1 Kings 3-4

1 Kings 3:1-15 – Wise Request

Solomon made a treaty with the king of Egypt and married his daughter.  Solomon had many foreign wives which would turn his heart after other gods and make his heart not loyal to the Lord, which we will learn in 1 Kings 11.  He did love the Lord, but he also loved foreign wives who helped turn his heart away.  His marriage to the Egyptian princess was the beginning of his moving in the wrong direction.

Solomon brought his Egyptian wife to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord.  Solomon and the people were offering sacrifices in the high places.  These high places were known for worship of foreign gods.  They were not offering sacrifices to the wrong gods, but offering them to the Lord in the wrong places.  Solomon was in Gibeon, which was the most important high place where God appeared to Solomon in a dream.  Instead of rebuking Solomon, God offered anything he wished.  Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern and to distinguish between right and wrong.

God was pleased with Solomon’s wish, because he didn’t ask for a long life or wealth for himself.  Solomon was young and knew he lacked wisdom so that’s what he asked God for.  God gave him wisdom and also riches and honor.  If Solomon walked in the Lord’s ways, he would also be given a long life, but we know he didn’t and died at 60 years old.  Solomon woke up and realized it was all a dream.  He returned to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices and offerings.  Then he gave a feast for all his court. 

What kinds of things do you pray for?

Do you pray for material things or for a mind and spirit to discern God’s way to live?

We know that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived.  His wealth and power were known by all.  So we know that Solomon received his dream.  Scripture doesn’t say that the Spirit came upon on him like He did David when he was anointed king, which tells me that we need not have a spectacular experience in order to be empowered by the Spirit.

Solomon showed wisdom in handling a dispute between two women who claimed the same child as their own.  These two women came to Solomon to settle their dispute.  Both had a child, but one accidentally suffocated in the night.  He settled it by threatening to cut the child in half and give each half to each woman.  The mother of the dead child was willing to accept Solomon’s judgment.  The mother of the living child was willing to give him up in order to save him.  Then Solomon knew that the boy was her child and gave him to his true mother.  When the people heard the verdict, they were in awe of such a wise ruling.

1 Kings 3:16 – 4:1-34 – Wise Reign

We see Solomon’s administrative wisdom as he chose his governors and officials.  Israel prospered and grew in number.  Solomon was rich and during his lifetime the people lived in safety.  God gave Solomon wisdom and great insight and understanding.  He was given many gifts and abilities.  He wrote 3,000 proverbs and over 1,000 songs.  He taught about animals, birds, reptiles and fish.  All nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.  We will see in the next chapter that he had great wisdom as a builder.

Solomon’s reign hinted at the Messiah’s glorious kingdom:

   Solomon was wise; Jesus embodied divine wisdom.

   Solomon reigned in peace; Jesus guarantees eternal peace.

   Solomon’s people enjoyed satisfaction; Jesus promises to satisfy 

   us forever.

Principle:  True wisdom loves and desires God above everything.

Do you seek God’s wisdom?

Will you seek His ways over your life?

How are you using the gifts God has given you?

We all wish we had everything we dreamed of.  The Bible says:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” – Matt. 7:7.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” – John 15:7

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” – 1 John 5:14.

Principle:  Seek God before anything or anyone and trust Him to provide.

God loved Solomon and chose him as king.  Solomon loved God and desired to obey Him.  God wanted to bless Solomon, because He knew his heart.  God gave him great wisdom and wealth, but Solomon made choices that would set his course away from God.  It started with his marriage to a foreign princess of Egypt.  Sin would weaken his kingdom, but God continued to use him to bless His people.

How do the pleasures of life distract you from God and His goodness?

When have you dishonored God through partial obedience?

Next time we will continue our study of 1 Kings.  Hope to see you here.

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1 Kings 1-2

Like 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book.  We don’t really know who wrote these books, but it is thought to have been Jeremiah, Ezra, or Ezekiel.  1 Kings 1 describes the final days of David.  1 Kings 2 begins with Solomon as king and establishes himself as a strong wise leader.

1 Kings 1 – Solomon Crowned

We learned that David was not always the greatest father and we see this again in this chapter the actions of his son Adonijah.  “His father had never interfered with him by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’  He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom” – 1 Kings 1:6  He failed to discipline Absalom who committed treason, Amnon who raped his half sister Tamar, and Adonijah is now plotting to take over the throne.  This is very true today.  We’ve all heard, ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’.  This comes from Prov. 13:24, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”  David and his sons are perfect examples of this.  Children must be disciplined or there be bad consequences in the future.

Are you disciplining your children because you love them or are you encouraging them to be self-centered and disrespectful?

Adonijah was the 4^th son of David.  Absalom killed his brother Amnon and Joab, the captain of the army killed Absalom.  Now Adonijah was the oldest and was in line to be king.  So he decided to make himself king since David was up in his years and didn’t have long to live.  Usually it was the custom that the oldest son was considered the heir to the throne.  This was not true for Israel.  It was God who determined the next king, but Adonijah exalted himself as king.  

David was about 70 years, but it seemed he was older than his years.  He had a hard life of fighting many battles and a history marked by treachery and murder.  He was weak and couldn’t seem to stay warm so his servants brought in a beautiful young woman, Abishog to lay with him to keep him warm although they were never intimate.  In those times it was believed by keeping a person warm was a good medical treatment.

Like David and his brother Absalom, Adonijah was very handsome and appealing to the people.  He enlisted chariots, horses, and men to make himself look good and powerful.  He enlisted the support important and influential people.  Even Joab supported him.  Joab had been loyal to David, but was always selfish and cruel with strong ambitions.  None of Adonijah’s supporters consulted the Lord or David before giving their support to Adonijah.   Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and David’s special guard Benaiah did not join Adonijah. 

Adonijah sacrificed sheep and cattle and had a party hoping to encourage others to support him.  He invited all his brothers except Nathan, Benaiah and his brother Solomon.  By offering sacrifices he wanted people to think he wanted to serve God.  Nathan warned Bathsheba what Adonijah was up to and thought he might kill her and Solomon so they devised a plan to tell David.  She asked David to remember his previous promise that Solomon would become the next king and to immediately appoint him king without waiting for David’s death.  David kept his promise and made Solomon king.

Do you remember to keep your promises?

David anointed Solomon as king before Adonijah and his guests finished their meal.  David had Solomon ride on the king’s mule, be anointed by the priest.  Then the trumpet was blown and the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”  Trumpets sounded and the people shouted with joy.  When Adonijah and his guests heard the noise, they left quickly because they knew the people supported King Solomon and they were afraid they would be punished.  Adonijah ran to the altar to seek God’s protection.  When Solomon heard this he made a wise decision, because he knew Adonijah was well liked.  He decided not to punish Adonijah, but commanded him to be loyal or he would die.

Do you run to God when you know you’ve sinned?

Did you truly repent or was it only out of fear?

Solomon went against the custom of killing anyone who would tried to take over the throne.  He showed Adonijah mercy and gave him the opportunity to avoid punishment.  Jesus gives us the opportunity to avoid the punishment we deserve.  He offers us complete forgiveness and mercy.  All we have to do is ask forgiveness for our sins and believe and trust in Him.

David should have made it known to all his sons and the people that Solomon was to be the next king.  Then maybe all the threats and deceptions of his sons trying to take the throne would have not happened.

Are you like Adonijah and try to follow your own plans to get that you want?

Do you gossip and slander others so you will look good?

Do you push others out of the way to get to the place you want?

How are you preparing your children for the future?

Are you teaching them about Jesus, Savior of the world?

Principle:  God wants His children to be strong, brave and obey his Word.

1 Kings 2 – Solomon's Kingdom Established 

Before David died he gave advice to Solomon.  David knew Solomon would be tested as king and that it would require great strength and courage.  He told him to be strong and to observe what the Lord requires.  He should walk in His ways and keep His commands so he would prosper in all he does and wherever he goes. 

Do you teach your children to be strong, brave and obey God’s Word?

What is the source or your strength?

Do you tend to follow the crowd and the ways of the world?

Will you ask God to give you the will and determination to obey His Word?

David wanted Solomon to begin his reign with justice.  He should be wise in dealing with Joab, who killed 2 commanders of Israel’s army.  He didn’t mention that Joab also killed his brother, Absalom.  David knew Joab had made sacrifices for David over the years, but he also knew he was violent and ruthless.  David told him to be kind to those who had helped him. 

Then David died.  He reigned for 40 years over Israel, 7 years in Hebron and 33 in Jerusalem.  David started out as a shepherd and ended up as a king.  He was a sinner.  We can all identify with David.  Even though he knew God and tried to obey His commands he was only human and he sinned often, but always repented.  He was buried in the City of David currently known as Jerusalem.

Adonijah went to Bathsheba and ask her to ask King Solomon to give Abishog the Shunammite as his wife.  Abishog was the concubine of David’s who chosen to keep him warm in his old age and now that David was dead, he wanted her as his wife.  This was a way for him to build a claim on Solomon’s throne.  Bathsheba agreed and went to Solomon.  Solomon knew exactly what he was trying to do.  Because of Adonijah request, he was executed.  Adonijah probably thought Solomon was young and inexperienced and wouldn’t to kill him as previously promised, but he found out that Solomon was a leader who did exactly what he said he would do.

Abiathar the priest deserve death because he supported Adonijah as the next king, but Solomon showed mercy and wisdom to him by not putting him to death as this time.  He removed him from the priesthood and exiled him.  Joab heard of this and like Adonijah fled to the tent of the Lord and held on to the altar.  Joab would not leave the altar so Solomon had him executed there.

Shimei was associated with King Saul and was a threat to the house of David.  David had instructed Solomon to allow Shimei to live in peace so he was placed under house arrest.  If he left, he would die.  Shimei abused Solomon’s mercy.  When 2 of his servants ran off to Gath, he went to search for them.  Solomon heard of this, gave the order to kill him because he had broke their agreement.  Now all the conspirators were dead and Solomon’s kingdom was firmly established in his hands.  This shows the fulfillment God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and would be ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.

Solomon showed great wisdom by not killing these men immediately.  He first tested them to see if they were loyal.  After they broke their promises, then they were killed.

When have you broken a promise that caused you consequences?

Would others consider you wise?

1 Chronicles 22 and 29 – Solomon Builds the Temple

David’s desire was to have a permanent place to worship the Lord, but the Lord would not let him build the temple.  Instead his son, Solomon was to build it.  David prayed for Solomon and encouraged him to trust God.  He gave Solomon the plans the Lord had revealed to him as to how to build the temple.  God’s work would be done according to His pattern in His way in His perfect timing.  David led by example by giving gold, silver, iron, wood, onyx, all kinds of stones and marble to be used in the temple.  He asked his leaders and the people to also give what they could.  The people gave joyfully and sacrificially.

Are you so full of gratitude that it overflows in your giving to His work?

Do you give of your time, talents, money, and energies?

David praised the Lord saying He was the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and for His greatness in heaven and earth.  He is head over all and ruler of all things.  He has strength and power and gives strength to all.

The 1^st time Solomon was anointed king by David to stop Adonijah.  Now he was publicly acknowledged as King of Israel.  The people gave sacrifices and offerings to the Lord.  Solomon sat on the throne of his father David.  He prospered and all Israel obeyed him.  All the officers and mighty men as well as all of David’s sons pledged their submission to King Solomon.  The Lord exalted Solomon and bestowed royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.

Have you pledged your submission to King Jesus?

If not, what is keeping you from it?

Next time we will continue our study of 1 Kings.  Hope to see you here.

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