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· 17 viewsSolomon's reign was marked by unparalleled wisdom, but what happens when we forget where it comes from.
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Chapter 12 of 1 kings is a pivotal chapter in the history of the nation of Israel.
For it is here that we find the kingdom of twelve tribes divided into ten tribes to the north and two tribes to the south.
What’s more, is that this was God’s doing, not man’s.
Solomon’s reign is marked by unparalleled wisdom, and unmatched riches! Both are from God.
No other kingdom has been as glorious and demonstratively wealthy as Solomon’s!
And what’s more, God gave the riches as a blessing for Solomon’s request for only wisdom to govern the people of God.
This in itself brings up a lot of questions about how God works in our day to day lives.
I. Why does doing and asking for the right thing spiritually, have inconsistent results?
Or to ask the same question another way
It falls on the heals of probably the greatest reigning kingdom the world has ever seen.
For it is here that we find the kingdom of twelve tribes divided into ten tribes to the north and two tribes to the south.
Why does God Bless some people in one way and some in another way?
What’s more, is that this was God’s doing, not man’s.
Solomon’s reign was marked by unparalleled wisdom given to him by God, and riches never before or after seen in any kingdom on earth.
And the reason for God doing this is simple, it was because of Solomon’s idolatry.
And lest we forget, Solomon’s riches were a blessing from God because he did not ask for it when given the choice of any one thing he could possess as king of Israel. Rather, he asked for wisdom to properly govern the people of God.
But, why was
The answer lies in our own:
So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”
But, let’s not find in this some pattern of achievable result with God if we do this or that.
A. Expectations
Even the wisest man in the world was unwise, and all because he departed from the Word of God.
Most Christians think that if they ask for the spiritual God will give the material!
There is more of this ridiculous teaching today than ever before. And with it goes an ignorance of God’s word and the ability to discern it.
B. Desires
Solomon’s reign is marked by unparalleled wisdom, and unmatched riches! Both are from God.
Solomon’s reign is marked by unparalleled wisdom, and unmatched riches! Both are from God.
As way of introduction to this series I’m going to point out some common errors regarding Biblical interpretation that will hopefully lead us into some of the particular problems we find in exercising wisdom, which we shall cover over the course of this month.
No other kingdom has been as glorious and demonstratively wealthy as Solomon’s!
There is also a
And what’s more, God gave the riches as a blessing for Solomon’s request for only wisdom to govern the people of God.
C. Motives
I. Why does doing or asking for the right things not have equal results?
So all of this brings up questions about how God works in our day to day lives.
In order to answer this question accurately we need to look at ourselves and ask what are our:
I want to zero in on something I just said:
II. How important is the Word of God in this?
A. Expectations
B. Desires
C. Motives
II. How important is the Word of God in these things, and, how much does it matter in regard to wisdom?
Solomon’s riches were a result of asking for wisdom rather than riches, long life, etc.
I. Why does acting wisely seem to have inconsistent results?
I. Why does acting wisely seem to have inconsistent results?
Or to ask the same question another way,
Why does God bless some people in one way and some in another way?
The answer lies in three areas, our own:
A. Expectations
A. Expectations
There’s something broken in our thinking, and it is a result of the fall of mankind.
Our expectations control how we view God’s blessings!
Because we categorize blessings based on our own expectations, we derive all kinds of quirky doctrines.
1. That God blesses in only one way.
2. That anything outside of our expectations is suspect to scrutiny.
B. Desires
B. Desires
We have desires and they also are tainted by our fallen nature.
If this were not true, there would be no Biblical mandates to walk in the Spirit.
Our desires are for the most part evil that we may be satisfied.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
C. Motives
C. Motives
They are boastful and full of pride.
We think they are pure, but we deceive ourselves. This is why we don’t receive the blessing we desire or expect.
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
II. Where is true wisdom found and how do we get it?
II. Where is true wisdom found and how do we get it?
A. Wisdom is found in the Word of God.
A. Wisdom is found in the Word of God.
In reading and studying it we become wiser.
We are told to ask God for it in order to understand why we face various trials.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
It is described as a virtuous woman calling one to exercise discernment and walk in holiness
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
B. Wisdom is accomplished through strict adherence to God’s commands.
B. Wisdom is accomplished through strict adherence to God’s commands.
Interestingly, every king commissioned by God in the Bible is warned that departing from His word, results in the eventual end of their reign.
Prophets are also not exempted from this. One such example is seen in
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
In this series, there will be much for us to glean.
But, if I could summarize this series into one sentence, it would be this:
Having Godly wisdom is, as easy as listening to the word of God, but impossible when dismissing it for what appears to be wiser.