KINGDOM CHARACTER-V—1Kings 3:16-28
AKA—Motherhood Potential(Mother’s Day)
Is God leading you or has the devil been allowed access to your world because of the way in which you approach your potential? Do you have character that is fit for God’s Kingdom?
Remember our Background/Context:
YaHWeH had approached Solomon “in a dream by night” saying, “Ask! What shall I give you?”(:5).
King Solomon recognized his own inability to rule properly because he saw himself as “a little child” who did not even know how to go out or come in”(:7). On top of that, he was also taken with & humbled by the sheer numbers of God’s people. Also tied into this was an understanding that Solomon’s charge was to lead God’s chosen people(:8). The expectations/responsibilities upon Solomon were great & he felt their weight.
Therefore in answer to God’s question, Solomon requested “wisdom” from the LORD. Solomon knew he needed “an understanding heart to judge” YaHWeH’s people, that he might be able to “discern between good & evil”(:9). He was concerned that he be able to “judge” the people of God wisely & with equity.
Solomon’s desire “pleased” God(:10) so that He responded by giving Solomon the “understanding”he had asked for along with the personal things he had not considered important—long life, riches, & the life of his enemies(:11-14).
The result & proof of God’s bestowing His wisdom upon Solomon was immediately manifested to everyone as follows in our text(:16-28).....
The events surrounding one of Solomon’s official judgments revealed the motherly potential of a harlot.
A person’s character reveals their potential as a servant of God, their fitness for the kingdom of God &/or their citizenship in God’s kingdom.
How is Kingdom character manifested?
Some ways in which Kingdom character is manifested.
Attention:
True to Form:
A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Valentine's Day.
A friend of his said, "I thought she always wanted a Jeep wrangler."
"She did," he replied. "But where in the world was I going to find a fake Jeep?!!”
We’ve found previously that...
Kingdom Character(or the lack thereof) is manifested in one’s approach to...
1. PERSONAL SIN(:16)
2. TRAGEDY(:17-21)
3. TRUTH(:16-22)
4. JUSTICE(:16-22)
5. OPPOSITION(:22)
6. RESOLUTION(:23-25)
7—Kingdom character is manifested in one’s Approach to...
VALUE-Compassion(:26)
Explanation:(:26)Inestimable/Human value
:26—“Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; & she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, & by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
One of the “harlot’s” had a mother’s heart. She genuinely cared for the child in question.
In the mother’s eyes, the king of Israel was going to take her own child’s life. Her heart was wrenched & torn apart not knowing how to effect a rescue of this her innocent child’s life!
“& she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, & by no means kill him!”
For the sake of her child’s very life, the son’s mother was willing to allow the lying, uncaring, heartless, prostitute all future care of her son. Her son did not deserve to die. And he would not, if she could only compose herself enough to let go of her ‘right’ to her son.
Life begins at conception. All human life holds inestimable value in God’s eyes or He would not have made us. He certainly would not have made us in His own image(Gen. 1:26-28).
“But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
The “woman” whose son had died was entirely heartless & selfish. She was ‘sold out’ to the lifestyle of her harlotry. Perhaps she wanted to be freed from supposition & accusation as a murderer. Regardless, she placed no value in the “living” son’s life! She was so consumed with self, that she thought nothing of one who was helpless...& one whose very life hung on ‘her mercy.’ She was the kind of woman who heartlessly laughs when others suffer or face tragedy.
She was an utterly ‘envious’ woman—Not wanting her roommate to have something which she did not herself possess.[Jealousy(negatively) is not wanting others to have what you have.] But remember on a positive note, that God is jealous for His people.(Ex. 34:14; Josh. 24:19).
How much more perverse it was for her to coldly focus & levy/impose such destructive envy upon one so innocent & helpless as an infant!
“Yearned/Deeply Stirred”—rmk kaw-mar’—Niphal(passive/reflexive) Perfect—1) To yearn, be kindled, be black(hot), grow warm & tender, be or grow hot, become hot, become emotionally agitated—1a) (Niphal)—1a1) To grow warm & tender, 1a2) To be or grow hot. Strong—a primitive root; properly--To intertwine or contract, i.e. by implication--To shrivel(as with heat); figuratively--To be deeply affected with passion(love or pity). Used 4X.
“Compassion/Bowels”—Mxr rakh’-am—Noun Masc.—1) Womb. Noun Masc. Absolute Plural Intensive—2) Compassion. Strong—Compassion(in the plural); by extension--The womb(as cherishing the fetus); by implication--A maiden.
“Divide”(See :25)—rzg gaw-zar’—Qal Imperative—1) To cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To cut in two, divide, 1a2) To cut down, 1a3) To cut off, destroy, exterminate, 1a4) To decree. Strong—a primitive root; To cut down or off; figuratively--To destroy, divide, exclude, or decide. Used 13X.
Argumentation:
Heb. 2:6-16—“But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory & honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory & honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things & by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies & those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I & the children whom God has given Me.” Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh & blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, & release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”
All humanity has tremendous value to God. That is why He made the way for you to be eternally in His presence! that is why He would give His only-begotten Son to take your place on the Cross!
Prov. 24:17, 18—“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the LORD see it, & it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.”
Job 31:26-30—“If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above. “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);”
Isa. 59:1-9(:7)—“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words & speak lies; They conceive evil & bring forth iniquity. They hatch vipers’ eggs & weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not become garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting & destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!”
Mat. 9:35-38—“Then Jesus went about all the cities & villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, & healing every sickness & every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary & scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Prayer is an extension of compassion.
Mk. 6:34—“And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude & was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.”
Teaching is an extension of compassion.
Mat. 12:7—“But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy & not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.”
Mercy is an extension of compassion.
1Pet. 3:8, 9—“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
Fellowship with Christians is an extension of compassion.
**Your personal heart of Compassion reveals the VALUE-Compassion you place upon people in general...as well as God’s creation!
Thus it speaks of the VALUE you place upon God’s will versus your own.
**This is why the atrocity of abortion is so incredibly perverted & sick & horrific, & why—for those who have been &/or are party to it—there can be such debilitating residual guilt.
Illustration:
Environmentalists(even lost ones) realize that there are real benefits to natural resources, other than that obtained by exploiting them for a product or by-product for personal profit/VALUE-Compassion
Why does the church educate our children?
Why does the church have food & clothing pantries?
Why does the church have soup kitchens?
Application:
?Is your Approach to VALUE-Compassion...of God, or of something else?
?Are you currently living in the Kingdom of God?...
?Are you ready for its fulfillment?
People of Kingdom Character can walk with head held high, knowing that they are indeed fit for God’s Kingdom in Christ!
8—Kingdom character is manifested in one’s...
Approach to WISDOM(:27)
Explanation:(:27)
:27—“So the king answered & said, “Give the first woman the living child, & by no means kill him; she is his mother.”
Some suppose God’s wisdom to be anathema...No wisdom at all.
The determination of Kingdom Character(motherhood)—that which separates true/godly mothers from those who merely have children(uterine donors as opposed to sperm donors)—is built upon a foundation of a compassion(:26) that is evidenced in a personally heartfelt concern for the life of one’s child. And in so being/doing, a mother is also compassionate regarding anything harmful or detrimental that may come to her child. She also carries that same concern for other children that are not her own.
We must recognize that motherhood revolves around a particular kind of woman. A mother is a woman of special character. She exhibits the love & compassion of God. God’s wisdom is exemplified in the heart of a loving, sacrificially caring mother(cf.—Prov. 31:13-31).
“Mother”—Ma ‘ame—Noun Fem.—1) Mother—1a) Of humans, 1b) Of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.), 1c) Of animals; 2) Point of departure or division. Strong—a primitive word; A mother(as the bond of the family); in a wide sense(both literally & figuratively [like ba].
Argumentation:
Mat. 11:16-19—“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces & calling to their companions, & saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, & they say, ‘He has a demon.’ “The Son of Man came eating & drinking, & they say, ‘Look, a glutton & a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors & sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
1Cor. 1:17-31—“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, & Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block & to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews & Greeks, Christ the power of God & the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, & the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, & God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; & the base things of the world & the things which are despised God has chosen, & the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--& righteousness & sanctification & redemption-- that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
Col. 2:1-4—“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you & those in Laodicea, & for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, & attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father & of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom & knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.”
1Cor. 2:16—“For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
Ps. 111:10—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”
Prov. 1:5-7—“A wise man will hear & increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb & an enigma, The words of the wise & their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom & instruction.”
Prov. 4:5-8—“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, & she will preserve you; Love her, & she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, & she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.”
And by all means be attentive your own weakness that beckons you to trust the world’s & your own fleshly wisdom!
Prov. 9:8-10—“Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, & he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, & he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, & he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Illustration:
I was going to Eastpoint one day to get our dog groomed/I pulled onto Hwy 98 here in Carrabelle behind a rusted out Chevrolet pickup/It was loaded down with various draw-string bags of trash/They were going rather slowly & I stayed behind them for quite a few miles/Every so often a cup, a styrofoam take out tray, the plastic top to the tray, a box, paper of various sizes...would fly out & into my path/They littered Carrabelle & south very well/If the person possessed God’s wisdom, they would have been concerned about trashing the area!/WISDOM
Application:
?Is your Approach to WISDOM...of God, or of something else?
?Are you currently living in the Kingdom of God?...
?Are you ready for its fulfillment?
People of Kingdom Character can walk with head held high, knowing that they are indeed fit for God’s Kingdom in Christ!
9—Kingdom character is manifested in one’s...
Approach to RESPECT(:28)
Explanation:(:28)
:28—“And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; & they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”
The king’s official “judgment” earned him everyone’s ear. They recognized godly “wisdom” was Solomon’s. They saw that Solomon judge righteously in God.
Respect for the king who serves God garners respect & reverence for the very God who has granted the king wisdom.
The person who honors the Lord will engender reverence & respect from those who are within their circle of influence.
If you expect to receive respect, due to your position, you will probably never receive it! Respect is earned in your obedience to Christ!
“Judgment & Justice”—jpvm mish-pawt’—Noun Masc.—1) Judgment, justice, ordinance—1a) Judgment—1a1) Act of deciding a case, 1a2) Place, court, seat of judgment, 1a3) Process, procedure, litigation(before judges), 1a4) Case, cause(presented for judgment), 1a5) Sentence, decision(of judgment), 1a6) Execution(of judgment), 1a7) Time(of judgment), 1b) Justice, right, rectitude(attributes of God or man), 1c) Ordinance, 1d) Decision(in law), 1e) Right, privilege, due(legal), 1f) Proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan. Strong—properly--A verdict(favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree(human or [participant's] divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, & the penalty; abstractly--Justice, including a participant's right or privilege(statutory or customary), or even a style.
“Rendered”—jpv shaw-fat’—Qal Perfect—1) To judge, govern, vindicate, punish—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)—1a1a) To rule, govern, judge, 1a2) To decide controversy (of God, man), 1a3) To execute judgment. Strong—a primitive root; To judge, i.e. Pronounce sentence(for or against); by implication--To vindicate or punish; by extension--To govern; passively--To litigate(literally or figuratively).
“Feared”—ary yaw-ray’—Qal Imperfect—1) To fear, revere, be afraid—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To fear, be afraid, 1a2) To stand in awe of, be awed, 1a3) To fear, reverence, honor, respect. Strong—a primitive root; To fear; morally--To revere; causatively--To frighten.
“Saw”—har raw-aw’—Qal Perfect—1) To see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To see, 1a2) To see, perceive, 1a3) To see, have vision, 1a4) To look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out, 1a5) To see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish, 1a6) To look at, gaze at. Strong—a primitive root; To see, literally or figuratively(in numerous applications, direct & implied, transitive, intransitive & causative).
“Wisdom”—hmkx khok-maw’—Noun Fem.—1) wisdom—1a) Skill (in war), 1b) Wisdom (in administration), 1c) Shrewdness, wisdom, 1d) Wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs), 1e) Wisdom (ethical & religious). Strong—Wisdom(in a good sense).
“Administer/Do”—hse aw-saw’—Qal Infinitive—1) To do, fashion, accomplish, make. Strong—a primitive root; To do or make, in the broadest sense & widest application.
Argumentation:
Ps. 111:7-10—“The works of His hands are verity & justice; All His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever & ever, And are done in truth & uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy & awesome is His name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
1Tim. 2:1-6—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God & one Mediator between God & men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,”
Mat. 17:1-5—“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, & John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; & He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, & His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses & Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered & said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, & one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; & suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
Heb. 12:22-28—“But you have come to Mount Zion & to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly & church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, & to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence & godly fear.”
1Pet. 2:17—“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
Rom. 10:6-11—“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”(that is, to bring Christ down from above) or,” ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth & in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus & believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, & with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Illustration:
Our upcoming presidential election(2016—probably—Hillary Clinton & Donald Trump!)/What(if anything) about either of the candidates has caused you to respect & revere them?/Do they honor God—the God of the Bible— openly?...In truth or with their lips only?/Do their former & current policies, & former actions betray them to flesh or to Christ Jesus/Where does their respect & reverence arise?/What is the source of their own respect & reverence?/RESPECT
Application:
?Is your Approach to RESPECT...of God, or of something else?
?Are you currently living in the Kingdom of God?...
?Are you ready for its fulfillment?
People of Kingdom Character can walk with head held high, knowing that they are indeed fit for God’s Kingdom in Christ!
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The man’s wife who always wanted a Jeep wrangler.—“But where in the world was I going to find a fake Jeep?!!”
Perhaps what you viewed as your potential is far beyond your reach. Yet you can know with certainty that you are indeed fit for such service to God!
Perhaps what you wanted as your potential is intentionally out of the picture for you. Perhaps God has other plans for you. Remember, His plan is perfect & tailor made just for you. Don’t hold on to the past but look to those things which God has been pleased to offer you that are available to you now & in the future.
Action:
Kingdom character(or the lack thereof) is manifested in one’s Approach to...
7. VALUE-Compassion(:26)
8. WISDOM(:27)
9. RESPECT(:28)
1. PERSONAL SIN(:16)
2. TRAGEDY(:17-21)
3. TRUTH(:16-22)
4. JUSTICE(:16-22)
5. OPPOSITION(:22)
6. RESOLUTION(:23-25)
Pts. 7-9 presented 06/05/2016pm to:
FBC C’belle
206 Storrs Ave. SE(Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
