to him.

According to him all of them could be altered.

 

When he read the word of God, he took none of them serious.

 

“Just get close,

But certainly don’t put yourself out by obeying God.”

 

And that mindset destroys the Church.

 

It is a low view of Scripture, and it is not what God is looking for.

 

James 1:19-25 “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

 

1 John 2:3-5 “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:”

 

SO HOW ABOUT YOU?

 

Don’t be a Jeroboam type Christian.

 

• One who rejects anything TOO DIFFICULT…

• One who rejects anything TOO EXCLUSIVE…

• One who rejects anything TOO SPECIFIC…

 

Instead set your heart to know and obey God’s word.

 

John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

 

1 Kings 14:21-31

 

As we study the Kings, one theme continually emerges:

The Importance of Seeking and Trusting God.

 

Throughout these two books, prosperity and blessing

Are definitely linked to how much a person seeks and trusts God.

 

We just came from a person, at least early on, did that very well.

Solomon was blessed because Solomon sought the Lord.

 

BUT MY WHAT A DIFFERENCE

A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION CAN MAKE.

 

We are about to leave behind the King who is famous for his wisdom,

And look at one of the most foolish Kings to ever sit upon the throne.

 

We are talking about King Rehoboam.

He was “The Foolish King”

 

In fact, his foolishness was in part a punishment on Solomon.

 

I told you, that Solomon wrote a book of regret at the end of his life.

 

Listen to one of the statements he made.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 “Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity.”

 

That passage turned out to be prophetic as Rehoboam was indeed a fool.

 

Rehoboam was 41 when he began to reign.

Solomon reigned for 40 years, which of course means that Rehoboam was one year old when Solomon took the throne, and Rehoboam had the benefit of watching his father’s entire reign.

 

If anything, Rehoboam should have been wiser than Solomon,

But he wasn’t.

WHY?

2 Chronicles 12:14 “He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.”

 

This was of course just the opposite of Solomon.

 

Solomon sought God at Gibeon and asked for “an understanding heart” Rehoboam never saw the need to seek God at all.

 

It was arrogance…

It was self-reliance…

IT WAS FOOLISH

Psalms 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.”

 

“A person who doesn’t seek God, a person who doesn’t obey God;

That is a person who doesn’t truly believe in God. They are a fool.”

 

And that was Rehoboam, who refused to seek after God.

 

And so this morning, having seen the epitome of wisdom,

Let us now examine what it looks like to be a fool.

 

There are two main events that Scripture tells us about Rehoboam,

That enable us to see his foolishness.

 

#1 HIS FOOLISH DECISION

1 Kings 12:1-19

 

God had already promised Solomon that he would rip the kingdom from the hand of his son, and give it to Jeroboam.

This is how God chose to do it.

 

• When Solomon died, Jeroboam returned from exile in Egypt

• He sent delegates to approach Rehoboam to ask him to lessen the load.

 

Then occurs the first major blunder of Rehoboam.

 

Remember Solomon at the beginning of his reign?

1 Kings 3:7-9 “Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. “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. “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

 

When Solomon felt inadequate…

When Solomon felt uncapable…

Solomon went to God.

 

But Rehoboam did not.

Rehoboam went to men.

Now, for what it is worth, he did receive some good advice from some.

 

(6-7) “King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?” Then they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

They gave him some of the same advice that Jesus would have given.

Luke 22:25-27 “And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

 

These elders reflect in their answer that they indeed

Had learned from Solomon and did possess the wisdom of God.

 

So even though Rehoboam did not seek God directly,

He did at least have God’s wisdom made available.

 

BUT: Rehoboam was foolish.

(8) “But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.”

He wouldn’t become a servant,

But he would only listen to those who served him.

 

And their advice was not wise.

In fact it was tailor made to suit and please Rehoboam.

 

Their advice is filled with ego, pride, and arrogance.

(10-11) “The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! ‘Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'”

 

They stroked Rehoboam’s ego,

And of course it was their advice that he followed.

 

And you know the results:

(16) “When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel departed to their tents.”

 

And of course Rehoboam would try to get them back,

But it was futile, for this was of God.

 

SO WHAT DO WE SEE FROM REHOBOAH?

• He failed to understand true greatness (servant)

• He failed to listen to Godly counsel

• He acted in arrogance, and split the kingdom.

And Solomon’s worst fears came to fruition.

The man who reigned after him was fool,

And most of what Solomon had worked for was stripped away.

 

WHAT DO WE LEARN THERE FROM REHOBOAM?

 

Namely, that wisdom is not automatic.

 

Many people think that wisdom just naturally comes with age,

Or with experience. Some think they naturally have it.

How foolish.

 

WISDOM DOES NOT COME NATURAL TO ANYONE.

 

Psalms 14:2-3 “The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

 

Wisdom does not come natural.

You only get it by seeking God.

 

James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

 

You have to seek God for wisdom,

But of course that was the one thing Rehoboam would not do.

 

Those of you who have been with us on Sunday nights,

Know that this was the topic of last Sunday night.

 

If you are to ever be wise, you must first realize that you are not.

Proverbs 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.”

 

Paul told the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 3:18-20 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”

 

Wisdom belongs to God, and if you are ever to achieve it,

The first thing you must realize is that you do not have it.

 

I don’t care how financially successful…

I don’t care how educated you are…

I don’t care how much experience you have…

 

None of those things equals wisdom before God.

In fact “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”

TO BE WISE, YOU MUST FIRST BECOME A FOOL.

You must first humble yourself before God

And ask Him to show you what you do not know.

 

Bill Parcells, “He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.”

 

It is arrogance to make your own plans without seeking His will.

 

James actually said:

James 4:13-16 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”

Those are the ways of a fool.

THOSE ARE THE WAYS OF REHOBOAM.

 

IS THAT YOU?

Do you seek the wisdom of God in His word, before you go forward with your decisions in life?

 

Don’t be a fool. Seek God’s will.

 

So we see His Foolish Decision.

#2 HIS FOOLISH DISPLAY

1 Kings 14:21-31

 

This was of course the passage we read to open the sermon.

Don’t worry about the text we are skipping over,

It involves Jereboam, and we will return to it.

 

But I want to show you one more display of foolishness

From Rehoboam here this morning.

 

At this point, in his ministry, the kingdom has been split.

Jereboam has led 10 of the 12 tribes away from Rehoboam.

 

But Rehoboam went ahead with what he had.

And began to strengthen the nation of Judah.

 

But there was a problem.

Once Rehoboam succeeded in fortifying Judah,

Here is what the writer of Chronicles wrote:

 

2 Chronicles 12:1-2 “When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the LORD. And it came about in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.”

 

Obviously Rehoboam learned nothing from his father’s down fall,

For he is doing the same thing.

 

The writer of Kings gives the details of this defection.

(14:21-24) “Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel.”

 

This guy went into full scale idolatry.

 

If you were to go back and read Chronicles

Shishak nearly destroyed all Judah.

Rehoboam humbled himself, and God stopped it.

 

God would not allow Shishak to completely destroy Judah,

But God did allow Shishak to plunder them.

 

And that is where we are back in 1 Kings 14

(25-26) “Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.”

Shishak took all the major treasure of Judah.

In fact, Rehoboam may have even given it to him by way of a treaty.

 

But thanks to Rehoboam’s foolishness, Judah has now been plundered.

 

You would expect now for Rehoboam to be in a state of humility,

And would finally turn to God for direction and guidance.

 

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT REHOBOAM DOES.

 

(27-28) “So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the LORD, that the guards would carry them and would bring them back into the guards’ room.”

 

Instead of coming to a point of humility, and beginning to seek God, that instead Rehoboam begins to put on a false appearance.

 

He didn’t have any gold to display, so instead he used brass.

 

Now this is interesting.

Gold and Brass look very similar, but what is the problem with brass?

It tarnishes. You have to continually polish it to make it shine.

 

AND THAT SUMS UP THE REIGN OF REHOBOAM.

He is not a golden king, he is simply polished brass.

 

• His father was genuine, he was a fake.

• His father was wise, he was a fool.

• His father shines the blessings of God, he was stuck polishing brass.

 

Instead of seeking God and trusting God

And maintaining a life of faithful obedience to God,

Rehoboam tried to fake it and look like God was blessing him.

 

WE HAVE A WORD FOR THIS TODAY

HYPOCRISY

 

They don’t really have a relationship with God,

But they try to look like they do for their own personal glory.

 

REMEMBER THE PHARISEES?

THEY DID NOT KNOW GOD.

Yet they prayed in public.

THEY DID NOT LOVE GOD.

Yet everyone saw them fast.

THEY DID NOT SACRIFICE FOR GOD.

Yet what was given, was given for all to see.

 

Instead of being the genuine article,

They woke up every morning and polished their brass.

 

Jesus actually called them fools.

Matthew 23:16-17 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘ Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ “You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?”

 

Jesus would go on:

Matthew 23:25-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

 

According to Jesus, to put on a display of greatness

When you have no true greatness is foolish.

 

That is what Rehoboam did.

That is what the Pharisees did.

And yet that is what foolish people do today.

Instead of truly dealing with God,

They just put on a show of religion in order to fool men.

 

They don’t have the wealth of the kingdom of God in their lives,

Instead they wake up in the morning and polish their brass

To make it look like they do.

 

It is all for appearance…

It is all for show…

But God is not deceived…

 

AND THAT IS FOOLISH

WHY?

 

BECAUSE YOU ONLY END UP DECEIVING YOURSELF.

GOD IS NOT FOOLED

Matthew 7:21-27 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.”

 

REHOBOAM WAS A FOOL.

Not because he deceived others, but because he deceived himself.

 

• Despite his failures…

• Despite his blunders…

• Despite his rebellion against God…

 

Rehoboam convinced himself that he was still great

And that he deserved to look the part.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

It is foolish to fail to seek the Lord.

 

It is even more foolish to fail to seek the Lord

And yet to pretend like everything is ok.

 

I’M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY,

That if you have never humbled yourself of pride

And sought out the salvation of God,

Confessing your sins and fully surrendering your life to Jesus

 

Then you have absolutely no basis for feeling secure in salvation.

 

There is but one way to be saved and it requires

You denying you and fully surrendering your heart to Jesus Christ.

 

Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

 

 

Some day your metal will be tested.

Is it gold, or are you just polishing brass?

 

 

There are many in the world today who try to look like a Christian

Without actually becoming a Christian.

It won’t wash, and furthermore, it is foolish.

 

 

 

This morning, I am asking you to finally quit playing the game.

Humble yourself before God,

Seek His wisdom, and His will,

And be a partaker in His salvation.

 

 

1 Kings 11 (Read: 11:1-13)

 

This morning we come to the end of the reign of Solomon.

 

In fact the end of chapter 11 marks his death.

1 Kings 11:41-43 “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.”

 

Only if those words would have been found at the end of chapter 10, Instead of at the end of chapter 11.

 

For Solomon had seemed to run the race so well.

• He started in purity…

• He sought out God…

• He built the temple…

• He prayed fervently and encouraged his people…

• He shined his light to the ends of the earth…

 

But that is not how Solomon is remembered.

 

When we started our study of Solomon over 2 months ago,

I told you that Solomon was “THE KING WHO GOT DISTRACTED”

 

Despite the warnings of God to finish well, Solomon did just the opposite

 

Some scholars over the years have debated

If Solomon even finished the race at all. (that he was lost)

 

Solomon had plenty of fruit to suggest genuine salvation.

Solomon didn’t lose his salvation, Solomon lost his effectiveness

 

Instead of finishing strong as a torch burning bright for God, Solomon limped to the finish with nothing but a smoldering wick.

 

He blew it, and he paid dearly for it.

 

THIS MORNING WE EXAMINE

How a life that seemingly has it all together

Can so quickly fall into disrepute,

And hopefully we will learn how to avoid the problem of Solomon.

 

 

3 main points, as we cover this entire chapter.

#1 REBELLION

1 Kings 11:1-8

 

No doubt, as we read those first 8 verses,

It left many thinking, “Could we even be talking about the same guy?”

 

Solomon was a rock…

Solomon had a heart for God…

Surely this could not be the same Solomon.

BUT I’M AFRAID IT IS.

 

You see, there is no one in this life that is immune from temptation.

There is no one in this life that is above falling into sin.

 

I don’t care how strong a Christian you think you are…

You are capable of falling into sin if you do not guard yourself against it.

 

Before we dive into this text,

Allow me to give you an illustration of that very fact.

 

TURN TO: 1 Corinthians 10:1-12

 

READ (1-4)

The people Paul refers to had walked with God.

 

This was not some ignorant people,

These were people who knew God, and should have known better.

They were the last people in the world that you expected to fall into sin.

 

READ (5)

 

But the point is that even these “BEST OF THE BEST”

Somehow succumbed to temptation and fell away from God.

 

READ (6-10)

 

They fell into Idolatry, Immorality, Ingratitude, Insurrection

 

READ (11-12)

 

Paul makes it clear, that if it happened to them, it can happen to you.

So you had better not be arrogant to think you are above it,

Or you become an easy target for Satan.

 

READ (13)

 

No one is above temptation…

No one is beyond falling into sin…

 

EVEN SOLOMON

 

In these first 8 verses,

I want to show you how it happened in his life.

 

It wasn’t overnight.

It started small, and eventually got out of control.

 

3 steps here that led this man of God into full blown idolatry.

1) PERSISTENTLY DEAF (1-2)

 

It is no secret to us that “Solomon loved many foreign women.”

We have heard that all our lives.

 

But as you just noticed, there was a problem with that.

 

God had given a command:

(2) “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.”

 

That was a clear warning from God against a potent temptation.

 

Look, God knows that we are flesh.

Psalms 103:14 “For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.”

 

God wasn’t naïve.

He knew His people would be tempted to associate

With the foreign women of the promised land.

 

But God also knew that was dangerous.

Those women did not know God, or love God,

And it was a temptation that God’s people did not need.

 

So God was blatantly specific that His people should

Stay away from the foreigners who had no relationship with Him.

 

Exodus 34:12-16 “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. “But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim — for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God — otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice, and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods.”

 

Deuteronomy 7:1-4 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. “Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. “For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.”

 

God gave a strong ordinance.

THE MARRIAGE BED IS NOT A MISSION FIELD

 

The command is clear, but:

(2) “Solomon held fast to these in love.”

 

HE PERSISTENTLY TURNED A DEAF EAR TO WHAT GOD HAD TO SAY.

He knew the command, he just didn’t like the command,

And so he ignored it.

 

It is dangerous to turn a deaf ear to God.

Not just in marriage, but in any command.

 

God’s commands are for your own good.

He gives them to protect you from sin.

 

And there are some things that God says to stay away from.

It is too strong a temptation.

 

But Solomon did not listen.

He was persistently deaf

 

That is how he started, but look at what eventually happened.

 

2) PARTIALLY DEVOTED (3-6)

 

This is what began to happen in Solomon’s life.

He loved these foreign women.

 

To be exact: “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines”

Sin never says enough.

Sin demands more, and Solomon fell into it.

 

So much so that it hindered his walk with God.

 

In fact, 4 times it says it.

(3) “his wives turned his heart away.”

(4) “his wives turned his heart away after other gods;”

(4) “his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God.”

(6) “Solomon…did not follow the LORD fully”

 

Because Solomon persisted in sin, his faithfulness to God dwindled.

AND SO WILL YOURS AND MINE

Solomon started with a persistently deaf ear,

And it escalated into a partial devotion towards God.

 

Look at how it ended

3) PATHETICALLY DEFIANT (7-8)

 

Now Solomon is doing for false gods,

What he previously did for the true God.

He is building places of worship.

 

(7) “Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh”

(7) “and for Molech”

(8) “Thus also he did for all his foreign wives”

 

It is easy to see that Solomon ended up in a bad way before God.

 

And people today say, “Preacher, I would never do that.”

There is no way I would ever even consider

building an altar to a false god.

 

If you had asked Solomon that same question 35 years ago,

He would have never considered it either.

 

Solomon didn’t start out building temples for foreign gods.

 

HOW DID HE START?

1 Kings 3:1-2 “Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and 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. The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days.”

 

Remember talking about that a couple of months ago.

 

Solomon broke the command of God

To try and bring about better national security.

And the seed was planted.

 

By the end of his life he had 700 foreign wives

And had built altars for all of them.

 

Sin never starts big, but sin spreads worse than cancer.

When you dabble with what God forbids, it will eventually ensnare you.

 

This is why Paul said:

Romans 6:12-14 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

In regard to the Church Paul said:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.”

 

You cannot mess around with what God forbids,

It will lead you into full blown defiance against God.

 

If it happened to Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived,

It can happen to you.

 

We must learn to take every command of God serious.

 

Ephesians 5:3-12 “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.”

 

Even the smallest of sins can snare you up, they must all be avoided.

 

First, rebellion Now let’s look at God’s response.

#2 REBUKE

1 Kings 11:9-13

 

We certainly cannot overemphasize that statement in verse 9.

“Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD”

 

DID GOD NOT ALREADY WARN SOLOMON?

1 Kings 9:6-7 “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

 

• Despite God’s grace to appear to him twice…

• Despite God’s explicit warning…

 

(10) “he did not observe what the LORD had commanded.”

And so look at how God responds.

(11) “So the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”

 

Solomon had sinned himself out of useful ministry.

 

Be careful with sin and temptation,

It can easily render you disqualified before God.

 

Remember what Paul said?

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

 

Paul knew he had to watch himself closely,

Or else his ministry was in danger.

 

Jude said this:

Jude 22-23 “And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”

 

Notice how serious and also how dangerous sin is.

Anyone can be snared by it.

 

Listen to what Paul told the Galatians:

Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”

 

We have all seen fallen preachers…

We have all seen fallen saints…

 

Certainly some of those were not saved,

But for those that were, they allowed sin to render them

Absolutely ineffective for God’s service.

 

When we don’t keep away from sin, it eventually

Disqualifies us from service and we are no longer useful to God.

 

1 Timothy 1:18-20 “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

2 Timothy 2:20-22 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

 

But Solomon missed that warning.

In fact, he ignored it.

 

And now, his ministry before God was about to be over.

What once was a world-wide ministry

Was about to be significantly reduced.

 

In fact, according to verses 12 & 13,

The only reason Solomon wasn’t completely removed

Was because God had such a love for David.

 

But if it weren’t for that, Solomon’s line would be history.

He dabbled in sin.

He fell to temptation.

He rendered himself useless to God.

Don’t dabble in sin.

 

The Rebellion, The Rebuke, and now let’s see how it unfolded.

#3 RETRIBUTION

1 Kings 11:14-43

 

Certainly we don’t have time to cover this all in detail,

But I do want you to see the high points.

 

I want you to notice that the God who formerly worked for Solomon

Was now working against him.

 

When Solomon’s ministry began, this is what the Bible said:

1 Kings 5:4 “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.”

 

But because of Solomon’s sin, that is about to drastically change.

 

In fact, the Bible says that God raised up 3 adversaries to Solomon.

 

(14) “Then the LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line of Edom.”

 

• David and Joab kill the Edomites

• Servants escape with Hadad

• He flees to Egypt and is embraced by Pharaoh

• Actually becomes Pharaoh’s brother-in-law

But for some reason Hadad decided to return to his own country.

 

In fact look at verse 22

“Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you are seeking to go to your own country?” And he answered, “Nothing; nevertheless you must surely let me go.”

 

Hadad had no reason for returning, other than the fact

That God had summoned him to be an adversary to Solomon.

 

There is a second one.

(23) “God also raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.”

 

And he and Hadad both did evil to Israel.

 

There is a third one, and it is the big one.

(26-40) give the account of the calling of Jeroboam.

 

We will study him later.

God ripped 10 tribes away from Solomon and gave them to Jeroboam.

 

All that Solomon had amassed in splendor and glory,

God took it away.

 

Solomon represents a life that began in glory and ended in shame.

 

By the end of his life, this wise King should have been

Able to counsel the world on how to live a blessed life.

 

Instead, he only wrote a book

Warning others not to make the same mistakes that he made.

 

We call the book Ecclesiastes.

 

Here are two warnings from Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.”

 

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.”

 

Sadly, that was now all that Solomon had to offer.

He could have left glory, he left only shame.

 

 

WHAT KIND OF A LEGACY DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE TO YOUR CHILDREN?

• A legacy like David of faithfulness and reward?

• A legacy like Solomon of failure and regret?

 

This morning I ask you to determine to be wholly devoted to God

And to serve Him with a pure heart,

For the slightest deviation can snowball into a lifetime of regret.

 

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

 

1 Kings 10 (10:1-10)

By reading that text to begin our study,

You are all familiar with the scene that is unfolding.

 

Solomon’s fame has reached enormous status.

 

In fact, look at the end of this chapter.

1 Kings 10:23-25 “So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.”

 

Solomon had become quite an attraction to the world.

They all wanted to come, they all wanted to hear.

 

And people knew who was responsible for Solomon’s wisdom.

 

(24) “All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.”

 

It was obvious, that God had placed something in Solomon,

And that something was worth seeing.

 

THERE IS A SIMPLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS

In fact, Jesus preached part of a sermon about this very concept.

 

Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 1nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

God has made you what you are, He has placed something in you,

And He expects for you to use what He has given you for His glory.

 

God has poured into us flavor (salt) and understanding (light)

And we are obligated to share it with others.

ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

 

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

The Psalmist understood this:

Psalms 67 “God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us — Selah. That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”

In our study today, you will see that Solomon

Was a good example of one who did this well.

 

This morning we are talking about THE PREEMINENCE OF SOLOMON.

God had endowed him with splendor.

 

And that splendor came with a purpose.

Many people don’t realize it,

But EVANGELISM WAS PART OF THE OLD TESTAMENT TOO.

 

In fact, did we not hear Solomon pray earlier?

1 Kings 8:41-43 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.”

 

Solomon understood that God’s presence

Was not just for his own personal enjoyment,

But also for the evangelism of a lost world,

And ultimately so that God would be glorified by all.

 

Solomon knew that he was to be salt and light in the world.

 

And this morning, this is seen in the life of Solomon.

 

As we read earlier, the Queen of Sheba has come for a visit,

And I want you to see 4 aspects about this visit.

 

#1 A SEARCH

1 Kings 10:1-2

 

You notice the motivation for this visit.

“Now when the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon”

 

Somehow the news of Solomon’s great splendor

Had reached the ears of the Queen of Sheba.

 

But it was not just fame about temple building or economic policy.

“When the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD,”

 

She had heard that Solomon understood God

In a way that other men did not.

 

Solomon had knowledge of the divine, and it sparked her curiosity.

 

“she came to test him with difficult questions.”

 

Literally she came with “riddles designed to stump the hearer”

 

Now I would hope that everyone in this room

Has had a situation like this happen in their lives.

 

That is one of the bi-products of shining the light of God in a dark world.

People can be skeptical, and they come to question what you believe.

 

The actual riddles that this queen brought are not listed here,

But we understand riddles that are posed today.

• Why does a good God allow bad things to happen?

• How can a loving God send someone to hell?

• How can you say that Jesus is the only way of salvation?

 

AND IF PEOPLE COME TO YOU WITH THOSE RIDDLEDS,

THAT IS A GOOD THING.

People see a light in you, people see a confidence in you,

And so they bring to you the questions that they struggle with.

 

That is what this queen is doing.

There are some real issues that keep her from believing,

And so she is coming to address this King with the reputation for having a relationship with God.

 

And look at how she comes.

(2) “So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones.”

 

We don’t know why she came with such a great caravan.

Maybe she wanted to pay for her education…

Maybe she wanted to impress Solomon…

 

What we do know is that her search was not a material one,

For she had plenty of material things.

HER SEARCH WAS A SPIRITUAL ONE.

 

(2b) “she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.”

 

That really paints a picture doesn’t it?

 

This woman had some confusion in her soul.

She had some issues that troubled her.

 

We don’t really know what she is struggling with,

Other than the fact that she is on a spiritual journey.

 

 

It is not uncommon for people to reach a pinnacle in life

Only to find that what they were searching for wasn’t there.

 

(Kirk Cameron was saved because his success was unfulfilling)

 

It could be that this is precisely what is happening in the life of this queen.

 

Whatever it is, her heart is troubled.

 

And because Solomon has a reputation for being near to God,

She has traveled to put him to the test and seek out some answers.

AND LET ME JUST SAY:

Way to go Solomon!

 

He was doing what Jesus would command many years later.

If he hadn’t been letting his light shine, this queen would have never come.

 

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SPIRITUAL CONCERNS, DO THEY COME TO YOU?

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE HARDSHIP IN LIFE, DO THEY SEEK YOU?

 

If they do, that is because they see the light in you.

They may cuss you 95% of the time, but when life gets bad,

They recognize that you have what they need.

 

If people don’t recognize a light in you,

Maybe it’s time to get the bucket off of it, and start living for Jesus.

 

Solomon is shining his light, and the Queen of Sheba searched him out.

 

A Search

#2 A SALVATION

1 Kings 10:3-7

 

This queen has come and hit Solomon with every dilemma she has.

If it was confusing to her, she is going to lay it on him.

She purposed to hit him with all the hard questions.

(2) “she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.”

 

THAT COULD BE VERY INTIMIDATING

To think that someone is about to hit you with

One of those perplexing “what if” issues.

 

But notice what happened when she did this.

(3) “Solomon answered all her questions;”

 

WOW! Solomon must have been a smart dude,

 

NO, THAT WASN’T IT AT ALL.

(3) “Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the kings which he did not explain to her.”

 

DID YOU CATCH THAT?

“nothing was hidden”

 

As the Queen of Sheba supplied the questions,

Someone else supplied the answers.

 

Those of you who have been studying Corinthians with us

Understand this concept.

 

1 Corinthians 2:9-13 “but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”

 

You may not know everything there is to know about God,

But God does, and He can answer any question.

 

That is what He does here for Solomon.

 

It echoes the promise that Jesus gave to us.

Matthew 10:18-20 “and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

 

And that is precisely what happened to this King as he spoke to a Queen.

God revealed everything to him that he needed to know.

 

And this is a huge concept of evangelism.

 

When you shine the light, don’t be intimidated by those tough questions.

The God you represent, will supply all you need to know.

 

And look at the result of God using Solomon to answer her questions.

(4-5) “When she perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.”

 

Now this again is a significant statement.

 

We know she was aware of Solomon’s great wealth, and wisdom.

But all of a sudden, while Solomon was answering her questions.

The Bible says “she perceived”

 

It is like all of a sudden her eyes were opened.

It clicked within her.

 

WHAT DID SHE SEE?

She saw the hand of God upon Solomon,

And the effects of a life with God’s hand upon it.

 

And when she finally saw the truth, notice the response.

“there was no more spirit in her.”

 

This is also significant.

 

Commonly people seek to come to God in arrogance and pride.

Even when God reveals to them that life could be better,

They resist what God says, and hold on to their old way of life.

 

But in order to come to salvation,

A person must come to a very strategic point.

 

Jesus actually listed that point.

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

 

To be saved, a person must come to a point of genuine humility,

Where they realize that what God has and is, is much better than what they posses, and that they will never possess it on their own.

 

This is precisely where the Queen of Sheba was.

She showed up in Jerusalem amidst great pomp and prestige,

But while she was there, her eyes were opened,

And she recognized that in reality, she had nothing.

 

I believe this woman was saved under the evangelism of Solomon.

She was attracted to the Light Solomon possessed,

And when she got there, she accepted it.

 

Notice the attitude of this woman.

• There is no arrogance, there is no bitterness.

• This woman is in a state of worship.

 

(6-7) “Then she said to the King, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard.”

DON’T YOU LOVE THAT!

I didn’t believe what I heard then, but I believe it now.

 

This woman is seeing things differently.

She has understood the blessing of God in a life.

AND WHY WOULDN’T SHE.

 

Jesus gave us a promise.

Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Jesus said it very clearly.

If you seek, you find.

 

She sought, she found.

 

A Search A Salvation

#3 A SALUTE

1 Kings 10:8-9

 

Continuing to look at the attitude of this woman,

After seeking and perceiving, notice her attitude now.

 

This woman is overcome with an attitude of praise and worship.

 

First she blesses the messenger

(8) “How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.”

 

She states that Solomon’s men are blessed to have Solomon around,

Simply because they have such easy access to the wisdom of God.

 

But then the real recipient of her worship is seen.

 

She blesses the Master

(9) “Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

 

You will notice that God is the true recipient of her worship.

 

And if you will read verse 9 closely,

You will even see her theology.

 

Look at the three reasons she praises God.

1) FOR HIS GRACE

“Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel;”

 

She sees “God’s unmerited favor” toward Solomon.

She is praising God because of His grace.

 

2) FOR HIS LOVE

“because the LORD loved Israel forever”

 

God Himself played a specific role in setting up the leader of Israel.

 

WHY?

Because He loves Israel.

 

3) FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

“therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

 

God put Solomon on the throne for a purpose.

 

The Queen of Sheba recognized Him as a righteous God,

And one who played a role in the nation of Israel.

 

We don’t know what Solomon talked to her about,

But it is apparent she was able to discern

God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s righteousness.

 

And here she is worshiping God for it,

Which is yet another indication of her salvation.

 

When you shine your light,

People come to you with their questions.

God gives the answer, they’re led to salvation, and God is glorified.

 

Isn’t that what Jesus said would happen.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

It is working according to plan.

 

A Search A Salvation A Salute

#4 A SACRIFICE

1 Kings 10:10

 

And here is the final indicator of this woman’s salvation.

 

She made a sacrifice.

 

This is not a payment,

This is a gift of gratitude for what she has received.

 

And the gift was significant.

“Never again did such an abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.”

 

This was no small token of appreciation, this was a big thank you.

 

WELL, WHY DOES THAT SHOW SALVATION?

 

Because of what Jesus said:

Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

“Follow the Money”

(in sports…in politics…and in Scripture)

 

And if you follow the queen of Sheba’s money,

You will find that her heart was given to the King

Who represented the God of Israel.

 

If you want further proof of her salvation,

You simply must look to the New Testament.

 

Jesus actually referenced this woman.

Matthew 12:38-42 “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, ” An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

 

Jesus actually referenced the sincerity in this woman

As she sought out the truth of God through Solomon.

 

Not only that, but Jesus said she (along with the repentant Ninevites)

Would stand up and condemn the Jews of Jesus’ day.

 

• She wanted what they didn’t…

• She saw what they wouldn’t…

• She accepted what they rejected…

 

Because Solomon shined his light, this woman was saved.

 

She “heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD” and she sought that God out.

Solomon drew near to God, and Solomon shined his light.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

 

• Have you drawn near to God as Solomon did, and are you now shining that light to a world lost in darkness?

 

There are people out there who have burdens on their heart,

And questions they can’t answer.

You are the one equipped to answer those questions.

 

Are you living in such a way that God is glorified in the lives of others?

 

Maybe you are here and do not know Jesus Christ.

 

The Queen of Sheba condemned Israel

Because she followed the Light, when they would not.

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

 

Jesus said:

John 12:36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”

 

He said:

John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ” I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

 

But not everyone responds like the Queen of Sheba.

John 3:19-21 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

 

SO WHERE DO YOU FIT?

 

• You are either a believer in Christ who is shining their light…

• You are a believer in Christ who has hidden their light…

• You are a non-believer who has no light to share, and needs to get it…

 

This morning, give your heart to Jesus Christ,

And then shine your light to a lost and dying world.

 

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

1 Kings 9:1-9

 

I have heard it said many times in my life that

Satan attacks after a great victory.

 

That after a person wins a victory for the Lord,

Then Satan will attack, hoping to catch his prey

at a moment of over inflated arrogance, and bring them down.

 

After Jesus was baptized, then went to be tempted by the devil.

 

Consider Peter.

One minute, he was used by the Holy Spirit to publicly confess Christ.

A few verses later, he was being used by Satan to privately correct Him.

 

It is no wonder that Peter would later write:

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

 

And perhaps you have seen such a thing in your life at various times.

You experienced a great victory, and Satan used your momentum against you leading you to step beyond the will of God.

 

And from experiencing such difficulties,

We learn that a Christian must remain focused at all times.

WE DO NOT SIGN UP AND THEN SLACK OFF.

 

The Christian life is one of intense commitment to God.

 

Many times in Scripture this is illustrated by way of sports analogy.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

 

2 Timothy 2:3-6 “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”

 

We are reminded that the Christian life is not about starting well.

The Christian life is about finishing well.

And would this ever be an important point for Solomon to get.

We are just now entering the final phase of Solomon’s life.

 

We know how Solomon began.

Removing rebellion, Seeking God, Building the temple, Praying with intensity, and Teaching the people to seek God.

 

But of course as we will learn in a few weeks,

This king who started well, did not finish well,

And his failure left an irremovable blemish on the nation of Israel.

 

But before that downward slide ever occurred in Solomon’s life,

God was first present to warn him about it.

 

We pick up our text in the first two verses.

 

(1-2) “Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all that Solomon desired to do, that the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.”

 

The writer of Kings actually gives us the time frame here.

“Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, and the king’s house”

 

If you were to go back and read 1 Kings 6,

• Solomon began the temple in the 4th year of his reign.

• This project would take him 7 years (6:38)

• After he finished the temple, he built his own house. (13 years – 7:1)

 

By the time he finished his house he was 24 yrs. into his reign.

He would reign for a total of 40 years.

So he is past the half-way point.

 

And since Solomon has now finished his own house,

This encounter with God is occurring approximately 12 years after

The events we just studied in chapter 8.

 

And so here is Solomon, now on the downside of his reign,

Most of his major work is behind him,

Most of his famous achievements have been accomplished.

 

Solomon now must focus on finishing the race.

 

This is precisely why God is visiting him now.

(2) “the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.”

WHAT DID GOD HAVE TO SAY?

(3) “The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”

 

God is NOT just now answering Solomon’s prayer.

Solomon has not been in limbo

As to what God’s answer would be for the past 12 years.

 

The past 12 years would have proved

That God has done as Solomon requested,

Which is why God speaks of His faithfulness in the past tense.

 

“I HAVE heard your prayer and your supplication…”

“I HAVE consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever,”

 

God reiterates that it is His promise to continue to do this forever.

“and My eyes and My heart will be there perpecutally.”

 

God has shown up and reiterated to Solomon

That He has been faithful, and plans to continue being faithful.

 

The first 24 years of Solomon’s reign have been a piece of cake.

• No wars…

• No famines…

• No recessions…

• No worries…

 

That is why Scripture is silent for those 12 years.

 

Once God moved into the temple, everything in Israel was great.

And now God shows up 12 years later to remind Solomon

That the reason all has been great is because He has been present.

 

And that He has every intention

For things to continue on as they have been forever.

 

WHICH BRINGS US TO SOLOMON.

 

Notice the personal nature of what God is about to say:

(4) “As for you”

 

DO YOU GET THE FEEL FOR WHAT IS GOING ON?

“I’ve been doing my part, and I would love to continue blessing Israel in the same way, now as for you…”

 

God is about to tell Solomon how to finish the race.

 

The question here for Solomon is not about what God will do.

The question is whether or not Solomon will be a part of it.

 

We talk a lot about the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, and rightly so.

I love to talk about God’s sovereignty, and His perfect will.

 

But God’s sovereignty is only half of the equation

In Scripture, not only is God sovereign, but MAN IS RESPONSIBLE.

 

While God is sovereign and has foreordained all things,

Man is still responsible and his actions also dictate the future.

 

It is admittedly difficult to merge the two truths,

But they exist none the less.

 

And it is Solomon’s responsibility that is highlighted here.

 

(4-5) “As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”

 

Boy, the word “if” is a big word in the Bible.

God is spelling out a very serious conditional statement to Solomon.

 

God basically wants two things from Solomon

1) INTEGRITY

“if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you”

 

God simply wants Solomon to be sincere in his devotion to God,

And to take God’s word serious, just like David did.

 

David wrote:

Psalms 24:3-5 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

 

2) LOYALTY

“and will keep My statutes and My ordinances”

 

Don’t follow someone else…

Don’t listen to anyone else…

 

Just do what I say, and be totally loyal to My will.

God wanted those two things from Solomon.

And by the way, this is what God wants from you.

 

Remember what Jesus asked Peter just before His ascension?

John 21:15 “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”

 

Jesus just wanted to know how sincere

And how devoted Peter was going to be.

 

That is what God wants from us,

And that is what God wanted from Solomon,

 

And if Solomon would give that to God…

(5) “then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”

 

Solomon, if you will be truly devoted to Me, then the blessings you have been experiencing through My presence, you will never stop experiencing.

 

God wanted things to continue just as they had been going,

And that hinged upon the responsibility of Solomon

To continue to be faithful.

 

Solomon had started well, God wanted Solomon to finish well

And if Solomon would be devoted to God,

The blessings would never end.

 

However, there is also a FLIP SIDE to this scenario.

 

And we see that in the first word of verse 6, “But”

 

The perpetual blessing of God was very possible for Solomon,

But it was not guaranteed.

 

Just as there was a blessing to pursue,

There was also a penalty to avoid.

 

Remember what Paul told Timothy?

We already read it once.

 

2 Timothy 2:5 “Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”

 

In running the race, you need to make sure that you avoid the things

That will disqualify you from reaching the prize.

 

And that is the essence of what God is about to tell Solomon.

 

(6-7) “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

 

As long as Solomon had integrity and loyalty, all would go well,

But if those attributes slipped, things would go south in a hurry.

 

In fact, God actually listed

Three problematic attributes that Solomon needed to avoid.

1) APOSTASY

“But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me”

 

Apostasy is the sin in which a person who confesses the Lord

Turns and departs from Him.

 

An apostate is worse than an unbeliever,

For they at least pretended submission to Jesus before rejecting Him.

 

Apostates are described by both Peter and Jude.

2 Peter 2:15 “forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”

 

Jude 11 “Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”

 

Apostates are the ultimate traitor and once a person becomes an apostate

Repentance and therefore salvation is impossible.

 

In fact Jude actually says that

Their judgments is already set, and cannot be reversed.

 

Jude 4 “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

 

And so it is understandable why God would warn Solomon

About the sin of apostasy.

 

HE STARTED WELL, BUT HE NEEDS TO END WELL.

 

God first warned Solomon about Apostasy

2) INIQUITY

“and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you”

This is good old fashion rebellion, and it is the FRUIT OF AN APOSTATE.

 

Once an apostate turns away from God,

They evidence their apostasy by refusing to listen to the Lord any longer.

 

Peter described the iniquity of an apostate like this.

2 Peter 2:12-14 “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;”

 

They’ve turned away from following God, they commit the fruit of iniquity.

 

Apostasy, Iniquity

3) IDOLATRY

“and go and serve other gods and worship them,”

 

The final step of apostasy is worship of someone other than God.

 

This could be a false god such as Allah, or Buddha,

Or this could be the worship of SELF (the god of atheists).

 

They started out worshiping God, but they then Rejected Him,

Disobeyed Him, and end up Betraying Him through idolatry.

 

And the extreme tragedy is

That they seemed to start the race so well.

 

There was actually a point in their lives when they

Had professed faith in God, and had pledged their lives to obey Him.

The only difference between them and true Christians is that

While both seemed to start the race, the apostate failed to finish it.

 

And God adamantly warns Solomon against such a crime.

 

For if he does, then the consequences are tragic.

1) ISRAEL REJECTED

(7) “then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them,”

 

If you turn from following Me, then I will turn from protecting you.

 

2) TEMPLE REMOVED

(7) “and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight.”

This magnificent structure trimmed in gold.

God will pick it up and throw it away.

As we said last week.

 

Temples trimmed in gold do not secure the presence of God,

Obedience does, and when obedience stops, God will destroy the temple.

 

3) JUDGMENT REMEMBERED

(7) “So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

 

Thomas Mulligan was a passionate golfer in Ireland in the 1800’s who developed a theory that the only shots that count on a golf score are the ones that you hit during the game.

 

So his game did not start until he hit a first shot that he liked.

If his first shot was bad, he just declared that he hadn’t started, and hit again.

 

No doubt his friends heckled him, and before long the do-over shot in golf

Became known as the “Mulligan”.

 

His name became a “byword” among all golfers.

 

That is what God said would happen here.

If you turn from following Me, I will bring such a judgment on you,

That it will literally set the standard for all future judgments.

 

HOW FAMOUS WOULD THE JUDGMENT BE?

READ VERSES 8-9

 

Did you catch that?

“everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss”

 

The term “hiss” literally means “to whistle in amazement”.

 

And furthermore, God will see to it

That everyone knows why you were destroyed.

 

(9) “Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore the LORD has brought this adversity on them.”

 

God will be glorified either in your obedience or in your judgment,

But God will be glorified.

 

BUT OF COURSE YOU SEE THE POINT TO SOLOMON.

 

Solomon, you have started well,

But you must not grow arrogant or lazy in regard to your success. YOU MUST ALSO LEARN TO FINISH WELL.

 

AND WHAT A WARNING TO US AS WELL.

In a day when people are so tempted to sit back

And rest upon past accomplishments.

 

If we do not finish well, then starting well means absolutely nothing.

 

WE ALL WATCHED OLYMPIC SWIMMING

Does anyone remember who started out the best in any of those races?

But who finished the best? – Michael Phelps

 

LIKEWISE, GOD WANTS US TO FINISH WELL

 

This is why Jesus made statements like these:

John 8:31 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;”

 

Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

 

This is why the writer of Hebrews said:

Hebrews 10:36-38 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.”

 

Paul had this passion:

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

 

The life you have been given is a marathon for God,

And while starting well is important,

The burning ambition of the Christian life is to finish well.

 

This morning, there are some who have never entered the race.

Unlike Solomon you’ve never even started well.

 

• You’ve never had a passion for Jesus.

• You’ve never sought His present.

• You’ve never dedicated the temple of your heart to Him.

 

This morning, you need to start the race.

Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.

 

But some have started the race,

I want to encourage you to learn from God’s promise to Solomon.

 

Do not get content in what you have accomplished.

 

• Maybe you have gone to church many times…

• Maybe you have given lots of money…

• Maybe you have taught Sunday School for years…

• Maybe you have built a temple and lined it with gold…

• Maybe you have purified the kingdom by removing the stumbling blocks…

 

Forget what lies behind,

And TODAY strive to be the best Christian you’ve ever been.

 

Let me encourage you, wherever you are in the race,

Kick it up a notch and focus on the remainder of your race.

 

You will learn that this decision

Would be one of the most important Solomon would ever make.

 

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”