1 Kings 5:1-18 THE FULFILMENT ES 21 May 17 1677
We are seeing in the first few chapters of 1 Kings the fulfilment of God’s promises.
• First, the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham - 1 Kings 4:20 “The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore…”
• The words the Lord used, when He made the promise to Abraham in Gen 22:17. “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies…”
When Solomon asked for wisdom, he said I am “among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.” (3:8)
• The author (traditionally JEREMIAH) emphasized it again in 4:29 “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” The words that God used.
• That’s the promise of a great nation, a GREAT PEOPLE.
The Lord also said to Abraham in Gen 15:18 – the promise of a GREAT PLACE.
• “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…”
• And we read last week - 1 Kings 4:21 (and saw the map): “And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon's subjects all his life.
• 4:24 “For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides.” That’s the PROMISED LAND!
We also read of GREAT PEACE in the land. He had peace on all sides.
• 4:25 “During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree.” (HDB flats with open doors.)
• God had given rest to Solomon on every side. No adversary, and not even any natural disasters. No droughts, no famine, no earthquakes.
• All Israel’s enemies were conquered – both the internal enemies and the external.
• We read in 1 Kings 2 the removal of the enemies WITHIN - Adonijah his scheming brother, Abiathar the unfaithful high priest, Joab the rebellious army commander, and Shimei the troublemaker.
• And EXTERNALLY the nations, from the River Euphrates to the North, to the land of the Philistines (East), and to the South as far as the border of Egypt, these nations paid tribute to Solomon!
This is the Lord’s promise of PEACE for Israel.
• Josh 21:43-45 “So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. 45Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
• The Lord said to David in 2 Sam 7:10-11 “And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.”
ON GOD’S PART:
THE FULFILMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES IS SURE!
We are seeing the fulfilment of what God has promised to their forefathers.
• Isaiah 55:10-11 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
It might have taken a longer time than most would like but trust God, it would come to pass. That’s our faith. That’s our conviction.
• In Hebrews 11 we see a list of the servants of God in the OT times who suffered greatly and persevered because they believed in the promises of God.
• Heb 11:39 says they ultimately died without seeing the fulfilment of God’s promise of the coming of the Messiah, but they were heroes of faith.
Read 1 Kings 5:1-18.
Hiram, King of Tyre, sent envoys to congratulate Solomon. He was a friend of King David and now seeing his son on the throne, he sent messengers to greet him.
• Solomon replied and asked him to supply him with the material and manpower he needs to build the Temple for God.
It is worth noting Solomon’s intention – 1 Kings 5:4-5 “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. 5I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, `Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.'”
• Solomon is now in a state of bliss, living in a time of peace and prosperity, no adversary or disaster. He is enjoying fame, honour and wealth.
• For many today, it would mean self-indulgence and pleasure. Just take it easy. Why take up more work?
Solomon was driven by the will of God and the glory of God. He wants to build the temple FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD MY GOD.
• It’s not MY father’s GOD… Although this project was passed on from father to son, he is not building it because that’s his father’s plan, but for HIS GOD.
• “I want to build a temple for MY God… It is God’s WILL and it is FOR His Name!”
That’s our motivation today. We serve God because this is the will of God. We are saved to serve the living God.
• We do it, and we want to do it well, FOR HIS GLORY, for His Name’s sake.
• That’s our motivation (I hope)!
ON MAN’S PART:
BE DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO DO GOD’S WILL AND GLORIFY HIM
And if this is God’s work, He will surely provide.
• The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.
• If God has spoken, Isaiah 55:11 says: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Solomon got his friend Hiram, King of Tyre, will supply him with the best cedar and pine logs from Lebanon (15:8).
• And he got the Sidonians to help them chop the trees because they were the best – no one like them - highly skilled in felling timber (5:6).
• Solomon on his part, will provide some men and food for Hiram’s royal household.
Hiram floated the logs down the sea to Solomon. 5:10 “In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted…”
• All that he wanted will be provided for. We don’t have to worry about God’s supply. He will supply what we need to do His work.
• Our greater concern is rather, that we offer our best to Him and make sure the work is done well.
I still remember the words of the sermon that prompted me to decide going into full-time ministry. I was then having this thought or excuse in my heart. God can bless me with a good career, be successful and rich, so that I can give generously to the church and support His work. At that time, the church was struggling financially and often in need of money. So I thought, make me rich and I can give to God’s work.
The pastor preached and said, “God does not need you to earn for Him!” That was my wake-up call! I was quite shocked that He knows what I was thinking.
Then he said, “If God’s work needs money, even if you cannot give, God would raise up other givers from elsewhere.” In short, God don’t need your help.
Psalm 50:9-12 “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.”
• God is not in need of resources; God wants you. God wants your heart.
The author interjects with this line in 5:12 “The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as He has promised him.”
• God will give him the wisdom Solomon needs to do His work. And the material and the manpower as well.
• God will provide what He promised. So keep faith with God.
• What He says will come true, even if we are not seeing it now.
THE FULFILMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES IS SURE!
BE DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO DO GOD’S WILL AND GLORIFY HIM
We see this amazing organisation, coordination, the delegation and division of work, and the author says, they all flows from the wisdom God had given Solomon.
• Clearly, it is a gift from God, not merely a human aptitude.
• So pray and ask God for wisdom. (cf. James 1:5 God “gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”)
• We ask for wisdom so that we can do a better job for Him and for His glory!
Shall we do that now? Ask for wisdom for the work of God we are doing today.
