Studies in 1 Kings … No. 43 ( Numbers 1-42 in
1 & 2 Samuel )
WHEN ADONIJAH
COUNTED HIS CHICKENS … 1:1-2:10
Introduction:
The Books of Kings continue the
saga begun in 1 and 2 Samuel.
Originally these four historical books were called 1, 2, 3 and 4
Kings. In 1 Kings chapters 1-11 we will
read of the Tranquillity
of Solomon’s Reign.
In 1 Kings 12-22 we will see the Tragedy of a Divided
Kingdom. It is a kingdom beset by
war and wickedness.
The opening two chapters record
the death of David and the accession of his son to the throne of Israel.
1. THE
ROLE OF ABISHAG … 1:1-4
1: Now king David was old and stricken in years; and
they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2: Wherefore his servants said unto him,
Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand
before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my
lord the king may get heat.
3: So they sought for a fair damsel
throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and
brought her to the king.
4: And the damsel was very fair, and
cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
As I heard a Bible College
lecturer once explain it … Abishag was chosen to be “an old-fashioned hot water
bottle!”
Whilst the practice described
here may read odd to our western eyes, yet in that culture, at that period of
history, there was nothing shocking about it.
Some commentators have identified
this lass with the Shulamite maid in the Song of Solomon (Song of Solomon
6:13).
2. THE
PRESUMPTION OF ADONIJAH … 1:5-10
5: Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself,
saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty
men to run before him.
6: And his father had not displeased him
at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly
man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
7: And he conferred with Joab the son of
Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
8: But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty
men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
9: And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and
fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his
brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
10: But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and
the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
This is David’s eldest living
son. Notice …
(a) His
Pride … vs. 5-6
Like Absalom, Adonijah likewise
had his eyes on the throne and began with a display of ostentation (cf. 2
Samuel 15:1).
(b) His
Partners
David’s general, Joab, and
David’s high priest, Abiathar, both join forces with Adonijah! He is about to proclaim himself as the new
king … and Joab and Abiathar want top jobs in his kingdom.
(c) His
Preclusions … v. 8
Not everybody was invited! These were David’s loyal followers who knew
that God had appointed Solomon to be David’s successor.
Zadok and Abiathar were both high
priests at this time. Zadok had been
Saul’s … I think! (1 Chronicles
24:1-4).
Nathan was the faithful prophet
who had rebuked the king over his sin with Bathsheba. The fact he did not have his head chopped off on the spot and
that he was still a part of David’s retinue reveals something of the sincerity
of David’s repentance (2 Samuel 12:1).
(d) His
Party
Throw a feast at EnRogel, get the
guests merry, and then pronounce himself king.
Such is Adonijah’s plan.
3. THE
REVELATION OF NATHAN … 1:11-14
He hears … from God or a friend?
… and tells Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother.
And advises her to act quickly
before David dies.
4. THE
REQUEST OF BATHSHEBA … 1:17-27
1: 15 And Bathsheba
went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag
the Shunammite ministered unto the king.16 And Bathsheba
bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
17 And she said
unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid,
saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon
my throne.18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and
now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:19 And he
hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the
sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host:
but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.20 And thou,
my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell
them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.21
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with
his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
Into David’s presence she
strides to tell of Adonijah’s plot to
steal the throne from her son.
(a) She
reminds David of his promise:
that Solomon would be the next king
(v. 17; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; 28:1-7).
(b) She
tells David of Adonijah’s party (v. 18).
(c) She
tells David of Solomon’s peril … for Adonijah will kill other
claimants to the throne! (v.21.)
(d) She
tells David of Joab’s and Abiathar’s participation in the
usurper’s plans
(v. 19).
Nathan “accidentally” enters (as
he had pre-arranged (v. 14), and confirms all that Bathsheba has said! (vs.
22-27.)
5. THE
CONFIRMATION OF NATHAN … 1:24-25
24: And Nathan said, My lord, O king,
hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25: For he is gone down this day, and
hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the
king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and,
behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
6. THE
DECREE OF DAVID … 1:29-30
“Solomon is to be king in my
place!!”
7. THE
CORONATION OF SOLOMON … 1:32-40
All this is carried out quickly
(vs. 38-39).
And the people rejoice! (v.40.)
8. THE
FEAR OF ADONIJAH … 1:41-53
(a) The
News is brought … Solomon has been crowned king!
(b) The
Usurper is distraught! … Will Solomon have him put to death? (v. 50a)
(c) The
Refuge is sought …v. 50b
50: And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose,
and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
Likewise there is but one place
of refuge for the proud, rebellious sinner today … an altar; a place of
sacrifice called Calvary. Simply to Thy cross I cling!!
(d) The
King’s retort … (vs. 52-53).
Adonijah may live … unless he rebels against me at some future date.
There seems to be a parallel here
with David’s Greater Son saying to the repentant sinner today, “My sheep
hear My voice and follow Me…” But
woe unto those who stop listening … and obeying!
9. THE
DEATH OF THE KING … 2:1-10
1 Now
the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son,
saying,
2 I go the way of all
the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge
of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his
commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the
law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and
whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4 That the LORD may
continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take
heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all
their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
5 Moreover thou knowest
also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two
captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the
son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the
blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that
were on his feet.
6 Do therefore
according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in
peace.
7 But show kindness
unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at
thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
8 And, behold, thou
hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me
with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to
meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee
to death with the sword.9 Now
therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what
thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave
with blood.
10 So David slept with
his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
Solomon is exhorted by his dying
father to …
(a) Serve
God manfully … 2:2
(b) Cultivate
spirituality … 2:3-4
(c) Reward
and punish quickly! … 2:5-9
Trouble-makers (like Joab!) are
to be put to death! (2:5)
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 44
SOLOMON’S SWORD,
SPOUSE, AND SACRIFICE
Chapters 2-3
Introduction:
The accession of Solomon to the
throne is a delightful illustration of David’s Greater Son, the Lord Jesus, and
His return as King of kings and Lord of lords.
But first, let’s review the story
…
1. THE
CHARGE HE RECEIVED … 2:1-10
David, on his deathbed, charges
Solomon to deal with the enemies of his kingdom … Joab (vs. 5-6), and Shimei
(vs. 8-9), and to reward Barzillai’s sons (v. 7).
2. THE
JUDGEMENTS HE INFLICTED … 2:13-46
(a) Adonijah,
Solomon’s eldest brother, asks for Abishag to be his wife (2:17). But Abishag had been one of David’s
concubines and the new king was to have the previous king’s harem. It was another ploy on the part of Adonijah
to grasp the throne (1:5; 2:22).
Solomon has him put to death
(2:23-25).
(b) Abiathar,
the high priest, is banished for having taken part in Adonijah’s
attempted take-over (1:7; 2:26-27).
26 And
unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own
fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to
death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and
because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
27 So
Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might
fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in
Shiloh.
(c) Joab, once
David’s general, had been guilty of the murder of Abner and Amasa. He had slain Absalom despite David’s orders
(2 Samuel 18:5). He had sided with
Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7).
Hearing of David’s word to Solomon
that he is to be put to death (1 Kings 2:5), Joab fless to the altar. But Exodus 21:12-14 tells us that even
clinging to the altar is no refuge for the murderer (for those guilty of
manslaughter, yes, but not murder).
Joab is slain (1 Kings 2:14).
(d) Shimei was the
fellow who had cursed David at the time of Absalom’s rebellion, and then
pleaded for mercy when David returned triumphant (2 Samuel 19). On his deathbed the king has told Solomon to
beware or this trouble-maker (2:8).
Thus it is Solomon tells him to remain in Jerusalem … to depart will
mean death!
Three years later Shimei goes to
Gath, searching for some run-away slaves.
And on his return the king keeps his word! (2:46).
Likewise the Lord Jesus always
keeps His Word. What He has promised He
will do (Philippians 1:6).
And the time factor is immaterial
… His promise is true for all eternity.
3. THE
REWARDS HE PROFFERED … 2:34
Benaiah becomes general in place
of Joab … and Zadok is made high priest.
35 And
the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok
the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
4. THE
PRINCESS HE MARRIED … 3:1-3
1 And
Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter,
and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building
his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round
about.
2 Only
the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the
name of the LORD, until those days.
3 And
Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he
sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
There is a good reason to believe
that this Egyptian lass had, like Ruth of Moab, come to place her trust in the
God of Israel.
(a) Solomon
is not condemned by the sacred writer for this marriage … as he is
later on when he marries heathen women (1 Kings 11).
(b) On the
contrary we are told that he only sinned in the matter of
sacrificing “on the high places” … a heathen custom (v. 3).
(c) We are
told that at this stage he “loved the Lord” (v. 3)
(d) And
nearly all commentators are agreed that Psalm 45 was penned at this time …
a Psalm that speaks of the bride “forgetting her own people”! (Psalm 45:10).
Psalm 45: 10 Hearken,
O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people,
and thy father's house;11 So shall the king greatly
desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
5. THE
FESTIVITIES HE LED … 3:4
There is a time of tremendous
praise and worship at the wedding of the king.
6. THE
ONE HE TYPIFIED … David’s Greater Son … Matthew 12:12
(a) The
Ruling of the Father … the Son is to be the Judge! (John 5:22).
(b) The
Removal of the Wicked … He shall gather out of His kingdom all things
that offend (Matthew 13:41).
(c) The
Rewarding of the Righteous … Like Benaiah and Zadok, there are rewards
awaiting His faithful saints (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
(d) The
Reception of the Bride … she “hath made herself ready and is off the the
marriage supper”! (Revelation 19:7-8).
(e) The
Rejoicing of Heaven … a time of praise and worship that makes Solomon’s
festivities pale in comparison to Revelation 19:1-6.
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 45
THE WISE FOOL … Chapter 3
……………………………………………
Introduction:
David had reigned
40 years … filled with strife and bloodshed, both nationally and in the
domestic scene.
Now comes Solomon
to the throne … and 40 years of peace and prosperity. It is Israel’s Golden Age.
1. THE
PRAYER FOR WISDOM … vs. 6-9
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast
showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked
before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with
thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him
a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now,
O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and
I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy
servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people,
that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give
therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may
discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a
people?
In a dream the Lord
asks Solomon what he wants …
“Wisdom to be a
godly ruler,” is Solomon’s replay (vs. 7-9).
And the Lord is
pleased (v. 10).
As a result, God
not only bestows wisdom upon the new king, but also promises him “riches and
honour” and long life IF Solomon keeps His laws (v. 13).
In nearly 40 years’
time we will see Solomon’s failure to obey the Law of God.
2. THE
PORTRAYAL OF WISDOM
But in his early
reign Solomon puts God first in his life.
Many legendary
stories of his wisdom are found in Hebrew and Islamic literature.
The Bible records
the story of two women and the one baby.
Which they both claim to be their’s.
Solomon solves the
dilemma … vs. 23-28.
23 Then said the
king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and
the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.24 And the king said,
Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king
said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the
other.26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was
unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord,
give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it
be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.27 Then the
king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she
is the mother thereof.
28 And all Israel
heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for
they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
The reaction of the
true mother (v. 26) to Solomon’s seeming heartless suggestion
(v. 25), revealed to him the true parent (v.
27).
His wisdom and
knowledge was also seen in his writings … and people came from everywhere to be
amazed at what they saw and heard (vs. 29-34).
3. THE
PASSING OF WISDOM
Near the close of
his reign we read, “The Lord was angry with Solomon”, and he who was
promised “long life if…” dies about the age of 60. And his empire is in turmoil (11:9).
Why? Because he forsook the Law of the Lord.
He began to worship
idols … idols brought into Israel by his heathen wives.
Just as the true
parent did not want her child divided by the sword (vs. 25-26), so the king
should have learned that God does not want His child divided in allegiance to
Him.
Earlier Solomon had
even written … in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the
Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” How much of your heart,
Solomon? Half? Or All?
He didn’t take his
own inspired advice!!
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 46
SOLOMON … IN ALL HIS
GLORY …Chapter 4
Introduction:
At first sight I Kings 4 seems a
very uninteresting list of various names and details concerning the provisions
for, and possessions of, this third King of Israel.
Verses 1-6 mention eleven folk who hold
positions of importance in his realm …
Azariah, grandson of Zadok, is now high
priest. Zadok and the deposed Abiathar
(2:26-7) are no longer active in this role (4:5).
Jehoshaphat (not to be confused with a later
King of the same name), is appointed as the Royal Historian (v. 3). No doubt the writer of Chronicles 500 years
later will draw on these records as he compiles his story of Israel’s history.
Adoniram is “over the tribute” (v. 6) …
many kingdoms once conquered by David are now taxed by Solomon. And Zabud is spoken of as the king’s
“friend” (v. 5 KJV). “Adviser” is
probably a better translation.
Despite his wisdom, Solomon
needed some outside help! And one of
the ways God will give us wisdom concerning a decision we must make or a path
we should walk, is by the mature advice of godly Christian friends.
Verses 7-19 tell of twelve officials
scattered around Israel who are responsible for the monthly provision to be
sent to the court.
Soldiers; builders;
wives; concubines; ladies in waiting; attendants; guests … All
these need to be provided for. And
early in his reign God blessed the nation with such prosperity that it was
possible.
But later in Solomon’s reign all
that will change!!
Verses 20-28 describe the peace and
prosperity of these days.
The 40,000 stalls for horses (v.
26 KJV), should read 4,000. It is not a
matter of the Inspiration of the Bible being in error … but of the translators
of the King James Version making a mistake.
Verses 29-34 close the chapter with a reminder
of Solomon’s great knowledge and wisdom.
* * * * *
* * * *
1. WHAT
THE DISPENSATIONALIST SAYS!
“Israel has never possessed the
land that God promised to Abraham’s seed … so they will occupy it during the
millennium…”
See, e.g., James Gray’s Christian
Worker’s Commentary … page 127, etc., etc., etc.
See Genesis 15:18-20 (NIV) for
God’s promise to Abraham …
And this is surely the fulfilment
… 4:20-21.
20 Judah
and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and
drinking, and making merry.
21 And
Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river ( Euphrates ) unto the land of the Philistines, and unto
the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of
his life.
The nation of Israel did possess
the land during the reign of Solomon.
And they later lost it again because of their sin. See Jeremiah 32:21-23.
Jer. 32:21 And hast brought
forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders,
and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror; 22 And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to
their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
23 And they came
in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law;
they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou
hast caused all this evil to come upon them:
2. WHAT
SAMUEL SAID!
When the people clamoured for a
king (1 Samuel 8), the prophet Samuel warned them that it would lead to
taxation. “No worries”, they replied,
“we want a king like the other nations…”
Now they will learn the hard way
… as Samuel’s word begins to take effect and increasingly grow worse.
3. WHAT
MOSES SAID!
Note well Deuteronomy 17:14-20.
14 When thou art
come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it,
and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all
the nations that are about me;
15 Thou shalt in
any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from
among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a
stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.16 But he
shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt,
to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto
you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.17 Neither
shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall
he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be,
when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy
of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the
days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the
words of this law and these statutes, to do them:20 That
his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from
the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may
prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
FIVE THINGS a king must observe … see how
Solomon squares up!
(a) Do not
multiply horses in Israel … but, what
did Solomon do? See 1 Kings 4: 26.
(b) Do
not trade with Egypt … but, 1 Kings 10:26, 28 tells us of his disobedience to
this command.
(c) Do not
multiply wives!! … but, Solomon had 700 wives, and 300 concubines (1 Kings
11:1). And sure enough, his heart was
“turned away” from following the God of his fathers.
(d) Do not
amass silver and gold … but, read 1 Kings 10:22-23, 27. He even had 300 shields of beaten gold …
just for decorative purposes (1 Kings 10:17).
(e) And
DO copy out God’s Law and read it and heed it Deuteronomy 17:18-19) … but,
nowhere in the story of Solomon do we read that he did this.
4. WHAT
THE LORD JESUS SAID … Matthew 6:26-30
26 Behold the fowls
of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his
stature? 28 And
why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say
unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if
God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast
into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Not only was He teaching a lesson
in freedom from worry … for He who clothes the flowers can also meet your needs
… but perhaps reminding His disciples that true beauty is not something that
one puts on (like Solomon’s), but is that which grows from within … from our
“new nature” (2 Peter 1:4).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 47
KING SOLOMON’S
TEMPLE … A Study of its Symbolism
Chapter 5-8 and 2
Chronicles 2-7
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;
Introduction:
We come to the highlight of
Solomon’s reign … the building of the Temple.
John Bunyan (of Pilgrim’s
Progress fame) wrote a 156 page book on this subject back in the 17th
century.
And Freemasons delight to find
symbolism for their unchristian rituals in this portion of Scripture.
1. THE
ILLUSTRATION OF THE TEMPLE
As Bunyan says, “It is full of
gospel-matter!”.
This is not a dry study of
architectural interest but an illustration of certain New Testament
truths.
The Church is spoken of as a
living Temple in Ephesians 2:20-22.
And just as David’s son, Solomon,
built a literal Temple, so David’s Greater Son is building His spiritual Temple
… made of “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5).
Whilst the Tabernacle in the
Wilderness spoke of the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, the Temple of
Solomon is more a picture of the Church … as we shall see!
The fact that the Holy Spirit
inspired the Scripture writers to devote at least ten chapters to this building
indicates something of its importance for us.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God … and is profitable” (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. THE
PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEMPLE
(a) The
Magnaminity of David. It was he who
planned to build a house for his God … and was forbidden to do so (1 Chronicles
22:6-10).
Some lesser lights might have
said, “Well, if I can’t build it, forget it!!”
But not David. His nose was not “out of joint”. He did what he could to prepare for his
son’s building of the Temple.
(b) The
Nationality of the Workers. Jews and
Gentiles combined in the erection of this edifice. Solomon’s alliance with the King of Tyre meant that beside the
30,000 Israelites employed (“drafted”! Living Bible, 1 Kings 5:13) there
were also 150,000 Canaanites (9:20-21) and the thousands supplied by Hiram.
Whether Hiram was converted to
trust in the God of Israel we cannot be sure.
Although he does say “Praise the LORD (Jehovah)” in 2 Chronicles 2:12.
In any case we have here a
picture of the New Testament Temple … comprised of Jews and Gentiles.
“Through Christ,” writes Paul, “we both, i.e. Jew and
Gentile, have access to the Father…
Ye (Gentiles) are no more
strangers …” Ephesians 2:18-22.
3. THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE
1 Kings 6:1 tells us that it is
about 960 BC. ( This is an important
text for the dating of the exodus from Egypt.)
6: 1 And
it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of
Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's
reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began
to build the house of the LORD.
Verse 2 reveals that this
building was approximately 90 feet long, 30 feet high, and 45 feet wide.
Side chambers, presumably for
priests and temple attendants, are built on the side walls. The Temple is made
of stone, panelled with cedar wood and covered with gold.
For that matter, there is gold
everywhere!! (1 Kings 6:21-22; 30).
6: 21 So
Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by
the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
22 And
the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house:
also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold
In the courtyard stands a massive
altar of sacrifice … 30 feet square and 15 feet high (2 Chronicles 4:1).
And a giant laver (or sea)
holding 12,000 gallons of water! It is
15 feet in diameter and 7½ feet deep.
Supporting it are twelve bronze oxen (1 Kings 7:23-26). Smaller lavers are on wheels (vs. 27-39).
The whole things is much the same
pattern as the Tabernacle, but much larger.
And this is a permanent structure, whereas the Tabernacle had been
portable.
All the furniture is new … except
the Ark of the Covenant. This is overshadowed
by two gold-covered cherubim. The
wingspan of each was 15 feet (1 Kings 6:23ff.).
(a) Two
interesting texts present themselves to us in chapter 6, verses 7-8 and 37-38.
(a) Notice that the Temple took
seven years to finish (6:37-38).
6:37 In
the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month
Zif:
38 And
in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the
house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the
fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.
SEVEN is a number that denotes completion. And in this context it is an illustration of
the fact that when we reach the end of the age … when our Lord Jesus
returns … then the New Testament Temple will be completed. The last ‘living stone’ will be put into
place.
(b) But there is more! No sound was heard in the building (v. 7).
7 And
the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was
brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron
heard in the house, while it was in building.
All the preparation for the
completed Temple in Glory is being done down here on earth. Someone has suggested that evangelists are
God’s Quarry-men, blasting the sinner from the mountainside. And pastors and teachers are those who shape
the rocks to make them “fitly framed together (Ephesians 2:21). There are some rocks (saints) who still need
shaping and polishing … and overlaying with gold!
All this takes place in this
lifetime. Too late to change
later.
Eventually the stones take their
place in the Heavenly Temple, the glorified Church.
(b) And
it may be of interest to note that the Temple faced the East (Ezekiel
8:16). So it is the Church should keep
its face toward the Lord’s return … for He shall come “as the lightning that
shineth out of the East” (Matthew 24:27).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 48
HERE COMES
THE QUEEN !!
… Chapter
10
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Introduction:
The story of the Queen of Sheba’s
visit to Solomon is an old favourite.
It is found in both 1 Kings 10
and 2 Chronicles 9, plus countless Sunday-school lesson books.
Dozens of spiritual lessons are
here, full of New Testament truths.
1. THE
HISTORICAL INCIDENT
10: 1 And
when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the
LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
2 And
she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices,
and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she
communed with him of all that was in her heart.
3 And
Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king,
which he told her not.
4 And
when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he
had built,
5 And
the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of
his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which
he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
(a) The
Place. Where was
Sheba? The New Testament places it at
the “ends of the earth” (Matthew 12:42).
Some scholars today suggest that
it was in Arabia, others Ethiopia. The
Ethiopians even claim that their ruler today is a descendant of the Queen of
Sheba … and Solomon!
Wherever it was it was an
incredibly long, exhausting and hot journey…
(b) The
Queen. Arabian writers say
her name was Balkis, whilst the Ethiopians say it was Makeda!
Certainly ancient historians
refer to queens ruling over these lands.
Even in Acts 8 we are introduced
to an Ethiopian treasurer who was the servant of “Candace, queen of Ethiopia”
(Acts 8:27). Maybe she was a descendant
of Solomon ???
(c) The
Meeting. Verses 1-4. Two things especially ‘take her breath away’
…
·
What Solomon Says … for he answers all her questions.
·
And What Solomon Possessed. The abundance of riches and the splendour of his court were
incredible to see.
(d) Her
Confession. Verses 6-7.
6 And
she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy
acts and of thy wisdom.
7 Howbeit
I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold,
the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I
heard.
She had heard about Solomon’s ‘glory’ in her own country … but Wow! Now she sees it for herself she exclaims
“The half was not told me!”
(e) Her
Gifts. Verse 10. To the King of Israel she gives great
riches. The Living Bible translates
it $3,500,000….
(f) Her
Blessings. Verses 10-12. For out of the abundance of his wealth (some
of his trading ventures are mentioned (vs. 10-11) he gives gifts to her (v.
12).
(g) Her
Return to Sheba … to tell
her people as to what she had seen.
Now, all this leads us to :
2. A
SPIRITUAL ILLUSTRATION
The Lord Jesus compared Himself
to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba is likened to those who come to Him.
At the Last Judgement, says
David’s Greater Son, the Queen of Sheba will rise to condemn those who could
not even be bothered to investigate His claims (Matthew 12:42).
We are told that she came to Solomon
with “hard questions”, to test his wisdom (v. 10), and he answered every one!
Likewise those who sincerely come to
the Lord Jesus with all their doubts and problems will have every answer
revealed.
·
Where do I find peace of mind in this world? And He answers, “Come unto Me … and I
will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30).
·
How can I know God in an intimate way? And He replies, “I am the Way…” (John 14:6).
·
What happens after death?
He replies that for some there is a “house of many mansions”
(John 14:2), whilst for others there is “weeping and wailing and gnashing of
teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
She was impressed, too, by the
joy of his subjects. Do people look at
us and wish that they had a Lord and Saviour like we have?? (v. 8).
He has provided a table of
blessings for us (v. 5); we are seated
with Him “in Heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3);
we are clothed with the robe of righteousness that He has provided for
us (“their apparel”) … How good it is
to be one of His servants!
And she responds, “The half was
not told me.” Would that sinners would
investigate the claims of the Lord Jesus … Who died for them and rose again …
and yield to his rule over their lives.
The New Testament speaks of two Kingdoms, Satan’s and Christ’s. To which do you belong? (Colossians 1:13.)
And she gave a gift to
Solomon. So to the One greater than
Solomon we bring ourselves … Romans 12:1, “Present your bodies a living
sacrifice … which is your reasonable service.”
And in return He will shower you,
out of His abundant riches, with spiritual blessings:
The
joy of sins forgiven!
The
peace of God that keeps us in the midst of life’s upsets,
The
promise of a Heavenly Home bye and bye.
The
fellowship of Christian friends.
The
fruit of the indwelling Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
And home she went to tell others
of the king she had met! And the Lord
Jesus, David’s Greater Son, says to us, “Go … and tell …” (Mark 16:15).
The soul who comes to Jesus finds
life’s questions answered and the joy of being in His Kingdom. And can truly say, “The half was not told
me.”
But then that soul is bound for
the Heavenly shore … and one day, when this life is over and the Saviour takes
us for a stroll down those streets of gold in the Heavenly Jerusalem, we will
say, “Wow! The half was not told me!!!”
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 49
GOODBYE, SOLOMON … Chapter 11
………………………………………………………………..
Introduction:
Did Solomon go to Heaven when he
died? Will we meet him walking those
golden streets?
This one who led the nation of
Israel to heights of greatness never reached before … or since; this one who
penned three Old Testament books; who
was famous for his wisdom and knowledge;
who built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem; did he ultimately make it to the Heavenly Zion?
Was he saved?
1. THE
SINS SOLOMON COMMITTED
1 But
king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh,
women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
2 Of
the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall
not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will
turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And
he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his
wives turned away his heart.4 For
it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart
after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was
the heart of David his father.
5 For
Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the
abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And
Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD,
as did David his father.
7 Then
did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the
hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children
of Ammon.8 And
likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed
unto their gods.
9 And
the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God
of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And
had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other
gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
His life reads like that of a
drunken joy-rider. At the first, not
too drunk to steer properly. But as the
saga progresses we see him stupefied with pride and skidding around the hairpin
bends of immorality and idolatry. And
finally comes the inevitable crash.
(a) His
Violation of Deuteronomy 17:16-17.
Despite God’s Law Solomon
“multiplied horses, traded with Egypt, multiplied wives and silver and gold”
(See Study No. 4).
(b) His
Violation of Leviticus 25:23.
The land belonged to God. It may be sold temporarily to extricate
someone from debt … but then it must return to its ‘owner’ at the year of
Jubilee.
But here is the record, in 1
Kings 9, of Solomon giving 20 cities to the King of Tyre.
It was not Solomon’s to
give! The land belonged to God.
To make matters worse, the land
he does give is
“Cabul” (v. 18) … which means “worthless”!!
Hiram is not pleased with
Solomon’s gift and bad feeling springs up between this one who was the friend
of David (5:1) and David’s son.
(c) His
Violation of Deuteronomy 27:15.
No idolatry!! But Solomon’s
heathen wives brought their religion with them into the land of Israel (1 Kings
11).
Ashtoreth was the fertility goddess whose
worship consisted of gross immorality (v. 5).
Milcom was appeased by child sacrifice.
And we are told that Solomon not
only built temples for these ‘gods’ … and others … but that he participated in
their worship (v. 8) ??
“Let him that standeth take
heed lest he fall…” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
2. THE
STRIFE ISRAEL EXPERIENCED
21 And
when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the
captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may
go to mine own country. 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast
thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And
he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.
23 And
God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from
his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: 24 And
he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them
of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in
Damascus. 25 And
he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that
Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
With the inroads of sin into the
nation, peace and prosperity fly out the window.
The peace described in 1 Kings 4
is now shattered.
Whilst the full brunt of the
enmity will not be felt in Israel until after Solomon’s death, already the
seeds of war are sown.
* Hadad the Edomite reclaims the territory Israel
had taken from them. And that means no
more tribute for Israel from Edom!
* Likewise
Rezon,
the King of Damascus, in Syria (vs. 23-25).
* And
Jeroboam
is an Israelite … from the tribe of Ephraim; the foreman of a work-gang.
Because of his threat to
Solomon’s kingship we are even told that Solomon seeks to kill him! (v. 40.)
3. THE
SENTENCE GOD DECREED
Ahijah, the prophet, has told
Jeroboam that he will rule over ten tribes of Israel. This is an ‘illustrated’ sermon;
Ahijah rending his garment into twelve pieces and giving ten to Jeroboam
(vs. 31-34).
29 And
it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the
prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with
a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:30 And
Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
31 And
he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of
Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will
give ten tribes to thee:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my
servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen
out of all the tribes of Israel:)
33 Because
that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children
of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine
eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
34 Howbeit
I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince
all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he
kept my commandments and my statutes: 35 But
I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even
ten tribes.
After Solomon’s death this
prophecy will come to pass … ten tribes will elect Jeroboam as their king; call themselves the House of Israel and have
nothing to do with the House of Judah (ruled over in Jerusalem by Solomon’s
son), (v. 43).
It is imperative that the seed of
David continues … for many a prophet has said the Messiah will be born of his
line.
* * * * *
* * * *
Conclusion:
So Solomon died (vs. 41-43).
There is no indication of his
turning back to God. No word of
repentance escapes his lips.
Was he saved?
In John 21:20-22 the Lord Jesus
rebukes Peter for wanting to know things that do not concern him…
41 And
the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they
not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42 And
the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.43 And
Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father:
and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Whatever happened to Solomon is
in God’s hands …
He is the Judge, not me …
What does concern
me is that I heed the
Saviour’s command to follow Him (v. 22).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 50
A TALE
OF TWO KINGDOMS … 11:26-12:24
……………………………………………………………………..
Introduction:
The Kings of
Israel
SAUL
↓
DAVID
↓
SOLOMON
↓
REHOBOAM
JEROBOAM
↓
↓
The first of nineteen
kings reigning over The
first of nineteen kings and one
the House of
JUDAH. queen
to rule over the House of
ISRAEL.
All descended from
David. None
descended from David.
Some good (about 8)
and some bad. All
wicked!
Judah finally taken
into captivity by Israel
finally taken into captivity by
BABYLONIANS, 606-586
BC. ASSYRIANS,
721 BC.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
11: 26 And
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose
mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the
king. 27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his
hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the
city of David his father. 28 And the man Jeroboam was a
mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious,
he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
29 And it came to
pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah
the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment;
and they two were alone in the field:30 And Ahijah
caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus
saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the
hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:32 (But
he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake,
the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
33 Because that
they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children
of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine
eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand:
but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's
sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will
give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
36 And unto his son
will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me
in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all
that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
38 And it shall be,
if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways,
and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as
David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as
I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.39 And
I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
Just before the death of King
Solomon we are introduced to an up-and-coming young leader, Jeroboam! Solomon puts him in charge of one of his
building ventures … 11:28.
1. THE
PROPHECY OF AHIJAH
In a remarkable acted sermon,
God’s prophet reveals to Jeroboam that he is to be ruler of ten tribes when the
division takes place (11:31).
2. THE
ENMITY OF SOLOMON … 11:40
Solomon seeks to kill Jeroboam
who finds refuge in Egypt. The Egyptian
King, Shishak, is well known to archaeologists (v. 40).
40 Solomon sought
therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto
Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41 And the rest of
the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written
in the book of the acts of Solomon?42And the time that
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
43 And Solomon
slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
3. THE
FOLLY OF REHOBOAM … 12:1-21
At Shechem a deputation
approaches Solomon’s son to plead for reduced taxation (vs. 3-4). Rehoboam says he will make things even
tougher for his subjects (v. 14). The
ten tribes revolt (v. 19).
3 That they sent and called him. And
Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam,
saying ,4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now
therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke
which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. ………………………
13 And the king answered the people
roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;14
And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father
made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you
with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.15 Wherefore
the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that
he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto
Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king
hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion
have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your
tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their
tents.17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt
in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was
over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died.
Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to
Jerusalem.19So Israel rebelled against the house of
David unto this day.
20And it came to pass, when all Israel
heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the
congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed
the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.21And
when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with
the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were
warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to
Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
4. THE TESTIMONY OF SHEMAIAH … 12:22-24
A prophet tells Rehoboam not to
make war with the Northern kingdom for “This thing is from Me” … a good text
for us to ponder.
12: 22 But the word of God
came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23
Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all
the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye
shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return
every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to
the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the
LORD.
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 51
THE CASE
OF THE WITHERED HAND … Chapters 12-13
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Introduction:
In the south two tribes are known
as ‘The House of Judah’. Their king is
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and the capital is Jerusalem. God had said that only at Jerusalem were the
special Feast Days to be observed and sacrifices to be offered (Deuteronomy
16:16).
But Jeroboam does not want his
people travelling to Jerusalem … so he builds two idolatrous altars …one at Dan
and one at Bethel. He also appoints his
own priests (who are not Levites), and his own special feast days.
1 Kings 12: 26-33: 26
Jeroboam thought to himself, "The kingdom will now likely revert to the
house of David. 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the
temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their
lord, Rehoboam king of Judah ….28 After seeking advice, the king
made two golden calves. He said to the people, "It is too much for you to
go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of
Egypt."
29 One he set up in Bethel,
and the other in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin …31
Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of
people, even though they were not Levites... 33 On the fifteenth day of
the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the
altar he had built at Bethel...
1. THE
COMING OF THE MAN OF GOD … 13:1-10
1 By the word of the LORD a
man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar
to make an offering…..
To Bethel, on this day of
dedication for Jeroboam’s heathen altar, comes a man of God from the House of
Judah! He denounces the apostacy, the
kings hand is withered and the altar splits open !
1 Kings 13:4-5 … 4
When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at
Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize
him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shrivelled up, so that
he could not pull it back.
5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured
out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.
A terrified king beseeches the
man of God to restore his hand… and, when this is done, he invites the
southerner to stay and dine with him.
But God has told the Man of God not to stay in Bethel. He leaves.
1 Kings 13:8-10 … 6
Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your
(note that!!) God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD,
and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
7 The king said to the man of God, "Come home with
me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift." 8
But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half
your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water
here.
9 For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: 'You
must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.'" 10
So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
2. THE
COMING OF THE OLD PROPHET … 13:11-19
An old prophet lives in Bethel.
But he has fallen into disuse. No longer does he rebuke the idolatry of the ten
tribes. But he wants to meet the man of
God. So he pursues him , finds him ,
and invites him back to Bethel for a meal.
1 Kings 13:11-19 … 11
Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came
and told him all that the man of God had done there that day… they had saddled
the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of
God. He found him sitting under an oak
tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.
15 So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me
and eat." 16 The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and
go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17
I have been told by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink
water there or return by the way you came.'"
18 The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet,
as you are. And an angel said to me by
the word of the LORD: 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat
bread and drink water.'" (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the
man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
He lies to him that “an angel
said” … it was proper for the man of God to do so.
Still today, there is the danger
of becoming an old prophet whom the Lord can no longer use … and the danger of
believing a lying ‘prophet’, those who would deny what God has clearly said in
His Word. “Take heed,” said the Lord
Jesus, “that no one deceive you!”
(Matthew 24:4.)
3. THE
COMING OF THE VOICE OF THE LORD … 13:20-34
As they dine together the Lord
speaks through the old prophet. It is a
message of judgment for the man of God.
He will not get home … alive!
Sure enough, on the way back to
Judah he is slain by a lion.
1 Kings 13:24 … 20
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the
old prophet who had brought him back.
21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from
Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD
and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you.
22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the
place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be
buried in the tomb of your fathers.'" 23 When the man of God
had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled
his donkey for him.
24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road
and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey
and the lion standing beside it. …29 So the prophet picked up the
body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own
city to mourn for him and bury him. 30 Then he laid the body in his
own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, "Oh, my brother!"
+ Why was the judgement on the man of God so severe
? Simply because he disobeyed the Word
of the Lord (vs. 21). Having said that,
whilst he was punished with physical death, it does not necessarily
follow that he was punished with spiritual death …Hell!
+ Why was not the old prophet punished ? Perhaps he was … though there may be an
indication that he repented. (v. 30)
+ Why was the man of God slain whilst King Jeroboam only
received a withered hand? Because …
Luke 12:48!
48 But he that knew
not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom
men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
The one who does not know and does things deserving punishment
will be beaten with few blows. From
everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who
has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
+ And most serious … Why did Jeroboam return to his evil
ways? The Scripture seems to indicate
that he had experienced a change of heart.
He had sacked the false priests.
He had thoughts of ridding the land of the idolatrous ways he had
introduced.
13: 33 Jeroboam did not change his
evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all
sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to
become a priest he consecrated for the high places.
When he heard of how the man of
God had returned to dine … after saying
that God had forbidden him to do so (vs. 7-8) … he returned to his
evil.The inconsistency in the life of the man of God ruined his testimony. The House of Israel continued in its
toboggan slide to doom.
I Kings 13:34 This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its
downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.
* * * * *
* * * *
Conclusion:
There are lessons here on being
true to God’s Word, on not being deceived by false teachers, on the Holiness of
our God and His judgement on sin, on the danger of being a castaway from His
service, on being consistent in our Christian walk.
Amen??
=============================================================
Studies in 1 Kings … (No. 51 A)
HELPS TO
UNDERSTANDING 1 AND
2 KINGS
KINGS
OF ISRAEL KINGS
OF JUDAH
Jeroboam I 22 years Bad Rehoboam 17 years Bad
mostly
Nadab
2 years Bad Abijah
3 years Bad mostly
Baasha 24 years Bad Asa 41 years Good
Elah
2 years Bad Jehoshaphat 25 years Good
Zimri
7 days Bad Jehoram
8 years Bad
Omri 12 years Extra Bad Ahaziah
1 year Bad
Ahab 22 years The Worst Athaliah
6 years Devilish
Ahaziah
2 years Bad Joash 40 years Good mostly
Joram 12 years Bad mostly Amaziah 29 years Good
mostly
Jehu 28 years Bad mostly Uzziah 52 years Good
Jehoahaz 17 years Bad Jotham 16 years Good
Joash 16 years Bad Ahaz 16 years Wicked
Jeroboam II 41 years Bad Hezekiah 29 years The
Best
Zechariah 6
months Bad Manasseh 55
years The Worst
Shallum
1 month Bad Amon
2 years Bad
Menahem 10 years Bad Josiah 31 years The Best
Pekahiah 2
years Bad Jehoahaz 3 months Bad
Pekah 20 years Bad Jehoiakim 11 years Wicked
Hoshea
9 years Bad Jehoiachin 3
months Bad
Zedekiah 11 years Bad
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Northern
Kingdom, “Israel” : 933-721 BC
First 50 years Harassed
by Judah and Syria
Then 40 years Quite
prosperous, under Omri’s house
Then 40 years Brought
very low, under Jehu and Jehoahaz
Then 50 years Reached
its greatest extent, under Jeroboam II
Last 30 years Anarchy,
ruin and captivity
The Southern
Kingdom, “Judah” : 933-606 BC
First 80
years Quite prosperous,
growing in power
Then 70
years Considerable
disaster; introduction of Baalism
Then 50
years Under Uzziah, reached
its greatest extent
Then 15 years Under Ahaz, became tributary to
Assyria
Then
30 years Under
Hezekiah, regained independence
Last 100 years In
the main, a vassal of Assyria
Relation to
Each Other
1st 80 years Continuous war
between them
2nd 80 years They
were at peace with each other
Last 50 years Intermittent war, to the end
Dynasties
In the Northern Kingdom there
were 9 Dynasties (family lines of kings):
1: Jeroboam, Jadab; 2: Baasha, Elah; 3: Zimri; 4: Omri, Ahab,
Ahaziah, Jehoram; 5: Jehu, Jehoahaz,
Joash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah; 6:
Shallum; 7: Menahemn, Pekahiah; 8: Pekah;
9: Hoshea. 19 kings in all. An average of about 11 years to a
reign. 8 of these kings met death by
violence.
………………………
In the Southern Kingdom there
was only 1 Dynasty, that of David – except usurper Athaliah from the Northern
Kingdom, who by marriage broke into David’s line and interrupted the succession
for 6 years. 20 kings in all. An average of about 16 years to a reign.
=============================================================
Studies in 1 Kings … No. 52
THE CURIOUS
CASE OF THE
DISGUISED MOTHER
… Chapter 14
…………………………………………………
14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and
disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get
thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I
should be king over this people.3And take with thee ten
loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee
what shall become of the child.
4 And Jeroboam's
wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah.
But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. 5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam
cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt
thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign
herself to be another woman.
6 And it was so,
when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he
said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another?
for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. 7 Go,
tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee
from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, 8 And rent the kingdom
away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as
my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his
heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; 9 But
hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made
thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me
behind thy back: 10 Therefore, behold, I will
bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that
pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will
take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till
it be all gone.
11 Him that dieth
of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field
shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
“Wife!” said King Jeroboam of Israel, “I want
you to do something for me. I’m
concerned about our son, Abijah. His
sickness may well prove fatal.” As a
matter of fact, he mused to himself, it may be that his sickness has
been sent by God because of the things I’ve been up to since I became
king. Appointing alternative places of
worship, erecting idols, making priests out of some fellows who were not of the
tribe of Levi. It just maybe that
is what’s behind this sickness… but I’m not going to admit that to my
wife!! (12:28-31).
“Go and see Ahijah, the prophet
at Shiloh, the one who tore my good coat up into a dozen pieces (11:30ff). Ask him what can be done to save the life of
Abijah. And wife, disguise
yourself! I don’t want him to know that
you are asking on my behalf. I have a
feeling he doesn’t like me!” (14:1-3).
So Abijah’s mother (the
Septuagint version adds that her name was “Ano, an Egyptian princess”) goes …
and knocks … on Ahijah’s door (vs. 6-10).
The old blind prophet greets her
with a message of doom. The whole house
of Jeroboam will be destroyed, violently!
Except Abijah, who will die as soon as she returns home! (v. 12).
And the whole House of Israel
will one day go into captivity “beyond the River Euphrates …” (vs. 11-18).
Thus it was the prophecy came to
pass. Abijah died (v. 17). Jeroboam died (v. 20), and Nadab, his son,
reigned two years before he and the rest of Jeroboam’s family were slain by the
new King Baasha (15:25-29). [Ahijah,
Baasha’s father (v. 27), is not the prophet, v. 29].
From the death of Solomon until
the Assyrians conquer the House of Israel about 200 years later, we will
see 19 kings sit upon the throne …
Jeroboam
I 22 years
Nadab
(his son) 2 years
Baasha
(a usurper) 24 years
Elah
(a drunkard) 2 years
Zimri
7 days!
… and so it goes.
Nineteen kings, mostly unrelated,
and of every one of them it says that they “did evil in the sight of the Lord.”
But in the House of Judah
in the South, we will see 19 kings and one queen, all descendents of King
David, and eight of them are good kings.
Eventually the House of Judah
will be taken into exile in Babylonia.
1. GOD IS
HOLY
This story of Jeroboam is another
reminder that God punishes sin. His
very nature demands that He do so. He
is a Holy God and He demands that His children be holy also (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Nothing that defiles shall enter
His Holy City (Revelation 21:27).
Of course, the good news of the
Gospel is that the Lord Jesus died to provide a perfect salvation … that the
one who comes to Him might be washed white ‘in the blood of the Lamb.’
He is able to present us
“faultless” before God the Father (Jude 25).
2. GOD IS
OMNISCIENT
He knows everything. You cannot fool Him. The prophet Ahijah was blind and Ano was not
yet in the house. But he knew who she
was. (Who is the blindest person in
this story – Ahijah or Jeroboam?)
This chapter reminds us that man
may behold the outward appearance … God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
3. GOD IS
MERCIFUL
True, Abijah, the king’s son,
died. But God was merciful in taking
him home to heaven before the judgements fell (v. 13; Isaiah 57:1-2).
If we could see the future as God
sees it, it would help us understand the reason why some of these things that
we call ‘tragedies’ happen.
Even in the case of Abijah’s
sickness, it was probably sent by God to bring Jeroboam to his senses.
Affliction often causes a person
to consider his spiritual condition (Psalm 119:67, 71).
God IS good … and merciful … and
He knows best!
TRUST HIM!!
=============================================================
Studies in 1 Kings … No. 53
SHIELDS OF
BRASS
… 2 Chronicles 11-12
Introduction:
The story of the Divided Kingdom
now jumps to and fro … sometimes in the Northern House of Israel, and sometimes
in the southern House of Judah.
And sometimes the story is told
more fully in the Books of Kings, and sometimes more fully in 2 Chronicles!!
As we survey the reign of Judah’s
first king, Rehoboam, we need to gather the story from both Kings and
Chronicles!
* * * * *
* * * *
Rehoboam came to the throne after
the death of his father, Solomon. He
was 41 years of age at the time (2 Chronicles 12:13), and he reigned 17 years.
During that time he married 18
wives, had 60 concubines, and 88 children (2 Chronicles 11:21).
His reign got off to a bad
start; he threatened to raise the taxes
… a move which provoked the rebellion of the 10 tribed House of Israel and the
election of Jeroboam as their king.
Rehoboam intended to go to war against them but was rebuked by Shemaiah,
a prophet of God, to whom he hearkened!
(2 Chronicles 11:1-4.)
For three years, Rehoboam having
eaten ‘humble pie’, there is peace. The
priests and Levites from the Northern Kingdom link themselves with Judah. And so do many others from the other tribes
(2 Chronicles 11:13-17).
These verses are important in
refuting the teaching that there exists ‘the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel’, who will
be revealed in the latter days.
True, the northern House was
dispersed among the nations nearly 200 years later. But already thousands of Israelites from all the ten
tribes had thrown in their lot with the House of Judah.
The Bible does not teach a future
reunion of the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
1. THE
DEGREDATION THEY EXPERIENCED
(a) Defences
Erected. 2 Chronicles
11:5-12 tells of the fortifications built by Judah to withstand an attack from
Egypt. Their trust is in the ‘arm of
flesh’ rather than the Living God (2 Chronicles 12:1).
(b) Offences
Committed. 1 Kings 14:22-23.
21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned
in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of
all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was
Naamah an Ammonitess.
22And Judah did
evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their
sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
Thus the people chosen by God to be His witnesses to the heathen
now sink lower than any other nation.
Idolatry and immorality become rampant throughout Judah!
In our society also there are
those who major on minor issues … they protest about chopping down trees … and
say nothing about the murder of the unborn (by abortion). They march in anti-nuclear demonstrations …
but smash the Ten Commandments.
Rehoboam had fortifications to
defend himself … and righteousness was forgotten.
2. THE
DEFEAT THEY SUFFERED
It is not surprising to read that
when Shishak of Egypt attacked the fortified cities fell and Jerusalem was in a
sorry state.
Again we meet Shemaiah who leads
the Jews in an act of repentance (the princes first, v. 6, then Rehoboam joined
in!). Thus the city was spared but
plundered. And Judah found itself
paying tribute to Egypt (2 Chronicles 12).
Sin always leads to defeat …
Proverbs 14:34!
34 Righteousness
exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
……………………………………..
3. THE
DECEPTION THEY PRACTISED … vs. 9-10
In the days of Israel’s glory
Solomon had decorated his palace with 300 golden shields (1 Kings 10:17). Now they are taken by Shishak, Rehoboam
replaces them with shields of brass (v. 10).
It is symbolic of the departed blessing of God upon the nation.
(a) Some
churches likewise lose the golden gospel and replace it with ‘brass’ social
activity.
(b) Some
Christians lose their joy … the world robs them of the blessings God has for
them.
(c) And there
are some who have never responded to the golden gospel … and the deadness of
brass fills their soul. The Lord Jesus
dies and rose again to give “beauty for ashes” … gold instead of brass (John
10:10).
=============================================================
Studies in 1 Kings … No. 54
ASA :
the GOOD KING
… with the BAD FEET
Introduction:
Galatians
5:7 … “You
were running a good race. Who cut in on
you and kept you from obeying the truth?”
(NIV)
The converts at Galatia had started
well … but were failing to continue in the same manner. An Old Testament King of Judah illustrates
this text for us and points us to the cause and remedy.
1. RUNNING WELL!!
(a) Cleaning Up Judah! …
outwardly.
Asa is one of Judah’s good
kings. He reigns for 41 years and his
story is told in both 1 Kings 15 (fifteen verses) and 2 Chronicles 14-16
(forty-eight verses).
He is a descendant of King
David. And when he comes to the throne
he inherits an ungodly situation. His
father and grand-father (Rehoboam) had done nothing to rectify Solomon’s
idolatrous ways.
But Asa initiates some outward
reforms … and the Lord is pleased!
It is a time of destroying that
which was evil and fortifying the good.
2 Chronicles 14:1-7.
3 For he took away
the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images,
and cut down the groves:4 And commanded Judah to seek
the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high
places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.6 And
he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in
those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
7 Therefore he
said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and
towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have
sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every
side. So they built and prospered.
The only problem was that
although a king might ‘command’ his subjects to “seek the Lord” (v. 4) it does
not change their heart condition.
Holiness cannot be legislated.
Nevertheless, God was pleased with this outward reform (v. 2).
Asa … you
are ‘running well’!
………………………………………………….
(b) Cleaning
Up Zerah!
A massive army under Zerah comes
to invade Judah. The word ‘million’ (v.
9) is literally ‘thousands of thousands’ … innumerable to the writer. But Asa prays … one of the great prayers of
the Old Testament incidentally! … and the Lord gives Judah the victory. 2 Chronicles 14:9-12.
Moreover, Asa’s army plunder
great riches from the defeated enemy (vs. 14-16). And then we read a strange thing … a prophet warns Asa not to
lose faith in God. After all … such a
victory and the subsequent prosperity could make one feel self-sufficient!
2 Chronicles 15:1-8.
Asa … you
are running well
………………………………………………
(c) Cleaning
Up Judah … inwardly!
What had previously been an
outward reform movement now becomes a great revival!
Thousands from the northern House
of Israel now come to reside in Judah.
The Feast of Weeks is observed according to the Mosaic Law (the first
time for about a century!) and the people commit themselves to the true God (v.
15). And God blessed them!
2 Chronicles 15:9-15.
9 And he gathered
all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and
Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance,
when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10 So they gathered
themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of
the reign of Asa.11 And they offered unto the LORD the
same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven
thousand sheep.
12 And they entered
into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and
with all their soul;13 That whosoever would not seek the
LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man
or woman.
14And they sware
unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with
cornets.15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they
had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he
was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.
Asa … you
are running well!
……………………………………..
(d) Cleaning
Up Grandma!
This woman made an idol …
connected with fertility worship!
2 Chronicles 15:16-19. ’Nuff said!
16 And also
concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen,
because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped
it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.17 But the high
places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was
perfect all his days.
18 And he brought
into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he
himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.19 And
there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
Asa … you
are running well!
……………………………
(e) Cleaning
Up Ramah.
The King of Israel (the northern
ten tribes) decides to erect a ‘Berlin wall’ to stop the defection of his
people. Building materials are amassed
at Ramah, just north of Judah’s border.
So Asa contacts the Syrian King and gets him to attack Israel in the far
north. Whilst the army of Israel head
off to defend themselves from this Syrian threat, Asa’s men plunder the
building materials at Ramah and use them to build two cities in Judah! 2 Chronicles 16:1-6.
Asa … you
are running well … or are you??
……………………………………………………………
2. RUNNING
BADLY
(a) An
Unequal Yoke!
Asa had relied upon a heathen
king to save him from Israel, instead of on the Lord Who had saved him from
Zerah and his host. “Be not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers” is Old Testament teaching as
well as New! (2 Corinthians 6:14-16.)
(b) An
Unexpected Reaction
When reproved by God’s prophet
for so doing, Asa has the prophet imprisoned!
And the godly remnant in Judah who protested at this act also feel the
king’s wrath (2 Chronicles 16:7-10).
7 And at that time
Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast
relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is
the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.8 Were
not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and
horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into
thine hand 9 For
the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou
hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Asa was
wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with
him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
(c) An
Unbearable Disease
Now Asa is afflicted with a
disease in his feet. But this is
symptomatic of the ‘spiritual gout’ he is now suffering. He is no longer ‘running well’ (vs. 11-12).
11And, behold, the
acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of
Judah and Israel.12And Asa in the thirty and ninth year
of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great:
yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
13And Asa slept
with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
(d) An
Unfruitful Decision
He seeks a cure from the doctors,
and forgets about the Lord. Not that
there was anything wrong with seeking medical help. Unless they were pagan physicians who relied upon incantations
and ‘quack’ remedies (vs. 12-14).
* * * * *
* * * *
Conclusion:
God had set out rules for kings in the Law of Moses
(Deuteronomy 17:18-20). But Asa
had failed to obey these in his old age.
He began well and ended badly.
And those who forsake the study of the Scriptures, and prayer, and
fellowship with God’s people will likewise be in jeopardy of forsaking the
Lord.
As the earlier prophet had warned
him (2 Chronicles 15:2), “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and
Benjamin! The LORD will stay with you
as long as you stay with him! Whenever
you seek him, you will find him. But if
you abandon him, he will abandon you…”
’Tis a solemn lesson for every
believer. It has been well said, “If
you have ever loved the Lord more than do right now, you have
back-slidden that much!”
Galatians 5:7 … “You were
running a good race. Who cut in on you
and kept you from obeying the truth?”
(NIV)
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 55
SINFUL SOVEREIGNS
Introduction:
The northern House of Israel
continues its drift from God … indeed there is an acceleration of wickedness
until we reach the heights of infamy during the reign of Ahab.
Whereas the writer of 1 Kings
devotes five chapters to six kings (Jeroboam to Omri) he now deals with Ahab in six chapters (16:29-22:39).
1. THE
DYNASTY OF OMRI … 1 Kings 16:15-28
Omri is the father of Ahab. He is an evil king who reigns for twelve years. During that time there are three matters of
interest …
15 In the twenty
and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And
the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath
conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the
captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.17 And
Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
18 And it came to
pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of
the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died.19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of
the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to
make Israel to sin.20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri,
and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel?
21 Then were the
people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the
son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 22 But
the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni
the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
23 In the thirty
and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve
years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. 24 And he bought
the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill,
and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner
of the hill, Samaria.
25 But Omri wrought
evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of
Israel to anger with their vanities. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his
might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and
was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
(a) His War with Tibni … vs. 21-22.
For
some time there is a civil war in the House of Israel. Omri prevails and becomes sole king.
(b) His
Purchase from Shemer … v. 24.
He buys the hill, Samaria, and
makes it the new capital.
(c) His
Victory over Moab … as borne out by the Moabite Stone discovered in
1868. This archaeological find was
originally erected by Mesha, King of Moab, and it tells of Omri’s oppression of
them ‘many days’… Mesha is also
mentioned in the Scriptures in 2 Kings 3:4.
2. THE
ENMITY OF JEZEBEL! … vs. 30-33
Not only did Ahab have an evil
father … he wed an evil wife! (v. 31).
30 And Ahab the son
of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for
him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife
Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served
Baal, and worshipped him.
32 And he reared up
an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the
LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
The previous kings of the House
of Israel have at least tolerated by worship of Jehovah alongside the pagan
deities. Now comes a concerted effort
to stamp out the devotion to Jehovah.
The true prophets are slaughtered
… about 100 escape and are hiding in a cave (1 Kings 18:3-4) whilst 450 priests
of Baal and 400 priests of Asherah, the fertility goddess, sit at Jezebel’s
table … (1 Kings 18:19).
3. THE
PROPHECY OF JOSHUA … Joshua 6:26
About 450 years earlier Joshua
had led the people of Israel into the Promised Land and seen the walls of
Jericho miraculously fall. And Joshua
had made a prophecy.
It was foretold that whoever
rebuilt Jericho would experience the death of two of his sons. Now, 450 years later, it happens (1 Kings
16:34).
God’s promises always come true …
be they of judgement or blessing. “I
will watch over my word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:12 RSV).
4. THE
FOLLY OF JEHOSHAPHAT
A King of Judah, a good king, son
of Asa! Seven chapters are recorded of
his reign.
He reigns for 25 years; fortifies the southern kingdom (2 Chronicles
17:2); cleansed the land of idolatry
(v. 6); appointed 16 princes and
priests to go throughout the land as Bible teachers (vs. 7-9). Surrounding nations feared him and brought
tribute (v. 11). It was a time of peace
and prosperity.
Whilst the House of Israel
increased in wickedness, the House of Judah was walking with their God.
And then Jehoshaphat makes his
foolish mistake (2 Chronicles 18:1).
So many times throughout the
Scripture comes the story of men and women who ‘yoke together with unbelievers’
and live to rue the day (2 Corinthians 6:14).
What ‘affinity’ can godly
Jehoshaphat have with idolatrous, Jehovah-hating Ahab and Jezebel? He probably thought it wise to make a
military alliance, considered himself strong enough to withstand the apostasy
of these northern brethren, maybe even thought he could help them
spiritually??? Maybe Jehoshaphat was a
spiritual giant and was able to withstand the allurements of Baal
worship … But his son, Jehoram, ended
up marrying Jezebel’s daughter (2 Kings 8:18)…
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 56
THE MAN
WHO CHANGED THE
WEATHER
… 17:1-2
Introduction:
Suddenly, into the palace of King
Ahab at Samaria, and into the pages of Scripture, comes this thundering
prophet, ELIJAH (1 Kings 17:1-2).
17: 1And
Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As
the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, but according to my word. 2 And the
word of the LORD came unto him, saying……………..
He will be the dominating figure
in the next 8 chapters.
And he will be mentioned 27 times
in the New Testament.
ELIJAH : Alexander Whyte speaks
of him as “a Mount Sinai of a man!”.
And J. Oswald Sanders records, “he flashes like a meteor across the inky
blackness of Israel’s night!”
Many, many commentators draw a
parallel twixt this Old Testament man of God and the fiery Scot, John
Knox. Both waged war on idolatrous
queens … and won!
The opening verse of chapter 17
teaches us a number of truths concerning the qualifications needed to be a true servant of God …
1. HIS
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
… Zilch! Zero! Nothing to write home about. No gold-framed diploma certificate on the
wall of his shack. No letters after his
name. That is not to say that a good
well-balanced scholarship is to be despised.
But the main thing was that God had called him. And all the Degrees in the academic world
are useless in the Lord’s service without that ‘ordination of the nail-pierced
Hands’.
2. HIS
APPEARANCE
2 Kings 1:8 describes him as “hairy … in a leather
girdle”. Not a
fine upstanding, handsome fellow like King Saul (1 Samuel 9:2), or Absalom (2
Samuel 14:25). But the God Who sees the
heart saw a devotion to Himself that the others did not have.
3. HIS
COURAGE
… Into the palace. Pushing the guards out of the way. Denouncing the king. And off into the land east of Jordan (v. 3).
It could be that sitting on some
hillside in Gilead (v. 1) he had read Psalm 27. “Why fear Ahab?” he mused.
“Or Jezebel?” “Whom shall I
fear?…” (vs. 1, 3).
4. HIS
GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS
He stood before Ahab … true. But he also stood before his God
(17:1). As the Lord liveth … before
Whom I stand!” Not some dead, dumb idol,
like Baal, but the Living God Who sees and speaks and hears.
Like Elijah, no matter where we
are, we should be conscious of standing in His presence. “Lo, I am with you alway!” He said
(Matthew 28:20),
5. HIS
PRAYER LIFE
“… according to my word” says
Elijah! That is, he has the ear of
God. And his prayer will move the Arm
of the Lord to shut up the heavens above that it rains not (17:1).
James uses this incident as an
example of earnest praying … James 5:16b-18.
(a) Notice
his Earnestness (v. 17a).
The marginal reference (in the
KJV) has it that Elijah “prayed in his prayer”!
* Some folk just recite words that get no higher than the ceiling.
* Some folk preach a sermon in their prayer to everyone else in
earshot.
* Some folk tell the Lord what to do … and how to do
it.
* Elijah truly PRAYED!
(b) Notice
his Effectiveness (v. 17b).
And there is a reason for
it. His prayer was based on God’s
promise in Deuteronomy 11:13-17.
One can imagine Elijah praying,
“Lord, You said that if the nation went into idolatry You would stop the
rain. So, Lord, honour Your word, keep
Your promise. DO IT!!” When we have God’s promise to claim … then
we can stand upon the promises!
Bear in mind that this promise in
Deuteronomy was given to Israel in the Old Testament. I’m not so sure that it is a promise Christians can claim today.
(c) Notice
His Example
Elijah was no Superman, no
Archangel in disguise. He was a human
being, says James 5:17 … just like you and me …
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 57
ELIJAH …
AND CHRIST’S COMMANDS … 17:3
Introduction:
The prophet of God has confronted
King Ahab of Israel and told him of the impending drought (17:1).
Despite the fact that Ahab and
Jezebel worship Baal and Asherah – gods of fertility and productivity – Elijah
will reveal to them that his God is more powerful as he shuts up the heavens
from dew and rain until he prays for the drought to end.
Then God bids His prophet to do
three things … three things that are Old Testament ways of conveying New
Testament truths. They are just as much
Christ’s commands to us today as they were “the word of the Lord” (v. 2) to
Elijah.
17: 1 And
Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the
LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain
these years, but according to my word. 2 And the
word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
3 Get thee hence,
and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before
Jordan.
1. “GET
THEE HENCE” … a Lesson in Separation
Elijah is not to fellowship with
the ungodly. Nor are we.
Whilst there is a doctrine of
Unity in Scripture (so often over-emphasised these days!), there is also a
doctrine of Separation (so often over-looked these days!).
Scripture commands us to have no
fellowship with evil-living folk … and of course, we are to be separated from
evil behaviour. Ephesians 5:3-11.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 likewise
reminds us that we are to “Come out from among them and be separate”.
We have no fellowship with false
teachers who deny the fundamental truths of God’s word.
“Get thee hence” is a word of the
Lord for all God’s people today, just as much as it was for the prophet of old.
2. “TURN
THEE EASTWARD” … a Lesson in Hope
For the “East” speaks to us as
the place where a new day dawns … the place of Sun-rising.
And one Day … “as the
lightning cometh out of the east … so shall the coming of the Son of Man be”
(Matthew 24:27).
We turn our back on sin and we
look for the Coming of the One Who will take us Home. Evil shall finally be vanquished.
3. “HIDE
THYSELF” … a Lesson in Humility
It is the Old Testament way of saying, “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
God’s servants are not to exalt
themselves … but the One they serve (1 Peter 5:5-6).
The Book of Proverbs includes
many warnings for those who seek, proudly, to push themselves ahead.
The word comes to us as it did to
Elijah of old …
·
Separate yourself from evil behaviour, companions and
teachers.
·
Focus your sights on the Coming of the Lord.
·
Hide yourself lest you detract from the honour and glory
that belongs to Him alone.
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 58
ELIJAH …
AND THE WINGED
WAITERS
… 17:4-7
Introduction:
The prophet from Tishbe has
rebuked wicked Ahab … with Queen Jezebel at his side … and assured the king
that it would not rain again until he (Elijah) asked the Lord to open the
heavens.
And off he goes!
17:3 Get thee hence,
and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before
Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the
brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
5 So he went and
did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook
Cherith, that is before Jordan.6 And the ravens brought
him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he
drank of the brook.7 And it came to pass after a while,
that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
1. THE
FOLLY OF AHAB
(a) What he
should have done … Repented.
Just as the might Nineveh had
turned back to the Lord within the 40 days of grace given to it, when Jonah had
warned of the coming judgement, so this evil monarch should have put away the
idols and called upon Jehovah to save him and his people.
(b) What he
did … Wrath … toward God and His servant.
Thousands of soldiers scour the
land searching for Elijah. He has a
‘price upon his head’!
1 Kings 18:10 reveals that this
search even took place outside of Israel:
in Judah … Moab … Ammon … Philistia … Syria … the king’s soldiers
searched fruitlessly for the Tishbite.
It is a reminder that “Righteousness
exalteth a nation” (Proverbs 14:34).
Sin had plunged Israel into economic hardship … a soaring crime rate …
immorality … violence … Hey! Am I
talking about ancient Israel or modern-day Australia??
Like Ahab of old, today’s
political leaders leave God out of their many-faceted solutions to the nation’s
problems. Mmmm?
2. THE
FAITH OF ELIJAH
(a) Obedient! When God told him to go … he went! He didn’t sing about it or talk about it …
he did it! “Whatever He ways unto
you… do it!” (John 2:5).
(b) Unquestioning! Despite the rather odd promise
that he would be fed by ravens (17:4) … there is no word of argument on the
prophet’s lips.
(c) Strengthened! He was about to get a lesson in the
Sovereignty of God. Even the ravens
obey Him! Unclean birds! And the God Who meets their need day or day
(Psalm 147:9) can also meet the needs of His servants (Luke 12:24).
3. THE
FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
(a) The
Lord provided… His prophet with a hiding place from Ahab’s soldiers …
and with food from the winged waiters.
Despite the unlikeliness of finding food in such mountainous country… it
was brought to Elijah by these ravens.
One can imagine the prophet
sitting there, munching a chicken leg that had been whisked away from some
altar to Baal and brought to him … and every now and then he sings David’s
words in Psalm 37:1-3!
(b) The Lord
tested… His prophet’s faith to draw Elijah closer to
Himself! The brook dried up! But the ravens kept a-coming!
And Elijah learned … as we should
… that it is safer to trust the Super-natural (if God is behind it!!) than the
natural. You can depend upon Him more
that A.M.P. or B.H.P., and even Pyramid Building Society…
The dried-up brook does not cause
Elijah to flee … but to fasten onto his Lord all the more.
(c) The
Lord is leading… but only one step at a time!! The brook became a trickle … then a few
puddles … and still the Lord spoke not, nor did Elijah rebel.
It was when the water finally was
no more that God spoke again (vs. 7-8).
The Lord knew what to do next …
and when our ‘brook dries up’ … be it health or finances … or some other
problem … read Psalm 37:3 again, and remember Elijah.
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 59
ELIJAH …
AND THE WIDOW … 17:8-16
Introduction:
The next episode in Elijah’s
eventful life takes place at Zarephath. At Cherith the brook has dried up … and now the Lord tells him to
move!
In this story we will learn from
the lessons that God is teaching his prophet.
8 And the word of
the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to
Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded
a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and
went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow
woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me,
I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.11 And
as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray
thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As
the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel,
and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may
go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said
unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little
cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal
shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the
LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and
did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat
many days.16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither
did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by
Elijah
1. He is
learning a Lesson in HUMILITY
It was bad enough being fed by
unclean birds … ravens … but now God is going to make him rely upon the
provision of a woman! A Gentile woman! (17:8-10.)
It may well be that Elijah is
patting himself on the back after his denunciation of King Ahab. And in 19:4 we will hear him telling the
Lord that he is the only one in all Israel still true to Him! (Which was not
so.)
“Zarephath” means the ‘workshop
for refining metal’ … and sure enough, Elijah is about to have the dross of
pride removed.
This big, strong, independent,
Hebrew prophet is about to find himself relying upon the provision of a
Gentile!
2. He is learning a Lesson in RELYING UPON
GOD FOR PROTECTION
With “WANTED” posters on every
tree, and a price upon his head, Elijah now travels about 100 miles through
enemy-occupied territory to Zarephath.
And gets there safely.
But Zarephath was a city of Zidon
… where Jezebel had come from! (1 Kings 16:31).
3. He was learning that GOD’S THOUGHTS are
not necessarily the same as ours … nor HIS WAYS our ways
The prophet may well have
expected a luxurious mansion – all mod-cons and a wealthy widow. Instead he finds a poverty-stricken woman
and her son … about to starve to death (v. 12).
4. He was
learning the Ministry of COMPASSION
… that God cares for rich and
poor, Jew and Gentile.
“Fear not” he says to her, and
assures her that his God is about to meet her need.
His request for ‘a little cake
first’ (v. 13) is not selfishness but rather a test of the widow’s faith. Will she trust this Hebrew prophet … and his
God?
She went and did what Elijah
commanded (v. 15), and as a result God provided flour and oil throughout the
rest of the drought (v. 16).
5. He was
learning that the GOD HE SERVED was a GOD OF MIRACLES
He who created all things “in the
beginning” had no trouble in creating flour and oil each day.
6. He was
learning to DEPEND UPON THE LORD … DAILY
As with the daily delivery by the
ravens, so again it is ‘one step at a time’.
The Lord Jesus reminded His listeners that His Heavenly Father is still
in the business of providing the DAILY need of those who trust in Him (Matthew
6:31-34).
The “seek ye first the Kingdom
of God” (v. 33) has its counterpart in Elijah’s word: “Make me a little cake first…” He is God’s representative. God first … then depend upon His daily
provision.
7. He was
learning the TRUSTWORTHINESS OF GOD’S PROMISES
“He is not a man that He should
lie” (Numbers 23:19).
And if God said the flour and oil
would continue, then continue they would!
And did (v. 16).
Liberal theologians who deny the
reliability of the Bible scoff at this story of Elijah and the widow as being
Jewish ‘folk-lore’ (William Neil’s Commentary, page 192, etc.)
Yet the Lord Jesus especially
mentioned this incident as historically true! (Luke 4:25-26.)
If one denies what is written
here, how can one believe anything with certainty … including God’s ‘precious
promises’ to us? (2 Peter 1:4).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 60
ELIJAH …
AND THE WIDOW’S
SON
… 17:17-24
Introduction:
·
Tragedy strikes the household in Zarephath.
·
Death claims the widow’s only son.
·
And Elijah is confronted with the greatest test of his
faith yet!
17 And it came to
pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house,
fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O
thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to
slay my son?
19 And he said unto
her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into
a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 20 And
he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon
the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched
himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD
my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD
heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and
he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought
him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother:
and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 24 And the woman
said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the
word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
1. THE
UNJUST ACCUSATION … v. 18
For some time this
poverty-stricken widow and her child have been miraculously sustained by the
unfailing barrel of flour and jar of oil.
Now in her uncontrollable grief
she lashes out verbally at God’s servant and blames him for her son’s death!
It may be … if only we knew the
whole story … that she was one who had lived a sinful life. The Zidonians were not famous for their
morals. The gods they served set an
immoral example!
Or maybe it was that in her
anguish she was blaming everyone and everything … grief often blinds the
reason; especially when one has no hope
beyond the grave.
But Elijah replies calmly and
kindly. His speech is ‘seasoned with
grace’. He does not flare up in return
with angry words (v. 19). He ‘bridles’
his tongue!! James 1:26.
2. THE
UNUSUAL MINISTRATION … vs. 19-24
Elijah does three things…
(a) He
displays Honest Emotion.
He, too, loved the little fellow
… and he cries out in anguish, “Why?” (v. 20.)
But believers do not sorrow as do
those who are devoid of Hope.
(b) He
displays a Hope-filled Expectation.
“Raise him from the dead”, he
prays!! (v. 21) … despite the fact that since Adam until his day, no-one had
broken the death-barrier!
(c) He
displays Whole-hearted Identification.
He stretches himself upon the
dead child! As if he were saying, “Let
my life go into yours”.
God had been preparing him for
this … first fed by unclean birds (17:6) … then by a Gentile woman (17:10) …
and now the uncleanest act of all, contact with a corpse. And it is no fleeting touch! (v. 21.)
We cannot begin to imagine the
repugnance a devout Jew would feel in stretching himself upon a dead body. But Elijah was willing to suffer such a
Divine curse … if only the lad could live (Numbers 19:13).
One could be purified from such a
curse but only if a priest of Israel was available with a special ritual … and
that was not likely in Elijah’s case.
He will willing to sacrifice
himself for the sake of the little fellow!
3. THE
UNDENIABLE ILLUSTRATION … vs. 22-
Here the incidents in Elijah’s
life mirror those in the life of the Lord Jesus.
(a) Their
Mission. As with Elijah, so
the Lord Jesus came to speak the Word of God to rebellious Israel - 1 Kings
17:1 … John 14:10.
(b) Their
Supplication. Of both
it is recorded that they prayed “earnestly” – James 5:17 … Luke 22:44-45.
(c) Their
Rejection. Like
Elijah, the Lord Jesus came unto His own and His own received Him not – John
1:11.
(d) Their
Conversation. As Elijah reacted
to the widow’s outburst in a gracious manner, so we are told … “Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example…When they hurled their insults at Him,
He did not retaliate…” (1 Peter
2:21-23.)
(e) The
Salvation … they provided for others. By His death upon Calvary, where the curse of sin fell upon Him,
the Lord Jesus made it possible for men and women, boys and girls, to pass from
“death unto life” (John 5:24).
(f) Their
Provision … for those they ‘saved’.
There was food for the resurrected child … and the Lord Jesus is able to
sustain those who keep trusting Him!
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 61
ELIJAH MEETS
OBADIAH …
18:1-16
Introduction:
In 1 Corinthians 2:14 to 3:4 the
inspired author outlines three classes of men in the sight of God.
1. There is the ‘natural man’ (2:14), i.e.
the unsaved person.
2. There is the ‘spiritual man’ (2:15), i.e.
the out-and-out Christian.
3. And the ‘carnal man’ (3:1), i.e. the
half-hearted Christian.
In 1 Kings 18:1-16 these three
types of men are illustrated by Ahab, Elijah and Obadiah respectively.
18: 1And it came to pass after many days,
that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew
thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And
Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.
3 And Ahab called
Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD
greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the
prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by
fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
5 And Ahab said
unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all
brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that
we lose not all the beasts.6 So they divided the land
between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah
went another way by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was in the
way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said,
Art thou that my lord Elijah?
8 And he answered
him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
9And he said,
What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of
Ahab, to slay me?10 As the LORD thy God liveth, there is
no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they
said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they
found thee not.11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy
lord, Behold, Elijah is here.12 And it shall come to
pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry
thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find
thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the
prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty
in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?14 And now
thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
15 And Elijah said,
As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself
unto him to day. 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and
told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1. THE
UNSAVED MAN … AHAB
Neither greatness of position nor
nationality procures salvation. Ahab
was an Israelite King … but lost.
Evidence of this (see Matthew
7:20) lies in the fact that he sought the death of God’s prophets, worshipped
false gods (v. 18), and was more concerned with his property than his subjects’
welfare (v. 5).
SELF was on the throne of his
life – there was no place for God.
2. THE
SPIRITUAL MAN … ELIJAH
Not sinless … but ready to do his
Lord’s command whatever the cost.
God says “Go…” (v. 1), so he goes
(v. 2).
The Lord takes His rightful place
upon the heart’s throne … and ‘self’ is ‘reckoned as being dead! (Romans 6:11.)
3. THE
CARNAL MAN … OBADIAH
On the one hand Obadiah DID love
the Lord. Like the carnal Corinthians,
we could at least call him ‘Brother’ (1 Corinthians 3:1).
Note 1 Kings 18:3 … Obadiah
feared the Lord greatly.
And he protected and fed 100 of
God’s prophets (v. 4).
BUT … he also feared Ahab (vs. 9,
12, 14).
And I think Elijah had him
scared, too (v. 7).
He boasts of what he has done (v.
13).
He had not let his light shine in
Ahab’s palace lest he lost his job … or life.
He is a ‘believer’ with no
testimony.
God is on the Throne … but Self
still continues to play a major role in his interests and decisions.
* * * * *
* * * *
Conclusion:
Which
class are you??
=============================================================
Studies in 1 Kings … No. 62
BATTLE OF
THE GODS …
18:17-38
…………………………………………………
Introduction:
The story of Elijah’s contest
with the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel is one of the highlights of the Old
Testament saga.
17 And it came to
pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth
Israel?
18 And he answered,
I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have
forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount
Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of
the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.
20 So Ahab sent
unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount
Carmel.21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said,
How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if
Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.22
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of
the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.23
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock
for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire
under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire
under:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I
will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him
be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said
unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it
first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire
under.26 And they took the bullock which was given them,
and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until
noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered.
And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to
pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god;
either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure
he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried
aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the
blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when
midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any
that regarded.
On one side stands an evil king,
450 false prophets, and an apostate Israel.
Not one of them dares to take his stand beside the lone prophet! Not even Obadiah … see study No. 20.
Altars are erected … the prophets
of Baal work themselves into a frenzy as they call upon the one they
worship. Nothing! Not even a clap of thunder.
Elijah mocks them (18:27-28).
Is satire a legitimate weapon for
a Christian to use? Elijah is
not to be judged by New Testament standards.
But did he do anything wrong in thus showing up the folly of idolatry?
The cutting of themselves (v. 28)
is reminiscent of some pagan rituals … and even Romanism in the Philippines on
a Good Friday!
1. THE
FAITH OF THE PROPHET … vs. 30-37
30 And Elijah said
unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him.
And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.31 And
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of
Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the
LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two
measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and
cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four
barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the
second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he
filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to
pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the
prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it
be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and
that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O LORD,
hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou
hast turned their heart back again.
Again we see the obedience to the
Word of God on the part of Elijah.
(a) He
repaired the altar with “stones” (v. 32) … as commanded in Deuteronomy 27:6.
(b) He laid
the wood “in
order” (v. 33) … as commanded in Leviticus 1:7.
(c) He
cut the sacrifice “in pieces” (v. 33) … as commanded in
Leviticus 1:6.
(d) He
sacrificed the bullock at the right time … “the hour of sacrifice” (v. 36)
(e) He prayed
… earnestly … briefly (vs. 36-37)… there was no need to scream or shout
as did the prophets of Baal, and we are not surprised to read of the outcome!
(vs. 38-39).
Elijah’s faith displayed its
reality by strict obedience to the Word of God. Would the Lord have blessed him otherwise??
2. THE
FIRE OF THE LORD … vs. 38
18 ;38 Then the fire of
the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones,
and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39And
when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD,
he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
(a) How it
fell. Like the Veil of
the Temple was rent from top to bottom (’cos God did it! Matthew 27:51), so the
sacrifice is devoured first … then the wood … then the stones … then the dust …
then the water in the trench!
(b) Where
it fell. It would have been
no surprise to read that the fire of God fell upon those who gazed upon this
Battle of the Gods … those who had refused to align themselves with God’s
prophet.
But it fell upon the sacrifice.
And at Calvary we would not have
been surprised to read of judgement descending upon the spectators. But it fell upon the Sacrifice … a sacrifice
for all mankind (1 John 2:2).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 22
IT’S BEGINNING
TO RAIN … 18:39-45
39 And when all the
people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the
God; the LORD, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto
them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them:
and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
41 And Elijah said
unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of
rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah
went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put
his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant,
Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is
nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44 And it
came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little
cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab,
Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
45 And it came to
pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and
there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 And
the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before
Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Introduction:
The great contest between the
prophets of Baal and Elijah, the man of God has seen the fire fall from heaven
and consume the sacrifice upon the altar of the Lord.
Then follows …
1. THE
EXECUTION OF THE FALSE PROPHETS … v. 40
Some things should be borne in
mind.
(a) This is
850 BC. The light of the
gospel has not yet spread across the nations.
(b) The
death of the prophets of Baal was commanded in the Law of Moses … by God Himself (Deuteronomy
13:1-5).
(c) The
incident becomes an illustration of a New Testament truth … that those
‘works of the old sinful nature’ which would tear us away in our allegiance to
the one true God should likewise be put to death (Galatians 5:17, 24).
2. THE
SYMBOLISM OF THE CLOUD
Elijah and his servant climb to
the top of Mt Carmel, where the prophet prays for the drought to break (18:42).
The servant is sent to watch for
signs of an approaching storm and reports six times “Nothing”!! But the seventh time he tells of seeing a
cloud as small as a man’s hand (v. 44).
(a) The
Carmelite Order of the Roman Catholic Church consider this to be a
prophetic foreview of the Virgin Mary!!
A huge basilica stands on Mt Carmel over the site (supposed) of Elijah’s
cave, called “Stella Maris” – dedicated to “Our Lady of Mt Carmel”. It is from here the incredible teaching of
the “Scapular” originated: that the
wearing of this cloth will guarantee salvation.
(b) And Mrs
E.G. White, prophet of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, claims
that the sign to announce our Lord’s Return will be a similar cloud! (Great
Controversy, page 640.)
(c) If we
are to see any symbolism in the cloud at all, might it be suggested that from small beginnings mighty
blessings may come.
* From a handful of disciples came the
worldwide Christian Faith.
* From Martin Luther and his hammer came a
Protestant Reformation that brought the water of Life to thousands of thirsty
souls. Some may have thought the hammer
that nailed up the 95 Theses condemning the errors of Romanism was only in the
hand of a man … whereas the Hand of God was a work behind the scene.
* Little John Wesley may have looked like
“the size of a man’s hand’ at the time of his conversion. But what a torrent of blessing he poured out
upon England as he preached the Gospel across that land.
* Some Sunday-School teacher sees little
result … but one child may in later years bring showers of blessing to
multitudes. Zechariah 4:10!!
3. THE
REACTION OF THE KING
What does King Ahab think of all
that has transpired in his sight?
There has been his previous
antagonism to Elijah … his idolatry … and his infamous marriage to Jezebel.
But he has seen the 3½ years of
drought as a result of Elijah’s prayer (James 5:17-18), and the inability of
his own prophets to produce rain, or fire (18:24). And he has seen his prophets put to death (v. 40).
Now is it that Ahab is on the
point of conversion …???
(a) He
obeys Elijah! (vs. 41-42). The prophet tells him to go and eat … so he
does so.
(b) There
is no indication of wrath toward God’s servant any more. He does not command his soldiers to arrest
Elijah despite what Elijah has done to his (Ahab’s) prophets!
(c) Again (in
verses 44-45) he
obeys Elijah. When told that the
storm is a-coming and he had better get to a nearby city rather than stay in
his tent … Ahab does so.
Jezreel is the site of one of
Ahab’s palaces … and that is where Jezebel is.
She had not been present at the contest on Mt Carmel.
(d) The
Septuagint Version (a translation from Hebrew to Greek which was in
use in our Lord’s day…) renders verse 45 not that “Ahab rode…” but that “Ahab
wept…”
This king, we can be sure, is
experiencing a change of heart. He,
too, must surely realise the folly of worshipping idols and the wisdom of
obeying the God of Elijah.
(e) Elijah
runs before Ahab’s chariot (v. 46).
And Jezreel is about 15 miles
away!!
Some writers consider this to be
a miracle … but that is not necessarily so.
Many ancient kings had slaves run before their chariots. And it seems that not only did Elijah run …
but in so doing he was declaring himself a loyal subject of the king.
If Ahab was now a worshipper of
the true God … then, says Elijah, I will serve him. And by my example I will show the nation that they should serve
him too.
It was part of God’s Law as
revealed in the books of Moses that the king was to be honoured as God’s
representative (Exodus 22:28).
* * * * *
* * * *
Conclusion
But at Jezreel Elijah takes a
false step.
Things do not go as
expected. Once again he is forced to
flee for his very life. And Ahab’s
conversion is short-lived.
WHY? …
Keep reading ….
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 64
ELIJAH …
AT WIT’S END
CORNER
… Chapter 19
19:1 And Ahab told
Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets
with the sword.2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto
Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life
as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.3 And
when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which
belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself
went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper
tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough;
now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5 And as he lay
and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said
unto him, Arise and eat.6 And he looked, and, behold,
there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he
did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of
the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat;
because the journey is too great for thee.8 And he
arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days
and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came
thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came
to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And
he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children
of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to
take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon
the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and
strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the
LORD was not in the earthquake:12 And after the
earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still
small voice.
13 And it was so,
when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and
stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him,
and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?14 And he said, I
have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of
Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to
take it away.
15 And the LORD
said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when
thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:16 And
Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the
son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword
of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall
Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in
Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which
hath not kissed him.
…………………………………………………………..
Introduction:
The haste to Jezreel in front of
Ahab’s chariot … the excitement of his victory at Mt Carmel with the subsequent
slaughter of the prophets of Baal … the turning point in Israel’s decline as
they acknowledged Jehovah (and not Baal) as their God. And even the apparent repentance of the king
… all turns sour. Elijah’s castle of
hope comes crashing down.
If he had expected Jezebel to
repent and renounce her idolatry and appoint him as court chaplain, he was in
for a sorry surprise.
Instead she orders his
death! Tomorrow! (v. 2.)
Why tomorrow, instead of
immediately? Probably because the crowd
of Israelites has arrived (note that Elijah’s servant has, v. 3), and to put
their hero to death would turn them against her (cf Acts 4:21).
But her threat works. And in a momentary lapse of faith, Elijah
flees! (v. 3.)
He is filled with self-pity and
wishes he might die!! (v. 4.)
1. THE
CAUSE OF ELIJAH’S DEPRESSION
Why did this Gibraltar of a man
suddenly crumble? There are a number of
reasons, all clearly revealed in the Scripture account.
(a) Physical
Reasons. All day, during
the contest on Mt Carmel, he had not eaten.
He told Ahab to do so (18:41) whilst he went to agonize in prayer for
the rain to fall. And running 15 miles
to Jezreel left him exhausted.
And body and mind are inter-related. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22), but a run down body is courting psychological problems, including depression.
(b) Emotional
Reasons. At the
height of his spiritual elation the prophet receives Jezebel’s death
threat. Every expectation of revival in
the land was shattered. What he thought
was his greatest victory became his greatest defeat.
A clue to Jezebel’s reaction may
be found in 19:1. Look at it
carefully. “Ahab told Jezebel (why
didn’t Elijah personally confront this she-devil?) what Elijah had done”
… instead of telling her what Jehovah had done! Was Elijah too exhausted to enter the palace
as he had done in Samaria 3½ years
before? (17:1.)
In any case, the turn of
circumstances causes his faith to sag.
He flees.
(c) Spiritual
Reasons. There are twin
dangers to avoid lest we fall into the same trap.
(i) Beware
of underestimating the Evil one.
Remember that even Michael the archangel would not take on the Devil!
(Jude v. 9.) Satan may well be a
defeated foe but his wiles have caused many a saint to stumble.
(ii) Beware
of overestimating your own importance.
Is there a dash of spiritual pride in Elijah telling the Lord that he is
the only one in all Israel who loves Him (v. 10.) Is he starting to think that he accomplished the victory
whereas it was the Lord working through him?
(iii) Beware
of forsaking Christian fellowship. Not that
the servant had shone spiritually in the narrative thus far. But now Elijah leaves him behind! (v. 3.)
We need Christian fellowship …
and that surely means more than one hour a week. Mmmm? (Hebrews 10:24-25.)
(iv) Beware
of taking your eyes off the Lord! Look at
verse 3 again. “And when he saw THAT
…” That death threat! What has happened to our prophet who once,
nay twice, affirmed, “As the Lord God liveth before whom I stand!!” (17:1; 18:15.)
Now it is “as Jezebel liveth
before whom I run!”
He is looking at the
circumstances instead of the Lord Who reigns over all such circumstances.
And that is because he has an
exhausted body and an emotionally upset mind.
We do not always (if ever) think clearly in such a state.
2. THE
CURE FOR ELIJAH’S DEPRESSION
(a) Physical. God provides him with food and rest! (vs. 5-8.)
(b) Emotional. The Lord calms the prophet’s troubled mind
with a display of His power. He
is still on the throne. Not Baal. Not Jezebel. And the grumbling prophet is treated to a Divine pyrotenic show
(vs. 9-14).
Whilst the storm and the
earthquake and the fire were a graphic reminder of God’s power … the “still
small voice” was a reminder of His mercy.
Father-like
He tends and spares us;
Well our
feeble frame He knows;
In His
arms He gently bears us,
Rescues
us from all our foes.
(H.F. Lyte)
Whilst Elijah says the same words
in verses 10 and 14, the difference is that the second time he “wrapped his
face in a mantle” (v. 13), a sign of respect.
Moses did the same thing, Exodus 3:6.
* And the Lord displays His purposes (vs. 15-18).
Did the prophet think that the
Lord would let evildoers escape unpunished?
Never!
Elijah is to anoint HAZEL as the
new King of SYRIA.
And JEHU as Israel’s next king.
And ELISHA as his successor (v.
16).
Whoever of the House of Ahab is
left alive after Hazel finishes with it … Jehu will slay! And if he misses any Elisha will finish the
job! (v. 17.)
Elijah-s depression is cured.
* He is strong again physically.
* His mind knows that the all-powerful God he serves will
deal with Israel’s enemies.
And that same God is a Father to
him.
* And spiritually he is back on track!
The Lord told him to go to
Cherith … and he went (17:2-4), and the Lord told him to go to Zarephath … and
he went (17:8-9), and to go to confront Ahab … and he did (18:1-2). But the Lord did NOT tell him to flee from
Jezebel! And disobedience to Him ruins
peace of mind. But now he obeys again!
(19:19.)
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 65
GOD OF
THE VALLEYS … Chapter 20
20: 1 And Benhadad the
king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two
kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria,
and warred against it. 2 And he sent messengers to Ahab
king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad ,3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy
children, even the goodliest, are mine.
4 And the king of
Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine,
and all that I have.
5 And the
messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I
have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold,
and thy wives, and thy children;6 Yet I will send my
servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine
house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is
pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
7 Then the king of
Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see
how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my
children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. 8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken
not unto him, nor consent. 9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my
lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will
do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him
word again.
10 And Benhadad
sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of
Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
11 And the king of
Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness
boast himself as he that putteth it off.
12 And it came to
pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings
in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And
they set themselves in array against the city.
13 And, behold,
there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD,
Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine
hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said,
Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces.
Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the
provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered
all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16 And they went
out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and
the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.17 And
the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent
out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them
alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.19 So
these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the
army which followed them.20
And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel
pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the
horsemen.21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote
the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 And the prophet
came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and
mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria
will come up against thee.
23 And the servants
of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore
they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and
surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this
thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in
their rooms: 25 And number thee an army, like the army
that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will
fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And
he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
26 And it came to
pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up
to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27 And the children
of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the
children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the
Syrians filled the country.
28 And there came a
man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD,
Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God
of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine
hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 29 And they
pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh
day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an
hundred thousand footmen in one day.
……………………………………………………..
Introduction:
Whilst Elijah is being brought
out of his depression, at Mt Horeb, the clouds of war are gathering in the far
north.
Benhadad, King of Syria (not
Assyria!), lays siege to Samaria, capital of the House of Israel. The Israelites are hopelessly
outnumbered… Ahab will only raise an
army of 7,000 (v. 15), whereas the Syrians and their confederates are over
120,000 (vs. 19-30) [17 to 1!!]
1. THE
TRAGEDY OF AN INCOMPLETE SURRENDER!
Benhadad’s messengers tell Ahab
to hand over his wives and children;
silver and gold! (v. 3.) Ahab
says he will (v. 4).
But the Syrian King presses his
luck further … the messengers return to Ahab saying that Benhadad will help
himself to “whatever is pleasant in thine eyes” (v. 6). And this time Ahab says “No!” (v. 9.)
Benhadad’s reply (v. 10) means
that he has so many followers that they could carry the dust of Samaria away in
their pockets … and some of his followers would still miss out!
Ahab replies, “Tell him not to
talk like someone who is putting off his armour when the battle is finished …
we haven’t girded ourselves for the fight yet” (v. 11). The Living Bible renders it, “Tell
him not to count his chickens before they hatch!”
So the battle lines are drawn …
and the Syrians prepare to attack (v. 12).
* Now whilst Ahab’s
refusal to hand over everything to the Syrian King worked out well for him (as
we shall see), yet it illustrates the kind of response some folk make to the
Lord Jesus.
To have Him as Saviour and
deliver them from Hell … that’s fine.
Ahab didn’t mind giving up the things he wouldn’t miss, including
Jezebel! But when Banhadad said he was
going to take the things that Ahab found “pleasant in his eyes” … ah! ’twas a
different story.
And there are believers who fail
to obey Christ as Lord. Paul calls them
‘carnal’ Christians (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
Their surrender to the Lord Jesus is incomplete. “Why call ye Me ‘Lord’ … and do not the
things I say?!
2. THE
TRAGEDY OF A DISTORTED VIEW
A prophet assures Ahab of victory
(v. 13). The Lord tells the King of
Israel to send 232 princes down to the Syrian camp. 7,000 Israelites are ready to follow them.
This is done “at noon” (v.
16). It was drinking time in the enemy
camp. No one suspected that Israel
would be foolish enough to attack. And
when Banhadad was told of the 232 Israelites heading his way (he apparently
does not know about the 7,000 behind them) he gives a foolish drunken order to
“take them alive” (v. 18). The result
was a victory for Israel (vs. 20-21).
So Benhadad is advised to fight
Israel in the valleys (v. 23). The
reasoning behind this is the pagan belief that the ancient gods lived and ruled
over localised areas. The God of
Israel, so the Syrians thought, lived on hilltops… that’s why He helped them
win the previous battle! But fight the
Israelites on the plains and their God will not be with them.
A prophet informs Ahab of the Syrians’
plans (v. 28).
A distorted view of God led to
Banhadad’s sorry defeat. The next day
another 27,000 of his army died (v. 30).
And a distorted view of God may
well have sorry repercussions for us.
* Some think of Him as the God of good times … but think He has
forsaken them in the valley of trouble.
No! He’s the God of the valleys
as well as the hills. He is even with
us in the valley of the shadow of death.
Many years ago when Barbie was critically ill in hospital I composed a
little stanza :
We’ve been in the
valleys in days gone before,
Through sickness
and sadness and sorrowing sore;
But through all
life’s trials there’s one thought that thrills –
He’s the God of
the valleys as well as the hills.
* Some think of Him as the God to call upon in the valley of
trouble … and then forget about Him when the sun is shining again!
* Some think of Him as the God of Sunday … but forget that He is
God of the weekday, too.
Not just on the hilltop
experience of a Christian gathering … but in the office … the factory … the
school … He is the God Who is with us there too.
* He is a God of Mercy and Love and Long-suffering. But wait!
He is also a God of Justice and Holiness.
His very nature demands that sin
be punished. To look at Him with one eye
and think of Him as a kind old grandfather who “will always say, I forgive!” is
a distorted view. He is willing
to forgive the sinner who comes to Christ in repentance and faith.
But there is
judgement for those who refuse the Saviour and ignore the Cross.
Beware of a distorted view of
God. It led to Benhadad’s doom…
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 66
THE MERCIFUL
KING …
Chapter 20
……………………………………………………………
30 But the rest
fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven
thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city,
into an inner chamber.
31 And his servants
said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel
are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes
upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy
life. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and
put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant
Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is
my brother.
33 Now the men did
diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch
it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then
Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father
took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in
Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away
with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35 And a certain
man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the
LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. 36 Then said
he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as
soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he
was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37 Then
he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him,
so that in smiting he wounded him. 38 So the prophet
departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes
upon his face.
39 And as the king
passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the
midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto
me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life
be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. 40 And
as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel
said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. 41 And he hasted, and
took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he
was of the prophets.
42 And he said unto him, Thus saith
the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to
utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for
his people. 43 And the king of Israel went to
his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
…………………………………………………..
Introduction:
Syria has been routed – and their
king, Benhadad, hides at Aphek in an “inner chamber” (v. 30).
1. THE
O.T. STORY EXPLAINED
His servants suggest that he cast
himself upon the mercy of the Israelite King (Ahab, v. 31).
They go to Ahab, on Benhadad’s
behalf, dressed in garments of penitence and submission, and hear Ahab call
Benhadad ‘Brother’. It could be that he
only meant a ‘brother in royalty … a fellow king’. But the Syrian servants jump on the phrase and quickly agree (v.
33).
So Benhadad comes, and Ahab
(unwisely!!) enters into a covenant with him and spares his life! (v. 34.)
** Why did Ahab do this?
Archaeology reveals that Assyria
was a growing threat. Ahab hoped that a
pact between Israel and Syria may help to stem an Assyrian
invasion.
The monument of Shalmaneser III
records the Battle at Qarqar the following year (!), and how how Assyrian King
fought against “Benhadad and Ahab”.
These latter kings are mentioned in the Assyrian inscription.
2. THE
N.T. TRUTH ILLUSTRATED
(a) The
Condition of the Sinner.
Like Benhadad, he is lost and
helpless and doom is ever imminent. The
only ‘way out’ is to cast one’s self on the mercy of the King.
And like Benhadad the sinner
comes in penitence and submission.
(b) The
Invitation of the Sovereign.
In mercy, Ahab invites Benhadad
into his chariot! (v. 33.)
And our merciful God invites us
to become His children through faith in the Saviour’s sacrifice. Romans 5:10. Truly, our God “delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
Of course the sinner must make
restitution of thos things wrongfully taken before his conversion! (v. 34.)
And ‘a covenant’ exists between
God and the reconciled sinner (v. 34.
Hebrews 8:6).
(c) The
Intercession of the Servants.
So it is that Christians are to
plead before Heaven’s King on behalf of the unsaved (vs. 31-32).
God forbid that we who know the
Lord “should sin by failing to pray” for those who are bound for a lost
eternity (1 Samuel 12:23).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 67
MURDER IN
THE VINEYARD … Chapter 21
Introduction:
We are introduced to a tale of
covetousness, murder … and the mercy of God.
Now read on …
The place is Jezreel, where Ahab
has one of his palaces.
And in close proximity is the
vineyard of a godly Israelite named Naboth.
21: 1 And it came to
pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was
in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 And Ahab spake
unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of
herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better
vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it
in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it
me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
4 And Ahab came
into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the
Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the
inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away
his face, and would eat no bread. 5 But Jezebel his wife
came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no
bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto
Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or
else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he
answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7 And
Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel?
arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
8 So she wrote
letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters
unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and
set Naboth on high among the people: 10And set two men,
sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst
blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may
die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the
nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them,
and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
12 They proclaimed
a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And
there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial
witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people,
saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out
of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14 Then
they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
15 And it came to
pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel
said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead,
that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take
possession of it.
17 And the word of
the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise,
go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the
vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19And
thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and
also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the
LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy
blood, even thine.
20 And Ahab said to
Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee:
because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy
posterity ………… 22And
will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast
provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
23 And of Jezebel
also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall
eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. 25 But there was none
like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the
LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26 And he did very abominably in following idols,
according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the
children of Israel.
27 And it came to
pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth
upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28 And the word
of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 Seest
thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before
me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring
the evil upon his house.
………………………………………………….
1. THE
AVARICE OF AHAB … vs. 1-2
Covetousness led Eve to sin
(Genesis 3:6), and Achan (Joshua 7:20-21), and Ananias and Sapphira, who
coveted the praise of the apostles (Acts 5:1-10). The Lord Jesus warned of such a sin… Luke 12:15.
2. THE
ANSWER OF NABOTH … vs. 3-4
The Law of Moses forbade the sale
of the land from one tribe to another (Numbers 36:7). It is in obedience to God that Naboth refuses to sell.
3. THE
ANTAGONISM OF JEZEBEL … vs. 5-7
This ‘Lady Macbeth of the Old
Testament’ has no qualms in murdering Naboth.
False charges are brought against him and he is stoned to death (vs.
11-14).
What a shame Ahab had not chosen
his bride more carefully!
4. THE
ARRIVAL OF ELIJAH … vs. 20-21
Here comes God’s prophet,
confronting Ahab in the vineyard, with a message of doom.
5. THE
ATTITUDE OF THE LORD … vs. 27-29
Incredibly … or is it? … Ahab
‘humbles himself’ (v. 27) and God averts the judgement!
Incredible? No!
for this is the God Who “delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
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Studies in 1 Kings … No. 68
GOOD KING
JEHOSHAPHAT … Chapter 22
Introduction:
The Kingdom of Judah now
re-enters the story … contemporary with Ahab in the House of Israel in the
north, is King Jehoshaphat in the southern kingdom of Judah.
Ahab reigns in Samaria; Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem.
The story of Judah’s king is
found in both the Books of 1Kings and 2 Chronicles … about seven chapters in
all.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
1. THE
FAITHFULNESS OF JEHOSHAPHAT
(a) He
strengthened Judah’s borders in the north.
(b) He
destroyed the Baal worship.
(c) He
instituted a Bible teaching ministry.
(d) He
brought peace and prosperity to his people.
2 Chronicles 17: 1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
2. THE
FOOLISHNESS OF JEHOSHAPHAT
It could be that Jehoshaphat’s
visit (v. 22) to Ahab was prompted by good motives. Perhaps he hoped to bring about a reunion of the twelve
tribes? And wasn’t there some rumours
that Ahab had been ‘converted’?
But, alas, Jehoshaphat’s eyes
are blind to the idolatry that confronts him in the House of Israel … his ears
are deaf to a prophet’s warning … and his tongue is dumb when he should
have rebuked the wickedness that he witnessed on every hand.
He enters in to three alliances
with the northern kingdom!!
THREE!!
(a) The
Marriage Alliance!
Jehoshaphat’s son marries Ahab’s
daughter!
It is probably an arranged
marriage designed to bring the 12 tribes together. Alas, it spells disaster for Judah in the days ahead.
It is another example of the
tragedy of an unequal yoke … 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
The marriage of Jehoram to
Athaliah is mentioned in verses 18-19.
(b) A
Military Alliance!
22:1 And they
continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2 And
it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down
to the king of Israel. 3 And the king of Israel said
unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and
take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 And he said unto
Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat
said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my
horses as thy horses.5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the
king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6 Then the king of
Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto
them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they
said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the
LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 8 And the
king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of
Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not
prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king
say so.
9 Then the king of
Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the
entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron:
and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until
thou have consumed them. 12 And all the prophets
prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall
deliver it into the king's hand.
13 And the
messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the
words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word,
I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith
unto me, that will I speak. 15 So he came to the king.
And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to
battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD
shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 16 And the
king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me
nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? 17 And
he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a
shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to
his house in peace.
18 And the king of
Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no
good concerning me, but evil? 19 And he said, Hear thou
therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all
the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go
up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on
that manner.
21 And there came
forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will
go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he
said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in
the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning
thee.
24 But Zedekiah the
son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way
went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? 25 And Micaiah
said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner
chamber to hide thyself. 26 And the king of Israel said,
Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to
Joash the king's son; 27
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed
him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in
peace. 28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in
peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every
one of you.
29 So the king of
Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. 30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will
disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the
king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. 31But
the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his
chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king
of Israel.
32 And it came to
pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely
it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and
Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it came to pass, when the
captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that
they turned back from pursuing him.
34 And a certain
man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of
the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand,
and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 35 And
the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot
against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into
the midst of the chariot. 36 And there went a
proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every
man to his city, and every man to his own country. 37 So
the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 And one washed
the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they
washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and
the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and
Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41 And Jehoshaphat
the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of
Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old
when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And
his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And
he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing
that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were
not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high
places. 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of
Israel. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and
his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the
remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took
out of the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom: a
deputy was king.
Ahab invites the King of Judah to
join him in a war against the Syrians.
A prophet of God foretells the outcome … defeat and the death of Ahab
(vs. 4, 17-18). And when this faithful
prophet is struck and imprisoned, Jehoshaphat says nothing!! (vs. 24, 27.)
(c) The
Marketing Alliance!
22:48 Jehoshaphat made
ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships
were broken at Eziongeber .49 Then said Ahaziah the son
of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships.
But Jehoshaphat would not. 50 And Jehoshaphat slept with
his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father:
and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
51 Ahaziah the son
of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his
father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin:53 For he served Baal, and
worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all
that his father had done.
Some folk never learn! Now Jehoshaphat joins forces with Ahab’s
wicked son, Ahaziah…
Ships are built to trade with
distant lands.
But God sends a storm … 2
Chronicles 20:37.
Apparently Ahaziah suggests that
they try a second time to build ships.
But the King of Judah has finally got the message!! He says “No!” (v. 49).
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Studies in 1 Kings… No. 69
THE SINGING
ARMY … 2
Chronicles 20
Introduction:
“If
ever you go to the northern part of Wales not very far from Chester, you may
visit a place called Maes-y-garmon, or the field of Germanus, and may see an
obelisk standing there to commemorate a victory said to have been won in the
year 448 by Christian Britons over the heathen Picts and Scots. One of the generals on the British side was
a missionary named Germanus.
‘Germanus,’ says Fuller, ‘chose a place surrounded by hills near the
village, where he placed his men in ambush, with instructions that at a signal
they should all shout ‘Hallelujah’ three times with all their might, which was
done accordingly. The pagans were
surprised with the suddenness and loudness of such a sound, which was
multiplied by the echo, whereby their fear brought in a false list of the
enemy’s number. Without striking a
stroke they confusedly ran away, and many were drowned for speed in the river
Alen. That hallelujah, the song of the
saints after conquest achieved, was here the forerunner and procurer of
victory. So good a grace it is to be
said both before and after a battle.’” – S. Green.
Our study in the history of
Israel takes us across to 2 Chronicles 20, the account of Jehoshaphat and his
singing army! And, like the
illustration above, the battle was won without a shot being fired!
1. THE
PERIL IN JUDAH … vs. 1-2
Three nations have joined forces
to invade Judah. And they are already
only 15 miles away!
2. THE
PRAYER OF JEHOSHAPHAT … vs. 3-12
3. THE
PROPHECY OF JAHAZIEL … vs. 13-18
Inspired by the Spirit of God,
Jahaziel assures Judah of victory.
4. THE PROTECTION
OF JEHOVAH … vs. 19-30
Jehoshaphat and his men go forth
to meet the enemy … led not by warriors with sling-shots and stones, but led by
the Temple choir singing psalms! (v. 21.)
Meanwhile, in the enemy camp a
spirit of discord prevails (over the love of money?), and the soldiers fight
among themselves. When the men of Judah
gaze upon the battle-field … the enemy are all dead! (v. 24.)
The Judeans praise God there (and
call it the “Valley of Berachah” (blessedness, v. 26), and they praise Him as they
march home to Jerusalem … and they praise Him when they get there!! (vs.
27-28.)
* The secret of Victory … as a Church or as an individual … lies
enshrined in this story.
(a) Prayer
is to be offered … acknowledge our need for His help (v. 12).
(b) Promises
are to be trusted! We stand
upon the promises of His Word (Deuteronomy 28:7).
(c) Praises
are to be raised … even before the battle (20:17-20) as well as after
(vs. 27-28).
(d) Purity
is to be lived … for it is “righteousness that exalteth a nation”. Sin hinders blessing. And at this time Judah was walking with the
Lord (2 Chronicles 17:1-9). Idolatry
had been forsaken. Bible study was
‘in’!
So we are not surprised to read
that Victory was theirs!
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