1 Kings - Chapter 3 with Psalm 145 and Proverbs 1

I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Chapter 2 of 1 Kings ends, The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon's hands. Israel's first king was Saul, and he became king around 1050 BC. He reigned for about 40 years, and when he died, David I became king of southern Israel called Judah. His capital was Hebron, and he reigned there for 7 years, while one of Saul's weak sons was king of the northern 10 tribes. Then David reigned all of Israel for 33 years in Jerusalem, so his kingdom was for 40 years, about 1010 to 970 BC. Now Solomon is king of the United Kingdom of Israel from 970 until 930 BC. The Bible does not seem to say how old he was when he became king, but some suggest as young as 15, and others guess around 20 years old. We know that David called him a man of wisdom in chapter 2 verse 9. Chapter 3 verse 1 starts, Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married his daughter. He brought her to the city of David until he finished building his palace, and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. Now way back in Deuteronomy chapter 17 verses 14 through 20, during the time of Moses, the Lord said, when you enter the promised land, and you ask for a king, this is the kind of king you should have. Number 1, he was to be someone the Lord anointed, check. Number 2, he was to be a fellow Israelite, check. Number 3, he must not acquire a great number of horses for himself, we don't know yet. Number 4, he must not make the people return to Egypt to get more horses from them, for the Lord has told you, you are not to go back that way again, uh oh. Number 5, he must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. So far only one wife, but she's Egyptian. Number 6, he's not to accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. How much would large amounts be, hmm? Number 7, he is to copy the law, read it all the days of his life. We don't know if any of the kings did that. Number 8, he's not to consider himself better than other Israelites and turn from the law. Since Israel is located in a very important area with trade routes which connect Africa with especially Egypt from the south to Asia and then Europe to its north and east, it makes political sense to have an ally to the southern border. But intermingling in marriage with other religions was a big no-no for the Israelites, unless they would take the faith of the Jews. This first sentence about Solomon already gives a hint of his downfall. Now verses 2 through 4 explain that people sacrificed on the high places throughout Israel. They were supposed to go to the tabernacle where the Lord dwelt in the Ark of God. But with Israel's borders expanding even more under King David, it made it hard to go to one place to worship. The problem was that people may not have been worshiping the Lord on those high places. Verse 3 says Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. That word except reminds us that none of us are perfect. We all have an except in our lives. The plus is that the story continues and we see how the Lord used Solomon and spoke to Solomon even with that quote except in his life. Solomon had made a huge sacrifice at Gibeon, the most important high place, and that night God spoke to him in a dream. God said, ask for whatever you want me to give you. Solomon asked for wisdom, and he said in verses 7-9, Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, but I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number, so give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong, for who is able to govern this great people of yours? When Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern, the literal translation is quote a hearing heart to judge. In the Hebrew the word for hearing and obeying come from the same word, so in other words we really only hear the Lord when we obey the Lord. Well the Lord was so pleased with Solomon's request that he gave him that as well as what he did not ask for, riches and honor. He will be like no other king of Israel. Verse 14 says, And if, if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life. Solomon woke up, realized it was a dream, returned to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the Lord's covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings where he was supposed to do it. He then gave a feast for his whole court. Now I'd like to read Psalm 145, a psalm of praise of David. I will exalt you my God the King, I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another, they will tell of your mighty acts, they will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all, he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you O Lord, your saints will extol you, they will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord, let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever. The one thing that's so great about writing down stories or songs is that they have a way about living you. David is now dead, but his psalms still play a part in Solomon's life as well as the children of Israel as well as believers in Jesus still today. While the Lord is watching over Solomon and his first recorded act of judging is known all over the world probably even to this day and it showed that the Lord had given Solomon his wisdom. Two prostitutes had young babies and they were living in the same house. Each slept with their child. One of the mothers awoke and found her baby dead, but when she examined the baby in the morning light she realized it was not her baby, her baby was still alive with the other woman. Now the set up back in Moses' day was that there were local judges, but if cases were too difficult they would come to Moses. It seems that something similar would have to be the case with the king. So this difficult case came before King Solomon. Both women claimed that the live baby was theirs. The king asked for a sword and commanded that the baby be cut in two and each woman would receive half a baby. One mother said fine, but the other mother cried out no, no give the baby to the other mother. Solomon then gave the baby to the mother that cried out to save the child's life. Verse 28 says when all Israel heard the verdict the king had given they held the king in awe because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. Solomon's wisdom came from God and the book of Proverbs is full of his sayings which is why it is called wisdom literature. I remember one of my professors sharing that the book of Proverbs is a great way to start conversations with people about God because so many people are looking for wisdom and ways to improve their lives and this book is full of it. Verses 1-7 of Proverbs chapter 1 are the key verses of the book and it says, The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, for attaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding words of insight, for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair, for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young. Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance, for understanding Proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Wisdom is the ability to know what to do with the knowledge one has because of the instruction that one receives. Not only are we to receive wisdom and knowledge, but I really like the phrase, let the wise listen and add to their learning. Ladies, we need to always be about learning new things and growing as a believer in Christ until he comes again. What is something new that you have learned? Plus we are called to share what we know with those younger than us, the next generation. I wonder how many times David shared with Solomon about the Lord. The beginning of wisdom and knowledge begins with the fear of the Lord. King David knew that he was a steward to THE king that has an everlasting kingdom in heaven. He feared the Lord, but we have also read about many people who have been fools and have despised wisdom and discipline, like many of the other sons of King David. So ladies, would you put yourself in the wise category or the fools category? King Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David, EXCEPT. What is your EXCEPT? Talk with the Lord about it and if you hear from him today, remember to really hear means to obey. Until next time and thanks so much for listening.