3rd Advent 12/11/16—Highland—Meute
The Story: “The King Who Had It All”
The Story, Chapter 13; I Kings 3: 1-15; Matthew 6: 25-34
Pearl: A word of caution for a nation/people that have it all.
Function: To promote diligent self-assessment as well as group-assessment to stay or become focused on the priorities of life which contribute to God’s restoration of all things rather than slowly drown in all of our creature comforts.
Previously in The Story, God called Abraham to become the father of the nation of Israel. The mission of Israel was to point other nations, all peoples, to God. God wants all people to come back to him. God gave Israel a land and God allowed them to have kings. The first king was Saul who failed to represent God. God then chose David as king. David represented God well; and even though he sinned grievously he repented and re-captured the heart of a gracious God who loves and wants to relate with everyone. In the first chapter of First Kings, David, old and dying, passes the leadership baton on to his son Solomon.
He charged his son Solomon, saying: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. Then the Lord will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: ‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel’” (I Kings 2: 1-4).
Among the kings of Israel, Solomon was not surpassed in glory. But the “lower story” of King Solomon’s life was both a “triumph” and a “tragic” tale.
1. Solomon took over the reigns of the kingdom from his father David and began with great promise. He very much pleased God with early signs of promise. God appeared to him in a dream and gave Solomon the wonderful opportunity to ask for anything at all from the Lord.
a. Solomon asked the Lord for “wisdom” so that he might rule the people well. At a young age (app. 20) he did not ask for wealth and favor but he asked for wisdom. This pleased the Lord. The Lord granted his request and He also gave him splendid wealth and abundance like the world had never seen before.
i. This is the same Solomon who Jesus referred to when he said, “Consider the lilies of the field…even Solomon in all of his glory was not clothed like one of these” (Matt. 6: 28, 29). Thus, Jesus gave a different perspective on beauty, glory, and possessions!
ii. But wisdom, Solomon did receive from the Lord!
b. There is a famous story from early in Solomon’s reign when he demonstrated his God-given wisdom. Two prostitutes gave birth. During the night one of the babies died and the mother of the dead child switched the babies to make it look like the other woman’s baby died. The other mother recognized this switch and they engaged in a battle over the living baby. They were taken to King Solomon to solve the problem. He asked for a sword to be brought to him and he ordered that the living baby be divided in two and half be given to each woman since they could not agree. One of the women cried out that this not be done and that the baby be given to the other woman to be raised. At this King Solomon ordered that the baby be given to this woman, for he discerned that she was his real mother. His reputation for wisdom became known through the world.
i. Knowledge of this biblical story inspired a father of two young boys to solve their dilemma one time. But the application of scripture doesn’t always go as expected. The boys were fighting over who owned a Hot Wheels car. With this biblical story in mind the father decided to grab a hacksaw. He said, “I’m going to cut this car in half and I’ll give each of you a half.” The boys immediately responded, “Cool, dad. Can you blow it up too?”
2. In his life Solomon wrote down his great wisdom. It is found in the biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon (also referred to as “Song of Songs”).
a. This is a good time to explain that the books of the bible are not arranged chronologically. Throughout the historical sections of scripture one should match up the poetry and prophecy of the bible. The events of the history of Israel were always grist for the mill of the prophets and poets just as it is today.
3. Solomon’s wisdom stands the test of time and is found in the Proverbs. Wisdom is timeless!
a. Can people walk on hot coals without their feet being scorched? So are those who sleep with another person’s spouse. No one who touches another’s spouse will go unpunished.
b. Sluggards do not plow in season, so at harvest they look, but find nothing.
c. A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.
d. If you curse your father and mother thinking that it’s no big deal, your lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
e. Those who shut their eyes to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
Throughout his reign Solomon ruled wisely and with splendid success. His administrative gifts and abilities for justice and fairness, and his skills as king brought the attention of the rulers of other nations. The legendary Queen of Sheba visited to see for herself this King Solomon who she heard so much about. After her visit she reported that he surpassed everything that she had heard about him!
1. Not only was he wise but he oversaw the completion of the construction of the temple for the Lord which his father David had so desired to build. During Solomon’s administration the temple was completed and was a fitting testimony to the greatness of the Lord. It was the realization of his father David’s dream and imagination.
2. When the temple was dedicated it was done with dramatic splendor. Hundreds of thousands of cattle were sacrificed in the ritual of dedication. No expense was spared to make fitting tribute to the God of all.
3. Everything that Solomon did was big!
But Solomon’s penchant for living life to the max also became his downfall. Solomon’s life started as a triumph but in the end it was a tragedy. He started so very well but he did not finish well.
1. His weakness was in women and excess. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Now this might be biblical exaggeration but there is some chance it was a way for poor families to gain security by selling their daughters to the King.
a. Among these hundreds and hundreds of wives and concubines he included women from outside of the nation of Israel.
b. In order to please all of these many women he allowed worship places to be constructed to the gods that they worshipped.
c. In the process he himself engaged in the worship of gods other than the living God of all so His relationship with the Lord God grew cold and distant.
2. The analogy of the frog in the kettle applies well to Solomon. Apparently if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water it will immediately jump out in order to save its life. What is amazing is that if you put the same frog in a pot of lukewarm water and turn up the flame underneath of it the water will come to a boil and boil the frog to death. The frog will not jump out as the water slowly comes to a boil.
a. Frogs do not have a standard temperature. They are cold-blooded. They lack “standards.” Without a standard disaster can result.
3. No one decides one day when they wake up: “I’d like to wreck my life and ruin all my relationships.” These kinds of things happen slowly. If the wisest man Solomon failed, then what about you?
Be wary of the decisions and choices that you make in life which can be “pots of slowly boiling water.” Wisely heed the warnings of friends, family, and trusted advisors. The Lord speaks through them.
But life is not just about avoiding “slowly boiling pots.” The Lord does not set us on a life course rigged with traps all along the way to trip you up and to test you. The Lord, in his immense grace, launches you forth to join with him in the restoration of all things. He wishes for you to follow him and to engage in the ways of life promoting the well-being of others, and promoting the well-being of the planet.
Many living in the “consumer culture” of the United States, somewhat like King Solomon, have so much. Many are almost drowning in possessions. The question and challenge for many is: “Will you drown in your abundance or will you bless others? So close to the New Year, it is an excellent time to take stock of yourselves individually and as a collection of people, and resolve again to live in service to God and others. The New Year is a good time to align your “lower story” with God’s “upper story.”
