"SOLOMON, AGOOD START ISN’T ENOUGH"
TEXT: 1 KINGS 1-11
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever noticed in life that a good start isn’t always enough. Now there is nothing wrong with a good start mind you, but it is often not enough to get us to the finish line or the winners circle.
And if you don’t believe me, the Atlanta Braves who won the first 2 games of this years world series against the Yankees in New York. I think the scores were 12-1 and 6-0. They were pretty excited about their start. But winning those 2 games gave little comfort as they watched their opponents hold that trophy 4 games later.
Or you can ask the 1969 Baltimore Orioles. Who dominated the majors that year. Won 109 games -- more than any other team. And their opponents in the world series was the New York Mets. Everyone expected the Orioles to win easily, and then when they won the first game -- it seemed as though they had it in the bag... But in just 4 more games it would be all over, and the New York Mets would be the ones wearing that World Series ring. In 1969 the orioles and all of Baltimore were convinced of the truth that a good start isn’t enough.
And I think we all have experienced the reality of this truth in our own everyday lives, haven’t we?....
Perhaps we start out real good on a new diet or exercise program....
Or on a project around the house, a class in school, a job in church or in paying off some bills.... I mean we are out of that staring gate like hungry grey hounds chasing a rabbit.....
But time passes and the diet ends, the exercise stops, we fail the class, the job doesn’t get done and the bills are still there.
You see, though there is nothing wrong with a good start -- it just isn’t enough -- is it?
Though Solomon wasn’t the first and he certainly isn’t the last -- Solomon learned this lesson the hard way. And today as we study the life of Solomon perhaps we will learn something, something valuable, something important... Those who have ears will hear and those who have eyes will see.
I. SOLOMON HAD A GOOD START
A. HE HAD A GOOD FATHER
Fathers are important in the raising of children... Though the media and society try to minimize this importance -- there is to those with eyes to see and brains to think, a definite connection between the steady and rapidly increasing illegitimacy rate and the steady and rapid rise of juvenile crime, teen pregnancy and teen STD.
And Not only is it important to have a father -- but it is also important to have a father who is a good man.
To be fortunate enough to be born into a home where the father is present and where the father is also a good man... is to begin life with a good start...
And Solomon was born into the home of King David... Now David was not a perfect man -- he made mistakes (but no one who has ever walked this earth has been perfect except Christ).
And you and I can look at incidents in David’s life and judge Him -- but really, in the final analyses it is only God’s opinion that counts...
And God said this of David,
"HE IS A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART"
I don’t imagine higher words could be given to anyone SOLOMON HAD A GOOD FATHER.
B. HE ALSO RECEIVED GOOD ADVICE
After conquering lions, Goliath, The evil King Saul -- The Philistines and other enemies (foreign and domestic) David was facing an enemy he could not defeat -- he was facing death.
And as the book of Kings opens up David is old and well advanced in years... He even had trouble keeping warm, even when they put many covers on them.
But despite his age he was respected and honored by the people. And the Bible says, "THAT THE EYES OF ALL OF ISRAEL WERE ON HIM TO SEE WHO HE WOULD CHOSE TO SET ON HIS THRONE AFTER HIM."
Now God had already told David that it was to be Solomon who would sit on the throne. But as the time for David’s death grew closer, another of his sons Adonijah was making moves to take the throne for himself. And Bathsheba being a good mother came to David and told him (in that famous and effective round about way that women have -- so as to let men think it was there idea) she tells David to establish Solomon as King now.
And David calls Solomon to him AND We read the following in [I Kings 2:1-10]
That’s good advice, advice that you and I would do well to heed as well ........
1. BE STRONG AND SHOW YOURSELF TO BE A MAN (MAN DO WE NEED THAT ADVICE TODAY -- AND FOR MEN TO HEED IT)
2. AND DAVID TELLS HIM TO BE SURE TO WALK IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD.... TO FOLLOW GOD, LIVE BY HIS WORD... WHY?
WELL, LISTEN TO VERSE 3 AGAIN:
"OBSERVE WHAT THE LORD YOUR GOD REQUIRES; WALK IN HIS WAYS, AND KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMMANDS, HIS LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS AS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES, SO THAT YOU MAY PROSPER IN ALL YOU DO AND WHEREVER YOU GO...."
Do you think what David said to Solomon applies to us today? I don’t only think IT DOES , I know it does!! If we want to prosper on all we do and wherever we go we must follow the ways of God.
3. David also tells Solomon to deal with his enemies, those who had opposed David and His Kingdom (Joab and Shimie).
4. Fourth David told Solomon to remember show kindness to His friends (specifically the sons of Barzillai who gave David food when he fled from Absalom)
SOLOMON RECEIVED GOOD ADVICE:
BE STRONG AND BE A MAN --- FOLLOW GOD -- DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES -- AND SHOW KINDNESS TO YOUR FRIENDS....
C. HE MADE A GOOD REQUEST
After Solomon become King he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to God -- the text says that he offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar.
And that night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "ASK WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU...." (GOD ASKING SOLOMON TO ASK FOR WHAT EVER HE WANTS).
What would you have asked for?
Solomon was BEING a new King AND SINCE HE WAS following in the footsteps of David... talk about big shoes to follow... Solomon w/o doubt was feeling overwhelmed by the task and the amount of people who would be looking to him for all things...So Solomon made this request of God, "GIVE YOUR SERVANT A DISCERNING HEART TO GOVERN YOUR PEOPLE AND TO DISTINGUISH RIGHT AND WRONG. FOR WHO IS ABLE TO GOVERN THIS GREAT PEOPLE OF YOURS."
And the Bible says in [I KINGS 3:10-13]
D. HE PERFORMED A GOOD PROJECT
In the four hundred and eight year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt -- During Solomon’s fourth year as King the construction of the temple of the Lord began.... And what a project it was... Let me give a little detail here and if you want more read the book and or come to our mid week study.....
The Temple was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high.....
And Tens of thousands were involved in this seven year project:
There were 30,000 men in Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 per month cutting trees..
There were 70,000 carriers and 80,000 stone cutters and there were 3,300 foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen.
In building the temple only blocks dressed (cut) at the quarry were used, and no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
The inside of the temple was covered with cedar carved with gourds and open flowers -- no stone was seen.
The most important part of the temple was the Holy of Holies whose inside dimensions were 30 feet high -- 30 feet wide -- and 30 feet long, "a perfect cube."
The walls and everything in this room were over laid with pure gold.... In fact 23 tons of pure gold was used in this room alone. The nails in this room were made of pure gold weighing 1 1/4 pounds.
There were 2 carved cherubim in this room also over laid with gold they had wings spans of 15 feet and their wings were wide open touching the walls and each other....
This was the room that the ark of God would be placed, where God’s present dwelt in a cloud... And only the high priest could come into this room and he only once a year after first offering a sin sacrifice for himself...... It was in this temple that the presence of the Almighty God would dwell.
SOLOMON PERFORMED A GOOD PROJECT
E. AND HE HAD A GOOD PRAYER LIFE
When the building of the temple was complete Solomon had
the priests bring the ark into the Holy Place... And when the priest withdrew from the holy Place, the glory of the Lord filled the temple in a great cloud.
Then Solomon gather the whole assembly of Israel in front of the Temple. AND HE PRAYED A PRAYER OF DEDICATION... IT IS AN AWESOME PRAYER.... I WISH WE HAD TIME TO READ THE WHOLE THING BUT WE DON’T.... WE’LL STUDY IN GREATER DEPTH DURING OUR MID WEEK STUDY BUT LET ME SHARE SOME OF IT WITH YOU.....
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SOLOMON HAD A GOOD PRAYER LIFE..
F. AND HE WROTE MANY GOOD BOOKS
Solomon is the author of the Book of Proverbs, the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.
Proverbs is full of wise saying that relate to everyday life... There are 31 chapters in Proverbs and many like to read whatever proverb coincides with the day’s date.
Ecclesiastes teaches us about what is most important in life (God) and how the other things we might try, leave us empty and they are therefore meaningless in the end.
And the Song of Solomon teaches us about love....
I THINK YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT SOLOMON HAD A GOOD START, YOU COULD SAY A GREAT START.... A GOOD FATHER, GOOD ADVICE, A GOOD REQUEST, A GOOD PROJECT, A GOOD PRAYER LIFE AND GOOD BOOKS......
AND IT IS THIS GREAT START THAT MAKES IT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND HIS LOUSY FINISH...
II. SOLOMON’S LOUSY FINISH
In I Kings chapter 11 a prophet of God form Shiloh spoke these words against Solomon. He said these things to Jeroboam who was at the time rebelling against Solomon.
The prophet said, "THIS IS WHAT THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL SAYS; ` SEE, I AM GOING TO TEAR THE KINGDOM OUT OF SOLOMON’S HANDS AND GIVE YOU TEN TRIBES’...."
And the prophet goes on to say that if it wasn’t for David, and his loyalty to God, God would have ripped the Kingdom out of Solomon’s hands during his own lifetime... But for the sake of David God would not do it in Solomon’s lifetime but rather in Solomon’s son’s lifetime..
Talking about hitting bottom, Solomon went from being God’s man to having the Kingdom tore from his hands by God.
And the only reason God didn’t do it to Solomon directly was because of David... not because of the good Solomon had done in the past, you see that didn’t matter (Solomon couldn’t say but God I did this and I did this, I wrote 3 books of the Bible -- doesn’t that count) -- those things didn’t really matter now, because a good start isn’t enough in the eyes of God... And Solomon was going down, and he was going down hard, because he had a lousy finish. You see, Every one cheers the runners at the start of the race... but the real race is fought and won on the back roads where not many see and few cheer... and that is where many choose to quit and they never make it to hear the cheers at the finish line...
III. WHY DID DISASTER STRIKE THE HOUSE OF SOLOMON?
Do you remember Solomon’s great prayer of dedication for the temple of God? We read about in I Kings chapter 8, well, in chapter 9 we read of God’s response to the prayer of Solomon... [I KINGS 9:3-9]
Why disaster strike in the life of Solomon and in the life of the Jewish nation? Because they stopped walking in the ways of the Lord.
What did Solomon do that was so bad? Listen to;
[I Kings 11:1-11]
Solomon had a great start -- a good father, good advice, a good request, he performed as good project, he had a good prayer life and he wrote 3 good books..... But in the end we find the Lord becoming angry with Solomon and tearing the Kingdom from Him, Why? BECAUSE he no longer walked in the ways of the Lord....
Brothers and Sisters I think there is a lesson in this for us, don’t you, an important lesson, a vital lesson, a valuable lesson, a lesson that involves the character of our relationship with God. -- And let’s not forget what God says one of the purposes of the OT is, "THESE THINGS HAPPENED TO THEM AS EXAMPLES AND WERE WRITTEN DOWN AS WARNINGS FOR US, ON WHOM THE FULFILLMENT OF THE AGES HAS COME." (I CORINTHIANS 10:11).
And friends those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.... Nations and individuals who refuse to learn from the example of Solomon and Israel are doomed to meet the same tragic end.... A LOUSY FINISH NO MATER HOW GOOD THEY STARTED OUT.
AS WE APPLY THIS LESSON TODAY, I WANT TO APPLY IT IN 2 WAYS...
FIRST I WANT TO APPLY TO OUR COUNTRY....
When the founders of our country came to this nation, when those 55 men gathered in Philadelphia at the constitutional convention, to frame this country. -- over 50 OF THEM were Christians...
And Despite what the history revisionists claim this nation began as a Christian nation. Patrick Henry declared that it can not be stated too strongly that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ....
Our country had a great beginning.... On our currency is the words "IN GOD WE TRUST..."
On the one dollar bill we find our nations seal. With the Words "E PLURIBUS UNUM" Which means from the many one. You see it was the belief of this nation’s founders that a Christian nation though made up of many diverse people from divers backgrounds could maintain this diversity and still be one, could still have unity -- because that unity is founded in Jesus Christ.
On the other side of the back of the dollar bill we see and unfinished pyramid, with a watchful eye over top. This eye represents the eye of God looking out at this great nation ... depicted by the unfinished pyramid, and God is saying "you have had a good beginning America... But it is not over yet and I’ll be watching.....
Listen to the words of God in [9:6-9]
Why has disaster struck or nation: why is our debt getting bigger, why is crime getting out of control, why is morality at rock bottom, why are natural disasters pummeling our nation, why is aids and STD’s claiming the lives of millions, Why has over 30 million young lives been ripped a part in the womb, WHY ARE SINFUL LIFESTYLES GAINING INCREASING ACCEPTANCE, why are so many hooked on drugs and alcohol AND why are our young people violent- directionless, valueless and hopeless?
WHY I ASK HAS DISASTER STRUCK OUR NATION?
Because our nation has left the God it once trusted in... Though the words remain on our currency the meaning has long be lost...
Our God and His Son are mocked in the media, they have been expelled from the centers of learning, they have been Thrown out of the court room -- and ignored and ridiculed by our leaders... To them God is not relevant anymore... Our leaders have been dubbed into believing that America made it to the top on our own... we did not, and the great leaders of the past like Washington and Lincoln recognized this and they unashamedly admitted their dependence on God.
America as the great French philosopher of the 1800’s Tocqueville said when sent to find the secret of America’s greatness , "AMERICA IS GRETA BECAUSE AMERICA IS GOOD IF AMERICA EVER CEASES TO BE GOOD, SHE WILL CEASE TO BE GREAT." AND AMERICA ISN’T VERY GOOD TODAY...
Brothers and sisters pray for our country daily, vote in men AND WOMEN who are godly.... America need Christians to rise up, because in the eyes of God a good start isn’t enough!!!!!!!!!!! Ask Solomon, ask the nation of Israel.
NOW I WANT TO APPLY THIS LESSON TO OURSELVES
YOU KNOW IT IS SO EASY TO SIT BACK AND JUDGE OUR NATION, TO POINT OUR FINGERS AND SHAKE OUR HEADS AND SAY TO OURSELVES, "MAN, I JUST DON’T SEE WHY THEY DON’T GET IT, HOW COME THEY CAN’T SEE WHAT IS SO OBVIOUS?
But while we do that fellow Christians, perhaps God’s watchful eye is looking out over the unfinished pyramid of Christian lives and wondering why we don’t get it either.
There are many Christian who at one time accepted Christ, were immersed into His name, had there sins washed away and who laid A GOOD foundation.... they had a good start -- rescue, salvation, forgiveness, justification and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
But now they like the Israelites cry out and wonder, "WHY HAS DISASTER STRUCK MY LIFE!"
A good start isn’t enough in the eyes of God...
A good start and past victories, doesn’t make up for a lousy finish.....as far as God is concerned.
If Solomon could not coast in on the waves of his good start -- we dare not think that you and I can either.
When we cry out why has disaster struck my life?
Why am I unhappy and miserable most of the time, why is my marriage a wreck, my family a wreck, why are my finances a wreck, why am I sick tired and worn.... why is it getting harder to get out of the bed and face life each morning.....
Do you remember the advice David gave Solomon on the death bed... "..OBSERVE WHAT THE LORD YOUR GOD REQUIRES: WALK IN HIS WAYS, AND KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMMANDS, HIS LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS, AS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES, SO THAT YOU MAY PROSPER IN ALL YOU DO AND WHEREVER YOU GO..."
WHEN DISASTER SEEMS TO STRIKE NEARLY EVERY FACET OF OUR LIFE; RELATIONALLY, EMOTIONALLY, FINANCIALLY, SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY.... THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO ANALYZE IS HOW IS MY WALK WITH GOD ...RIGHT NOW!!!
A GOOD START ISN’T ENOUGH, WE MAY CLAIM SUCH THINGS AS : I USE TO TITHE 10% OR MORE, I USE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH, I USED TO SERVE, I USED TO SHARE THE GOSPEL..ETC, ETC
AND GOD WILL SAY "SO"
AND THEN HE’LL ASK BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY?
WE BEST NOT COUNT ON OUR PAST VICTORIES AND SERVICES CARRYING US TO THE FINISH LINE >>>>> IT DIDN’T CARRY SOLOMON... (HAVE YOU NOTICE HE IS NOT IN HEB 11).
WHEN WE PUT GOD CONVENIENTLY ON THE BACK BURNER WHEN FAMILY , BUSINESS, CAREER..ETC CROWD HIM OUT, ARE WE REALLY HAPPIER? IS LIFE8B: REALLY THAT MUCH BETTER?
IF WE WANT LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE WE CAN’T AFFORD TO NOT PUT GOD FIRST...
DO YOU WANT TO PROSPER IN ALL YOU DO AND WHEREVER YOU GO?
THEN WALK IN THE WAYS OF GOD: SERVE HIM, OBEY HIM, WORSHIP HIM, LOVE AND SPEND TIME WITH HIM...
NOT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED ALL OF THIS, OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE PERFECT, BUT WE MUST PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST TOOK HOLD OF US... FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND AND STRAINING TOWARDS WHAT IS A HEAD, WE MUST PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED US HEAVENWARD IN CHRIST."
A GOOD START ISN’T ENOUGH -- WE CAN’T STOP RUNNING....
UNTIL WE TOO CAN SAY IT IS FINISHED AS WE ARE CALLED UP TO BE WITH OUR GOD...
WILL YOU AND I LEARN THE LESSON FROM SOLOMON -- THAT A GOOD START ISN’T ENOUGH IN THE EYES OF GOD...
ONCE YOU HAVE DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS THERE IS NO TURNING BACK....
