1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,100 I made a statement just a moment ago. 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,300 When I said in the 40 years that King Solomon was on the throne, 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,600 what was it that happened in his life that led to his shame? 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,800 Solomon didn't wake up one day and then all of a sudden find 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,600 himself in a shameful condition, he didn't wake up one day and on 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,400 all of a sudden find that his heart was different than it was 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,700 the day before, there was a progression and a downward slope 8 00:00:33,700 --> 00:00:38,600 as it were in the heart of the wisest man that ever lived. 9 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,000 You know, when we look at this man's life, we see so many ups 10 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,500 and downs, but more UPS, we find him living in a time and raining 11 00:00:47,500 --> 00:00:51,800 on the throne over all Israel. That was in a time of Peace, 12 00:00:52,100 --> 00:00:55,900 everything was set into motion that would be perfect for him to 13 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:57,900 be the king that he needed to be. 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,200 He didn't have to fight against the Philistines, he didn't have 15 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,400 to fight against those that were the enemies of God's people. 16 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:08,800 He didn't have folks like Saul was to King David looking to 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,700 kill. Kill him and take his life. 18 00:01:12,100 --> 00:01:16,300 But King Solomon in all of his glory found himself on a 19 00:01:16,308 --> 00:01:19,600 downward slope that ended in shame. 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,800 You know, in the third chapter of the book of First Kings the 21 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,700 Bible, First of all, pictures, and the reason I mention this is 22 00:01:25,700 --> 00:01:30,200 because in the Bible, the Bible says that King Solomon had many 23 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,500 wives. In fact, the scripture says he 24 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:37,000 had 700 wives and he had 300 concubines. 25 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,700 Now, a concubine was a secondary wife. 26 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:43,600 They didn't have the same legal Rights to land and possessions, 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,700 and whatnot. But they were also considered as 28 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:51,100 a spouse of an individual. So, when the Bible says, that 29 00:01:51,100 --> 00:01:56,600 King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, no doubt, we can 30 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,900 deduce to say this, that Solomon had a thousand wives where he 31 00:02:00,900 --> 00:02:05,700 was married to a thousand different women or thereabouts. 32 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,100 But you know, of all the ones that Solomon was married to the 33 00:02:09,100 --> 00:02:11,700 Bible describes in First Kings chapter 3. 34 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,800 The one that is deemed to be his favorite, it was the daughter of 35 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,400 pharaoh. You remember? 36 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,900 Also, in the book of Song of Solomon, she is the heroine in 37 00:02:22,900 --> 00:02:26,800 the Song of Solomon. In fact, in chapter 1 of Song of 38 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,800 Solomon, we have there, the words that are written basically 39 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,400 coming from her standpoint delivered, the King Solomon. 40 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,000 And then in verse 8, down through the rest of the chapter 41 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,800 we find that is the response of Solomon to those Words of this 42 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,400 woman. She is the one that is described 43 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,300 in the Bible or describes herself in the King James 44 00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:53,800 version as black and comely. Now she was an Egyptian woman 45 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,200 and no doubt she was dark. The King James version says, 46 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,600 black other translations say dark. 47 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,700 I looked up that word and that word means Dusky. 48 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,500 And that's interesting to me because Dusky to me is a bad 49 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:09,400 thing. I remember I remember was seeing 50 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,600 people that are deprived of oxygen, they turn. 51 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,300 This gray color and they get Dusky, and that's the word that 52 00:03:15,300 --> 00:03:19,000 I understand, is Dusky, but no, and that's not attractive at 53 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,300 all, but no doubt that's not what's being meant there in the 54 00:03:22,300 --> 00:03:27,300 book of Song of Solomon for. She says that she is as black as 55 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:30,900 Solomon's curtains. And so she's picturing herself 56 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:35,200 in a beautiful way, Solomon, had it all. 57 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:38,700 And in Our Minds Eye we can reflect back now and picture. 58 00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:43,300 This is a man, probably around the age of Of 20 and he's going 59 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:45,600 to find that something's going to happen to him. 60 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,800 That is magnificent. How many times, or how many 61 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,100 people in the Bible? Can say that God spoke to them 62 00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:58,400 or came to them directly and yet in gibeon, that's exactly what 63 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,600 happens. And you remember when the Lord 64 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,800 comes to Solomon, Solomon is a young man now and he's on the 65 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,900 throne. He is to be the king. 66 00:04:06,900 --> 00:04:10,300 And the only thing he could think of is how magnificent a 67 00:04:10,300 --> 00:04:13,300 position that it is. And the only thing he can think 68 00:04:13,300 --> 00:04:19,399 about is how unworthy that he is to be in such a position and 69 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:23,300 have such a task that is before him, you remember that we 70 00:04:23,300 --> 00:04:25,200 studied that the Lord asked Solomon. 71 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,200 A question. He says, what is it that I might 72 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,100 give you? What is it that you request of 73 00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:33,500 me? Now, interestingly, I think it's 74 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:37,100 important that we remember that God is not saying as some 75 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:40,900 commentators would say, God is not saying ask whatever, 76 00:04:40,900 --> 00:04:44,200 question that, You want, ask whatever favor that I might give 77 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,800 you ask whatever it is and you will have it carte, blanche, 78 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,700 whatever it is. That you ask nowhere in the 79 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:54,600 Bible, does it say that though? Some commentators deduce that. 80 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:58,500 What's being said, is, is he's just simply asking him a 81 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:01,400 question. He never says, and I will give 82 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,600 you everything you asked for. He just says, what is it that 83 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,700 you ask of me that I might do for you? 84 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:13,000 And Solomon began with words of praise. 85 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,800 And he said you showed great kindness you showed great mercy 86 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,000 and that's what that word means and that passage Mercy. 87 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,200 You know, sometimes we look at the word mercy as receiving 88 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,800 something from someone you didn't deserve now. 89 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,800 No doubt anything that comes from God, man does not deserve. 90 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,900 But this word mercy just means kindness. 91 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:36,000 He said you showed my father kindness and you put him on the 92 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:40,000 throne and he said and then you explode my father kindness by 93 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,900 extending me the throne to And then he says this. 94 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,300 He says, how is it that I could rain or I could be in a throne 95 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:53,200 of so vast, the people so great. A number that cannot be even 96 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,100 numbered so many people that are so great, your people. 97 00:05:56,700 --> 00:06:00,500 He said, all I ask is for an understanding and Discerning 98 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:04,200 heart that I might better be able to perform my duties. 99 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,700 That I might better be able to determine what is right and what 100 00:06:07,700 --> 00:06:11,200 is wrong that I might be able to sit down with someone on a 101 00:06:11,207 --> 00:06:14,900 matter that I might be able to understand what it is that I 102 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:18,400 must do. Do in raining over the kingdom 103 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,400 and in satisfying disputes or whatever. 104 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,000 It is another words. King Solomon is a young man, and 105 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,900 this man realizes with his humility, I am not up for the 106 00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:32,400 charge. I am not up for the task. 107 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:35,400 I need your help. Give me the understanding and 108 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,500 the wisdom to be able to be the king that you want me to be. 109 00:06:41,300 --> 00:06:44,900 You know, I remember when I was 20, I knew everything. 110 00:06:46,100 --> 00:06:47,600 I really did. We all do? 111 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,000 You know fact it's interesting to me and no shot. 112 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,100 Hey, you just got married and I'm not talking about you. but 113 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:57,500 it's interesting to me when people just get married in their 114 00:06:57,500 --> 00:07:02,900 young man, they've got it all figured out They've got all the 115 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:08,300 answers, they know all about the family, but there's something 116 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:11,600 that happens in our life that causes us to have some 117 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,700 knowledge, some wisdom, and some understanding about matters like 118 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:21,600 that, it's called years, it's called gray hair, it's called 119 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,600 wrinkles. Those warm apps that are on our 120 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,200 face. Tina and I in it. 121 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,700 Now we are older than we ever have been but we are not old 122 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:33,500 folks yet, but we're not young people. 123 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:35,800 I guess we're somewhere in between. 124 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:38,500 No, we don't know, all the answers, but she and I have 125 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:41,500 laughed about all the things that we thought we once knew. 126 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,500 Like that song that says, I know so much more now than back. 127 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:48,200 When I knew it all, and that's a fact. 128 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,600 How many people though are 20 years old and placed in a 129 00:07:52,608 --> 00:07:56,800 position of Honor like King Solomon and be so humble in his 130 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,900 heart and have such humility in his heart. 131 00:08:00,100 --> 00:08:03,100 That the only thing he could say is I'm not worthy. 132 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:06,900 I'm not worthy of it all. I want you to do. 133 00:08:06,900 --> 00:08:09,200 He says to God is give me the tools. 134 00:08:09,300 --> 00:08:11,900 Give me the wisdom. Give me the understanding. 135 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,300 Give me the knowledge. Give me what I need so that I 136 00:08:15,300 --> 00:08:18,600 can sit on this throne and do what you want me to do. 137 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:24,400 What an amazing heart. And you know the Bible says that 138 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:29,400 God responds back to Solomon and he is so pleased because he 139 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,700 responds to Solomon. And he says because you have not 140 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:37,100 asked me for richest because you didn't ask me for Honor because 141 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:40,400 you didn't ask me for all of those things that you could have 142 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,700 in this world because you didn't ask me that I would remove your 143 00:08:44,700 --> 00:08:46,300 enemies. You know, incident. 144 00:08:46,300 --> 00:08:48,000 Let's take a little side note there. 145 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,400 Do you remember when David before he was King and he's 146 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,500 having a Conversation with his best friend, his best friend in 147 00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:58,900 the whole world. Jonathan, and you remember when 148 00:08:58,900 --> 00:09:01,500 Jonathan says to David, he says this. 149 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:06,200 Now, David reigned during a time of War, David had enemies 150 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,400 everywhere enemies against God's people personally against him 151 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,700 and against God's people and against the throne and even 152 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:17,500 against God. So he lived in a different time. 153 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:20,800 But do you remember what Solomon is very best friend in the whole 154 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,400 world said to him. He said, One day, God is going 155 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:29,900 to remove all of your enemies from you and when he does, all I 156 00:09:29,900 --> 00:09:33,300 ask of you is that you would extend to me the same kindness 157 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,600 that God has extended to you. And if I'm dead, if I'm out of 158 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,700 the picture, then all I would ask is that you would extend the 159 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:44,900 same kindness to my family and David says, I will we all know 160 00:09:44,900 --> 00:09:47,800 the story. It was extended to mephibosheth 161 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:53,400 his son and so forth. If God, bestowed, the same thing 162 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,200 to David, maybe it would be natural for Solomon to say the 163 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,800 same thing. Because the things that Solomon 164 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,400 does not ask for are not in themself bad. 165 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,100 How do we know that if these things that God says, you didn't 166 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:12,200 ask me for riches. You didn't ask me for Honor. 167 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,700 You didn't ask me that I remove your enemies and you didn't ask 168 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:18,500 me for a long life. You know how we know that, 169 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:21,100 that's not bad, that those things aren't bad things to 170 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:24,200 have. Because God gives him those 171 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,600 things too. And if it was bad God would have 172 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,600 never done that. That's not the point. 173 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:35,300 The point was, God was impressed by the fact that this young man 174 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:39,600 didn't ask for those things he didn't ask for those things, 175 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,500 which would have been selfish. He just asked for an 176 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:45,900 understanding heart that he might show wisdom in the world 177 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,000 and God said, because you have asked of that I am so pleased 178 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,400 with that. I'm going to Grant you wisdom 179 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,400 and understanding and you're going to have wisdom that far. 180 00:10:55,900 --> 00:11:00,600 Has anyone that has ever lived in days gone by and anyone that 181 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,900 will ever live in the future, you're going to be the wisest 182 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:09,100 man in the world. And because you didn't ask for 183 00:11:09,100 --> 00:11:13,600 this, I'm going to Grant you riches to, you're going to be 184 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:19,300 the wealthiest man in the world. You're going to have honor among 185 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:22,200 men. I'm going to grant you that too. 186 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,500 But there was one thing though that and these are Promises by 187 00:11:26,500 --> 00:11:30,200 the way, wisdom riches and honor. 188 00:11:30,700 --> 00:11:34,400 These are things that God promises to Solomon and it 189 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:38,700 appears to me that he is promising, these things to him 190 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:43,500 unconditionally what was the condition of receiving riches 191 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,900 and honor and all of that. The fact that his heart was not 192 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:50,500 arrogant enough and self-serving enough to ask for those things, 193 00:11:50,500 --> 00:11:52,400 he asked for wisdom. God says, you're going to have 194 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,900 it and I'm going to give you Riches and honor and all of 195 00:11:54,900 --> 00:11:58,200 that. But there was one thing that was 196 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,700 one thing that had a condition attached to it. 197 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:07,000 God said, and if you keep my statutes if you keep the 198 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,500 Commandments, if you keep the things that I extended down to 199 00:12:10,508 --> 00:12:14,600 your father, King David that he kept all the days of his life. 200 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:19,400 If you do that, then I will lengthen, thy days, I will add 201 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:24,400 years to your life. You know, what's interesting? 202 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:31,700 What's interesting to me is, I've actually thought That David 203 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,700 a man that was one of the four men that were handsome and 204 00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:36,900 built. Well, that's described in the 205 00:12:36,908 --> 00:12:41,800 Bible, we picture a strong man. We picture a handsome, man. 206 00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:45,900 We picture a man that looked I would imagine athletic he was 207 00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:48,700 built well. But you remember what happened 208 00:12:48,700 --> 00:12:50,200 to David? I've always, I've always been 209 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:53,900 interested in the fact that in days of Bible times. 210 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:58,500 When people live for a long long time, that all of a sudden we 211 00:12:58,500 --> 00:13:01,900 pictured David as a decrepit old man. 212 00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:06,500 That is in his bedchamber as it were and he is so frail. 213 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,500 He is so sickly. He is so weak that he is unable 214 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:13,200 to regulate his own body temperature. 215 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,400 So abishag, the young beautiful Maiden is brought to him and she 216 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,700 is Is there for the purpose of helping him to stay warm? 217 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,600 So the Bible pictures, this great one. 218 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:28,300 David as a decrepit old sickly man at 70. 219 00:13:30,300 --> 00:13:33,200 So when God says to Solomon, I'm going to lengthen your days. 220 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,700 If you keep my statutes, if you keep my Commandments and all of 221 00:13:35,700 --> 00:13:39,300 that, we can picture a man that may be lived. 222 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,100 I don't know, 80 90 100, maybe more. 223 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,900 What's interesting is, we're just jump ahead really quick, 224 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:50,800 and then we'll get back Solomon died at the age of 60. 225 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:53,600 I'm going to tell you something, folks. 226 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,800 When God makes a promise that's conditional. 227 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:01,700 If you don't keep that condition, you will not get the 228 00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:05,000 promise. I think shot he was talking 229 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,800 about. I think I think he was that he's 230 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:10,700 working on a sermon on God's promises and it's true God keeps 231 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:13,400 the promise he will never turn his back on a promise. 232 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:19,900 Absolutely but when a promise is attached to a condition then God 233 00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:23,600 is not obligated to give you that promise that he has said I 234 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,100 will give you if you don't keep the condition. 235 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:31,800 Solomon died at the age of 60 because he didn't keep the 236 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:37,200 statutes, his heart was turned. But I'll tell you something else 237 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:42,500 though. His heart was turned over a long 238 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,900 period of time. Why do we always say, to our 239 00:14:47,900 --> 00:14:49,900 young people to make good choices? 240 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,800 Why do we always say when we see someone is just on the fringes 241 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:55,800 and they're drifting ever? So slightly. 242 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,800 Why is it that we reach out and pull them back in? 243 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:02,100 Why is it that when they come to us and they say, but Dad or Mom 244 00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:04,300 or whatever. It's not that big a thing. 245 00:15:04,300 --> 00:15:08,100 It's not that bad. It's okay and itself but we, 246 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:10,600 that that are supposed to have more wisdom than they and 247 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,000 hopefully, we do look to that and we see what's down at the 248 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,000 other end of the road, we see a Pearl. 249 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,300 Russian and so there may be things in life that are not 250 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:23,800 necessarily wrong in themself at that moment, but they lead to 251 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,400 something that is unwise, they lead, the something that is bad, 252 00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:30,400 they lead to our shame. Those are things. 253 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:35,400 We have to turn our foot from the path and go in an opposite 254 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,400 direction. Solomon now is a man of great 255 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,600 wisdom, he was given now, no doubt we've mentioned this to in 256 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:47,900 the past Solomon had to have the wisdom of Of a great man to ask 257 00:15:47,900 --> 00:15:52,800 God, for more wisdom at the age of 20, he had to have been a 258 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,800 guy. He had to have been a man that 259 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,800 had regular knowledge like you and I have but maybe knowledge 260 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:02,600 that surpassed any other 20 year old. 261 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,000 But the knowledge and the wisdom he was about to get was 262 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,600 Supernatural, wisdom that far surpassed anyone that had ever 263 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,900 lived at any time. But notice this. 264 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,500 What is wisdom? Is wisdom something that's got 265 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:23,900 us by the back of the neck. That's going to make us make the 266 00:16:23,900 --> 00:16:29,000 right choices. No wisdom is a tool. 267 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:34,400 Wisdom is a tool that all of us have to put into practice. 268 00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:38,100 If we don't put wisdom into practice, it's like keeping a 269 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:41,900 tool in the barn or in the shed. It's doing it's no good at all. 270 00:16:42,300 --> 00:16:45,500 At some point in time, with some of the decisions that Solomon 271 00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:48,000 had to make. He had to take the tool that God 272 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,600 gave him. That was what he needed and put 273 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:54,000 it away in the tool shed and make a poor choice. 274 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,800 God never. Or takes away our freedom of 275 00:16:57,800 --> 00:16:59,500 choice. He never does. 276 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:03,100 He gives us the tools though. He gives us his word that we 277 00:17:03,100 --> 00:17:07,400 might understand what it is that he wants us to do, and then when 278 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:11,700 we ask God for wisdom, he gives it not grudgingly, not a little 279 00:17:11,700 --> 00:17:15,400 bit, not holding back. The Bible says he gives it to us 280 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:20,400 liberally. But we have to use the tool that 281 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,300 he gave us Solomon, all of a sudden. 282 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:26,599 Right now, I don't know how many how much time went by from the 283 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:29,500 time that he performed sacrifices and Thanksgiving to 284 00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:31,600 God for the things that God promised him right here. 285 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,900 And now and the time that to harlots come to him over one 286 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:38,200 baby. You remember what Solomon does? 287 00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:42,600 He sets into motion a wise decision to harlots come. 288 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,000 We all know the story one, baby. They're all. 289 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,700 They're both saying. It's my baby and so on there. 290 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:52,800 No testimony from anyone that Solomon could have referred to 291 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,000 there were no witnesses. There was no one that knew the 292 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,200 case, there was no one. That was there that saw the 293 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,300 birth of the two babies that are in question. 294 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:05,100 There was no one no one to consult. 295 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,500 He had to make a choice and he does, he said bring me a sword 296 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:16,300 and I will divide the baby in half and I will give each of you 297 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:20,200 a half. You know, Solomon really wasn't 298 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,700 going to do that Solomon was putting them to the test. 299 00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:27,500 Because of his wisdom, he knew that the real mother would rise 300 00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:29,200 up. And she did she said no, no, no 301 00:18:29,300 --> 00:18:33,500 give the child to her. Another words give the child to 302 00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,500 my rival. It was better in her eyes to 303 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:40,100 have her child go. And be with someone that is her 304 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:43,500 rival that wants her baby. And she would feel the feeling 305 00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:45,700 of Detachment from her own child. 306 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:49,500 That's better than seeing her own child dead. 307 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,200 You know, if the other woman said, fine Cut him in half. 308 00:18:56,100 --> 00:18:58,500 She was more concerned of misery loves company. 309 00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,900 If I can't have my child, she's not having hers either. 310 00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:11,500 What the Bible says about that. the Bible says, and all Israel. 311 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,800 All Israel heard of the Judgment, which the king had 312 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,200 judged and they feared the king for. 313 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:23,800 They saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment. 314 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,800 And the Bible says in chapter 4, that the King King Solomon was 315 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,400 King over all Israel. And furthermore, down in verse 316 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,500 29, it says, and God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding 317 00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:39,100 exceeding, much and largeness of heart. 318 00:19:39,100 --> 00:19:42,800 Even at the sand, that is on the seashore and saw Solomon's 319 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,400 wisdom excelled, the wisdom of all the children of the East 320 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:50,800 Country, and all the wisdom of the of Egypt. 321 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,100 You know this word these two words, wisdom and understanding 322 00:19:56,100 --> 00:19:59,600 here. Understanding is talking about 323 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,800 knowledge. So Solomon had greater knowledge 324 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,700 than anyone. Wisdom wisdom is something that 325 00:20:08,700 --> 00:20:10,900 we do. That's the ability to use the 326 00:20:10,900 --> 00:20:16,600 knowledge that we have. You know, people came far, far 327 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:20,800 away to hear the wisdom of Solomon when it talks about 328 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,200 that, he exceeded all those in Egypt, it's talking about those 329 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,700 that were known for geometry. Those that were known for 330 00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:31,800 arithmetic, those that were known for astronomy, those that 331 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:36,100 were known for medicine. This was a man that far 332 00:20:36,100 --> 00:20:39,200 surpassed all of those. And when it talks about those 333 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,200 that are in the East, it's referring to all those. 334 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,100 That were the edomites, the ones that were known for their 335 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:47,600 wisdom. He had wisdom that was far 336 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:52,500 greater in the Bible says, in verse 34 of chapter 4 and there 337 00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:56,700 came all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon from all Kings 338 00:20:56,700 --> 00:21:01,000 of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. 339 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,000 You know his great wisdom led to his greatest work. 340 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,300 We find that his building projects now were underway and 341 00:21:09,300 --> 00:21:13,500 the building projects of Solomon lasted for about 20 years, the 342 00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:18,600 building of the temple was about seven years and and the 13 years 343 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,000 to build the king's Palace or the King's house. 344 00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:25,500 And so that was the building projects, but his great wisdom, 345 00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:28,000 led to his great work. His greatest work, wasn't 346 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,800 building the Temple, and you remember in the sixth chapter, 347 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,300 Getting in verse 11, where the scripture says and the word of 348 00:21:35,300 --> 00:21:38,200 the Lord came to Solomon saying, I want to make this point 349 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,100 though. It says the word of the Lord 350 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:42,400 came to Solomon and not the Lord. 351 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:45,500 The Lord comes to Solomon on two different occasions. 352 00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:51,400 One is found in chapter 3 in gibeon that was directly and 353 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,400 also we find it later on in chapter 9 directly here. 354 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,500 No doubt it was someone that was maybe a profit maybe even 355 00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:01,300 Nathan. We remember the story of Nathan 356 00:22:01,300 --> 00:22:04,600 and how Nathan fit in the Kingdom as well. 357 00:22:04,900 --> 00:22:09,400 But the word comes to Solomon and he says concerning this 358 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,100 house, which Thou Art in building. 359 00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:15,300 If here's conditions again, if thou Wilt walk in my statutes 360 00:22:15,300 --> 00:22:19,500 and execute my judgments and keep all my Commandments to walk 361 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:23,000 in them, then will I perform my word with thee? 362 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:26,700 Which I spake unto David thy, father, and I will dwell among 363 00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:30,100 the children of Israel and will not forsake, my people. 364 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,200 So, Solomon built the house, House and finished it. 365 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,600 The last verse of the chapter says that it took seven years in 366 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,000 building it. And then in chapter 7 and verse 367 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,800 1, it says, but Solomon was building his own house, 13 368 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:47,200 years, and he finished all of his house. 369 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,500 You know, there was a time at the Feast of the dedication of 370 00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:56,800 the Temple. That Solomon still appeared to 371 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:01,400 have the proper kind of heart. That he refers back as he 372 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,500 standing before the whole congregation. 373 00:23:04,700 --> 00:23:06,800 And he refers back to his father, David. 374 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:10,700 And he says about David. He says that David, My Father, 375 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:15,100 David wanted to build the temple, and he talks about how 376 00:23:15,100 --> 00:23:20,100 God praised David in his desire to build the temple. 377 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:25,200 Even though it wasn't going to be David himself, it was going 378 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,600 to be your son, you know, sometimes in the Bible when it 379 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,500 talks about a son, it's referring Loosely or generically 380 00:23:32,500 --> 00:23:35,100 to me, could even be a grandson, it could be someone. 381 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:38,400 That was your son in the faith that we Find about in the New 382 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:42,000 Testament scriptures. But this right here, what 383 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,400 Solomon is saying is Solomon says, as a God had promised to 384 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,300 my father David, it wouldn't be him directly though. 385 00:23:48,300 --> 00:23:51,800 Praising him for his desire to build the house. 386 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,500 He said it would be from his loins. 387 00:23:54,500 --> 00:23:57,100 Meaning, it would be his own flesh and blood. 388 00:23:57,100 --> 00:24:00,900 It would be his own son, and it would be Solomon. 389 00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:04,900 And Solomon would be the one who Not only would sit on the throne 390 00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:09,300 but build the temple. Bible says that Solomon stood 391 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:11,800 before the altar of the Lord and the presence of all the 392 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,100 congregation of Israel and he spread forth, his hands toward 393 00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:18,800 heaven and he said, Lord God of Israel, there's no God like unto 394 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,200 thee in Heaven above or on Earth beneath who keep his Covenant 395 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,400 and I get this. There's no one in the world. 396 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,800 And when he talks about God's here in a multiple sense or a 397 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,400 plurality here, he's not saying that there is more than one 398 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,900 acceptable. God, he is saying that there are 399 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:40,000 many people in the world. That recognized Idol gods. 400 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,700 And what he's doing is, he's praising God to this degree. 401 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,800 He says there's no one that even professes to be a god. 402 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:51,300 There's no one that's ever even recognized as a god. 403 00:24:51,300 --> 00:24:54,700 There's no God in heaven, there's no God beneath, there's 404 00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:59,700 no God on Earth, there's no God, anywhere, that's like you. 405 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:07,500 Because you keep your promises. You keep your Covenants. 406 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:17,600 Get this and your mercy to your servants that walk before thee 407 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:24,400 with all their heart. Isn't that today too. 408 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,600 Who's an old preacher one-time. Preached, a sermon called will 409 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:33,800 God keep a promise. He will keep a promise at the 410 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:39,200 fact. To all those that walk after him 411 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,300 with all their heart. You know, we looked at the life 412 00:25:43,300 --> 00:25:47,700 of King David for a long time. And, you know, the Bible Praises 413 00:25:47,700 --> 00:25:51,900 David and God. Praises David, and God says to 414 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:54,000 Solomon, he makes comparisons to Solomon. 415 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,600 He says, I want you to walk after me, like, your father, 416 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,300 David did with all your heart and I want you to do it. 417 00:25:59,300 --> 00:26:02,000 Like David did, who did it with all of his heart? 418 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:05,300 Now, wait a minute. We look at the life of David and 419 00:26:05,300 --> 00:26:07,500 we find that he had sin in his life. 420 00:26:07,900 --> 00:26:11,800 He committed a horrible act, he committed, an act of adultery, 421 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:16,700 tried to hide, it was guilty of lying and then murder He passed 422 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:20,800 down that judgment to. And yet, God looks at his life 423 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:25,000 as a man that walked after him with all of his heart. 424 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:29,000 You know, that tells me that there's a difference between 425 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,000 someone whose heart has changed and turns their back on the 426 00:26:32,008 --> 00:26:35,000 Lord. And someone that just makes a 427 00:26:35,008 --> 00:26:38,600 mistake and falls down, needs to get back up. 428 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:42,700 I tells me there's a big difference because I'm going to 429 00:26:42,708 --> 00:26:44,400 tell you something, folks. They were something about the 430 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,400 life of King Solomon. There was something about his 431 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,600 heart that God didn't, like there was something about his 432 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,100 life. There was something about his 433 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:53,100 judgments. There was something about his 434 00:26:53,100 --> 00:26:55,800 heart that changed in God's eyes. 435 00:26:55,900 --> 00:26:59,800 And yet, we don't read about specific sins that he committed 436 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:05,200 like what David did. That's a difference, folks. 437 00:27:06,900 --> 00:27:10,800 And I'm going to tell you something else, too. when Jesus 438 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:15,200 gave the parable, When he gave the parable of those that were 439 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:19,200 to people, when they came to Jesus, and one was guilty of a 440 00:27:19,208 --> 00:27:22,700 tremendous amount of sin. When Jesus looked at these two 441 00:27:22,700 --> 00:27:25,600 debtors he said who's going to love me more? 442 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:29,900 The one that had sinned or the one that didn't have as much 443 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,700 sometimes our service becomes better and greater because of 444 00:27:33,700 --> 00:27:39,300 our mistakes. I am grateful that all of the 445 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,500 dumb choices that I made as a young man, I'm thankful that I 446 00:27:43,508 --> 00:27:45,900 don't have long-term ramifications about those 447 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:49,400 things. I'm grateful sometimes we do but 448 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,000 we can learn about those things and learn from our past and be 449 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:58,200 better than we've ever been. And serve God more because we 450 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,300 appreciate the fact that in his loving tender Mercy, he extended 451 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:05,300 our life to the point that we were able to get our life in 452 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:09,400 proper order, and he gave us the time to do it, and it causes us 453 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:13,400 to be grateful, he causes us to be thankful. 454 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,600 Solomon now is as we read in our text is at the height of 455 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,400 prosperity here again, here again. 456 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:25,200 The Lord is going to give him some conditions, no doubt, the 457 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:26,800 Lord can see. And, you know, the Lord is the 458 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,000 only one that can judge a man's heart. 459 00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:31,100 How many times have we said that? 460 00:28:31,100 --> 00:28:32,700 How many times have we said? In? 461 00:28:32,700 --> 00:28:35,000 Somebody says that they're sorry about this, or they're sorry 462 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,200 about that. Or sometimes somebody does 463 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,600 something, they behave a certain way and it is true that 464 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,500 sometimes we want to judge their motives. 465 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:46,600 We want to judge there. Our hearts and we might get it 466 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,700 right? But really we took a guess at it 467 00:28:48,700 --> 00:28:51,800 because the only God knows the heart of man. 468 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,500 Now in the eyes of the people, in the eyes of Israel, Solomon 469 00:28:56,500 --> 00:29:00,700 is in a beautiful position, he's a great example, in the eyes of 470 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:03,800 the people But God warns him again. 471 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,700 And this is the second time that God Appears to him and speaks to 472 00:29:07,700 --> 00:29:11,800 him directly. And it says this, if thou Wilt 473 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:16,900 walk, before me as thy, father, David had walked in Integrity of 474 00:29:16,900 --> 00:29:19,200 heart. And in uprightness to do, 475 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,400 according to all that, I have commanded thee and will keep my 476 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,800 statutes and my judgments. Then I will establish the Throne 477 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,300 of the on my of thy kingdom upon Israel forever. 478 00:29:29,300 --> 00:29:34,000 As I promised of David thy Father saying there shall not 479 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,400 fail thee. A man upon the throne of Israel. 480 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:40,500 There's going to be a successor but there's the condition. 481 00:29:40,500 --> 00:29:44,800 Again you've got to keep the condition and he's warning to 482 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,600 he's warning Solomon again but notice the very next verse God 483 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:55,600 says this. But if you shall at all, he 484 00:29:55,600 --> 00:30:03,800 didn't say, if you completely he didn't say, if you 100% he says, 485 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:13,900 if you at all At all turn from following me, you or your 486 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:18,200 children and will not keep my Commandments and my statutes, 487 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:22,500 which I have set before you but go and serve other gods and 488 00:30:22,500 --> 00:30:25,800 worship them if you do that, not only full-blown. 489 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:30,500 But if you do it at all, if you turn your back on me at all and 490 00:30:30,500 --> 00:30:34,100 you go back to serving other gods in any way, shape, or form. 491 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:39,300 Then I will cut off Israel out of the land, which I have given 492 00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:41,500 them. And this house, which I have 493 00:30:41,500 --> 00:30:44,400 hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight? 494 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:49,300 And Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. 495 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,700 It's going to be the butt of every joke. 496 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,400 If you do that, you know, I think that this verse here is 497 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:59,600 referring to the specific, Babylonian captivity, Second, 498 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,600 Kings, 24 and 25. We will get there eventually but 499 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:09,500 that's what that's referring to. But God continues also he says 500 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:13,700 when people walk by and see wait a minute, why has God done this? 501 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:17,500 It's going to be common knowledge. 502 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:21,800 And they're going to say this because they forsook the Lord 503 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,200 their God who brought forth their fathers out of the land of 504 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:30,100 Egypt and taken hold upon other gods and worship them and serve 505 00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:32,400 them. Therefore hath the Lord brought 506 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:37,000 upon them, all this evil. Then the Bible says, remember we 507 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,800 studied about high Ram, the king of Tyre and tie and this King 508 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,700 helped Solomon, this King helps Solomon. 509 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,600 This King supplied him with the Why's that he needed with the 510 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,600 gold that he needed with the timber that he needed with the 511 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,200 trees that he needed with all the things that he needed, you 512 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:57,900 know? I think there's a picture here 513 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:02,300 of a loan scenario. He's loaning these things to him 514 00:32:02,500 --> 00:32:05,600 and then in a future time or further time when he would have 515 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,800 abundance in the Kingdom, he would be able to pay back and 516 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:13,600 great in a great way. But the Bible says he doesn't do 517 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:20,500 that, he gives him 20 cities. He gives him 20 cities. 518 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,800 Of Galilee in the land of Galilee, you know, that sounds 519 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:29,100 like a great thing when it be great to get 20 cities. 520 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:34,300 But then Hiram goes and looks at the cities and he sees it as 521 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:41,300 Barren land as worthless land. You know, First Kings doesn't 522 00:32:41,300 --> 00:32:45,800 say this, but in second chronicles it does, it says that 523 00:32:46,100 --> 00:32:50,900 that high Ram, basically turned the land back, he didn't take 524 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,500 the land. He said, it is worthless in 525 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:57,600 essence. That word means cable is what he 526 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,800 called it, and it means dry and Sandy. 527 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,700 It also, So means sterile it was useless to him. 528 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,000 Some Scholars say that maybe this is a picture of the 529 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,500 stinginess in the heart of King Solomon. 530 00:33:12,100 --> 00:33:13,900 You know, the other day I was talking to Terry and I asked him 531 00:33:13,900 --> 00:33:18,700 how many guys he has working And Terry has a lot of usually, as a 532 00:33:18,708 --> 00:33:21,900 lot of men working for him. He said about 25, I think he 533 00:33:21,900 --> 00:33:24,500 said, I want you to picture this. 534 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:27,800 What if you had so many guys working for you? 535 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:29,700 You want to talk about a man that has it all at his 536 00:33:29,700 --> 00:33:33,400 fingertips at his disposal. You had talked about having so 537 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,000 many guys. What if you had so many men that 538 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:41,400 it took 550 supervisors to oversee them now that to crew 539 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:46,000 That's a big outfit. These were the men. 540 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,700 Now, all the children of Israel, none of them were slaves or 541 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:51,600 enslaved to it. There were others from foreign 542 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:54,800 lands that were in bondage, but not the children of Israel. 543 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:57,400 They were workers, in fact, the children of Israel though that 544 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,900 they were Men of War. There was times when they had to 545 00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:03,300 work and labor and the labor force was so great. 546 00:34:03,300 --> 00:34:11,300 It took five hundred and fifty men to oversee it Remember, the 547 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:14,400 time that the Queen of Sheba comes to Solomon? 548 00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:18,300 You know, when you're a certain kind of person you know a lot of 549 00:34:18,308 --> 00:34:22,500 times we look to athletes as those that are famous. and you 550 00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:27,100 hear about, And you could take a person that's not known at all 551 00:34:27,100 --> 00:34:29,800 and you can make them, you can have him do something or be 552 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,900 known for something. He becomes famous to some 553 00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:36,199 degree. Well, the fame of Solomon spread 554 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:39,699 so much that the Queen of Sheba. One day, she decides to come to 555 00:34:39,699 --> 00:34:42,600 Solomon. Now, she heard many great things 556 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,100 about Solomon. She heard about his wisdom, she 557 00:34:45,100 --> 00:34:47,800 heard about his knowledge. She heard about the fact that he 558 00:34:47,808 --> 00:34:51,400 is exceeded all those in Egypt, even those that were Masters in 559 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:54,600 medicine. And she comes to him with 560 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:58,600 riddles and questions. She's testing King Solomon. 561 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,900 And the Bible says that he answered every single thing that 562 00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:07,100 she had inquired, every single thing that she threw down. 563 00:35:07,100 --> 00:35:10,900 He had a perfect answer for and when he was finished, the Bible 564 00:35:10,900 --> 00:35:14,100 says that she looked at him and she says this, I heard it was 565 00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:15,400 great. As I paraphrase. 566 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,000 I heard that you were all this wise, I heard all of that but it 567 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,100 was nothing compared to what I've seen with my own eyes and 568 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:29,000 and heard with my own ears. And here's the point. 569 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,800 Remember how we talked about how, when we do good things? 570 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:37,600 I loved our brothers prayer today, did you hear what he said 571 00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:40,900 about those that are in Arkansas? 572 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:45,200 May they have an opportunity. May they have a platform, may 573 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,000 they have an opportunity to do good in the community. 574 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,200 May, they have an opportunity to assist in Aid. 575 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,900 Someone else even though they need the aid themself to, but 576 00:35:53,900 --> 00:35:56,700 they reach out and they do that, who gets the praise. 577 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,000 God gets the Ace God gets the glory. 578 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:05,100 Do you remember years ago, Bruce Roebuck held a meeting over at 579 00:36:05,100 --> 00:36:07,800 Brundage and he was talking about, actually it was an 580 00:36:07,808 --> 00:36:10,000 Arkansas around the place of Mountain Home. 581 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,600 I think that he was living there at the time and somebody was in 582 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:15,800 need in the world, something happened. 583 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,600 I think the the wife died and the husband had all these kids 584 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,900 and he had to care for the kids and he had to do all that, but 585 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:24,800 he had to work so he was he couldn't work. 586 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:28,400 It care for them word, got out. It got on the News and the 587 00:36:28,408 --> 00:36:31,800 Salvation Army with their vests on came and they came to their 588 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:38,500 aid in that wonderful. But Bruce's point was When it 589 00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:42,600 was all said and done. The Salvation Army got the 590 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:47,800 credit. They got the glory. but when we 591 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:53,000 wear the banner of Christ, As demonstrated by our life. 592 00:36:54,300 --> 00:36:56,200 And we help those that are in need. 593 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,700 We do that, which is good and right. 594 00:36:59,700 --> 00:37:04,000 It's God, that gets the praise. And he gets the glory. 595 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:09,800 You know what the Queen of Sheba said. when all of that was said, 596 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:13,300 When she recognized how wise he was. 597 00:37:13,300 --> 00:37:16,300 She finally says it had to come from God. 598 00:37:17,300 --> 00:37:22,500 She recognized that what he had had to come from God. 599 00:37:23,500 --> 00:37:27,800 Moving on quickly, there were three things, this is the our 600 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,400 final points. There were three things 601 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,300 according to Deuteronomy chapter, 17, that a king was not 602 00:37:34,300 --> 00:37:38,200 to do. and, you know, Solomon, we talked about what happened 603 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:43,700 during the 40 Years of his Reign that caused his dissent And you 604 00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:48,000 know, really what he does is he is guilty of all three things 605 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:53,900 that Deuteronomy chapter 17 says that a king was not to do one, 606 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:57,900 he was not to use the office for the position of being a king to 607 00:37:57,900 --> 00:38:00,400 a mass or increase wealth unto himself. 608 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,900 That was number one, he was not to do that. 609 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,900 Did he do that? Certainly did, you know, we 610 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:10,400 talked about millionaires today, signing bonuses than a player, a 611 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:15,000 baseball player or football player It's common to say that 612 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,300 somebody signed and got a 20 million dollar bonus. 613 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,900 It's common, we're not impressed with that at all in this day and 614 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:25,800 time. Listen to what Solomon was 615 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:32,400 getting in ancient Bible times in verse 14 of chapter 10, it 616 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:37,100 says that the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year 617 00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:41,300 was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold. 618 00:38:41,300 --> 00:38:45,100 You know what that is you late that out that that's first of 619 00:38:45,100 --> 00:38:51,300 all, the weight of it that 25 tons of gold You know how much 620 00:38:51,300 --> 00:38:55,100 25 tons of gold according to if they're right according to 621 00:38:55,107 --> 00:38:59,100 modern-day estimators that would have been about 20 million 622 00:38:59,100 --> 00:39:03,300 dollars in one year's time. That's the gold that came to the 623 00:39:03,300 --> 00:39:08,900 king twenty million dollars. He was not to use the position 624 00:39:08,900 --> 00:39:13,100 of being a king to amass wealth or increased wealth unto himself 625 00:39:13,100 --> 00:39:17,200 Deuteronomy 17. Second thing Deuteronomy 17 says 626 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:21,400 that a king was not to use the position of being a King to 627 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:26,900 multiply horses unto himself. He did that fourteen hundred of 628 00:39:26,900 --> 00:39:27,600 them. You know. 629 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,600 He talked about the hilly Rocky terrains and so forth. 630 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:32,300 He didn't need all those chariots. 631 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:34,400 What good is the Chariot in the Hills? 632 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:41,700 But he amassed that to be multiplied horses unto himself 633 00:39:41,700 --> 00:39:43,900 and third. And finally, and this will spend 634 00:39:43,900 --> 00:39:48,700 the rest of our time on He was not to use the position of being 635 00:39:48,700 --> 00:39:57,400 a king and multiply wives unto himself. 700 wives of princesses 636 00:39:57,400 --> 00:40:00,900 of other kingdoms. You know what that tells me that 637 00:40:00,900 --> 00:40:04,300 tells me that Solomon was more interested in increasing his 638 00:40:04,300 --> 00:40:09,400 Renown than he was of any other thing, his heart had changed, 639 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:13,300 and his heart changed long before his idol-worshipping 640 00:40:13,300 --> 00:40:17,800 wives, let his heart astray. He wanted to increase his 641 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,000 renowned, he wanted to increase all of those things, he brought 642 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,400 great wealth, his way multiplied horses unto himself and he 643 00:40:24,408 --> 00:40:27,900 multiplied wives, too. And he had 700 wives and 300 644 00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:32,800 concubines Fellas. Can you imagine that it? 645 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:34,700 Listen, it's hard. It's hard to keep one happy all 646 00:40:34,700 --> 00:40:37,400 the time. A thousand of them. 647 00:40:38,700 --> 00:40:41,400 A man that wanted to increase his renown. 648 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:46,400 You know, the Bible says that these were wives that served 649 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:53,600 other gods and the scripture says, in verse 5, for Solomon 650 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,900 went after asterisk, the goddess of the zidonians. 651 00:40:57,300 --> 00:41:00,200 And after milcom, the abomination of the ammonites, 652 00:41:00,500 --> 00:41:03,700 and Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not 653 00:41:03,700 --> 00:41:07,900 fully after the Lord as did David his father, then did 654 00:41:07,900 --> 00:41:10,000 Solomon built a high place for chemo. 655 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:13,400 Wash the abomination of Moab in the hill that is before 656 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:16,200 Jerusalem. And for Molech, the abomination 657 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:20,900 of the children of Ammon What happened is, what happened is 658 00:41:20,900 --> 00:41:27,100 the evil influences of his wives, led him into idolatry and 659 00:41:27,100 --> 00:41:30,200 he supported that he built. Places that they could worship 660 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:32,600 their Idol Gods. Why? 661 00:41:33,700 --> 00:41:36,900 Because he chose wives for the wrong reason. 662 00:41:38,700 --> 00:41:42,000 Why do you think? We spend so much time telling 663 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:44,900 our young people to date in the church? 664 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:50,400 Why do we spend so much time telling our young folks to marry 665 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:53,500 a Christian. Someone that shares our faith. 666 00:41:54,300 --> 00:41:57,300 Why do we do that? You know, I'm impressed with our 667 00:41:57,300 --> 00:42:00,900 young people in the Brotherhood and that's why it's so important 668 00:42:00,900 --> 00:42:04,300 to go to meetings were where young people can meet other 669 00:42:04,300 --> 00:42:07,300 young people and then they meet friends and then they become 670 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,700 long-term lifetime friends, and then they be, they date folks. 671 00:42:10,700 --> 00:42:13,400 And so on, even though I'm not gonna let Taylor date till she's 672 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:18,100 married, But it's a good thing for others. 673 00:42:18,900 --> 00:42:21,000 As they find people, they're going to spend the rest of your 674 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:25,400 life with But I'll tell you something, there's reasons for 675 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:29,800 that, because little by little the heart of Solomon. 676 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:31,500 Now, I want you to remember this. 677 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:40,200 He is the wisest smartest man in the world. now, if the wisest 678 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:44,900 smartest man in the world, Can have his heart turned and 679 00:42:44,900 --> 00:42:48,900 changed because of his idol-worshipping wipes. 680 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:51,500 Where does that leave me and you? 681 00:42:54,100 --> 00:43:01,700 where, Where's that leave us? He's wiser and smarter than 682 00:43:01,700 --> 00:43:05,100 anyone. And he failed. 683 00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:09,300 Bible says that the Lord was displeased with him. 684 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:13,900 One more thing about promises, I'm wrapping my sermon, he'll 685 00:43:13,900 --> 00:43:15,900 close, you've been so patient and listening were almost 686 00:43:15,900 --> 00:43:19,200 finished. You remember, when God gave him 687 00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:23,700 the conditions of the promise, sometimes people in the world 688 00:43:23,700 --> 00:43:26,000 say, God left me. Where was God, where was God 689 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:28,800 when this happened and so on, you know, God has never ever 690 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:29,600 ever. I don't care what you've been 691 00:43:29,607 --> 00:43:31,400 through. God has never left your side 692 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:35,900 ever. He never has If he's not there, 693 00:43:35,900 --> 00:43:40,600 it's because you left him. and, you know, when the Bible says in 694 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:45,900 the story of Samson in his life, Delila wore him down. 695 00:43:45,900 --> 00:43:48,500 And finally he says well it'll be like all times before I'll 696 00:43:48,500 --> 00:43:51,400 rise up and I'll shake myself it'll be like all times before 697 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:54,200 but some of the saddest words and all the Bible but he knew 698 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:56,500 not that the Lord was departed from him. 699 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:02,100 When does the Lord depart? When we depart from him. 700 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:07,900 The Lord left Solomon, because Solomon left the Lord. 701 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,900 You know what God says, God says, I'm going to take the 702 00:44:12,900 --> 00:44:15,300 kingdom now. He was angry and I'm going to 703 00:44:15,300 --> 00:44:19,200 rent it from you, but he says I'm not going to do it while 704 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:23,100 you're still living for your father's sake and there's going 705 00:44:23,100 --> 00:44:26,300 to be a divided Kingdom, that's next. 706 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:29,500 At the end of this chapter, we find that Solomon dies. 707 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:33,000 Solomon dies. And then we start hearing 708 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:36,300 characters like jeroboam the son of nebat. 709 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:41,200 He was an evil King and in the northern kingdom which was ten 710 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:44,300 tribes. He would Reign Over the northern 711 00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:46,600 kingdom. He was the first king on the 712 00:44:46,607 --> 00:44:53,000 Northern Kingdom of Israel. The southern kingdom was Judah 713 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,800 and Benjamin was with Judah, but the Bible just describes it as 714 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:59,100 Judah. And Solomon, son. 715 00:44:59,100 --> 00:45:03,200 Also in he's evil King was real bone and he would be on that 716 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:05,000 Throne. The Divided Kingdom. 717 00:45:05,100 --> 00:45:07,600 Look at the ramifications of poor choices. 718 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:12,400 God said, there's going to be a successor on the throne forever, 719 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:17,300 if you serve me and your children do the same, In his 720 00:45:17,300 --> 00:45:20,300 lifetime, then even have to get to the, to the kids in his 721 00:45:20,300 --> 00:45:24,900 lifetime and at the age of 60, after a 40-year Reign, he dies. 722 00:45:25,100 --> 00:45:27,500 And the kingdom is divided. As the next thing we're going to 723 00:45:27,508 --> 00:45:30,900 talk about is the history and the story of The Divided 724 00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:37,400 Kingdom, Israel and Judah. We thank you for listening to 725 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:42,200 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 726 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:45,800 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 727 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:49,000 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 728 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:54,500 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 729 00:45:54,500 --> 00:45:57,000 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 730 00:45:57,600 --> 00:46:02,800 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 731 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:07,300 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 732 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:10,000 We would love for you to be our honored guest.