1 Kings
In the classic Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is allowed to glimpse the way his quint hometown of Bedford Falls would have been if he had never lived. Instead of a decent community in which goodness held its own against greedy Mr. Potter, Bedford Falls had become a sleazy town where all wealth went into Mr. Potter's pockets.
In 1 Kings, the Bible tells the story of Israel as it changes from a decent nation to a greedy one. Under Solomon's rule, Israel reached world renown and general prosperity. But near the end of his life, Solomon changed and as a result, Israel fell apart. After a civil war split the country, many of the kings in the north were like Mr. Potter. In the south, some were like George Bailey, but many were like Mr. Potter. Both nations were in big trouble. It was almost as if Solomon had never live.
1 and 2 Kings were one book, but together were too long to fit on one scroll. These books continue the history of Israel.
The books of 1 Kings has three parts. The first part (1-2) tells about the last years of King David's life and how his son Solomon became the king of Israel. The second part (3-11) includes events from Solomon's rule and tells how famous and rich he was. Much of this second part tells how Solomon built and dedicated the temple in Jerusalem. The last part of the book (12-22) reports what happened after Solomon's death - the northern tribes rebelled against Rehoboam his son, and the nation of Israel was divided into two separate kingdoms: Judah in the south and Israel in the north. this part of 1 Kings includes stories about the kings of these two kingdoms. The book concludes with the rule of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahaziah of Israel.
Each king in the book is judged according to his faithfulness to the Lord. If the king was faithful and obeyed God's law, he was praised as being good; but if he disobeyed and did wrong, he was condemned as being evil. In General all the kings of Israel were judged to be evil because they rejected the Lord and worshiped idols. However, most of the kings of Judah were judged to be good, because they followed the example of their ancestor King David and worshiped the Lord.
First Kings also includes the familiar stories about Elijah the prophet, who opposed the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of the northern kingdom. Elijah warned the people of Israel to obey the Lord and not to worship other gods. Elijah wanted to prove that the Lord was the one true God, and so he arranged a contest between the Lord and the pagan god Baal. Elijah and the prophets of Baal would offer a sacrifice to their own God, but the fire on the altars would not lit. Elijah explained to the people:
"How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the Lord is God, worship him! But if Baal If God, worship him!... The prophets of Baal will pray to their god, and I will pray to the Lord. The one who answers by starting the fire is God." (18.21, 24)
Before you begin this study, it is suggested that you read or listen to the entire book. This study skips much of the content and characters change quickly. Listening can help with the hard names. Link for TEXT-New Living Translation (NLT) Once you arrive at the site, open the speaker icon at the top for audio.
Week 1 - A New King in Israel - 1 Kings 1:5-37
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 1:5-37 (NLT)
1 King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. 2 So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”
3 So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.
5 About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. 6 Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.
7 Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.
9 Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.
11 Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? 12 If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. 13 Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”
15 So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) 16 Bathsheba bowed down before the king. “What can I do for you?” he asked her.
17 She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ 18 But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. 19 He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20 And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. 21 If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.”
Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 24 Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? 25 Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. 27 Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”
28 King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king. 29 And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger, 30 your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lord, the God of Israel.”
31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32 Then King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence, 33 the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule. 34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36 “Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen. 37 And may the Lord be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!”
🔎 CONSIDER
Adonijah was trying to take over the kingdom of Israel. As David's oldest living son, he was next in line to the throne. He enlisted the help of Joab, the general, and Abiathar, the priest. With both the military and spiritual leaders on his side, it is no wonder many people followed Adonijah.
God, however, had already told David many years ago that Solomon was to be the next king. When Adonijah made his play for the throne, Bathsheba and Nathan, the prophet, reminded David of God's choice.
Sometimes the Lord uses other people to remind us of his word to us. David acknowledged that God had kept him safe and that he had promised Solomon would be king. David honored this promise. Let's be reminded of how important it is to keep our commitments.
🔎 THINK
The story of Adonijah much reminds me of Jesus teaching about humility in Luke 14, just prior his telling of the Parable of the Great Feast. In that teaching he warned the gathered people to not sit in the places of honor, but at the lowest place at the table. In doing so, one would avoid being dishonored by being asked to move to a place of lower status in front of all the people at the table and would, more than likely, be honored when the host asks one to move from the lowest place to a place more prominent.
Jesus’ words are wise and they are not meant merely as a “play it safe rather than sorry” suggestion. Jesus is, rather, guiding those who will be taught by him to not think too highly about themselves. Humility, simply, is knowing one’s place. It is not self-denigration; however, it is not self-engrandizement either. While Jesus’ teaching refers to social status, his wisdom is regarding Spiritual Humility. Such humility recognizes that none of us are better than “the least of these” because, from the least to the greatest, we are all God’s created children.
It is clear that Adonijah thought pretty highly of himself and he was quite thrilled when his two eldest brothers died and were no longer in his way. It was Adonijah chance to rise up and take the throne for himself! He would be the one in power and could rule the kingdom!
The only problem with that comes in one word: SOLOMON. Because of his love for Bathsheba, David had declared that he willed for Solomon to be his heir. So, rather than rightfully taking the throne, Adonijah actually stages a coup and tries, like his brothers before him, to usurp David’s kingdom. As can be seen in the scriptures, it doesn’t go well for Adonijah. In the end, he fled for his life and was temporarily spared only to be killed by Solomon once he assumed power.
Adonijah could have served a great purpose for God. Who knows what God had in store for him; however, the corruption of his father and brothers spread to him and he sought power and authority rather than God. As a result, he ended up cutting what ties may have been left with his half-brother Solomon and betraying his father’s trust. All that did, in the end, is lead to his demise. The question for us is this, how do we allow our earthly ambitions to get between us and our God-given purpose?
🔎 SIMILAR
Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
1 John 2:5 But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
Matthew 5:33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’
Numbers 30:1-2 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Matthew 5:33-37 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Deuteronomy 23:23 You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.
James 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Leviticus 5:4-5 Or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed,
Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 15:1-4 A Psalm of David. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
Week 2 - Solomon's Secret of Success - 1 Kings 2:2-4
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 2:2-4 (NLT)
2 “I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. 3 Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. 4 If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
🔎 CONSIDER
"It's not my fault! I grew up in the wrong neighborhood. My teacher was no good. The government didn't help." We blame our problems on tobacco companies, alcohol distilleries, drug companies, and more. The blame game, as old as Adam and Eve, enlists new players with every child that is born.
"Take courage and be a man," David says to Soloman. "Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways.," David continues.
Knowing God and taking responsibility brings an awareness that we cannot blame others for our failures to do what is right. Blaming others for the predicaments we find ourselves in only wastes energy. All that matters is this: Now that you have heard God's voice, what is your response?
The sins of our ancestors may powerfully echo in our lives. Generations of abused and addicted persons know this. But God's people are no longer mere victims of a sinful past.
Be responsible and confess your own sins. Place your sins on the only innocent victim who carries the blame of all the world's misery: Jesus Christ. Be responsible and admit you have received the Word of truth.
🔎 THINK
It is important that we follow God's Word and allow him to help us become the people he wants us to be, instead of following the crowd and the ways of the world. Being strong and faithful to God requires dedication as well as devotion. Ask God to give you the will and the determination to obey his Word and become stronger and braver every day.
In David’s final charge to Solomon, he exhorts his son both to a righteous character (2:1–4) and to the execution of justice (2:5–9). What do you think Christians today should learn from this charge? In what ways (if any) do you think this charge was unique to Solomon as king over God’s people?
David gave his son Solomon a wise formula for success in life - be strong and brave, and obey God's Word. What is your source of strength? Is it different from that of society's formula?
🔎 SIMILAR
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:1-23 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ...
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...
1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
1 Peter 1:1-25 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ...
James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Week 3 - A Right Beginning - 1 Kings 3:5-15
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 3:5-15 (NLT)
5 That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
6 Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.
7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— 12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”
15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.
🔎 CONSIDER
When David died, Israel lost its first great king. Though he was flawed in several ways, he had been a man “after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). In 1 Kings 2:2-3, David tells Solomon, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. . . . So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires.”
What will Solomon need in order to rule well? He demonstrates much of it in today’s reading. Solomon has a worshipful heart and a sense of humility. But in order to lead well, he must come to know and trust in God, seeking guidance from the Lord.
The Lord appears to Solomon with an astonishing invitation: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon asks for the gift of wisdom, and he receives it in abundance. It is a kingly request and a kingly gift.
As participants in Christ’s kingdom, we have many callings in which we can exercise some degree of leadership and service to God. In our homes, workplaces, schools, and churches, or wherever God leads us, we need wisdom to live faithfully and fruitfully.
🔎 THINK
Solomon had big shoes to fill. His father, David, had been a loyal servant of God. Now, Solomon was faced with taking his father's place. When the Lord appeared to Solomon, offering him anything he wanted, Solomon showed great character. He asked for wisdom. God praised Solomon for this request and gave him much more than he asked for.
If you are called to do something new, here is a model for your first act: Ask God for the wisdom to carry out what he is calling you to do. There is a promise connected to asking for the gift of wisdom - the gift will be given (see James 1.5-8). God will provide us with what we need, as long as we put him first in our lives.
🔎 SIMILAR
Numbers 12:6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.
John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Mark 10:36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Genesis 28:12-13 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.
Matthew 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
1 Kings 11:9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Mark 10:38-51 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
Matthew 7:7-8 “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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Week 4 - You Are His Temple - 1 Kings 6:1-13
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 6:1-13 (NLT)
1 It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, that he began to construct the Temple of the Lord. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt.
2 The Temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 3 The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple. 4 Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple.
5 He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. 6 The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1⁄2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10 1⁄2 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves.
7 The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.
8 The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors. 9 After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks. 10 As already stated, he built a complex of rooms along the sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 1⁄2 feet high.
11 Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: 12 “Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David. 13 I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel.”
🔎 CONSIDER
God revealed the exact plans for the Temple to David. David then passed them down to Solomon to build: “Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things;” (1 Chr. 28:11-12). God not only told David how the Temple should be built, He also stated that Solomon would be the one to build it: “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Sam. 7:13). “Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.”’ (1 Kgs. 5:5). Solomon was then faithful to build the Temple in the exact manner that God revealed to David. God also wants you to faithfully live by His Word, even if you do not understand it.
In response to God's faithfulness, be faithful to Him. It would be easy for Jews to give up on God’s promises if they took hundreds of years to fulfill. Most people expect immediate results in response to their prayers. Few have the faith to believe in a promise if it takes hundreds of years to fulfill. But God wants us to be faithful in response to His faithfulness, even if we don’t live to see all of His promise come true. “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”’ (Matt. 25:21). Have we given God many reasons to celebrate our faith in heaven?
🔎 THINK
God promised Solomon that if he obeyed, the Lord would live among the people of Israel in the temple Solomon was building. God also promised he would never leave the Israelites. Does this mean that God lives only in an ancient temple? certainly not!
God has promised us that he will never leave us either. He has also told us to think of our bodies as temples where the Spirit of the Lord lives. In 1 Corinthians 6.12-20, we are reminded that we should honor God with our bodies.
Remembering that God's Spirit dwells within us helps us realize what an awesome privilege this is.
🔎 SIMILAR
1 Chronicles 22:10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’
Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Psalm 132:12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”
1 Kings 9:3-6 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
1 Kings 3:14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
2 Samuel 7:12-16 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
Zechariah 3:7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
2 Chronicles 7:17-18 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’
1 Chronicles 28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
1 Kings 8:25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’
1 Kings 2:3-4 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
1 Samuel 12:14-15 If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.
Week 5 - Can Any Building Contain God? - 1 Kings 8:10-13
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 8:10-13 (NLT)
1 Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes—the leaders of the ancestral families of the Israelites. They were to bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant to the Temple from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion. 2 So all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn in the month of Ethanim.
3 When all the elders of Israel arrived, the priests picked up the Ark. 4 The priests and Levites brought up the Ark of the Lord along with the special tent and all the sacred items that had been in it. 5 There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!
6 Then the priests carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place, which is in front of the Most Holy Place, but not from the outside. They are still there to this day. 9 Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Mount Sinai, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel when they left the land of Egypt.
10 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 11 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord.
12 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. 13 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”
14 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing: 15 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father, 16 ‘From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. But I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
17 Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, 19 but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’
20 “And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And I have prepared a place there for the Ark, which contains the covenant that the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
🔎 CONSIDER
In the 10s and aughts BC, Herod the Great—the Roman-appointed “king of Judea”—began a massive renovation and expansion of the relatively humble temple. By the year 0, it was a resplendent structure, towering over the city of Jerusalem and reflecting light from its whitewashed and gold-trimmed walls for miles around. This was the structure that God finally filled again with his presence, this time in the person of Jesus Christ.
Part of what’s happening here is the fulfillment of prophecies like Malachi’s that when the Lord returned to his temple this time, it would be as a refiner’s fire, cleansing the temple of those who would rob God. But even more importantly, notice what Jesus does here by saying “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” with reference to his own body. Do you see? He’s saying that the temple is no longer the dwelling place of God; it’s no longer the place where God and humans meet. Now that place is him. No longer is God’s presence a matter of a particular building in a particular city. God’s presence is found in a person, in Jesus Christ. Through ups and downs, glories and catastrophes, the biblical theme of God’s presence finally finds its fulfillment in Jesus. He is the living presence of God, the “place” where the divine and human natures meet as one and the person to whom all must come if they would know God (John 1:14).
This point was dramatically emphasized at the moment of Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross. As Christ exhausted the decreed penalty for sin and absorbed the wrath of God, Matthew tells us that “behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51). The curtain of the temple was the enormous barrier (somewhere between forty-five and sixty feet high, and about six inches thick) that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. In other words, it was a stark reminder of humanity’s separation from God. But here, at the moment of Jesus’s death, that barrier is torn—not from bottom to top as if humans accomplished this for themselves, but from top to bottom, from heaven to earth—and the way back into God’s presence was thrown wide open. The great curse of Eden, mankind’s separation from God, had finally been ended and reversed.
🔎 THINK
When the temple was finished and the sacred chest was placed inside it, God's presence filled the building. Solomon knew, however, that no structure built by human beings was big enough to hold God. Nevertheless, Solomon praised God for his willingness to live among his people in such an obvious way.
God is much bigger than the tiny "boxes: in which we try to contain him. Some people try to squeeze God into their set of rules. Others try to make God conform with their own per-concerned notions of what he is like. Still, others try to make God fit into their chosen lifestyles.
But God cannot - and will not - be contained by our restricted ideas. He is much bigger than that! Instead of trying to fit God into our ideas of what he should, let's consider how great God really is.
🔎 SIMILAR
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Ezekiel 44:4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. And I fell on my face.
Ezekiel 43:4-5 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
Leviticus 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.
Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Ezekiel 43:2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.
Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
Acts 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Leviticus 9:6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.”
2 Samuel 7:13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
Psalm 132:13-14 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
John 4:21-23 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Week 6 - From a Dream to a Nightmare - 1 Kings 9:1-9
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 9:1-9 (NLT)
The Lord’s Response to Solomon
9 So Solomon finished building the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do. 2 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had done before at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him,
“I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
4 “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, 5 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
6 “But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, 7 then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. 8 And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’
9 “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the Lord has brought all these disasters on them.’”
10 It took Solomon twenty years to build the Lord’s Temple and his own royal palace.
🔎 CONSIDER
This is the second time God appeared to Solomon in a dream. The first encounter took place when Solomon first became king. When God visited Solomon the second time, the king was the richest and wisest man in the world. The temple had been built and the land was at peace.
In this dream, there was both a promise and a warning. god assured Solomon that his prayer would be answered - God's presence would remain in his temple. But there is also a warning here. God told Solomon that if he or his sons worshiped foreign gods, the Lord would rip the kingdom out of their hands and take away the many blessings he had given them.
🔎 THINK
This promise and warning to Solomon apply to us, as well. God wants to be with us, but if we chase after false gods, such as money and material possessions, we will ultimately suffer great losses.
After Solomon built the Temple to worship God, God blessed Solomon with great wealth and power. God also gave Solomon a conditional warning regarding His blessings and His curses. Solomon’s wealth and power would later cause him to ignore many of God’s warnings. From God’s words to Solomon and Solomon’s mistakes, God reveals seven lessons on maintaining our walk with Him. These include:
First, Having Faith: God promised Solomon that He would bless him if Solomon faithfully followed Him. From God’s promise, He reveals that a Spirit-led leader has faith to follow His Word.
Second, Obedience: God warned Solomon that disobedience could result in progressively severe punishments. From God’s warning, He reveals that a Spirit-led leader is obedient to Him and His Word.
Third, Integrity: The pagan King Hiram served both David and Solomon. Solomon took advantage of Hiram and sold him 20 non-productive cities in the Promised Land at an inflated price. Solomon’s actions dishonored God. From Solomon’s mistake, God reveals that a Spirit-led leader represents God’s light through integrity and honest dealings with others.
Fourth, Avoiding Compromise: Solomon employed the pagan Canaanites as slave labor to build his many fortresses and other projects. The Canaanites would later lead the Jews into idolatry. From Solomon’s mistake, God reveals that a Spirit-led leader does not compromise in his or her walk.
Fifth, Trusting God: Solomon taxed the Jews and conscripted them to form a large army. Solomon tried to deter foreign invaders with his own strength. From Solomon’s mistake, God reveals that a Spirit-led leader places his or her trust in God, not in his or her own strength.
Sixth, Staying Separate: Solomon kept his pagan Egyptian queen in a separate residence and observed three yearly feasts to God. His separation initially helped him to uphold his worship. Solomon would soon forget the importance of separation. His other foreign wives would live with him and corrupt him. He would then build pagan temples for these wives to worship other gods. From Solomon’s mistake, God reveals that a Spirit-led leader keeps his or her worship separate and holy.
Seventh, Avoiding Covetousness: Solomon built a navy to accumulate large sums of gold from foreign lands. This would cause Solomon to covet wealth and women. From Solomon’s mistakes, God reveals that a Spirit-led leader does not give into covetousness.
🔎 SIMILAR
1 Kings 15:5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
1 Kings 11:6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.
1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,
Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Zechariah 3:7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
Proverbs 28:18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
Psalm 26:11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
1 Kings 14:8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes,
1 Kings 11:38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
Psalm 26:1 Of David. Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Psalm 15:2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
Job 23:11-12 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
2 Chronicles 7:17-18 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’
Deuteronomy 28:1 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
Proverbs 10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Week 7 - No Contest - 1 Kings 10:1-13
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 10:1-13 (NLT)
1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. 3 Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, 5 she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.
6 She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! 7 I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. 8 How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! 9 Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”
10 Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels. 12 The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.
🔎 CONSIDER
When the Queen of Sheba tried to challenge Solomon, she quickly learned that her little games and riddles were no match for the king. As a result, she never again doubted Solomon's wisdom, and she was awed by his wealth and intelligence. The Queen of Sheba had to admit that Solomon and his kingdom were even better than she had heard.
Similarly, we have read and heard much about God's kingdom. But it is not until we experience it for ourselves that we truly begin to understand how great both he and his kingdom are.
🔎 THINK
Looking at verse 6-7 - Why is Solomon in this position? Why does he have this wealth, this wisdom, this clear favor? At this point in his life, he was flying high, living wholeheartedly for God, walking in His commandments, His statutes, and His ways, and this is the result. People around the world knew who he was (1 Kings 4:31-34) and he was known near and far to be a man of great wisdom, impressive in all things. WHY?
The hand of God was upon Him. The Hand of God was guiding His life.
This
is how we should all be to the world. Different. Obviously different,
stand out different, peculiar. Imagine, walking in the wisdom of God.
Living according to His way, having a life marked by an inner peace
and wisdom in all things. That is how it is meant to be – and how
it can be.
We must be careful here, this is not the current
teaching of “prosperity gospel” this is living for God and being
blessed. Our blessing are not silver and gold. Our blessings are
worth more than possessions.
🔎 SIMILAR
Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Colossians 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Corinthians 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
John 7:17 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
Matthew 13:11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.”
Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
2 Chronicles 9:2 And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her.
Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
Luke 11:31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
Luke 11:28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Luke 10:39-42 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
2 Chronicles 9:7-8 Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”
Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
Romans 13:3-4 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
Proverbs 8:15-16 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
Week 8 - Flirting with Disaster - 1 Kings 11:1-10
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 11:1-10 (NLT)
1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. 2 The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. 3 He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.
4 In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done.
7 On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.
9 The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. 11 So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. 12 But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. 13 And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.”
🔎 CONSIDER
Have you ever gone down a water slide? I haven’t but I’ve seen it done. A person sits securely at the top. This is where they are safest, completely still, and motionless. You could say they are steadfast. Then, they put their hands down and give a little push and off they go, immediately picking up speed and descending at an increasingly rapid pace. Sometimes there are twists and turns, sometimes there are screams, and it always ends with them coming to an abrupt stop as they are completely immersed/ thrown/plunged into a pool of water.
Well, up until this point, Solomon has been sitting on top of that slide. He got splashed a bit from time to time, may have made a few missteps (open sins), but now he is about to push off and what a rapid descent it will be.
Deut 7:3 warns against marrying foreign women and right off the bat in 1 Kings 11:1 we see him marrying what looks like a selection from The Who’s who of Israel’s enemies: A Moabite, an Ammonite, an Edomite, a Sidonian, and a Hittite. Just in case anyone misses why this is bad, 1 Kings 11:2 reminds us with: The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.
All told we see he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Guess what happened? Exactly what God said would happen. And his wives turned away his heart.
🔎 THINK
Solomon had disobeyed almost every rule that God had said kings should follow. He had increased his number of horses and chariots; he gathered great riches to himself. Worst of all, he worshiped false gods.
Solomon's father, David, was not without his faults and sins, but David never strayed to worship false gods. Solomon, however, allowed his foreign wives to lead him into worshiping all sorts of gods. He even built shrines to some of these false gods. Solomon's flirting with "spiritual infidelity" soon affected the entire nation of Israel, and his disobedience made God angry.
When the Lord spoke to Solomon the third time, God told him that the kingdom would be torn away from him. Solomon willingly went against what he knew God had said not to do. We should be cautious not to allow what God had condemned into our lives.
🔎 SIMILAR
Deuteronomy 17:17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
Proverbs 6:24 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
Proverbs 7:5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
Nehemiah 13:23-27 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”
1 Kings 11:8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Numbers 25:1-3 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
Exodus 23:32-33 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Revelation 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Romans 1:32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice
2 Chronicles 34:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Deuteronomy 17:17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
Judges 10:6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
Isaiah 29:13-14 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”
Psalm 78:58-60 For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols. When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
Week 9 - A Turning Point - 1 Kings 12:1-20
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 12:1-20 (NLT)
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. 3 The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. 4 “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”
5 Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”
7 The older counselors replied, “If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”
8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. 9 “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”
10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11 Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”
12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. 13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14 and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”
15 So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.
16 When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,
“Down
with the dynasty of David!
We have no
interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O
Israel!
Look out for your own house, O
David!”
So the people of Israel returned home. 17 But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19 And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.
20 When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.
🔎 CONSIDER
This chapter is one of the key turning points in the Old Testament. The nation of Israel had been united as one kingdom for less than 120 years, under the reign of kings Saul, David, and Solomon. Now the nation of Israel was torn in two - the northern kingdom, made up of ten tribes and known as Israel; and the southern kingdom, made up of two tribes and known as Judah.
The writer of 1 Kings and 2 Kings bounces back and forth between the story of both Kingdoms. To avoid getting confused, it will be helpful to notice first of all whether the writer is discussing the northern kingdom or the southern kingdom. After 1 Kings 12.20, "Israel" usually refers to the northern kingdom, and "Judah" refers to the southern kingdom.
Both Israel and Judah make a poor attempt at following God. Only a few kings of the southern kingdom of Judah follow God. None of the northern kingdom of Israel is said to do God’s will.
An important thing to learn about the split kingdoms is which tribes are part of each kingdom. While God loves and tries to keep both kingdoms close, the northern kingdom is rebellious from this point on and eventually all but disappears from history. II Chronicles 11 tells who makes up the southern kingdom and of Rehoboam obeyed God for three years.
2 Chronicles 11
1 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered together the family of Judah and Benjamin. There were 180,000 chosen men of war gathered to fight against Israel to make Rehoboam their king again. 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah. And speak to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them, 4 ‘This is what the Lord says, “You must not go up to fight against your brothers. Every man return to his house. For I have made this happen.”’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned. They did not go against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Makes the Cities Strong
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah. 6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These are strong cities with walls, in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He made the strong places stronger. He put leaders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 And he put battle-coverings and spears in every city and made them very strong. So he kept Judah and Benjamin.
Religious Leaders and Levites Come to Judah
13 The religious leaders and the Levites who were in all Israel joined with Rehoboam from all places where they lived. 14 The Levites left their fields and land and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had stopped them from working as religious leaders for the Lord. 15 He chose religious leaders of his own for the high places, for the goat-gods and for the calves which he had made. 16 Those from all the families of Israel who set their hearts on following the Lord God of Israel came after them to Jerusalem. They came to give gifts in worship to the Lord God of their fathers. 17 They made the nation of Judah strong, and gave strength to Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years. For they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
🔎 THINK
King Solomon started out as a great king, following God, but took his sin and lack of repentance took him from God.
God raised up Jeroboam from an entirely different family. King Jeroboam is the son Joseph. Joseph was a son of Jacob. King Jeroboam therefore came from the territory Manasseh. Manasseh was located about middle ways in Israel.
Jeroboam worked for King Solomon. King Solomon felt that Jeroboam had a lot of energy and a lot of potential. King Solomon gave him a raise and put him in charge of part of his workforce.
Rehoboam is king Solomons’ son. After his fathers’ death, he was about 40 years old, and the people came to him, and asked for their yoke to be lightened, which, they requested a tax break. In 1 Kings 12: 4-11 King Rehoboam did not listen to his elders, and took the advice of the younger generation. And he messed up!
Next, we see Israel, (the land of Canaan) divided further. Rehoboam received one district and Jeroboam received 12 tribal territories.
This is a Civil War, that Israel never really recovers from. Under Jeroboam‘s rule, the country is under sin for 200 years. Then, God sends the Syrians to capture them.
What causes Jeroboam to pick the world instead of God? 1 Kings 12 helps with this answer.
🔎 SIMILAR
1 Samuel 8:11-18 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
2 Chronicles 10:4-5 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” He said to them, “Come to me again in three days.” So the people went away.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Matthew 23:4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
1 Kings 9:15 And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer
1 Kings 4:20-25 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him.
Proverbs 27:10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Acts 7:57-58 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Amos 2:16 and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,” declares the Lord.
Proverbs 28:1-2 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.
2 Chronicles 10:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Hebrews 6:6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Isaiah 7:17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”
Week 10 - It's the Right Thing To Do - 1 Kings 12:25-33
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 12:25-33 (NLT)
25 Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.
26 Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. 27 When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”
28 So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”
29 He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. 30 But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.
31 Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. 33 So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense.
🔎 CONSIDER
Jeroboam soon realized that if his followers kept looking to Jerusalem as their center of religious life, it would be too easy for them to be persuaded to follow Jerusalem's king instead of him. In a speech that sounded right, he told the people that they did not have to travel all the way to Jerusalem to worship God. That was too hard to do; they could worship at the towns of Bethel or Dan.
Jeroboam started new festivals, similar to the ones that God's people we expected to attend three times each year in Jerusalem. He even set up some gold calves to help the people worship. But Jeroboam's actions were wrong. They were the first of many steps that would the people of Israel to destruction.
Because something sounds right, looks right, and is even said the be right by someone in authority, that still does not make it right. If something goes against God's Word, it is wrong.
🔎 THINK
Today, we see Jeroboam set up a system of worship that is a complete counterfeit of God’s system. Now keep in mind that this is the same man who was warned -by God- in 1 Kings 11:38 that his ability to maintain his throne depended on him obeying God’s commandments.
-He created not one (like Aaron did) but TWO golden calves and declared them “gods” to Israel.
-Israel has ONE God, this was a benchmark, a huge deviation from the rest of the culture at the time, they were known for having ONE God and now just like that, they are worshiping plural idols as gods instead.
-He also set up his own feasts and appointed times
-Made temples, which were not consecrated to God in any way
-He created his own counterfeit priest system from among the people, whom we are explicitly told are not Levites – the only priest system God had ordained.
-His system was a complete counterfeit of God’s because it was modeled after it.
-How did he get away with it?
He made sure that his counterfeits were close enough the original that the people would feel okay going along with it, but just off enough that it will keep them from truly worshiping their God.
He marketed it along the lines of “Hey, I’m going to make this easier for you. This is just as good as what you’ve been doing but it will work so much better and be far less disruptive to your life.”
His ability to be successful with this is a tragic reflection of the state of Israel in that day, just as it is among many of God’s people today. In fact, we are told the path is narrow and few will find it – based on that we can safely assume this is this way with the majority of God’s people today. Like the t-shirt says “YOU WON’T RECOGNIZE A COUNTERFEIT IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE ORIGINAL-READ YOUR BIBLE.
🔎 SIMILAR
John 12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
John 11:47-50 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
Mark 2:6-8 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?
Jeremiah 38:18-21 But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.” King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the Lord has shown to me:
Isaiah 7:9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”
Psalm 14:1 To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
Exodus 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”
Exodus 32:4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Hosea 8:4-7 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.
2 Chronicles 11:15 and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.
2 Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
Amos 7:10-13 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, “‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.’” And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
Numbers 29:12-40 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
Matthew 15:8-9 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Ezekiel 43:8 by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger.
Leviticus 23:33-44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord. On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work. “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day,
Week 11 - God Sees Through Our Disguises - 1 Kings 14
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 14 (NLT)
Ahijah’s Prophecy against Jeroboam
1 At that time Jeroboam’s son Abijah became very sick. 2 So Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise yourself so that no one will recognize you as my wife. Then go to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh—the man who told me I would become king. 3 Take him a gift of ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and ask him what will happen to the boy.”
4 So Jeroboam’s wife went to Ahijah’s home at Shiloh. He was an old man now and could no longer see. 5 But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife will come here, pretending to be someone else. She will ask you about her son, for he is very sick. Give her the answer I give you.”
6 So when Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he called out, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else?” Then he told her, “I have bad news for you. 7 Give your husband, Jeroboam, this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I promoted you from the ranks of the common people and made you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I ripped the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David, who obeyed my commands and followed me with all his heart and always did whatever I wanted. 9 You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods for yourself and have made me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on me, 10 I will bring disaster on your dynasty and will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel. I will burn up your royal dynasty as one burns up trash until it is all gone. 11 The members of Jeroboam’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures. I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
12 Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam’s wife, “Go on home, and when you enter the city, the child will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only member of your family who will have a proper burial, for this child is the only good thing that the Lord, the God of Israel, sees in the entire family of Jeroboam.
14 “In addition, the Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the family of Jeroboam. This will happen today, even now! 15 Then the Lord will shake Israel like a reed whipped about in a stream. He will uproot the people of Israel from this good land that he gave their ancestors and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, for they have angered the Lord with the Asherah poles they have set up for worship. 16 He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him.”
17 So Jeroboam’s wife returned to Tirzah, and the child died just as she walked through the door of her home. 18 And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, as the Lord had promised through the prophet Ahijah.
19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he ruled, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20 Jeroboam ruled for twenty-two years. Then he died and his son Nadab ruled in his place.
21 Now Solomon’s son Rehoboam ruled in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king. And he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from all the families of Israel to put His name there. The name of Rehoboam’s mother was Naamah of Ammon. 22 Judah did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. They made Him jealous with their sins, more than all their fathers had done. 23 For they built for themselves high places, holy objects and false gods on every high hill and under every green tree. 24 In their religion there were men in the land who sold the use of their bodies. They did all the hated things of the nations which the Lord drove away before the people of Israel.
25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the riches of the Lord’s house and the riches of the king’s house. He took everything. He even took all the body coverings of gold which Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made body coverings of brass in their place. He put them in the care of the captain of the soldiers who watched the door of the king’s house. 28 Every time the king went into the house of the Lord, the soldiers would carry them and return them again to their room.
29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam always. 31 Rehoboam died and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother’s name was Naamah of Ammon. And his son Abijam became king in his place.
🔎 CONSIDER
When death threatened Jeroboam's son, Abijah, the king wanted to turn to the Lord's prophet, Ahijah, for help. Why didn't Jeroboam pray to the idols he had been worshiping? Perhaps he realized that they were powerless and could not help his son. Jeroboam was afraid to approach the Lord's prophet himself, so he sent his wife in disguise.
Even though the prophet was blind, God told Ahijah who his visitor was and what to say. And the resulting word from God was not a word of healing, but of death - death to Jeroboam's son, to Jeroboam and his family, and to Jeroboam's kingdom.
Both Jeroboam and Rehoboam sinned as they lived and walked without God. Through their sins, they lead both Northern Israel and Judah into idolatry. Both they and their peoples tried to live without God. The result was disaster. From the mistakes of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, God provides several warnings regarding the consequences of trying to live without Him.
First, to bring Jeroboam to repentance, God allowed his son and heir, Abijah, to suffer a serious illness.
Second, acting under God’s direction, the prophet Ahijah cast judgment upon Jeroboam, his entire family, and his kingdom.
Third, because the Jews of Northern Israel adopted Jeroboam’s idolatry, the prophet Ahijah warned that all of Northern Israel would be sent into exile.
Fourth, God allowed Jeroboam to experience despair when he saw his son die upon his return.
Fifth, like Jeroboam, Rehoboam squandered his chance to lead by causing his peoples to embrace idolatry and cultic temple prostitution.
Sixth, like Jeroboam, Rehoboam refused to repent. He was prideful of the tremendous gold that David and Solomon had accumulated.
Seventh, Jeroboam and Rehoboam caused their peoples to live in strife and conflict with each other. From their mistakes, God warns that living without Him leads to strife and conflict.
When we try to disguise our true motives, we may be able to fool our family members or friends by our actions, but God knows our hearts. He knows and judges our motives behind our actions.
🔎 THINK
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11)
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry stumbles upon an enchanted mirror. Unlike normal mirrors, this one does not show the reflection of the person standing in front of it. Instead, it shows a reflection of “the deepest, most desperate desire” of that person’s heart.
But the object inside the mirror is just a mirage—a tantalizing vision trapped on the other side of the glass. This, of course, drives the mirror’s visitors mad with frustration.
But you and I both know this is a blessing in disguise. Because even if they were able to get their hands on the object of their affection, unless that object was Christ, it would inevitably disappoint.
Our temptation is to look to our careers or family for the very thing Harry was searching for inside that mirror—complete and cosmic joy. But as Jesus makes clear in today’s passage, our joy will only be made complete through his love.
Not through our families. Not through our health. Not through a new car, or being recognized in your field.
And so, we can praise God for the days when our life and work feels like less than complete joy.
🔎 SIMILAR
Hebrews 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Acts 5:9-10 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
Acts 5:3-5 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
Luke 20:20-23 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them,
Mark 14:21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Ezekiel 23:35 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.”
Psalm 50:17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
Nehemiah 9:26 “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.
2 Chronicles 11:15 and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.
1 Kings 12:28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
Exodus 34:17 “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.
1 Corinthians 10:22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
2 Chronicles 12:1 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.
Psalm 78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.
Isaiah 65:3-4 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig's flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels;
2 Chronicles 12:14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.
Matthew 1:7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,
Week 12 - Like Father, Like Son - 1 Kings 15:1-8
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 15:1-8 (NLT)
1 Abijam began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. 2 He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom.
3 He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 4 But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. 5 For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite.
6 There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam throughout Abijam’s reign. 7 The rest of the events in Abijam’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was constant war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 When Abijam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king.
🔎 CONSIDER
Rehoboam ruled over Judah for seventeen years, During his reign, he and the people worshiped false gods, and things quickly went downhill. Abijam, Rehoboam's son, followed a similar pattern. He did not truly obey the Lord, and he constantly fought with Israel, trusting his own strength rather than God's. Nevertheless, the Lord allowed him to rule because of his promise to David that someone from his family would always rule in Jerusalem.
We may not realize how much our behavior affects our younger family members. Like it or not, children do grow up to be much like their parents. Let's be aware of our behavior.
🔎 THINK
The writer of Kings almost always tells us the names of the mothers of the kings of Judah. But the same writer almost never tells us the names of the mothers of the kings of Israel. Maybe this is intended to highlight the ancestry of the promised Son of David (of Judah), whom we now know is Jesus (see 2 Samuel 7; Matthew 21:8-9).
In our reading for today we learn the name of the grandmother of Asa, probably for the sake of comparison with Abijah, who was her son (15:2). We're talking about the same woman here--but very different boys.
It's pretty safe to say Maacah was a bad influence. She was a daughter (1 Kings 15:3) of Abishalom (or Absalom), the rebel son of David (see 2 Samuel 15-18), and she built "a repulsive Asherah pole," probably a carving of Asherah, the female partner of Baal, a fertility god.
Maacah was not a nice woman. Abijah, her son, followed her influence. But Asa, her grandson, did "what was right in the eyes of the Lord" and took away Maacah's position of influence.
You also can do what is right. Maybe your mother was like Maacah, or your father like Jeroboam. But you don't have to be like them. You are not genetically destined to follow their sinful ways. God wants you to break the gravitational pull of the weak or sinful people in your life and stand up, like Asa, to live for the Lord.
🔎 SIMILAR
Psalm 119:80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame!
1 Kings 3:14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.
2 Kings 20:3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
1 Kings 14:21-22 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.
1 Kings 11:33 because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.
2 Chronicles 25:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole he
2 Samuel 11:15-17 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.
Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
1 Kings 9:4 And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,
2 Samuel 12:9-10 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
Psalm 119:6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
Week 13 - When the Brook Dries Up - 1 Kings 17:1-16
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 17:1-16 (NLT)
1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
2 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”
5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.
8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”
10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”
12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”
13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”
15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
🔎 CONSIDER
After Elijah boldly confronted King Ahab with the coming drought, the Lord led him to a creek and supplied the prophet's needs. But a time came when the brook dried up, and God led his man to the widow in Zarephath. There, the Lord took care of not only his needs but also the needs of a widow and her son.
When the brook dries up in our lives, we should listen carefully to God's directions for what he wants us to do next.
Elijah was God’s first prophet from within the apostate state of Northern Israel. He appeared four times in the Book of Kings to deliver God’s Word when either King Ahab or King Ahaziah embraced evil, and God’s priests stayed silent (1 Kgs. 16:29-19:18; 1 Kgs. 21; 2 Kgs. 1:2-2:17; 19:19-21; 2 Kgs. 2:1-18). The Jews later imagined Elijah to be a charismatic hero. In Jesus’ day, some Jews even asked if Jesus was Elijah (Matt. 16:14; Lk. 9:8). Yet, during his ministry, Elijah was rejected by almost everyone and persecuted for speaking God’s Word.
From Eijah’s example, God reveals seven lessons on being His servant in times of evil.
First, to bring Northern Israel to repentance, Elijah proclaimed that the nation would suffer a severe drought.
Second, God promised to provide for Elijah if he fled into the wilderness and trusted God to feed him with ravens.
Third, Elijah obeyed God, and God provided for him in the wilderness, just as He promised.
Fourth, God sent Elijah to a woman who had almost nothing and directed her to share what little she had with him.
Fifth, God tested both the woman and Elijah by allowing the woman’s son to die after she helped Elijah.
Sixth, Elijah prayed for God to bring the deceased child back to life.
Seventh, from this miracle, the woman praised God for sending His servant. From this example, God reveals that His messengers should inspire others to praise Him for His provision during evil times.
It is dangerous for us to stay where God supplied our needs yesterday when he instructs us to move on to some new provision for today. It is a bit frightening to leave the place of our past comfort and security, but the same God who took care of us yesterday will take care of us today.
🔎 THINK
People of faith are not promised an easy life, but they are promised that God will be with them.
As we begin to look at the life of the prophet Elijah, we see that his work begins with a message of judgment from God. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are ruling the land, but in their kingdom Baal is worshiped front and center and the worship of the true God is pushed to the back row.
The sins of the rulers and the sins of the people lead to God’s punishment. Elijah announces, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” The consequence of Israel’s sin is that the nation’s fertile land will become a desert, and everyone will suffer.
God’s judgment even affects Elijah. He will need water and food in this time of famine.
It will not be easy to be a person that God will use. But God tells Elijah where to live and find water, and God assures Elijah that the ravens will supply him with food.
We don’t know what the food looked like after being in a raven’s beak. What probably did happen, though, is that whenever a raven landed with his daily bread, Elijah gave a prayer of thanks: “The Lord has provided for me—today.”
🔎 SIMILAR
James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
Luke 4:25-26 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
Luke 1:17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
1 Kings 22:14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”
2 Kings 3:14 And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you.
Revelation 11:6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
Romans 11:2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
Luke 21:36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 9:30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah,
Matthew 7:29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Psalm 78:23-24 Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.
Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Psalm 78:15-16 He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
Luke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Week 14 - Make Up Your Mind! - 1 Kings 18:17-40
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 18:17-40 (NLT)
17 When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”
18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. 19 Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”
20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. 24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.”
26 So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.
27 About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”
28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.
30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.
Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”
34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
40 Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.
🔎 CONSIDER
Elijah had absolute confidence that the Lord was the one true God. That's why the prophet challenged Ahab and his false prophets to a contest atop Mount Carmel. Elijah wanted the king to stop causing the confusion over who was to be worshiped - Baal or God.
The prophet told the people it was time to make up their minds. They could not claim to be God's people and continue to worship idols. Elijah made fun of the 400 prophets of Baal to show the people how foolish it was to put their faith in lifeless idols, rather than in the living God.
No false god can do for us what God can do. He forgives our sins, meets our physical needs, and satisfies the spiritual longings in our hearts. God is the only one worth worshiping.
🔎 THINK
When Ahab and Jezebel ruled in Israel, wickedness ran wild. Selfishness, oppression, and idolatry flourished (1 Kings 16:29-33).
Again and again in the Old Testament, the Lord had sent prophets to confront injustice and call people to worship God—and only God—with their whole lives.
The prophets had the particular job of proclaiming God’s Word. They reminded the people of God’s instruction. They proclaimed that the Lord alone is God, and that as his people, we should reflect God’s character. We have been saved with a purpose: to restore justice and righteousness in the culture around us so that God will be glorified in the flourishing of all things. In short, the prophets proclaimed what the kingdom of God was supposed to look like.
Empowered by God’s Spirit, Elijah opposed Ahab for abusing his God-given reign for personal gain. Elijah confronted Jezebel for corrupting the people and killing God’s prophets (1 Kings 18:4). Elijah finally called on the people to turn back to God, and God displayed his power so that the people proclaimed, “The Lord—he is God!”
You too are a prophet. You too are called to show God’s love and justice to the people around you. Are you ready?
🔎 SIMILAR
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Joshua 24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 10:21-22 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Kings 17:41 So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children's children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
Revelation 3:15-16 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Deuteronomy 4:35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.
Zephaniah 1:5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,
Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Romans 6:16-22 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
1 Kings 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”
Joshua 24:23-24 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”
2 Chronicles 33:13 He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.
Genesis 44:16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.”
Genesis 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
Luke 6:13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Romans 11:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.”
Matthew 7:13-15 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Exodus 20:24-25 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Week 15 - God in the Unexpected - 1 Kings 19:10-13
🔎 TEXT - 1 Kings 19:10-13 (NLT)
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
🔎 CONSIDER
God wanted to challenge and encourage Elijah. the prophet was allowed to experience the Lord's presence in a special way. Surprisingly, God's presence was not in the strong wind, not the earthquake, not the fire. Elijah sensed God's presence in the gentle breeze.
When Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. Elijah ran in fear. He considered himself a failure, and he asked God to end his life. Like Elijah, every believer experiences defeat and setbacks in their lives. When you experience failure, it is hard to know if you are following God’s will. Many times, your setbacks or failures are simply the results of Satan’s spiritual attacks. He will do anything to silence you and deter you from doing God’s will. From this account, God provides seven lessons on surviving Satan’s attacks. These include: (1) vigilance, (2) trust, (3) dependence, (4) encouragement, (5) prayer, (6) service, and (7) fellowship.
First, after killing the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, Queen Jezebel told Elijah that she planned to kill him. From this attack, God warns that you should be vigilant for Satan’s attacks when you serve Him.
Second, upon hearing Jezebel’s threats, Elijah took his eyes off of God and fled into the wilderness. From Elijah’s mistake, God reveals that He wants you to place your trust in Him to protect you when Satan attacks you.
Third, in the wilderness, the angel of the Lord fed and sustained Elijah. From this example, God reveals that He wants you to depend upon Him to sustain you when Satan attacks you.
Fourth, after traveling to Mount Horeb, Elijah cried out to God in his sorrow. God then encouraged Elijah by allowing him to experience God’s presence through a gentle breeze. From this example, God reveals that He wants you to let Him encourage you when Satan attacks you. Today, instead of using a breeze, the Holy Spirit will minister directly to you.
Fifth, also at Mount Horeb, God invited Elijah to share his burdens by asking him why he was there. From this example, God reveals that He wants you to pray for His guidance when Satan attacks you.
Sixth, at Mount Horeb, God lifted Elijah’s sorrow by giving him a sense of purpose with three tasks to perform. From this example, God reveals that He wants you to serve Him when you feel depressed from Satan’s attacks.
Seventh, God directed Elijah to commission and train up Elisha as his successor and God’s future prophet. Elisha and Elijah gave each other fellowship and encouragement. From this example, God reveals that He wants you to find fellowship from His people and the Church when Satan attacks.
God does not always speak loudly to us. Nor does he always perform stunning miracles to prove his presence. Many times, he speaks to us through the small, unexpected events of life such as the cry of a baby, the bloom of a flower, or the beauty of a sunset. No matter how God chooses to reveal himself to you, he is always near.
🔎 THINK
In many cultures around the world today, especially in cities, silence can be hard to find. Our lives are inundated with noise. Music is always playing somewhere close by. Other electronic devices like TVs or computers are a daily part of our existence. There’s the sound of traffic, roadwork, lawnmowers, and more. Even when we escape the more obvious sources of noise, we often experience “white noise”—the hum of a refrigerator or the ticking of a clock. There’s a conspiracy of noise all around us!
If we never withdraw from the hustle and bustle, the constant flurry of activity swirling around us, we run a great risk. Constant noise can drown out the voice of God in our lives until it can barely be heard. Mother Teresa once said, “We need to find God … [but] he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.”
Elijah discovered that God rarely shouts. He wasn’t found in the violent wind, the earthquake, or the flash fire. Instead, God made himself present to Elijah through a gentle whisper. God’s signature is a still, small voice. In order to hear it, you have to be still.
🔎 SIMILAR
1 Kings 18:4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)
1 Kings 18:22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.
Exodus 34:14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
Romans 11:2-4 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
1 Kings 18:30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.
Numbers 25:13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”
Numbers 25:11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.
John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Micah 7:2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net.
Micah 6:16 For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of my people.”
Hosea 5:11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.
Jeremiah 2:30 In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.
Psalm 119:139 My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.
Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
Revelation 16:18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.
Revelation 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Exodus 24:18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 24:12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”
2 Peter 1:17-18 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
Matthew 28:2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
John 21:15-17 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, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Isaiah 6:5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
- https://inspiredscripture.com/#1%20Kings
- https://seekingscripture.com/category/bible-study/1-2-kings/
- https://todaydevotional.com/daily-devotional-library
- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%201&version=NLT
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