Book of 1 Kings

God Dealing With Wicked Rulers

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Dealing With Wicked Rulers
 
Book of 1 Kings Chapter 21
 
 
A ruler is someone who is in authority over other people. Here in our church our Pastor is the ruler because he is the man God called to lead us.
 
Can someone be so evil that Jehovah will condemn that person to hell?
 
We had better be clear on this question.
 
Jhn_3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
 
Many people do not believe this because they do not believe in a Divine Creator. They deny the existence of a Holy God.
 
Many people say they believe in a God, but they do not believe He will hold people accountable in a day of justice.
 
Many people believe that if there is such a day that they have done enough good to overcome the bad things they have done.
 
If we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, then we need to believe what He says about these things.
 
Sixteen times in the New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ says the word Hell as in a place that exists.
 
This is more than any other person.
 
There is a coming judgment for everyone who has ever lived!
 
One of the major teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ is that there is a place called Hell, and we are condemned to this place called Hell already unless we repent and turn towards Him and His ways.
 
Today we will meet two of the most wicked people in the Old Testament. In fact, Jezebel may have been the most wicked woman to have ever lived.
 
In fact, the Word of God lists his marriage to Jezebel as the worst sin of King Ahab.
 
Jezebel is the first of the persecutors of the people of God.
 
This woman had four hundred and fifty false prophets who ministered under her care beside four hundred more false prophets who maintained her groves.
 
A grove was a wooden image or large idol of the goddess Ashtoreth.
 
She had other names which included Ishtar, Astarte, Alytta, Diana, the goddess of love to many people.
 
This Jezebel felt that she was the Living Goddess in her day.
 
The Lord Jesus Christ mentions this wickedness in the last of the Church Age.
 
Rev_2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
 
In our world today we see far too many people trying to tolerate what God hates, and they say it is because of His great love for all people.
 
We are never to tolerate what God say He hates!
 
We are to never allow this false teaching into the Church.
 
We are never to allow the teaching of this seductress into our Church.
 
What does the Lord Jesus promise about the teaching of Jezebel?
 
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
 
1Ki 21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
1Ki 21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
1Ki 21:3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
 
King Ahab was a wicked and evil man and the seventh king of the Northern Tribes of Israel.
 
His wife Jezebel had a very evil influence over him.
 
We first met the prophet Elijah in his dealings with King Ahab.
 
It seems that every king who heard from Elijah then wanted to kill him.
 
You cannot kill the Word of God!
 
He had warred with Ben-Hadad of Syria and in the end, defeated him with the help of Jehovah.
 
It was a time of peace that King Ahab had gone to his palace in Jezreel that he looked out his window which was upon the city wall, and he could see a vineyard that belonged to Naboth.
 
King Ahab had a love for herbs, and he wanted to turn the vineyard of Naboth into a garden for herbs and so he approached Naboth and attempted to buy or trade for this piece of land under his window.
 
Naboth responded to this king with an absolute no, but he explained himself.
 
Naboth still clung to the Word of God and God had told the Hebrews when they entered into the promised land that they were to keep that land in their families.
 
Num 36:7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
Num 36:8 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
Num 36:9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
 
If we are deep enough in our convictions we will not give in to the ways of the world.
 
It may be that this thing might have ended at this point if not for the interference of Jezebel.
 
1Ki 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
 
King Ahab had done nothing wrong in trying to buy the vineyard of Naboth.
King Ahab had done nothing wrong in trying to trade a better vineyard for the land of Naboth.
 
His sin was covetousness.
 
Greed and covetousness are forbidden sin!
 
Covetousness is an inordinate desire for worldly possessions. It is the desire to increase the things you have by taking what others have.
 
It is a disorder of the heart and is associated with selfishness.
 
It is an irresistible desire to have what others own!
 
King Ahab showed childlike behavior when Naboth refused his offers.
 
Covetousness comes from the heart where all lustful and sinful desires are located!
 
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
 
The Lord Jesus said it like this: Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
 
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
 
Here comes Jezebel to save the day for Ahab.
 
1Ki 21:5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
1Ki 21:6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
1Ki 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
 
King Ahab is one of those people in this world who always have to have their way.
 
He is a weak man who acts like a spoiled child.
 
Jezebel is a wicked tyrant who does not allow anyone to question her authority.
 
She promises her husband that she will get him the land of Naboth.
 
King Ahab could have had almost any piece of land in all his kingdom but not that one small piece of land that belonged to Naboth.
 
He was miserable because he could not get that one piece of land.
 
It should be obvious that it was Jezebel who had the true authority in the kingdom of Ahab.
 
Jezebel’s sin was the sin of Ahab. Ahab did not try to stop Jezebel even though he knew she would have an evil plan.
 
We know that Adam did not pluck the fruit from the forbidden tree, but he was still guilty when he took a bite from it in the hand of Eve.
 
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
 
We are trying to be like God when we make up our own rules and ignore the Word of God.
 
Jezebel devised a plan for the neighbors of Naboth to end his life making herself and King Ahab free from guilt.
 
It did not bother her to take a man’s life!
 
She paid for two false witnesses according to the Word of God.
 
Num_35:30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
 
She sent letters to the elders and nobles of the city in King Ahab’s name using his signet ring to seal them.
 
They proclaimed a fast.
 
1Ki 21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
 
In ancient times a day of fasting was sometimes set aside in order to show concern that a criminal or some evil threatened the city, but this did not come from Jehovah.
 
Fasting is for one purpose only and that purpose is to open the ear of God to a special need.
 
Isa 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
 
It is a sad thing but wicked and corrupt leaders can always find someone to do their bidding.
 
Today we see godlessness and corruption in our courts are like poison to our nation and I hope it is finally put aside for the truth.
 
Some high officials ask certain people to do things, and they just do them without asking for what reason.
 
What is going on in America today should not be happening, yet it is going on in the Church also.
 
There is coming a day soon where God says He has had enough!
 
It is the innocent who suffer just as Naboth.
 
Naboth was murdered under the cover of religion instead of covetousness.
 
Religion has been used and continues to be used today to cover up wickedness and terrible sin!
 
It was not just Naboth in this instance but his entire family.
 
Today innocence will not always be our security, but we have assurance that there is a judgment coming to the wicked.
 
1Ki 21:13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
1Ki 21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
 
Naboth was accused of treason against the kingdom and blasphemy against the gods of Israel, which we know were golden bulls.
 
Naboth was innocent of both charges.
 
Naboth was stoned to death for being innocent.
 
We see a type of Christ in Naboth in this passage.
 
Naboth is a type of Christ, which means he is a foreshadowing and representation of Jesus Christ.
 
Naboth’s vineyard is seen as a representation of salvation.
 
Naboth’s story is an example where we can see Jesus Christ. Both Naboth and Jesus owned a vineyard.
 
God saw what happened to Naboth.
 
Naboth was killed simply because wicked people wanted what belonged to him — and not just any people, but the king and queen of Israel.
 
This thing, of course, displeased the Lord very badly.
 
God Himself would condemn Ahab for what he had done.
 
God condemned Ahab’s wickedness, in that he coveted, killed, and took possession of his victim’s land.
 
“So, [Ahab] died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken.”
 
God knew what happened and God did not let such injustice slip away.
 
What does Naboth teach us? Here are two things we can learn from him:
 
1) We must stand up for what is ours in Christ
 
Of course, this does not mean we should be stingy hoarders. What this means is that we must never let go of our inheritance in the Lord.
 
Many of us Christians today easily let go of our inheritance, trading it for some temporal pleasure and comfort. We do not stand up and rise as God’s children, we don’t fight for the salvation of our families, we stop praying for the will of God to happen in our nation and wherever we are.
 
We must take hold of our inheritance in Christ and never let it go.
 
2) Injustice may happen to us, but God sees it all
 
God saw the injustice done to Naboth and didn’t let it slip. No injustice can ever be hidden from God’s eyes, and we can rest our hopes on that.
 
We might feel angry at God for allowing bad people to do bad things to us, but the truth is that God is good and that He’s not our enemy. He’s watching us closely and is taking note of all that happens to us.
 
He will always ensure that justice will be served according to His way.
 
1Ki 21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
1Ki 21:16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
 
There are three villains in this passage.
 
1) Ahab who is a wicked and weak man.
2) Jezebel who is a wicked and strong woman.
3) The elders of Israel who were wicked and useful to promote wickedness in the government of Ahab.

This shows us that if our leades are wicked and corrupt then these things will spread throughout our nation.
 
We should be clear, just because Naboth had been murdered, that land did not belong to King Ahab.
 
It still belonged to the family of Naboth.
 
Ahab probably claimed the land because the crown at that time, could seize the land of an executed criminal.
 
None of these things were hidden from the Almighty Living God.
 
1Ki 21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
1Ki 21:18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
1Ki 21:19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
 
You could substitute the word “wickedness” with the name “Jezebel”.
 
Ahab may not have known what happened to Naboth, but he certainly knew that Jezebel said she would take care of this matter.
 
This made Ahab just as guilty of the death of Naboth as was his wife and those elders.
 
God has this saying: Num_32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: “and be sure your sin will find you out”.
 
No sinner can escape the judgment of God!
No sinner can escape the consequences of sin.
 
Sin will search and find us no matter where we are at.
 
What did God tell Cain after he had killed his brother Abel? Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? “and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door”. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
 
Every sin brings its own punishment and there has never been any deviation of it!
 
It is only a question of time!
 
There is no getting away from these words of the Holy Spirit!
 
Jehovah called upon Elijah to deliver another message to King Ahab.
 
Ahab did not think of himself as some murderer or guilty of anything other than being king and able to do as he pleased.
 
Ahab hated Elijah even though he had no real reason to do so.
 
What was God’s message to Ahab? “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine”.
 
Why was Elijah so hated? Elijah only spoke the truth of God.
 
1Ki 21:20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
 
Ahab was standing right in the middle of Naboth’s vineyard, a place Ahab had wanted so much.
 
Ahab even though he wqas King of Israel had no power over the man of God and he knew it.
 
Elijah possessed the power of a righteous man.
 
Ahab was a weak and wicked man.
 
Ahab was guilty of murder and stealing an innocent man’s property.
 
Jezebel and the elders of Samaria were all guilty of the same crime.
 
Not many would have stood alone against such wickedness, but the man of God was just being obedient to the Lord.
 
What did Jehovah have to say?
 
1Ki 21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
1Ki 21:22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
1Ki 21:24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
 
This prophecy of Jehovah took place in the time of Jehu.
 
Jehu was made King of Israel by Jehovah and God used Jehu to punish the house of Ahab.
 
2Ki 9:23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
2Ki 9:24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
2Ki 9:25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;
2Ki 9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.
 
There is no escaping the “judgment of God”!
 
Ahab and Jezebel are suffering the “judgment of God” today and they will throughout eternity.
 
They are joined by all such people today.
 
Once we are born into this world we never cease to exist.
 
First, we exist upon this earth then at our death we continue to live in God’s presence, or we will live in a place that the Lord Jesus Christ called Hell.
 
Mat_10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
 
Where we spend eternity depends upon how we live our lives upon this earth!
 
Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
 
1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
 
There was not a more godless king than King Ahab. He allowed his wife Jezebel to lead him straight to Hell.
 
In fact, his wickedness reached its lowest point because he listened to his even more wicked wife.
 
Jezebel did all she could to stamp out the truth of Jehovah and Ahab knew this was wrong.
 
King Ahab should have recognized Elijah as his best friend and Jezebel as his worst foe.
 
We cannot ever be on the side of the world and think we are on the side of God!
 
Amen

Idolatry

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Contrast of Worship
 
Book of 1 Kings Chapters 12, 14, 15
 
 
What is worship? Worship is homage rendered to Jehovah which is idolatry to render to any created being.
 
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
 
Isa 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; “they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made”:
 
It is sin to worship any created being!
 
It is sin to worship an angel, who is also created beings!
 
We are to worship only the Living God!
 
Jer_10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
 
We know that Israel was now a divided nation. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was king of Judah, which included the tribe of Benjamin.
 
Jeroboam was now the King of Israel which included only the ten tribes now called Ephraim.
 
From this point forward the Books of 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles will record the histories of the different kings of the divided nation of Israel.
 
What is idolatry?
 
Idolatry is image worship or divine honor paid to a created object, including mankind and angels.
 
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 
How can we best describe those who are lost, keeping in mind that we were once lost?
 
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
 
The forms of idolatry are,
(1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.(created objects on earth)
(2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature.(created objects in the heavens)
(3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or heroes.(all created objects)
 
Idolatry in Christian doctrine is anything that interferes between the soul and our Creator is idolatrous and is to be shunned!
 
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
 
Jeroboam turned the northern tribes to idolatry.
 
Idolatry is the religion of Satan! Remember Lucifer was just an angel created by Jehovah.
 
1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
 
Jeroboam was face to face with the greatest opportunity of his life.
 
Should he have determined to serve the Lord he might have easily been the mightiest monarch in the history of Israel.
 
God would have certainly been with him.
 
But if he disregarded the Word of God his kingdom would have come to nothing which it did.
 
It was a Prophet of God Ahijah that had told him of these things.
 
The only safe path of any ruler is the right path!
 
We could ask ourselves does God truly have any rulers on His side?
 
We know that the heart is the center of mankind’s personal activities.
 
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
 
The world created by God before the flood was destroyed because of idolatry which led to wickedness!
 
Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth”; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
 
We get a firsthand look at how false religions get started. They are conceived in the mind of some man or some woman!
 
Jehovah had already told Jeroboam how to get His blessings.
 
Jehovah has told us all how to get His blessings!
 
1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
 
Jeroboam made Shechem his capital city and then Jeroboam does something very foolish.
 
The apostasy of Jeroboam was willful, it was designed, and it was done deliberately!
 
He consulted with himself instead of consulting with Jehovah who had made him King of Israel.
 
The Lord Jesus Christ makes this thing simple to understand.
 
Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
 
Our hearts must be fixed upon the Lord!
 
Psa 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
 
The fact of the divided kingdom did not mean that the Northern Tribes were exempt from their covenant obligations to Jehovah!
 
They were still to observe the Books of Moses as much as the Southern Tribes.
 
All the tribes of Israel had the same Book of Moses!
 
These things caused stress upon Jeroboam, and he even became afraid for his life.
 
Jeroboam forgot the promises of God!
 
We tend to look at the world and forget the promises of God when we know that God has proven to us that He will never break a promise.
 
We do not need advice on how to do evil, we are born that way!
 
Jeroboam wanted advice on how to do a bad thing in the best way. He did not consult with God and God would not have answered such a request!
 
So many churchgoers today go to a place of worship that is convenient rather than seek a “Bible Believing” House of worship.
 
It is a fact that we will take the easy way out when it is available!
 
Just as a certain political party did in the days of Covid 19 when it made it a law to abandon the Church for fear of catching the disease forgetting the power of God.
 
Jeroboam shaped a new religion for his own purpose.
 
This is the way of radical Islam and other such religions. They rewrite their literature to adapt to changes they see in the world.
 
The Holy Scriptures never have to change because they were written by Jehovah and are perfect in any age!
 
Jeroboam even framed his words by the Word of God during the Exodus.
 
Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
 
Jeroboam proposed a perversion of the proper worship of Jehovah God.
 
“Calf is not a good translation of the Hebrew egel. A young bull in his first strength is meant: for instance, the word can describe a three-year-old animal.
 
Gen 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer “of three years old”, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
 
A three-year-old bull would be a bull closer to his prime than a calf.
 
Jeroboam placed these idols of Baal in two separate locations.
 
(get pictures)
 
1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
 
The name Bethel means “house of God” and this city was ten miles from Jerusalem.
 
This is the same place where Jacob had his vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on a ladder whose top reached into Heaven.
 
Gen 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Gen 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
 
Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
 
Dan, which means (a judge) on the other hand is located at the foot of Mount Hermon.
 
This is the same place where the Danites stole the shrine of Micah and set up false worship.
 
Jdg 18:29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
Jdg 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
Jdg 18:31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
 
Jeroboam took advantage of this situation as he felt they would have no problem accepting his idols of Baal.
 
Jeroboam then installed false priests and false worship.
 
1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
 
We should be very clear. Once we are aware of our Creator, we then must worship Him!
 
This is why the bible begins with the Book of Genesis.
 
This is why the world clings to the lies of evolution.
 
Evolution has proven to be wrong so many times it is pathetic that the world clings to it because they have no other theory except now where they use the word aliens so often.
 
We have only one duty as created beings!
 
Ecc_12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
 
Jeroboam decided that his idols would also need temples as a place to worship and priests.
 
He was not about to use priests from the tribe of Levi because they might teach the truth of God.
 
Deu_10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
 
Jeroboam chose priests from every tribe but the Levites, going against the Word of God in any way that he could think of.
 
This is the way of almost all false man-made religions. They always will change the rules if people start leaving for the truth.
 
There are a few false religions that have some truth in them, but Christianity is all or nothing and based upon the truth of Jesus Christ and the true Word of God.
 
Jeroboam chose the eighth month and the fifteenth day to be as close to The Feast of the Tabernacles as he thought would work.
 
The Feast of the Tabernacles was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
 
Jeroboam did not consult with anyone else to create this false religion!
 
The people already understood that Jeroboam was chosen by God to lead this new nation, and Jeroboam kept it that way.
 
The Prophet Amos had confronted one of Jeroboam’s false priests with the truth:
 
Amo 7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
Amo 7:11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Amo 7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
Amo 7:13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
Amo 7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
Amo 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
 
It may have been the king’s chapel and the king’s court but he was the wrong king.
 
Our Lord Jesus had some things to say about man-made religion:
 
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
 
The Holy Spirit says: Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
 
Those who serve false religion have to understand the judgment of God will come upon them.
 
1Ki 14:15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
 
Jehovah had placed Jeroboam on the throne of Ephraim, but it was Jeroboam who had turned against Him.
 
Jeroboam could have been a mighty king of Israel, but he rebelled against the truth of God.
 
Jeroboam is still suffering the judgment of God today and he will throughout eternity!
 
Now comes judgment upon the people who knew better.
 
Moses had warned these people:
 
Deu 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
Deu 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
 
Now judgment would come to Israel, and they would be scattered on the other side of the Euphrates River.
 
Politics had caused the people of God to sin!
 
During Covid 19 many of God’s people were directed to sin by our government and many of those who left the Church have never returned.
 
The Holy Spirit has also warned the Church of the coming judgment of God:
 
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
 
There will be no more warnings and judgment could come at any time because the “Rapture of the Church is the next thing on God’s timetable.
 
Once the Church is removed this world will rely on wickedness and idolatry just as those before the flood.
 
King Rehoboam and his son had also turned against Jehovah and God began his judgment upon Judah beginning with the King of Egypt.
 
1Ki 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
1Ki 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
1Ki 14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
 
No doubt that Jeroboam had stirred up this king against Judah, and Shishak broke his peace agreement with King Solomon.
 
1Ki 14:26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
 
We know that King David had placed all his treasures in the Temple and so had many others.
 
We know that those golden shields would be valued at over thirty-three million dollars today.
 
There is a record of these events in Egypt.
 
With Judah humbled at the hand of this Egyptian King, Jeroboam had free reign to attack Judah at any time and he did so.
 
It was in the time of King Asa that change came to Judah.
 
*1Ki 15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
1Ki 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
1Ki 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
1Ki 15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
 
Finally, a king who was faithful to the Lord.
 
We should notice that Jehovah is still keeping his promises to King David and He will continue because the prophecy of Kings of Judah will last until King Jesus sits upon the throne of David.
 
King Asa reigned for forty-one years, and we can see that he had not been influenced by his grandmother Maacah’s false worship.
 
This Maacah was the daughter of Tamar the daughter of Absolom.
 
Asa removed his father’s idols.
Asa removed his wicked mother as Queen and her idols burning them in the Brook Kidron.
Asa removed the Sodomites from the land of Judah.
Asa did not remove all the high places of worship, and we do not have an explanation, but we can imagine politics were still involved.
 
Asa gave his treasures to the House of the Lord.
 
Amen

Arrogance

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Bad Counsel Caused Division

Book of 1 Kings Chapter 12

We have a new president, and we hope those he chooses as councilors will help lead him to make our nation great again.

The best advice that any should give him is to return our nation to the Lord our God.

We can be assured that he was chosen to lead the United States of America by God Himself and God has His reasons, and it is His will.

Our lesson today covers one of the most important times in the history of Israel.

The division of the tribes of Israel caused many bad feelings that have not been overcome even in our day.

These were also important times for the Church because as Christians we need to understand the history of Israel to understand the prophets and prophecy.

Israel will divide into a Northern Kingdom and a Southern Kingdom.

We will also see that God loves the Gentiles who the people of Israel considered to be heathen.

These things were not done in secret. God had warned Solomon just as He warns us all today.

Now, God does not cause these things to happen, He allows them to happen.

God has given us free will to choose between right and wrong and He guides us to show us the right way.

God cannot be blamed for the wrong that is done in our world because He will not force us to do right nor will He force us to do wrong. He just tells us the truth!

As King Solomon died at the young age of around sixty the turmoil began with his son Rehoboam.

*1Ki 12:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

We know that King David had ruled as a conqueror.

King Solomon ruled as a man of peace but high taxation.

The people of Israel had no benefits from the rule of King Solomon except they lived in peace.

After King Solomon, the people wanted to modify the character of the next government.

Arrogance is a terrible evil. Arrogance puts people down and then pushes them away, treating them as inferior.

Here in America, we understand this very well.

We have seen this in our last few Democratic governments so we can relate to the people of Israel during the time of King Solomon.

This arrogance was passed down to Solomon’s son Rehoboam.

Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his father other than arrogance.

Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his grandfather David.

Rehoboam was recognized as heir to the throne of his father.

The coronation of Rehoboam was to take place at Shechem.

It was at Shechem that Abraham built his first altar in the Promised Land and received the promise of Jehovah.

It was at Shechem where Jacob bought a parcel of land from the children Hamor and settled with his household and where he buried the idols of his wives under a tree named “the oak of the sorcerer”.

It was at Shechem where Jacob dug a well where the Lord Jesus would meet a Samaritan woman.

It was at Shechem where Joshua gave his parting address and made a covenant with the people.

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Shechem was a special place of the promises of God!

It will be at Shechem where Rehoboam will show his arrogance and cause Israel to become a divided nation.

It was at Shechem where Jeroboam took up his residence for a while.

It is Shechem that is said to be the most beautiful place in all of Palestine.

*1Ki 12:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
1Ki 12:3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
1Ki 12:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

Jeroboam, who King Solomon had run out of town was now back and was taking the lead voice of the opposition to the kingdom under Solomon.

1Ki 11:40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

We could ask ourselves why.

1Ki 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
1Ki 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
1Ki 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

The name Joseph denotes the two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh and Ephraim denotes the Kingdom of Israel and then the whole covenant people of Israel.

From Ezekiel, we see this thing:

Eze 37:16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
Eze 37:17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
Eze 37:18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
Eze 37:19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

We can now see the other side of the rule of King Solomon.

There were heavy taxes under Solomon.
Tyrants oppressed their subjects with grievous impositions.

This tax and impositions were not only for the people which would have been ok, but for the expenses of Solomon’s court.

This tax supported all the wives and concubines of King Solomon and any whim he took part in which did not set well with the people.

This tax-supported all the festivities of Solomon’s lavish lifestyle.

We should keep in mind that King Solomon was the richest person to have ever lived, but he kept those riches to himself when he could have paid all the taxes and still been rich.

When Solomon forsakes the Lord and worshipped idols then the people surely had enough of him and were glad to see him go.

To the average Israelite, being under the burden of such high taxes was like a yoke laid upon beasts of burden and seemed more like servant work rather than living in peace.

As long as King Solomon walked with the Lord, he was important as the Holy Spirit guided this author, but as soon as he forsake the Lord God Jehovah he became insignificant, not just to the people but also to Jehovah.

In a sense Solomon destroyed himself and it was not helping his son Rehoboam.

Millo was a new fortification that protected Jerusalem from an attack from the north. It is also called the Citadel.

Solomon also repaired any weak places in the walls of Jerusalem.

Solomon began to fear the loss of his kingdom which was impossible because of God’s promise to King David.

All King Solomon had to do was to remain faithful to Jehovah.

Solomon took his eyes off the Lord and fell into the trap of lust.

1Jn_2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Let us see this history of Israel develop.

*1Ki 12:5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
1Ki 12:6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
1Ki 12:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

Now the Son of Solomon, Rehoboam was facing some angry people, especially those of Ephraim who were being led by an angry Jeroboam.

We already know that Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor.

1Ki 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

Solomon had determined to kill Jeroboam for what God’s prophet had said to him.

We all know that we cannot change what God has said will take place!

Rehoboam was at least wise enough to seek counsel before responding to the people of Ephraim.

Shechem was a twelve hour walk from Jerusalem, and it would take some time for the councilors of Rehoboam to reach Shechem and to meet with Rehoboam.

Rehoboam had sent for the councilors of his father Solomon and his friends who he had been raised with.

These were a bunch of rich spoiled kids who had no worries growing up and knew nothing of ruling government.

Solomon had caused every Israelite to serve one month in government service and then two months at home until all his building project had been completed and many more of them were drafted into the military, but not these young men who had rich parents.

Solomon required heavy taxes upon the people and the rich just got richer and the poor got poorer, and the poor were seeking some much-needed relief.

All the building projects were complete and such taxes were certainly no longer needed.

Rehoboam had inherited the riches of his father, and he certainly did not need more riches.

For years the people had been complaining about the harshness of King Solomon, but nothing changed.

Rehoboam first consulted with the elders who had counselled his father, Solomon.

There was wisdom in the council of the elders, good for every government.

A government that serves the people will be a lasting government.

A government that listens to its people and takes action to help them will be a lasting government.

The government that does these things will find people who will willingly serve the government.

This is the principle behind the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus came to serve!

Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Jesus taught us that whoever would be great must begin by being a servant.

The proud and lofty in this world are served enough without taking the needs of the poor.

Rehoboam was already forty-one years of age, he should have known better, but his mother was a pagan, and he had witnessed his father worship a pagan god.

1Ki 14:21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

Rehoboam next turned to his friends who were not so young being his age but certainly younger than those elders.

Rehoboam forsook the council of the elders and turned to his rich friends.

*1Ki 12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
1Ki 12:9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
1Ki 12:10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
1Ki 12:11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Now we should not think of these young men as in their twenties or their thirties.

Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he succeeded his father on the throne, and we should expect those men that he grew up with to be about his age but they were still spoiled rich kids.

Rehoboam was even more arrogant and prideful than his father Solomon.

He would tax these tribes even more than his father and increase their workload.

He even mentioned scourging.

If we do nothing else in our lifetime we need to guard against arrogance and pride!

These things do not suit the Christian who is following in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave us the example of humility.

These younger men had grown up living in luxury and wealth and they knew nothing of an honest day’s work.

They knew nothing of responsibility!

These were pampered men with childish ways.

They had no respect for the people of Israel!

Sounds a whole lot like the America we have been living in where our government had no respect for the taxpayer, and we hope these things change with our new government.

We as the children of God are not better than anyone else in this world though we may be better off because our names are written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

None of us are to be slaves to arrogant governments or anyone else!

In many places, God speaks against these things.

Psa_10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psa_10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Pro_8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Pro_16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Rehoboam claimed that his power would far exceed that of his Father King Solomon.

Pro 10:14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
Pro 10:15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

What happens eventually in such cases? People rebel.

Jeroboam knew exactly how the people of Israel had suffered under King Solomon, and he now had the respect of ten of the tribes of Israel.

Jeroboam now clearly understood what the Prophet Ahijah had told him.

1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

God keeps His reason for doing this very simple.

1Ki 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

We talk many times about God keeping His promises and we can be sure He will also keep those promises of forsaking Him.

In the end, Jeroboam was not so much different from Rehoboam, but he would still rule Ephraim which included ten of the tribes of Israel for twenty-two years.

*1Ki 12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
1Ki 12:17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

The United Kingdom of Israel was dissolved before Rehoboam was crowned as King of Judah.

Rehoboam was a weak and wicked man!

There is an old saying that says “he who would rule others must first rule himself”.

We should understand by now that God gives opportunities to individuals and nations even though they will not improve them.

It was the divine plan of God to give Jeroboam control of the ten tribes of Israel even though God knew that Jeroboam would also forsake Him.

We may not understand this, but Jehovah has a much greater plan in motion.

Now this does not mean that Jehovah caused Jeroboam to act the way he did because he was allowed to do good and he failed to do so as he too became arrogant and prideful.

We must also understand that Jehovah is not sitting in Heaven waiting to see what rulers will do and he is not ever caught off guard.

God gives everyone a chance to do good when opportunities are given to them.

It is that sinful nature that gets us in so much trouble.

Rehoboam would rule Judah and Benjamin.

Rehoboam tried one more thing to insert his authority over those who rebelled.

*1Ki 12:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Adoram (or Adoniram) was the man over the taxes or tribute for King Solomon and now for King Rehoboam to either collect the taxes or make a compromise with the tribes of the north, but he was stoned to death and Rehoboam left for the safety of Jerusalem.

Adoram was the wrong man to send for he was famous for his harsh policies of forced labor.

From this point in the history of Israel, the name Israel referred to the ten Northern Tribes and the name Judah referred to the Southern Tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

*1Ki 12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
1Ki 12:20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Jeroboam becomes the king of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

We should understand that Ephraim had always felt the most important since the time of Joseph, but Jehovah does not see it that way and God made sure promises to the House of David still recognized as Israel’s greatest king.

Again, we must understand that Jehovah has guided the nation of Israel with a special purpose, but He guides the history of all the world in the same way.

God gave mankind free will to follow Him or not to follow Him.

We must also understand that nothing in this universe is outside the scope of Jehovah’s sovereign rule!

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

The will of God is made known in real-time.

It is each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ that is chosen by Jehovah and He made this decision before He created any part of this world.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

There is no one alive today, no one who lived in the past or who will live in the future that Jehovah will not offer an opportunity to be adopted into the family of God, and it all centers around the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Our purpose is not here on this earth even though we will be given opportunities while we are alive.

Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was determined before the foundation of the world was laid.

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Our God has this amazing plan for every believer, and we could look at our world as the place God has chosen to separate the believer from those who reject Him.

Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

We simply cannot comprehend the wisdom and the knowledge of our Divine Savior.

He does not have to consult with anyone, and no one has advised Him.

It is because God knows all things before, they happen, and He controls and guides all events for His Own Glory and For Our own Good.

Psa 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Pro 3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

God does not ever have to adjust His plan according to the things that happen here on earth, He simply knows all things!

Amen

Shame on Him

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon’s Fame Was Reduced to Shame

Book 1 Kings 10:1-7, 24-27, 11: 4-13

What is fame? Fame is a favorable report of good or great actions that exalt character.

News of the knowledge of Solomon and his wisdom was spreading around the known world of that day.

What is shame? Those things that bring reproach and degrade a person in the estimation of others. Dishonor, disgrace.

Solomon was living on the achievements and the reputation of his father who caused security and peace to come to Israel.

Under Solomon, Israel became a great power ranking almost as great as Egypt which is why Egypt made a bond with Solomon and Pharoh’s daughter became the wife of Solomon.

Israel ranked even as great as Assyria at that time.

After Solomon Israel has never reached those same boundaries.

These things were credited to Solomon’s wisdom.

Solomon turned Israel from a military people to a people of commerce.

In reality, Solomon turned a people made free by King David into slaves and concentrated the wealth of the whole nation in the capital Jerusalem and most of Israel suffered.

As God would say, Israel did not reap the fruits of its government.

The downfall of Solomon began when he listened to his pagan wives and his wisdom left him.

Solomon was by nature a man of peace, yet he maintained a large military scattered in various places to help bring peace.

No nation had defeated his father David, but Solomon had no desire to extend the boundaries of Isreal, and it was possible for him to do so.

Solomon’s chief ally was Hiram, the king of Tyre which is Phoenicia.

The Temple of Solomon was built in seven years, but Solomon spent thirteen years building his own palace which was called the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

It is these things that made Solomon famous throughout the world.

Solomon had many foreign visitors seeking his wisdom.

One of those was the Queen of Sheba.

*1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba, heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Sheba was a land in Arabia, which is modern Yemen today, rather than Ethiopia.

Yemen was the chief spice country in that area at that time.

Sheba was about fifteen hundred miles from Jerusalem so this Queen had traveled a great distance requiring a lot of time.

The Temple had been built in the name of the Lord God of Israel.

We can be sure when questions arose about the temple there would be questions about the God of that Temple.

No one else has such a God who is alive!

Much of the world believed that the wisdom of Solomon had come from his God, and they would be correct.

This Queen of Sheba did not make this connection, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Some say these were questions she could not trust anyone else to answer.

Many of the questions could have been hard riddles as some believe.

It does not seem to me that this Queen showed much interest in Jehovah God to her downfall.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Could Solomon have answered, what is the purpose of life? We have all asked this question in our lifetime.

Could he have said, “Where do we truly come from?”

There are billions of people out there today who would like to know, “what is the purpose of it all”?

The truth is in Jehovah God!

*1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

We can believe that this Queen was also seeking a trade agreement.

She brought a large quantity of spices, gold, and precious jewels.

We can be sure that she traveled with military protection, but it is not mentioned, and they would have been stopped and not allowed to enter Jerusalem maybe even the border of Israel.

To travel for fifteen hundred miles meant she was serious about meeting King Solomon.

It seems that this Queen was not the wife of a King but the actual ruler of these people.

She was serious about seeking the answers to great questions of life so she could be a better ruler.

King Solomon answered all her questions!

*1Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
1Ki 10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
1Ki 10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

Solomon’s kingdom was famous not only for its material prosperity but also for his great wisdom.

King Solomon got so caught up in his wisdom that today we would use the phrase, “he got the big head” and we will soon see how these things affected him.

King Solomon had spent seven years building the Temple, but he spent thirteen years building his own mansion. After this, he rebuilt many cities most of which belonged to Israel, but he rebuilt some cities that did not belong to Israel.

This Queen of Sheba was more impressed with Solomon’s house than she was with the Temple of God.

She was another pagan who had her own false gods.

Solomon answered all of her questions, and this Queen was overwhelmed with the wisdom of Solomon. I do not read anywhere where Solomon gave the credit for his wisdom to His God and our God Jehovah.

No doubt this Queen had all types of questions with some riddles but also diplomatic and ethical questions.

This truth would make Solomon a trustworthy business partner and a possible ally, though her nation was fifteen hundred miles away from Israel.

Today Yemen can fire rockets and drones fifteen hundred miles into Israel and are mortal enemies of Israel.

Of course, Israel can do the same and are still under the power of God.

These servants were the officers and distinguished people who were privileged to sit at the king’s table and were arranged according to rank and were in large numbers at royal banquets.

These ministers were those who stood to serve the guests doubt they were dressed in a way to distinguish them from the guests but were fit to serve royalty.

2Ch 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

The wisdom and prosperity of King Solomon and his achievements had reached the uttermost parts of the world, and this Queen admitted that these reports had been true.

It does not matter so much what this Queen thought of these things, it matters more of what God thought of these things.

Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luk 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luk 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luk 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

As a pagan Gentile, this Queen could not go into the Temple though she may have seen a secret way that the king could get into the Temple.

*1Ki 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

We must understand the mission of Israel in the time of Solomon and now the mission of the Church is to point all nations to God.

Israel has failed so far, will the Church also fail?

Israel was not to compete with our nations for riches or even military power. Jehovah God is the power of Israel!

Jehovah is the power of the Church.

We are not in some competition with religions!

We have the truth of Christianity!

The Church is to be a bright and shining light in this world.

It was the same for Israel in the days of King Solomon.

The Queen came to Solomon tortured by questions, and it does not seem she got all the answers she needed.

Certainly, the things she said about Solomon were true.

He was the wisest man upon the earth but not as wise as Jesus Christ,

He was the richest man on the earth, but no earthy riches can compare to the Glory of Heaven!

*1Ki 10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
1Ki 10:10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon

This queen brought the best spices of Yemen, many of them used in perfumes of that day.
She brought a lot of gold and precious stones.
She brought sweet, scented wood.

This wood Solomon was used in his palace.

2Ch 9:11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
2Ch 9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

As the Queen was about to leave she made a great speech to those servants of Solomon.

She said from what her eyes had seen and now had heard not even half of the truth of King Solomon was told.

She also took a moment to praise Jehovah that out of His eternal love to His people Israel, he had given them a king to do justice and righteousness.

Some say this Queen was converted to Judaism, but this is not true.

Like many who praised the God of Israel, they observed Him as just another god in the world of many gods just as many think today.

God had His reasons for putting Solomon on the throne of Israel.

1) It fulfilled a promise to David who was a man after God’s own heart.
2) Solomon who was chosen to build the Temple of God.

After this Solomon transgressed against the Lord.

God had written the qualifications for the kings of Israel.

Deu 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
Deu 17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
Deu 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Deu 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

King Solomon disobeyed in every area!

1) He had too much gold.
2) He owned thousands of horses.
3) He gathered hundreds of wives and concubines.

All the earth sought the wisdom of Solomon.

*1Ki 10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
1Ki 10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1Ki 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
1Ki 10:27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

Solomon was not greater than anyone else and neither was this God’s intent.

Solomon became greater because all the world sought him out for his wisdom.

They brought him gold that he wasted on shields and other foolish things when he could have helped the cause of God, and he could have removed the strain of taxation upon his own people, but he did not.

Solomon made two hundred large shields and three hundred shields of gold that made beautiful displays but were useless in battle.
They were too heavy and too soft to make effective shields.

Each of those shields would be valued at over a quarter million dollars today and the smaller shields at over sixty thousand dollars or about thirty-three million dollars.

They were eventually taken by a foreign king.

Solomon made silver to be worthless which did not help the economies of the world of that day.

In the end, it was women who truly brought King Solomon down to shame.

*1Ki 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Over half of Solomon’s reign was over by the time the Temple, his own palace, and other buildings were completed.

These things took up much of his personal time.

We could add that during this time Solomon had negotiated peace agreements between Israel and many nations, and those agreements were sealed by the marriage of that ruler’s daughter.

As Solomon began to spend more time with the many wives he had, he was influenced by them.

One man wrote that the home of Solomon was afflicted with the curse of his polygamy and his kingdom with the curse of his despotism, which means he had absolute power, authority unlimited, and uncontrolled power over the people.

Most all alliances Israel had with other rulers ended with the death of Solomon even the long relationship of Solomon with Hiram.

As we looked at last week, no one knew where the Book of Moses(the Pentateuch) was located. Solomon certainly was not obedient to the Word of God concerning the kings of Israel.

Many believe that the prophet Jeremiah wrote this book of First Kings, and he simply says that Solomon loved many strange women.

it is these women who caused the decline of King Solomon!

These things describe a heart that is wandering away from God!

Solomon had seven hundred women who were considered to be his wives.
Solomon had three hundred women with the title concubines.

These were the women who were in Solomon’s harem while he was King of Israel.

Son 6:8 There are threescore queens, fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

This verse tells us of those women who were in Solomon’s court at one time.

This would be sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

King Solomon like his father went against the institution of Jehovah.

What is the marriage institution of Jehovah God?

Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

When God gave Adam his wife. God did not do this by forming Eve out of the dust of the earth just like Adam. Then she would be independent of Adam.
God formed Eve from Adam. He does not do this out of his head, for she is not his superior. Nor does he make her out of his feet, for she is not his slave. He forms her from his side.
She is therefore someone of equal value, standing beside him.

Solomon took wives from many nations, also going against the Word of God about strange wives.

Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Deu 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

Solomon not only took these many women into his house, but he also took their gods.

We should understand that someone who knows the Word of God and deviates from it often makes it worse than someone who has never known Jehovah.

When a child of God falls into corruption it is the worst corruption!

The lesson for us who are up in years is, that we may think the dangers of life no longer threaten us but we are wrong.

Satan will do his best to ruin our testimony at any age!

*1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
1Ki 11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

Ashtoreth(Ishtar, Astarte, queen of heaven)) was the Moon goddess of the Zidonians usually associated with Baal(Baalim, Baalism) the Sun god.

Throughout the world, we see temples and pyramids built to honor the Sun god and the Moon god

Milcom(Molech, Chemosh) is the national god of Ammon, God said he was an abomination!

It is this god to whom children were sacrificed. This is the god of the abortionists in my opinion.

Solomon was not seeking God’s own heart as did his father David.

Solomon had temples built for the worship of these false goods and he joined them in their worship of them.

He did the same for all his strange wives!

The word strange means all his wives who were not of Israel, we could say wives from foreign nations.

Certainly, Jehovah was angry with Solomon.

*1Ki 11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
1Ki 11:10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Do you want to make Jehovah angry? Go against His Word.

Do you want to really get Jehovah riled up? Go against Him after He has warned you!

This is why we have the Holy Spirit living inside us!

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

What had God told Solomon?

1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
1Ki 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

Today we have the Word of if we have a proper translation and we are to do our best to be obedient to it.

As for King Solomon he met with God face to face and he was told the consequences of failing to acknowledge the Word of God.

We know that God will do exactly what he says he will do.

1Ki 11:26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, “Solomon’s servant”, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
1Ki 11:27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
1Ki 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
1Ki 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
1Ki 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

But God will never break a promise he has made!

*1Ki 11:12  Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

1Ki 11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
1Ki 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom.

Solomon had forfeited the promise made to him from Jehovah.

God would allow the line of David to continue through a son of Solomon because David had chosen Jerusalem and not some other city.

This is a sign of God’s “grace”!

2Sa 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

This promise from God will ultimately be fulfilled through the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see the Lord Jesus Christ did appear Himself to begin the New Testament and the Law of Grace and through His disciples, this word had spread around the world and only those who accept the Work of Jesus Christ, the “Gospel” will be allowed into God’s New Jerusalem and God’s New Heaven where King Jesus will rule forever.

Amen

The Temple Solomon Built

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon Built the Temple
 
Book of 1 Kings 5
 
 
One of the most important things we need to complete any building project successfully is to be committed to it.
 
We can accept the fact that King Solomon had little if any construction skills, but he now had great wisdom in all things.
 
What Solomon had was a humble spirit and he sought the Lord for His help.
 
The next thing that is needed is preparation.
 
Site preparation must be properly taken care of, and it begins with following the Word of God.

Then you must own the property you are building upon.

David first bought the threshing floor of Araunah:

2Sa_24:18  And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
2Sa_24:21  And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
2Sa_24:24  And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Then David bought the entire area around the threshing floor.

1Ch 21:24  And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 
1Ch 21:25  So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 

There should be no doubt who the Temple Mount belongs to.
 
Remember it was God who gave the dimensions and the details of this Temple to David mphasizing a solid foundation.
 
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
 
King Solomon needed to be obedient to the Lord just as we all should be today!
 
This new Temple was to be a House of the Lord for the Lord’s people to worship Him.
 
This had been a dream of his father David for many years, and Solomon was committed to seeing it succeed.
 
Solomon’s most important task was to seek the Lord!
 
1Ki 5:2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
1Ki 5:3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
1Ki 5:4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
 
King Hiram and King David had been great friends, and his son Huram wanted the same relationship with King Solomon.
 
In fact, this King Hiram had told his own son about the great God of Israel even though he was pagan and worshipped his own gods.
 
We should understand that God would not allow David to build this Temple of Worship because it would have sent the wrong message.
 
It would be like religions such as the Muslim who are forced to seek Mohammed and can never leave that religion with the threat of death if they do.
 
There is no personal relationship because there is no Allah.
 
Just as important, because David was protecting the cause of Israel in great battles with the enemies that surrounded Israel and he certainly did not have time to make such a commitment as Solomon was saying to Huram.
 
Israel was at peace all the time of King Solomon and he maintained a strong military presence in the regions.
 
To David God said: 22:8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
 
This king of Tyre understood these things Solomon was saying.
 
When the Lord forbids us to do something He is serious about it!
 
King David had made this entire area to be at peace because of his conquest.
 
We could say that Israel was the honcho nation during the time of King Solomon.
 
Solomon said he had no adversaries nor was there any occurrence of rebellion to his rule.
 
In fact, the nation of Israel was very prosperous in the days of King Solomon.
 
We know that David spent time training Solomon.
 
It was Solomon who wrote the Book of Proverbs so we can see what he wrote about his father.
 
Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Pro 4:3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Pro 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
 
David did everything in his power to smooth the way of Solomon.
 
David drew up the plans for the Temple according to the plans God had given to him:
 
1Ch 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,
1Ch 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:
 
David gave Solomon the funds to build the Temple:
 
1Ch 28:14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:
 
David told Solomon that the plans for the Temple came from Jehovah:
 
1Ch 28:19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.
 
And again, David encouraged his son:
 
1Ch 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
 
We can see that Solomon was a good student!
 
Solomon began to understand what his father was saying.
 
1Ki 5:5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
1Ki 5:6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
 
Solomon was committed to building the Temple his father David desired.
 
Solomon sought to honor the Lord by building a house of worship for the people of Israel.
 
If we do not learn anything else, we need to know that there needs to be a place to worship the Lord!
 
There needs to be set times so we can all gather together to encourage one another.
 
We will need to deal with this lost world.
 
Solomon renewed the relationship between Israel and Tyre which was Phoenicia and Solomon sought to establish a trade agreement between the two nations, and he did.
 
Solomon sought workers with skills that Israel did not know at this time.
 
Notice Solomon did not open the borders of Israel to just anybody, but Israel had a need for skilled laborers.
 
This should be a lesson for our nation.
 
Solomon knew he had no excuse to delay this work for the Lord and Israel.
 
When God calls us for a task it is time to say yes and get busy!
 
We need to yield to the call of God without hesitation.
 
The Bible explains this request to Huram from Solomon better in Second Chronicles:
 
2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
2Ch 2:5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
2Ch 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
2Ch 2:7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
2Ch 2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
2Ch 2:9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
2Ch 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
2Ch 2:11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
 
We must realize that God cannot be contained in any nation but that God is bigger than our little world but He is also small enough to come into our hearts.
 
God has a purpose for each of us and God is still building upon His Church!
 
King Hiram agreed with Solomon and a pact was made between the two nations.
 
*1Ki 5:10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
1Ki 5:11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
 
We see that Hiram gave this timber to Solomon and Solomon provided the food to feed these men while the work was taking place.
 
We can better understand that Solomon asked for cedar trees, fir trees which means cypress, and other timber that was long-lasting.
 
Solomon also needed an architect.
 
Hiram was glad to provide the things that Solomon requested.
 
We should not be confused the Phoenicians were Pagans.
 
These cities existed before Israel came into the Promised Land in most cases they worshipped Baal.
 
Baal means lord but he is identified with the false god Molech where children were sacrificed on his blazing arms.
 
Baal was also known as the Sun god and there are Pyramids and High places all around the world where Baal the Sun god was worshipped along with the Moon god, and they are still worshipped today under different names.
 
This is the reason most of these nations no longer exist today.
 
Hiram’s servants would cut the timber from the forest in Lebanon. Transport it to the Mediterranean Sea, form it into rafts, and guide it through the waters to the Sea Port of Joppa.
 
Tyre was over fifty miles from Joppa and Joppa was around thirty miles from Jerusalem.
 
This was no easy task we know because we have the problems our own military had in the Mediterranian Sea.

The Phoenicians were the masters of the sea in that day.
 
2Ch 2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,
2Ch 2:9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
2Ch 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
 
Both men kept their agreements, and Solomon paid the wages of all these workers to make it worth their while.
 
Our lesson here is that we must do everything we can to seek peace and preserve peace throughout society without compromising the Word of God.
 
We need to make peace in our homes.
We need to make peace in our schools.
We need to make peace in our workplaces.
We need to treat everyone fair as we know our Lord Jesus did.
We should have peace in our Churches, we have the same Word of God. We do not need opinions, likes, dislikes, complaints, or murmurers among our members. Again, we have the same Word of God.
We should have peace in our government whose goal should be to take care of its people and protect our nation.
 
The word peace is used 429 times in the KJV Bible so peace is important to God, but may not always be possible.
 
Rom_12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
 
There were also workers with stone at this same time.
 
1Ki 5:18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
 
This stone cutting was started before the death of King David, and it was time consuming.
 
David also began gathering many of the supplies needed for the Temple.
 
1Ch 22:2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.
1Ch 22:3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
1Ch 22:4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
1Ch 22:5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
 
The Splendor of what is called Solomon’s Temple began to come to life.
 
Work began in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign.
 
We can see this was a major undertaking with the tools that were available on that day.
 
In fact, many of those large stones and the cutting of them is not really understood today how they were able to do such things with just manual labor.
 
These stones were cut, squared, shaped, and dressed to fit together perfectly without mortar.
 
Our lesson is no matter what we do for the Lord, do it right while also making a contribution to society.
  
*1Ki 6:12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
1Ki 6:13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
1Ki 6:14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
 
It had been four hundred and eighty years since a group of slaves led by Moses, had left Egypt searching for the land promised to Abraham.
 
This would have been around 966 BC, so the Hebrews left Egypt around 1446 BC.
 
All the materials were assembled in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount without the use of construction hand tools axes and hammers and such tool made of iron.
 
1Ki 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
 
1Ki 6:9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
 
Then God gave Solomon a challenge and a promise.
 
It appears to me as I read this that the stonework was first completed and then the Temple was covered with lumber and this lumber was gold plated.
 
1Ki 6:22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
 
In the end, God said this was a worldly sanctuary and cannot compare to our Heavenly sanctuary.
 
Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
 
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
 
Any place of worship today simply means God is identifying with His people so it becomes a House of God.
 
God is certainly “gracious” but this does not mean it is a light thing to come into the presence of the Lord.
 
We should be reverent in the House of God and God will show up.
 
Today the body of each believer becomes the House of God and we are to honor the name of the Lord who dwells within us at all times and not just while we are in His House of worship.
 
Those large stones teach us of a solid foundation which is in Christ Jesus.
 
If our lives are not built upon Jesus Christ we are doomed to destruction.
 
Without Jesus Christ, we are separated from God and doomed!
 
Without God, there is no hope, not in this world or the next!
 
We should also understand that just being in a Church building is not enough. God only looks upon those with a pure heart as we saw in last week’s lesson.
 
A wicked person entering a church building is still a person with a wicked heart and will remain that way until they claim the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of their old life.
 
Many today do not want to repent but maintain their sinful ways and sin is according to the Word of God and not public opinion.
 
God created us to have fellowship with Him, but He cannot look upon sin and, in His wisdom, He sent the Lord Jesus to pay our sin debt and if we accept this fact then God will deal with us His own children!
 
God gave us free will to decide this on our own!
 
Amen

The Prophet Elisha

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Elisha God’s Prophet Of Miracles

1 Kings 19 – 2 Kings 2-6

Before we begin with Elisha we need to consider a few more things of Elijah.

Elijah had one main mission as he saw it.

The name Elijah means: “whose God is Jehovah” and as his name implied, Elijah felt it was his mission to bring Israel to confess that Jehovah, He is God.

Elijah had only partially fulfilled that mission on Mount Carmel and Elijah felt that he was a failure but Elijah also felt that he was the last of the true believers left in all of Israel.

Elijah felt that history would show that he had failed just as those prophets that had come before him had failed in bringing Israel to the point of repentance.

1Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; “for I am not better than my fathers”.

First: God informed Elijah that his thoughts were wrong:

1Ki 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

We must never feel that we are the only ones serving the true God!

We must never feel as though we are the only ones serving God as He wishes because all of us can do better, I know I can!

Second: God allowed Elijah to anoint his successor who was one of those 7000:

1Ki 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

The mission of Elisha would be according to his own name which means “my God is salvation”!

Actually our job is to be more like that of Elisha than that of Elijah but we are to learn from all God’s prophets!

God continued to send other prophets to be such as Elijah was but none could replace him because his work was not complete and he will return himself one day before the Second Coming of Christ Jesus to complete the work God has for him.

Elijah had lived his life much as a nomad, but Elisha lived within the society of that time but was not a part of that society.

Elijah was a poor man but though Elisha may not have been rich by many standards, his family owned at least 12 yoke of oxen and enough land to keep that amount of animals working.

It is said that an “acre” is the amount of land that a yoke of oxen could plow in one day, and we can be sure that the family of Elisha had much more than 12 acres of land and would surely have had to market their products from so much land.

Elijah was God’s prophet of “judgment” but Elisha was God’s prophet of “salvation”!

Elisha and Elijah were totally opposites in most all ways but they did have one certain thing in common.

They both knew the true God of our universe!

They both trusted in the salvation of the Lord!

So God sent Elijah to meet his successor.

As we observe Elisha we will see that Elisha was content in serving the Lord and was complete in his willingness to humble himself and fulfill his duties as a man of God!

1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Proper worship in spirit and truth is required of the Lord but so is being a servant to the work of the Lord!

Even the Lord Jesus came to us as a servant!

Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Elisha was already such a servant of the Lord even before he met Elijah.

*****1Ki 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

We already know that to own 12 yoke of oxen and enough land for them to work, was a sign of wealth but the first thing we see is that Elisha was not to good work himself.

We can also be sure that the reputation of Elijah was well known because of what had happened on Mount Carmel and everyone would have known that Jezebel had put a price on the head of Elijah.

Elijah was a wanted man at this time, by his own government just because he served Jehovah and not the false god Baal as his government had demanded!

The mantle that Elijah wore was a sign of God’s prophets in that day:

1Sa 28:14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and “he is covered with a mantle”. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

Samuel was known for the mantle that he wore and Elijah was also known for the mantle that he wore.

Elijah knew his days were numbered but Elijah also knew his death would not come by the hands of Jezebel!

We all know our days are numbered but a Christian knows his or her death will not come by the hands of Satan!

Elijah knowing his days on this earth were numbered, cast his mantle upon the shoulders of Elisha which signified the passing of prophetic responsibility and God’s accompanying power to him.

Notice Elijah continued on his way.

What are some things that we see here, when God calls his ministers:

**First: They must always be ready to receive the call of God!

Notice another important thing.

Elisha was involved in his daily work routine and was not called while he was in any act of worship not even in the act of prayer.

The call of God can come at any time and anywhere and comes more often when we are doing normal things rather than in a worship service!

**Second: They are to remain busy until that call of God comes!

Then when God calls they must drop what they are doing and get busy for the Lord!

**Third: The work that God has for us requires some special training.

And God’s servants will all be somewhat different from each other!

God knows our differences and takes advantage of our skills.

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

**Fourth: God will make a use for our distinct individuality.

If we would look in our own Church we would see that if someone is going through certain things, God will have already placed someone else in position to help them who has gone through similar things and survived.

**Fifth: We must be determined!

Let’s learn from Elisha.

*****1Ki 19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

What is willingness?

Willingness is the free choice we must make to serve the Lord.

Some would say to be willing to serve the Lord and to answer a special calling takes a “leap of faith”.

Elisha totally understood what had happened!

When Elijah dropped his mantle around Elisha it meant only one thing.

Elijah was saying “when I pass away you Elisha, must take my mantle and be my successor”.

These things took place during that period when Elijah had informed Ahab that the drought would continue for 3 more years but Jezebel had already began to kill many of God’s prophets.

Elisha made only one request.

Elisha requested just enough time to say good by to his parents.

Many will ask what was the difference in what Elisha requested and that certain one at the time of Jesus.

Luk 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Luk 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Elisha already had his hand on the plow and already was a true believer.

Elisha was also to replace Elijah at his death, a special calling!

When Elisha went to see his parents, he was saying good bye forever for he knew not whether he would ever see them again this side of Heaven!

To follow the Lord Jesus Christ is to deny one’s own self!

Elisha needed a moment in time to set his family affairs in order for he knew he might not never return to them because he would also be a wanted man.

The Lord Jesus looked into the heart of this man in His day and saw a man who only wanted to say goodbye thinking he could return at any time to his family.

Jesus also said these words to another rich man such as Elisha.

Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

This rich man in the time of Jesus could not give up his worldly riches.

Elisha had no problem giving up his family inheritance or his riches!

How did Elijah respond to this request?

Elijah said go ahead but remember it is not me that called you!

Elijah said to Elisha, “you are not accountable to me but you are accountable to God”!

You see when we allow the things of this world to come between us the Lord, we have in affect become idol worshipers and this was the same problem the nation of Israel was already having in the day of Elijah!

So Elisha took care of his family business.

*****1Ki 19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Elisha called all his family together to announce to them that God, not Elijah, had called him to a work so life fulfilling that he would have to give up his life that had been devoted to his family and totally devote himself to this higher calling of God!

Elisha burnt all his bridges behind him and stepped out on “faith” to minister to Elijah!

What is a minister?

A minister by the Word of God, is a servant to one higher than yourself!

We should also know that it is only God who knows who He will call to be a Pastor or a Preacher.

Being a preacher or a pastor is not just mama called and daddy sent!

Elisha was a farmer.

Amos was a fruit-picker.

Matthew was a tax collector.

Peter, James, and John and others were fishermen.

Luke was a doctor a physician.

What did the Apostle Paul say who was once a hated Pharisee.

Act 20:24 But none of these things move me, “neither count I my life dear unto myself”, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

God had special plans for Elijah.

And God had special plans for Elisha!

And God has special plans for all those He calls!

We don’t have time to cover all the things of Elisha and the miracles that he did in the power of God who by the way was second only to Jesus in the miracles of the Bible.

*****2Ki 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2Ki 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

As Elisha was the minister to Elijah, then Elijah was also the spiritual father of Elisha.

We should be very clear God does not and never will have any spiritual grandchildren!

We only have one Master and He is not of this Earth!

Elijah was a prophet of God for at least 55 years but his time on this Earth had come to an end.

The false truth of the Atheists, is that we live our life on this Earth and then we die and live no more.

The real truth of the Bible is that our souls are immortal and this picture of Elijah’s return to Heaven is proof of that fact!

Elijah was not the only one in the Bible who went to Heaven without dyeing.

The truth of Enoch is that we know one day Enoch was walking with the Lord and they just walked right on up into Heaven.

Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

This happened because of his great faith!

Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

We know that Enoch was also a prophet of God’s choosing.

Jud 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, “prophesied” of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Enoch knew of the Coming of the Messiah even in his day!

BUT, this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.

And Elijah, who was promised a death at the hands of Jezebel, God had also decided would not die at all, at least at this time for we are all appointed to a time of death.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Elijah had gone to Heaven by a whirlwind or some would say a tempest storm.

But the truth is that just as the Lord was taken up by Angels:

Luk 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Elijah was also carried up to Heaven in slightly a more dramatic way before only the eyes of Elisha because Elisha was an eyewitness to the rapture of Elijah.

If we study the Bible we will see that the ministry of Elijah was much like that of John the Baptist while the ministry of Elisha will be much more like that of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was in His physical body was up0n this Earth.

Elijah did not live in the public’s sight.

Elisha spent all his days in public life!

Elijah had ministry of “Judgment”.

Elisha will have a ministry of “Mercy”.

Thank goodness God has much more “mercy” than He has “judgment”!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Most of the time we do not understand when our loved ones seem to leave here so early in life but there is one thing that is very seldom considered when a saint of God goes home to be with the Lord.

Most of the saints go home to be with the Lord if not all, it is God that has decided that we have seen enough of this evil world that drags us down so much!

Isa 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, “none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come”.
Isa 57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

When Elisha rent his clothes it was not a sign of mourning for his brother Elijah, it was for the terrible loss of such a mighty man of God to this world.

Our world suffers a loss when any man of God goes home to be with the Lord!

Only then did Elisha know that it was his time.

*****2Ki 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

Elijah had no more need for his mantle so it became Elisha’s mantle.

Remember that mantle had been a sign to all that saw him, that Elijah was God’s man.

It was Elisha who was now God’s man!

Elisha had received a double portion of the same Spirit of God that Elijah had and it was now time to use it!

There are many in our world today that proclaim that receiving the Spiritual power of God will be immediately felt in our bodies but the truth is that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is mostly a quiet and a secret act and is known only to God and then to that saved soul!

When Elisha walked back to the River Jordan, he was not sure if he had received that double portion that he had been promised.

That mantle of Elijah was a sign to those who now saw Elisha, but the power of God was not in that mantle, the power of God was inside Elisha out of view to those that saw him now.

Elisha had one more thing to do.

During all the years that Elisha had been with Elijah it had been this mantle that had caught his eye.

But, the power of Elijah was not in his mantle, the power of Elijah was in his God!

Elisha had not requested any power of that mantle, Elisha had requested the power of the God of Elijah!

*****2Ki 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

Elisha wore the mantle of Elijah as a token of God’s calling.

We know that Elisha had requested a double portion of the same Spirit that had energized Elijah and the Word of God said that it was granted to him.

The Bible records more miracles under the ministry of Elisha than it does of Elijah.

The fact remains that during days of Israel’s darkest days of the apostasy, and of idol worship, God had given Israel two of His greatest prophets for some 85 years.

We can also be sure that in the darkest days of this world we live in, God will show His strength in ways that we have not yet seen but are prophesied, but most of the world will still continue on it’s path to destruction.

When Elisha struck the waters of Jordan with the mantle of Elijah, he was just saying it’s time to get started.

BUT, God also had another reason for this incident with that mantle of Elijah.

All the disciples of Elijah were watching Elisha to see if he was worthy to be followed.

Many people keep their eyes on Christians to see if they can find any faults.

SO, What is the lesson to the child of God?

Jesus said it best!

Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

*****2Ki 2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

Now these were not the actual sons of the prophets to Israel but they were actually part of those 7000 who had refused to bow down to false gods.

There many schools of the prophets in those days located in the area of these ten tribes of Israel.

The Bible mentions one in Jericho, and one in Bethel and another one in Gilgal of Ephraim but there was also one on Mount Carmel after the victory of Elijah over those false prophets.

It could be said that these could be considered to be theological seminaries dedicated to the teaching of the Word of God!

Before Elijah left this earth he had taken Elisha to visit all these places and the greatest work of Elisha was not the miracles that he performed in the power of God, Elisha’s greatest work was “in the teaching and the education of these disciples in the Word of God”.

What is the greatest work of the Church?

To make disciples of all those that God calls to salvation!

What kind of men did God use in His work during this time of the divided kingdom of Israel?

Amo 2:11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.

Notice these were not Nazarites who had made certain vows but men who would become Nazarites.

Nazarite’s true meaning is to be separate from the world, and consecrated to the work of the Lord!

What does God say to the Church?

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We should be able to see that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament and just like Elisha we need to get busy in the things God has called us to do!

Let’s look at some things that Elisha did.

*****2Ki 6:8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

The Bible records some 11 miracles performed by Elisha even before we get to this Scripture.

The King of Syria was using guerrilla warfare tactics in order to weaken the defenses of Israel. These are some of the same tactics used by ISIS today.

Guerrilla warfare will cause any nation to spread it’s military strength across it’s entire region therefore making it suspect to a major assault when the proper time arrives.

These were the tactics of this king as he planned a future assault on Israel.

God was not going to allow this to happen at this time, so whenever the King of Syria had a new plan no matter how secret he tried to keep it, God informed Elisha of that plan who then would tell the King of Israel.

What is the truth of God?

Job 5:12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
Job 5:13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

There is absolutely nothing that goes on in this world that God is not aware of!

Things only happen because God has allowed them to happen!

God knows all things that exist.
God knows all the variables concerning those things.
God knows all future events.
AND, God’s knowledge is immediate!

There is nothing that God has to wait on to see the outcome of or how it will work according to how certain events will transpire!

God already knows the end before the beginning and God intervenes whenever it is necessary for things to happen according to the Scriptures!

There is nothing that happens in this world we live in that is not according to the Word of God!

Even today as we live in this Age of the Church and this Age of God’s Grace, this world we live in is moving along according to the Scriptures!

God will always adhere to the Words that He has already given to us, because God does not ever change and God does not never have too!

In fact, it is impossible for God to lie to any of us and God in no way will ever lead this world astray!

Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

God must tell the truth or He would not be God!

A warning from God is a sure future happening!

*****2Ki 6:9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
2Ki 6:10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

It is also obvious to us that the King of Syria was trying his best to assassinate the King of Israel which was King Jehoram at this time.

Even as we have learned from the past, the king of Syria of today, is seeing his once great nation destroyed because he placed himself above the Laws of God and his personal god Allah does not have it in his power to do anything about it because he simply is not real!

The traps and ambushes that were prepared for the King of Israel were known to God’s prophet Elisha.

No matter what this king thought of, even in council with his spies, Elisha knew it by the time he had that thought!

King Jehoram had no respect for God’s man Elisha so he still sent his own spies to see if the words of Elisha were true.

What he found to be the truth, was that it was only by Jehovah God that his life had been saved not once and not twice but every time, he had been able to escape the snares of this King of Syria because of the words of Elisha.

The lesson we can learn here is, that not only does God see everything that we do at any moment of time and hear every word that we say, but God also knows our thoughts even before we think them!

Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

The first thing that the King of Syria did was to assume that he had a traitor in his own royal court.

*****2Ki 6:11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

As we can see, those who do not know God are blind to the truth of God!

What the world has the most trouble with, is when there are no worldly reasons for things that happen then they need to realize that God plays by His own rules and not by the rules of man!

Things that happen in our world, that cannot be explained by the worlds standards, can only be explained by the Word of God!

This King of Syria could only believe that there was a spy within his own servants and he set them against each other.

This created turmoil in the government of Syria!

The King of Syria also worshiped the false god Rimmon who was the Sun god of Syria and the god of the wind, the rain and the storm, but Rimmon was just like Baal and was powerless to help this king.

This king did not know Jehovah, but Jehovah had placed a man amongst these servants of this king who had the answer.

Jeremiah wrote these inspired words of God:

Jer 23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

God is always the answer to any problem that arises!

*****2Ki 6:12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

Notice that of all the men of Syria, and of all the men of Israel, it was pointed out that it could only be Elisha the prophet of God who could have done such a thing.

The world may seek it’s own answers but in the end the world will look toward those that know the true God!

Here again we also see that anytime there is a problem in this world, the world immediately blames it on the Christian!

The next thing we should clearly understand is that the little nation of Israel can never be attacked by a foreign government unless God allows it to happen and for His own reasons!

Zec 2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

We are fools to not believe that God will not fulfill every promise He made to Israel and no foreign power has the ability to overcome the power of God.

The King of Syria needed to find the location of Elisha and he again sent out his own spies.

*****2Ki 6:13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

Elisha was not hiding from anyone because Elisha was at his home in Dothan and was very easy to find.

We first learned of the city of Dothan in the time of Joseph just before his brothers sold him into slavery.

Dothan was 12 miles from the capitol city of Samaria.

Here in this verse we see the foolishness of the world.

If Elisha was able to know all the thoughts of the King of Syria because of the Lord, then it would seem foolish of this King to believe he could just sneak up on Elisha and just fetch him away to do him harm.

Elisha knew these things before this King gave his instructions to those spies and Elisha remained at home unconcerned at what the world could do to him.

God teaches us these things:

Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

We should also notice something else here.

When a foreign power can send it’s army within 12 miles of a capitol city of any nation without being confronted, it shows the weakness of that nation.

The government of Israel was very weak militarily at this time!

It would be easy to compare these things to what is happening in Iraq today!

When ISIS can send it’s troops so close to the major cities in Iraq and cause harm then Iraq is a very weak nation no matter what our own government says!

BUT, Elisha had no fear of the government of Israel nor the government of Syria at this time, and just went about doing the work God had given him to do!

*****2Ki 6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

This was no small army that surrounded the city of Dothan that day.

This was no small army that was sent to take possession of just one wise man of God.

Solomon lived a long time before the days of Elisha but Solomon could have been writing about Elisha when he wrote these words.

Ecc 9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Ecc 9:14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
Ecc 9:15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Ecc 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Ecc 9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

God says that the “fear of the Lord, that is wisdom”!

Elisha was such a man this day!

*****2Ki 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

Elisha was not caught off guard at the arrival of this army but his new servant did not understand the power of God nor the double portion of the Holy Spirit that made Elisha a true man of God.

When we show our lack of faith, this world we live in will overwhelm us!

When we show our lack of faith, we are suggesting that our Lord can be defeated!

When we show our lack of faith, we are rejecting the Word of God as the truth!

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is the knowledge of the truth of God where our strength lies!

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

And there is a reason for everything that happens to us and these things can make us better but only if we learn from them!

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God can protect His people from any army if we open our eyes to the truth of the “Gospel”!

*****2Ki 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

It is a fact that there are things of the spirit world going on around us that we cannot see.

We know that angels are ministering spirits:

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

AND, Part of the ministry of Angels is the physical protection of God’s people!

Angels can protect God’s people from physical harm!

Psa 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Psa 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psa 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Angels can frustrate the plans of the enemies of God’s people!

Psa 35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

We know that the Angels are innumerable so there are always more of them than there are mankind who can be numbered!

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Those chariots of fire can take us home just as they did Elijah or they can simply be that wall of protection in our hour of greatest need!

These things are up to the Lord, as God will not allow this world to frustrate His plan of salvation at any time!

We should also pray for God to open our own eyes to the truth of His Word!

Psa 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

And once again we will see that “Prayer Changes Things”!

The Christian on his knees is still the most powerful force on this Earth!

*****2Ki 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

The truth is that the governments of this world are so afraid of the Christian that they will do everything in their power to stop the spread of the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”!

They will continue to send their armies to crush God’s people but they will fail every time!

Elisha was just a man just as we all are, but at this point in Elisha’s life, he had not completed the work God had given him to do and until God’s says that work is complete and God takes us home there is no power on Earth that can stop that man of God!

We should know that it is not courage that drive evil men to do evil things!

It is blindness to the Word of God and in that blindness, evil men can be led to do terrible things that cause harm not only to the Christian, and not only to the world, but most of all to themselves!

We are not to fear what this world is trying to do to us, in fact to have this kind of fear is being disobedient to the Word of God!

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

As far as this army was concerned, they had been defeated by one man, God’s man Elisha!

Elisha led this army right into the hands of the King of Israel and gave orders for them to sent back home with enough bread and water for them to get there.

That day, it was more important to show the government of Syria just how futile is was to defy God rather than allow for the government of Israel to claim some great military victory when Elisha had singlehandedly delivered this foreign army to them.

Our primary job is not to cause the death of our enemies!

Our enemies are sentencing themselves to death!

Our primary job is simply to share the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” with the world along with our testimony of what God has already done for us!

Questions?

Let’s Pray because prayer still changes things!

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, The Demonic Duo

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Ahab And Jezebel

The Demonic Duo

1Kings 21

Last week our lesson was about the courage of the man of God named Elijah.

The name Elijah has this meaning “whose God is Jehovah”!

At the end of last weeks lesson we know that Elijah had fled from the wrath of Jezebel and during that time God had one simple question for Elijah.

1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

In other words what are you doing here Elijah?

After such a great victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah could only think of a great revival in Israel and the possibility again of the united kingdom but he soon realized the government of Ahab and Jezebel was not going to allow that to happen.

***So, Elijah could only see his life’s work for the Lord as a failure.

The proof that this was not true is the fact that the work of this great prophet of God has been preserved for all the world to read about and also the promise of his return.

Jesus said:

Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

When Elijah returns he will be even more dynamic in his work for the Lord.

***Next Elijah got the feeling that he was the only believer left in all of Israel.

1Ki 19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

What was God response?

1Ki 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Sometimes standing up for the Word of God places us in a lonely position but in reality that is never the case!

God said to Israel:

1Sa 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

God says to the Church:

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

What is God’s promise to every believer?

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Once we have been accepted into the family of God, God will use us until the day we meet Jesus!

We will see that Elijah has gotten over his self pity and returned to the work of God before this lesson is over.

**Ahab was the son of another evil king named Omri.

Because of his idolatry, his lust, and his covetousness, Ahab is presented as a type of all wicked kings and rulers.

Mic 6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
1Ki 21:26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

It is Ahab who is a “type” of all those who have made a bargain with the devil and made themselves slaves of Satan!

**Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal the king of the Zidonians.

Ezekiel tells us the end result of such people:

Eze 32:30 There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.

Solomon had a wife of the Zidonians but Ahab was the first king of the Northern Kingdom to take such a wife.

Jezebel is a type of every woman in history that has a designing nature who is also crafty, malicious, revengeful and cruel!

Jezebel can be said to be the first great instigator of persecution against the people of God!

Jezebel had no principle in her beliefs.

Jezebel had no fear of God and no fear of men!

Jezebel was extremely zealous of her heathen and immoral worship in idolatry!

Jezebel spare no cost for the government to maintain her idolatrous and heathen practices.

Jezebel ruled Ahab, and two other of Ahab’s sons that sat on the throne of Israel after Ahab’s death.

Jezebel is remembered as someone who influenced the Church to do evil!

Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Let’s see this demonic duo in action:

*****1Ki 21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
1Ki 21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

Jezreel was a city in Samaria where King Ahab had decided to build his ivory palace:

1Ki 22:39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

This palace was on the eastern side of the city and actually formed part of the city wall.

The vineyard owned by Naboth was just outside this wall.

Because no other information is given we can believe that this was the only piece of property that Naboth owned.

The one thing we will find out about Naboth is that he took a stand on the Word of God and it cost him his life!

King Ahab was a man that was used to having his way just by conveying his wants to others.

But God has explained to us all in terms that we can understand that we are not to covet what belongs to someone else.

Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

From the fall of Adam the principle of sin is in the heart of every man!

Every moral law of God begins with covetousness!

Covetousness is the strong desire for worldly things!

Covetousness leads to a strong desire to gain and greediness!

Covetousness is cold-hearted worldliness!

And God says that worldliness is the downfall of every generation.

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

These things describe Ahab but Jezebel was even more evil!

Naboth said no to the King.

*****1Ki 21:3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

Had the Lord forbid Naboth to see his land?

Naboth understood what the Word of God said about this thing.

Lev 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

Naboth knew that the land was not his to sell because it all belong to the Lord and the Lord was allowing Naboth to use it in his generation!

To the Jew this meant that under certain circumstances the land could be sold as long as it could be redeemed in the year of the Jubilee.

If not then it could never be his again and could not be left as an inheritance for his own children which is the way he had come by the land.

Lev 27:20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
Lev 27:21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest’s.

Either way, Naboth knew he would have to go against the Word of God to sell this land to Ahab!

Ahab then acted like a spoilt child.

*****1Ki 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

Ahab was not used to the Word “no”!

Ahab knew enough about the Word of God to know that what Naboth had said was true to the believer.

That word “heavy” meant that Ahab resented what Naboth had said and he became angry that he did not get his way.

That word “displeased” meant that Ahab became offended and enraged because someone had stood up to him.

Just as Ahab lived in his own white house there is another one who occupies our own White House today that acts just like Ahab and I am not sure that he is not also married to a Jezebel!

No doubt that the servants to the king after witnessing these things went straight to this evil Queen and she had these words for her pitiful husband:

*****1Ki 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Jezebel was a full blooded politician. Get what you can no matter the cost!

Jezebel was raised in an absolute monarchy where her father King Ethbaal of the Zidonians took whatever suited him.

Naboth had a simple reason for not selling his vineyard. To Naboth he knew that it was Jehovah who owned all the land and it was Jehovah who had given the land to him for his use and it was not his to sell.

This was the truth of God to the nation of Israel and Jezebel hated the truth of the Word of God and she was not about to let the Word of God to stand in the way of what she wanted.

Her again we can see these things in our own government and our own judicial system.

God has an answer for the Jezebels of this world:

Mic 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
Mic 2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

Thirty eight times the Old Testament uses the word “Woe” and they never pleasant!

God says there is only one place suitable for such people:

Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

*****1Ki 21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
1Ki 21:13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
1Ki 21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
1Ki 21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

All through the Bible, God emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth. In fact God has given us a commandment relating to speaking the truth.

Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Ahab was already guilty of covetousness.

Truth is the basis of a working society. When truth is gone, everything else will begin to fall apart!

Not only had Jezebel and the government of Ahab intended to obtain the land of Naboth by any means, Jezebel had decided that Naboth was not the type of person she wanted in her kingdom only because Naboth was a God fearing man.

Today here in America it is those that break the law that are protected while the innocent are being punished just because they stand up for the truth!

Jezebel had no right to issue a death warrant on Naboth.

Christ Jesus teaches the Church with these words:

Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

It is these “type” of leaders we need to insure hold all our public offices!

The truth is, it is the Jezebels and the Ahab’s that rule our world and we have allowed these things to happen!

A true leader will use his or her authority to build up the people while a tyrant will use people to build on their authority while the people are expendable!

Naboth died simply because he was a believer in the Word of God and he never said a harsh word to his government other than “no my land is not for sale, it was a gift of my Savior”.

It was time for Elijah who had been re-energized by the Lord.

*****1Ki 21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
1Ki 21:18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

The one thing we owe our Savior is to be ready when He calls.

God will provide each of us certain opportunities!

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

We can be sure that Elijah had still been busy in the work of the Lord but Elijah also had a special purpose and it took a special man of God to stand up the evils of Ahab and Jezebel.

If we open our eyes to the truth we will be able to see that the Lord does not do anything that He has not already warned us about and He says so.

Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

God has also provided nations with great opportunities.

God gave Rome an opportunity to teach nation building.

God gave Greece an opportunity to show the arts and philosophy and cultural things.

God gave Israel an opportunity to preserve the Word of God and the meaning of God-fearing worship.

These have been examples and lessons we were to learn from and grow from!

God has now given us the opportunity to tell the world what we can learn from the truth of God!

Elijah then answered the call of God and God gave Elijah the exact words to say!

*****1Ki 21:19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

Ahab knew his wife very well and Ahab knew that Jezebel could not have obtained the land of Naboth except by evil means.

Ahab did not care for Ahab was like a child with a brand new toy!

Ahab had not ordered these things to take place but it is obvious who God held to blame.

As husbands and as parents, God will hold us responsible for many of the things that happen in our families if we have not followed the Word of God ourselves!

There is the sin of commission but there is also the sin of omission!

Jezebel had not only seen to it that Naboth was killed but she had also seen to it that Naboth’s sons were killed so that no future claim could come for the land that Naboth had.

2Ki 9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

Ahab had allowed for the innocent blood of Naboth and his sons to be shed and it would cost him his own life.

But God always has a special way for these things to be remembered!

Naboth had been murdered outside the city of Jezreel.

1Ki 21:13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

This is where the blood of Naboth fell.

If at all possible it was a bad thing for blood to be shed on the city streets in that day.

And what was Ahab’s future?

1Ki 22:37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
1Ki 22:38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

According to Josephus a Jewish historian who also was not a believer wrote that this pool of Samaria was the place used by harlots to bath and therefore considered to be unclean. This was the same place where the government equipment was taken to be cleaned so as not to spoil the drinking water of the city.

The blood of Ahab was added to the unclean waters of this pool and some mongrel dogs drank of this water just as God had said.

And how did Ahab accept the Word of God on this occasion?

*****1Ki 21:20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

Just as suddenly as Elijah had appeared on his first occasion, Elijah reappeared before Ahab while he was gloating over his newly acquired property.

Ahab thought that his ordeal with Naboth was over but no doubt fear now came upon King Ahab at the sight of Elijah!

What is God’s truth?

God is the God of the second chance!

Elijah was never Ahab’s enemy!

Elijah was Ahab’s friend, it was Ahab’s own wife who was his true enemy!

No true man of God is an enemy of this world.

No true Christian is an enemy of this world.

The Church is not the enemy of this world, in fact the Church is the only true friend this world has left!

We all have the same purpose and that is to shine as Christ Jesus shines!

We are only to be a witness for the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

But what do we see today?

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

The world insists on having contempt for the Church and persecution of the Church is on a steady rise.

Ahab had thought he had escaped the consequences of the death of Naboth because it was Jezebel who had conspired to have him murdered by twisting the twisting the Word of God in her favor.

God always knows the truth.

In the eyes of God Ahab had surrendered his own wants and desires into the hands of others in this case Jezebel.

It was Ahab’s sin of covetousness that had led to the death of Naboth, through the evil mind of Jezebel.

God is not fooled by our actions!

Ahab had been warned and he will now learn of the results of his sin.

*****1Ki 21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
1Ki 21:22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

God announced doom upon all the house of Ahab.

When we think our own sin will not affect our own household we are truly foolish!

That word posterity when used with the phrase “will cut off” means that every man, every woman, and every child, including Jezebel would die before their time.

Because of the foreknowledge of God, He knew that not one of the descendants of Ahab would ever come to know the Lord and was because of the influence that Ahab and Jezebel had on their lives.

Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

As the unbelievers are so easy to remind us that we serve a God of love, it is because of God’s love that He must punish evil!

All the family and descendants of King Jeroboam had died out most of them being murdered.

All the family and the descendants of King Baasha had died out most of them being murdered.

It would be the same for all the family and all the descendants of King Ahab!

Jezebel was part of the family of Ahab by marriage but Jezebel would meet a specific doom.

*****1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel was a Queen of Israel.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel could paint herself up or fix her hair to be an enticing woman.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel came from a royal family and married into a royal family.

God is no respecter of persons in salvation and God is no respecter of persons in His judgement!

In the walled cities and towns in those days there was a space outside the walls but still uncultivated.

This is the space where the refuse of the city was cast until it was gathered and burned.

This was the place where the mongrel dogs roamed freely.

How does the Bible describe the end of Jezebel?

2Ki 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
2Ki 9:31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?
2Ki 9:32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
2Ki 9:33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

The body of Jezebel was not gathered for a burial and nor was the bodies sons of Ahab!

*****1Ki 21:24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

The Jewish people normally took great pains in the burying of the dead.

The body was covered in herbs and spices and then wrapped in linen clothes as it was still in the time of Jesus.

Joh 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

A proper burial of the dead was a great concern for those left behind.

Even the Bible still shows a specific reverence of the dead in Christ!

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This does not mean that burial is the only way a Christian should be treated after death because can restore any body just as He created them to begin with.

These deaths of the descendants of Ahab are in fact a “type” of all those that die without Christ.

That dead body without Christ will be in the torments of Hell just as Ahab’s dynasty would suffer from wild dogs, vultures and other beast that devour things that die and are left on the side of the road.

Why would all these things take place?

*****1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Up until the time of Ahab there had been no other human being that knew God, and knew the Word of God, and had been warned by the Men of God but who rejected all the things of God and Jezebel was a great influence on the sinful life of Ahab.

Ahab was the perfect picture of sinful man!

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Elijah, God’s Prophet

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Elijah, God’s Prophet Of Courage

1 Kings 17–2 Kings 2

From our previous lessons we know that Israel had been divided into two separate nations, one being Judah and the other the 10 tribes now called Israel.

Israel had departed from the Living God, Jehovah and had turned to idolatry.

Because of God’s mercy and God’s grace, He is still God of the second chance and the God of opportunity.

The word “repent” would not be necessary in any language if it were not for the fact that God knows that we are all only sinners who can only be saved by God’s grace.

The Grace of God still means—“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”.

God needed a man who was willing to boldly stand up a government that promoted idol worship and God sent the prophet Elijah.

The name Elijah means “my God is Jehovah”!

If you are a believer in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ then your name is also Elijah but only if you possess one more thing.

Elijah had courage!

Courage in the believer is much more than the bravery of the average man.

Courage is the quality of the mind that allows a believer to encounter dangers and difficulties because they already know the truth of God and know they have eternal life.

Biblical courage is showing that you are strong in the Lord!

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It takes courage to overcome the lies of Satan but the rewards are worth the pain of abuse.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Courage to the believer is opposite from the cowardice of the unbeliever!

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

It can be said that Elijah was the most dramatic person in all of history, second only to Jesus Christ.

Elijah was a man of action. Elijah did not take the time to write things down for us because he was a man that things were written about!

Elijah appeared on the scene and in much less than a lifetime Elijah just as quickly disappears!

Long after Elijah disappeared, the Jews have been continually expecting him to return, to again stand up the the falseness of this world.

The Bible says this will actually take place but Elijah will not return in his personal capacity, Elijah will return in his spiritual capacity.

Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Many believed that John the Baptist was actually the second coming of Elijah. but John himself said this was not true.

Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
Luk 1:14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
Luk 1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
Luk 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

John informed the world that he was not that Elijah.

Joh 1:19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Joh 1:20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
Joh 1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Joh 1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
Joh 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

John the Baptist was also a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.

Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

John the Baptist did preach in the same power of Elijah but there was another who also preached in the power of Elijah and his name was Jesus.

Mat 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Mat 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And it is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who says that Elijah will certainly return again to this Earth.

Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

Israel was suffering from a drought of the Word of God, so God decided Israel should also suffer from a drought of life giving water.

We first meet Elijah as he delivers his first message to the government of Israel.

*****1Ki 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

Elijah was from Tishbi a city of very few people and he had relocated to Gilead. Gilead was a mountainous region north of Samaria but east of the River Jordan and was known as a good place to raise cattle.

Num 32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

It is not mentioned in the Books of Kings, but Elijah had prayed before he entered into this work of the Lord.

Jas 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

What should we immediately notice about Elijah?

He was just a man subject to the same passions as we are!

What should we remember about God’s prophets?

Deu 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Elijah had not prayed for Israel not to receive rain!

Elijah was stating the pure facts!

If Israel would not return from their evil ways they would face the judgement of God. There had been no rain or even dew already for 6 months and Elijah said this would last for another 3 years unless God saw a change and Elijah would then become an “intercessor” for the people of Israel.

Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

All the kings of Israel since Jeroboam had attempted to kill or remove all of God’s prophets and had destroyed the places for true worship and Elijah was well aware of all these things.

What are the facts?

Israel had turned to Baal worship along the worship of many other false man-made idols.

Baal was supposedly the storm god and the god of good crops.

For the words of God’s prophet’s to be true, then Baal would have to be a complete failure as a god and he was!

Elijah had just proposed a direct challenge to the god of Ahab and the god of Jezebel.

Elijah would not have been a true prophet of God if he had stayed and asked God to bless these people, so God sent Elijah away until the proof of Elijah’s words were seen.

*****1Ki 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1Ki 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

We must realize that God tells us up front that our future home is in Heaven once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Up until that time, God will only lead us through this life one day at a time!

Our prayers should center on, “Lord what next step should I take” and once that step is revealed we must take that one step while trusting in the Lord to show us how to take that next step in our walk with the Lord.

After Elijah had revealed his message from God, it was time for Elijah to remove himself and allow God to do what He had said He would do.

We will never be able to confront this sinful generation, until we have spent some personal time with God!

Notice this drought was to last 3 and 1/2 years.

The ministry of Jesus and the teaching of the Apostles was 3 and 1/2 years.

The time the Apostle Paul spent in the wilderness alone with God was 3 and 1/2 years.

I believe we can see that each child of God should spend some time alone with God before we can begin our own ministries and we all have a ministry and by example, 3 and 1/2 years would seem to be a reasonable time.

What does God do during that time period?

God prepares each of us for the work He has called us to do!

Elijah was not sent to hide from the wrath of Ahab or even Jezebel.

Elijah was sent to God’s proving ground to teach Elijah a lesson in truth and patience!

We are never to fear what man can do to us, we are to have a Godly fear of the Lord!

The remembrance of Elijah as true man of God is well documented in the New Testament and we find his named mentioned at least 30 times.

God gave Ahab 3 and 1/2 years to see the truth of God and God caused Elijah to vanish out of the sight of Ahab.

God removed Elijah so Ahab would have no contact with him for this same period!

The brook of Cherith was only a rainy season stream that dumped into the River Jordan but it would always dry up during the dry season.

So what is the truth of Scripture?

David wrote in the Book of Psalms these words:

Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

The truth is that God will always provide for those that serve Him!

*****1Ki 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

It was God’s intention to keep Elijah safe to complete the work he had started.

It was God intentions to keep Elijah fed and watered during all this time.

It was also God’s intention for Elijah to grow in the Lord during all this time.

Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Elijah had not been raised in luxury. Elijah was a man of the wilderness. In fact Elijah did not even dress as most men dressed. If you had ever seen Elijah you would always remember that you had seen him!

2Ki 1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Many depict Elijah as some hairy man wearing leather for his clothes and this could have been true but the Scriptures only say that Elijah was a man of hair.

In the Hebrew this means that Elijah was the owner of hair or that Elijah wore the skins of animals, probably cattle that still had the hair attached to that skin.

This why John the Baptist was associated with Elijah and it was intentional on God’s part!

Mar 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

John’s message was the same as Elijah’s!

Joh 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Just as John was a voice in the work of the Lord, so was Elijah!

This is our only job after we accept the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts, we are to be a voice in the work of the Lord!

God will provide for all those that lend their voice to the work of the Lord and if you notice most Christians will dress differently from the world!

We should also realize that Elijah would have perished by the brook of Cherith if God had not shown him the next step to take.

Our faith must wait on God’s plans!

Elijah next went to Zarephath which was located in part of the land that was ruled by the father of Queen Jezebel, which made it the last place that Ahab and Jezebel would think to search for Elijah.

It amazes me how God will many times use our enemies to provide our needs.

There are many great stories and great miracles shown by the Lord during this 3 and 1/2 year period which we do not have space for in this lesson so let’s pick up with the end of this period of time.

It was also during this time that Elijah first began training his replacement Elisha.

So, Again Elijah meets Ahab.

*****1Ki 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
1Ki 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

When Elijah had first called on Ahab, Elijah had presented a direct challenge to the false gods of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.

We would be foolish not to look at Ahab’s response.

The very first thing all false religions will do, is to blame all the problems of this world on Christians!

Our own President said all Christians are Neanderthal!

The theory Evolution teaches that Neanderthal were just a step in the development of the true human.

In other words our own government considers a Christian to be hung up in the past refusing to accept modern humanism.

In other words Christian beliefs are so far in the past that they cannot comprehend the truth of real human life that exists in our world today.

This is an insult to the truth of the Word of God!

Our own Vice-President said that if not for the antiquated Word of God, Christians could accept the gay lifestyle and abortion as just being the truth of society!

The Muslim blame everything on the Christian and simply strive to remove all Christians from the face of the Earth!

Christians will continue to get the blame for everything even including climate change, which lies only in the hands of God.

Evolution teaches that there has been at least 7 Ice Ages so even evolution teaches of many climate changes over billions of years, years when there where no humans on this earth. So why are they showing such great concern now and blaming it all on humans? It’s called money, to make the rich get richer and the poor kept dependant on the rich to survive!

What was Elijah’s response?

Now it is not that false religion causes all the problems of this world!

It is the rejecting of the truth of God and God Himself that brings these problems!

What words were spoken to the Apostle Paul as he strived to begin the early church?

Act 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also”;

What words were said of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Luk 23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirreth up the people”, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

All that call on the Lord Jesus Christ can be sure of one thing, Christianity will always get the blame for the problems that are in this world!

What is our job?

Our job continues to be, to turn this world upside down!

In the end we will see who has the most truthful message.

So Elijah just said, let’s just see who is telling the truth!

*****1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

We must realize that during the absence of Elijah, Queen Jezebel had searched the entire land trying to find him and she had caught, tortured and murdered as many of God’s prophets as she could find in trying to locate Elijah but to no avail.

1Ki 18:13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

A man named Obadiah, not the prophet Obadiah, who was a servant to King Ahab had actually helped to preserve as many of God’s prophets and preachers as he could.

1Ki 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

If we look closely at those two words “cut-off” we will see that these words come from the Hebrew word “karath” which mean to cut up into pieces or to mutilate, much like someone would fillet a fish!

Jezebel was a very evil and cruel woman and we can see this same type of evilness is performed by that group called ISIS today along with some others who persecute God’s people!

Our world is still filled with evil men and women and God says many will get even more evil than these we see today!

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Jezreel was the home of the palace of Ahab and Jezebel and also a place where a temple for Jezebel to worship her own false gods was built.

Mount Carmel was a high place of beauty directly across the valley from Jezreel and in full view of all those in this evil city.

The Mediterranean Sea could also be seen from Mount Carmel.

This was the place God had chosen for Elijah to challenge the false prophets of Israel.

God does not hide the work that He causes to happen from the view of those who are evil!

As we know, Baal was considered to be storm god and the fire god of Jezebel. It was Baal who was worshiped so that there could be fruitful harvest.

There were 450 prophets of Baal.

There were also 400 prophets of the groves that were fed, clothed, and housed at the expense of the government of Israel, according to the command of Jezebel who had absolute control of King Ahab.

We see our own government housing many of the enemies of Christ Jesus today!

That word “groves” means the prophets of Asherah. Remember Asherah was worshiped as the wife of Baal and she supposedly was the goddess of fertility, love, and war!

Baal was worshiped as the Sun god and Asherah as the Moon god!

Elijah had directly challenged the false gods of the government Israel but Elijah also confronted the people of Israel with this challenge.

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

You see it’s not only important to confront the government but the people must also be confronted. It is the people who can eventually do something to cause a new government to be in place!

What did the Apostle Paul say about the Jew that still holds true today?

1Co 1:22 “For the Jews require a sign”, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

It’s remarkable that a sign is never asked of false religion but a sign is always required of the truth of God!

These false prophets had tried everything they knew to get a response from these false gods but they had no success!

Why? Because man-made idols are powerless because they are man-made!

Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, “the work of men’s hands”.
Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but “they speak not”: eyes have they, but “they see not”:
Psa 115:6 They have ears, but “they hear not”: noses have they, but “they smell not”:
Psa 115:7 They have hands, but “they handle not”: feet have they, but “they walk not”: “neither speak they through their throat”.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

False gods have no power to do anything at all!

So Elijah set about to call on the true God, the Creator of our world.

*****1Ki 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
1Ki 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

Notice Elijah was well aware that all eyes were focused upon him and he was very deliberate in the things he did.

It was Moses who had written the Books of the Law that these Jews were to follow and Moses used 12 stones to build an altar one stone for each tribe of Israel showing that God had intended for them to remain united as one nation.

Joshua had used 12 stones to build a memorial as Israel had crossed Jordan into the Promised Land.

Jesus would later choose 12 disciples showing all of Israel that they were also to be united “in faith” in the Living God.

And the truth of the Church is that all believers are to be united in one faith!

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

That trench was to hold all the water that would be poured over the entire altar.

But as water is a “type” of the Holy Spirit, that trench also represented a healing of new flesh or “new skin” to cover the wounded nation of Israel.

To the Church we are taught by the Word of God that we are not only to be washed in the blood of Jesus, we must be washed in the water of the Holy Spirit and all these things require our “Faith” and only then will come a “new life”!

1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1Jn 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

And the wood then had to be placed in order!

*****1Ki 18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

There can be no doubt that this wood placed in specific order then represents a “type” of Jesus Christ.

It was Jesus Christ who was cut to pieces by the “cat-o-nine tails”, His body ripped to shreds and then laid on that cross for all the world to see.

It was the Lord Jesus Christ who was then in the control of the Holy Spirit, represented by the water.

It was those two measures of seed that represent the truth of the Gospel, the Gospel Seed!

And it is on Mount Calvary where the Church is tried by fire!

How had Elijah approached the people that day?

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

If the people of God would just be settled in their beliefs, we could all come together at the foot of the cross where all the people of God stand on level ground.

Even more so today in America we struggle between two opinions when we all have only “one” true Word of God!

And what is the truth of the Gospel?

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Elijah had very little concern for King Ahab and his government which was actually controlled by Queen Jezebel.

Elijah had no concern for those 850 false priests.

Elijah was concerned only with the people of God!

Notice there were also 12 barrels of water that were poured upon the altar built by Elijah.

According to the laws of Moses, one lamb would be offered in the morning by the high priest in atonement for their souls. Then later that same day another lamb would be offered in the evening sacrifice still in atonement for their souls.

Exo 29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Exo 29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

Elijah had waited until it was time for this evening sacrifice!

*****1Ki 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

Elijah had done all these things according to the truth of the Scriptures!

Elijah had taken the Word of God as literal!

It was only then that Elijah called on the Lord, not for his own sake but for the peoples sake!

Elijah became an “intercessor” for the children of Israel.

What is the truth?

Elijah will return sometime in the near future to stand in the gap between Israel and our Holy God!

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Then Elijah prayed for all those present, and loud enough for all to hear.

Elijah was not ashamed of the Word of God!

*****1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

I fully believe that in His own way, God makes contact with every national leader that have risen to that level.

I believe that God gives them specific instructions in His Word and has made His Word available to each nation and each government on this earth.

BUT, God deals with the ordinary people who are restrained and constrained by those governments because “it is the people of God who can make the necessary changes to those governments”, if those people would have enough “faith” to just follow the written Word of God!

And God responded to the prayer of Elijah.

Prayer changes things!

Elijah had confronted the government of Israel that day.

Elijah had challenged all false religions and their leaders to prove their false gods.

Elijah had mocked all false religion because that’s what they are, they are false and powerless!

This fire that came down from Heaven attested to the truth of God’s prophet!

This fire that came down from Heaven demonstrated the falsehood of Baal the fire god of Jezebel!

Ahab became confused.

Jezebel would fly into a rage when she heard of these things.

But many of the people began to see the truth of idol worship, but it would not last and Elijah soon realized this truth!

*****1Ki 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

What is the truth of our world?

At some point in the life of every individual, God will make Himself known!

And God only requires a short prayer of “Faith” for Him to take His “salvation” action!

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is the Lord, He is God!

God requires our “faith” in order to do His work!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What was the truth of Elijah, God’s prophet?

Just as he had informed Ahab at the first, rain would not come to Israel until he prayed that the Lord would end the drought!

And God’s people then began to eliminate those who preached a false religion!

And Ahab ran home to Jezebel to tell her what Elijah had done.

*****1Ki 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

It had been Jezebel who had made pagan worship the national religion of Israel.

And we must not be fooled it is taxpayer money and our own government that is allowing pagan worship in America!

Jezebel herself had seen that most all prophets of God located in Israel had been slaughtered!

It was the government of Israel that was killing God’s people!

1Ki 18:13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

Jezebel hated God’s prophets and Jezebel became Elijah’s darkest and most dangerous enemy!

To be quiet honest, it is our own government has become the greatest enemy to all those Pastors who take a stand on the truth of God!

Jezebel was so deep in her paganism, she could not be moved to believe the truth!

*****1Ki 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

Just when Elijah felt that there would be a great revival in all of Israel, he found out that the entire force of the government of Israel would be seeking his life.

So it is true that for the first time in his life Elijah had a fear for his own life.

But it is also true that Elijah knew revival could not come to Israel at this time and it broke his heart!

We sometimes have a greatest let downs after a sure victory and needless to say when you are up on the mountain, this world will always find a way to knock you down, if you are a true child of God!

Elijah began to trust in his own power to save himself, after all Elijah was only a man with a man’s weaknesses.

*****1Ki 19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
1Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Elijah’s hope for revival had come to a quick end and Elijah was heartbroken for the people he loved.

Elijah was not a coward we have seen the proof of that.

Elijah was not afraid to die because we see he asked the Lord to take his life.

Elijah was discouraged!

Remember courage is the quality of the mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness.

To be discouraged is to be disheartened, a loss of confidence and dejected.

Elijah felt that if such a great miracle as God had shown to Israel on Mount Carmel could not win the hearts of the people then Israel could not be won back to the Lord.

God says this:

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Many of God’s men have felt that they were alone in the the work of the Lord but we should remember a few things.

This is God’s plan of salvation and we just need to be a part of His plan!

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

And these things will not end until God says it’s time for them to end!

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God was not through with Elijah!

On the contrary God has great plans for Elijah even beyond the Church age!

Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

What will Elijah’s job be at that time?

Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

It was not Elijah’s job to restore Israel because that has always been the Lord’s job!

Elijah was just one small part of the plan of God just like we all are!

Jesus preached in all the synagogues and included these things in His message:

Luk 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Our job is to go where the Lord leads us and respond to the opportunities that He gives us and continue to do good, without getting weary in well doing.

And to take our stand on the Word of God!

It takes as much courage today to stand for the truth, as it took in the days of Elijah!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

King Jeroboam and King Asa A Contrast In Worship

/ Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

Jeroboam and Asa

A Contrast In Worship

1 Kings 12-16

2 Chronicles 11-16

It is the choices that we make in this life that define our existence and our legacy!

What is the truth that cannot be denied by any people?

1. Sinful life style choices will have an immediate effect on any people!

2. Sinful choices will always produce failure to acknowledge the truth of God!

3. Sinful choices will always bring God’s judgment!

Rom 1:32 “Who knowing the judgment of God”, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Remember at the end of last weeks lesson we saw that Jeroboam had already began to rebel against the Word of God given to him by God’s prophet Ahijah.

What had God’s prophet told Jeroboam?

1Ki 11:37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

How quickly will power cause most men to exalt themselves above the truth of God!

Lets begin:

*****1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

The dictionary says that “history” is an account of facts, respecting nations or states. True History then is an accurate record of the events that have transpired.

What is the real truth of “history”?

True “history” is that God is teaching this entire world by examples from true history!

What have we seen from our past and continue to see in our own lifetime?

Foolish men in power never learn from true history, so history repeats itself over and over again!

Jeroboam had been a man that had been a part of Solomon’s abuse of the people of Israel. When he had confronted Solomon about this abuse of people, he had to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of Solomon.

God had taken Jeroboam and made him King of the Northern Tribes of Israel, which were ten tribes and Israel had become a divided nation.

Jeroboam had established his capitol city in Shechem in Samaria. Shechem already held great history for the nation of Israel for it was the place where Abraham had built his first altar in the Promised Land.

Shechem was the place where Abraham had received the covenant promises of God!

Jacob had also bought some land from the children of Hamor and had made this area his home place.

It was at Shechem where the bones of Joseph and Jacob were buried.

It was in this same place where the well of Jacob does still exist and where the Lord Jesus met with a certain woman at a well.

What did Jesus explain to this woman?

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jeroboam built Shechem in this place but he also built Penuel.

Penuel is best known for the battle of Gideon with the Midianites.

So we see that even historical places will have a way of revealing themselves in our own actions when we do learn our history very well!

Jeroboam then built his own home in Tirzah which had a history and a reputation for it’s beauty for even Solomon recognized the beauty of Tirzah.

Son 6:4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

But once Jeroboam had settled into his royal life, he began to realize that all these things could come to an end just as fast as they had begun.

Jeroboam began to doubt the Word of God as he entered into deep sin and he began to repeat the same things that had divided the nation of Israel to begin with.

In fact Jeroboam began to invent a totally new religion!

Even Solomon had found this to be true of mankind late in his life as he wrote these words:

Ecc 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

All Jeroboam had to do was to obey the Word of God, he had received from God’s prophet Ahijah.

1.) He needed only to walk in the ways of God, and he already had all the Books of Moses.

2.) He needed only to do right things and not wrong things. God’s Word explains this very well even in the first 5 books!

3.) He needed only to realize that God had His eyes on everything that he did!

God keeps good records of all things done on this earth!

God says on Judgment Day those “books” would be opened!

What did Jeroboam do instead?

Jeroboam realized the great power of the Temple that Solomon had built had over the people and he knew that worship could become a most unifying force!

The Radical Muslim movement in our world today also take great advantage of this one thing in our world today!

Jeroboam had been given a great opportunity to unite God’s people and to be a witness for Jehovah to the world, but Jeroboam could only think of himself!

The believing Jewish people were to journey to the Temple at the minimum 3 times a year and Jeroboam sought to put an end to these things and to end all contact with God’s people

Jeroboam decided that he needed a state sponsored religion so he invented a new man-made religion just as many other have done!

*****1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

We may not know who Jeroboam took counsel with, but Jeroboam had an Egyptian wife and he had spent much time in Egypt and was well aware of false religions of Egypt, just as Moses had been.

Jeroboam caused the Jewish people to remember their own history of the time of Moses and Aaron.

Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Jeroboam decided if he could twist this sad history of the beginning of the nation of Israel around just a little bit, he might be able to substitute an idol in place of the Living God!

Living bulls were important in Egypt and a thing of worship and still are today.

The great basin in the Temple of Solomon had 12 bulls as it’s support.

Aaron had made a golden calf as an image of God.

In Egypt many bulls were worshipped as being sacred and a resemblance of this idol was first placed at Bethel.

Jeroboam already knew the “history” of Bethel and how the Jewish people had gone to Bethel in times of trouble throughout history.

Jdg 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Jdg 20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Jdg 20:28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

In fact Hosea later wrote that Bethel meaning the “house of God” should be changed to Bethaven the “house of idols” for that is what it had become!

Hos 10:5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Hos 10:6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Another false bull idol was placed in Dan.

Again if we remember “history” we will know the story of Micah and how Dan already had a history of idol worship.

Jdg 17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
Jdg 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

This place of false worship still existed and Jeroboam took advantage of this and the people of the Northern Tribes of Israel fell into the deep sin of idolatry!

*****1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

Sin can be said to be, when any person expresses their own sinful nature passed down from Adam!

Adam’s sin, was that he did not obey the Word of God!

Sin then is anything that goes against the Word of God!

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin is the inward habit of the soul that shows in the outward conduct of life, whether by omission or commission!

What is God’s number one rule?

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

What is the “Royal Law” of King Jesus?

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Anything we place before the Word of God is an idol and living in deep sin!

Jeroboam did not just stop here!

Jeroboam was on his way to creating an entirely new religion, just as the Atheists have done, and the Evolutionist have done and these people of Climate Change are trying to do now!

Climate change religion is more about the control of the undeveloped countries and the control of population than anything else which is another reason abortion is not eliminated and the gay lifestyle is allowed to fester.

If the entire world was gay, the entire world would die off in one generation.

These evil people take advantage of the fact that when people see things of nature that affect their lives, they hunt something to blame it on whether good or bad!

Evil men also take advantage of the fact that skills are no longer taught in most schools but only philosophy.

They take advantage of the fact that the Word of God has been removed from the schools along with Prayer to the only true God.

This has resulted in the growth of false worship and false priests.

What did Jeroboam do next the same thing our world is doing today!

*****1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

There were many of the Levite priests that still had their homes in this territory of these ten tribes whom God had placed there for many reasons, but Jeroboam did not allow them to be the priests in this new religion but cast them out and most all of them returned to Jerusalem and to Judah.

2Ch 11:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD:
2Ch 11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

Jeroboam was afraid that these men of God would go against what he was trying to do, so he created an entirely new order of priesthood again going against the Word of God.

A priest or preacher or pastor who is not God called, is not a true man of God!

In America today, every effort is made by our own government to shut the mouths of our men of God even by causing the Word of God to be included as hate speech!

When the truth becomes hate speech, we are all doomed to evil!

Jeroboam assumed himself to be the highest priest and selected other men who did not follow the Word of God to be the false temple priests.

It is a fact that our own President has surrounded himself with non-believers including the Muslim Brotherhood and has also exalted his own self above the Word of God!

That word lowest would truly mean the most degraded humans he could find.

2Ch 13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

Jeroboam needed one more thing, Jeroboam needed some special feast days.

*****1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

What had Jeroboam devised in his own heart?

Jeroboam had seen in his years that most all people will choose a religion of convenience rather than seek the truth, if seeking the truth required some difficulty on their part!

Jeroboam had seen in his years that many people would not have a problem with substituting an image of God for the invisible God.

Jeroboam decided to set aside the days that God required, for mock holidays that he had determined in his own mind.

Jeroboam devised these things himself, in his own heart.

What does God say?

Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

These are all traits of the Antichrist!

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

We know that many Christian holidays, such as the birth of Christ (Christmas), the resurrection of Christ (Easter), and a day of thanks (Thanksgiving), have lost their true meaning and purpose because of commercialism and man’s influence, deliberately changing the meaning of these days from the truth.

The Temple in Jerusalem was available for worship everyday of the year but there were 3 specific times that all of Israel were required, if at all possible to return to the Tabernacle and now the Temple to worship the Lord!

1.) The Feast of the Passover was a memorial day, a symbolical memorial to the memory to that very first passover night when Israel escaped from the “iron furnace” of Egypt and freedom.

The meaning is best illustrated in the Book of Hebrews.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

We cannot know true freedom without the “Blood of Jesus”!

2) The Feast of Weeks, best known as Pentecost, was 50 days from the end of the Feast of unleavened bread which came just after the Passover.

This day was a memorial to the day that God gave the Law to Moses which was 50 days after they had escaped from the bondage of Egypt.

We cannot know freedom without the Word of God!

3) The Feast of the Trumpets, or the Day of Atonement.

This was the only day of the year that the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies and intercede on behalf of the Jewish people.

This was the only day that the “intercessor” for all of Israel, could sprinkle the blood on the “Mercy Seat”.

The people were to afflict their souls on this day:

Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

This event was to represent the mourning and sadness of Israel, just before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

My day of atonement was the day the Lord Jesus Christ interceded on my behalf and I got saved!

Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zec 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

God had a purpose for all these things and there is no man on earth that can change the things of God!

Jeroboam had placed politics above the truth of God!

Jeroboam had installed his own government ordained religious system born out of selfish motives!

Jeroboam’s appeal was that these things were good for the nation of Israel.

How often have we heard this thing?

Israel could now have a religious system that they truly would not have to share with others or any other nation.

Many in Israel have always said that Jehovah was just the God of the Jew and this was a great problem for the early Church!

And then Jeroboam decided that he should be the high priest of his own new religion!

Every false religion in the world was begun by such men as Jeroboam!

BUT, we can be sure God was not going to allow Jeroboam to escape His wrath for this disobedience.

*****1Ki 14:14 Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
1Ki 14:15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

What did God promise to Jeroboam?

1. God would raise up another king who would put and end to the dynasty of Jeroboam. Jeroboam would never have a son to sit very long on the throne of Israel.

2. God would remove His hand of protection from the ten tribes of Israel and allow a foreign power to chasten and punish Israel. We know that history says this was the Assyrians.

3. We think of reeds as plants that grow in a marsh. The Hebrew word “Kaneh” is used here to denote a “reed of any kind”.

Reeds give the appearance of being firmly rooted in the ground but by the violence of many storms and the movement of the wind and the waters, they can be uprooted and scattered over and on dry land to die.

That phrase “beyond the river” means that these reeds would be scattered in lands other than the “Promised Land”.

SO, How does Jesus say we are to avoid these things?

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Jesus said if we are to be the messengers of the Gospel then we cannot be like a reed that is easily shaken.

Mat 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Mat 11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Israel had become a nation of reeds and God would fulfill this promise as He does them all!

We know these things began with Solomon and Jeroboam had been given an opportunity to restore Israel to the Word of God but Jeroboam had allowed his own lust for power to interfere with the work of God.

Jeroboam had sinned and he had caused Israel to fall even deeper into sin.

AND, Because our own government is so caught up in sin, America is now also caught up in and is falling deeper into sin!

But before Jeroboam died Judah had a new king named Asa.

AND, Asa had a heart for the truth of God!

*****1Ki 15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

Asa was the son of Abijah and his grandfather was Rehoboam.

King Asa would rule Judah for 41 years.

We know that Rehoboam had also sinned greatly against the Lord and Abijah his son had followed in his footsteps but Asa was an entirely different man from his two predecessors.

Even though Asa had been raised by parents that rebelled against God, Asa became zealous in maintaining the true worship of Jehovah!

The name Asa means physician and one of the few blemishes in the record of Asa was near his end when he sought the physicians help rather that God’s help.

1Ki 15:23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

2Ch 16:12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

This does not mean we are not to go the doctor. It does mean we must not forsake the Lord, by allowing our heart to depart from serving God, even when our health begins to interfere with our daily walk in this life!

The Bible says it takes great strength to handle our elder years:

Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

The Bible also tells us where our strength will come from:

Isa 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

God does not just make us sick so we can then call on Him for healing and God simply does not do bad things to us just to get our attention!

Paul said he once acted like a child but as he grew in the Lord. he did away with childish things!

BUT, God may remove His protective hand and allow Satan to do some things!

Jer 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer 17:6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

Asa did not have a god-fearing father nor grandfather and Asa did not have a god-fearing grandmother!

*****1Ki 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

Maachah was actually Asa’s grandmother or we would say the Queen Mother in this case.

Maachah was also David’s son Absalom’s granddaughter, so we can see that she came from the side of the family that had always rebelled against God.

2Ch 11:20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
2Ch 11:21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
2Ch 11:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

These things meant that Asa was very young when He assumed the throne of Judah!

SO, What is the biblical truth of King Asa?

King Asa was more like King David than he was of his father or his grandfather!

No doubt Asa had learned much about his heritage as a child.

2Ch 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

*****1Ki 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

Unlike Rehoboam and unlike Jeroboam, Asa sought to please God!

Israel is still today looking for a king that does right in the eyes of God, as did King David!

In fact Israel is still looking for someone to return to the throne of David and remove the threat of all those nations that hate them!

In the time that Asa ruled Judah, Israel would see King Jeroboam die along with all his sons but also King Baasha and his son Elah, King Zimri who was king for just one week, King Omri and King Ahab and the short live throne of King Tibna.

Judah had once again found peace with God, while Israel found turmoil in sin without God!

Good things can always be accomplished when a nation is at peace and is strong enough to keep it that way, and the only way for these things to happen is for that leader to do right in the eyes of God!

How did good King Asa go about making Judah a better nation in the eyes of God?

Asa did things according to the Word of God!

*****1Ki 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

Being a Sodomite did not mean these were descendants of the city of Sodom that was destroyed many years earlier in the time of Abraham.

These Sodomites were all those who practiced the same immoral acts that took place in that city of Sodom!

In America, these Sodomites have even been granted the freedom to be marital partners!

In the time of Jeroboam these sinners made sodomy a religious rite just as they have in America today!

They made unnatural sex acts an open part of their lives, just as the gay movement has done in America today.

They committed abominable sin against the Lord by rejecting the Word of God!

You have to go against the Word of God to approve of such things!

Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

To the dismay of these people, God has only one answer for such sin.

Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Unless they repent of their sin, they will end up in a burning fiery Hell because they have corrupted their own selves.

People simply are not born this way, this is a lie straight from Hell, they corrupt themselves!

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things “they corrupt themselves”.

This is just the truth of the Word of God and not some hate speech aimed at anyone in particular!

We are always to love all people but we are also to hate all sin including the gay lifestyle!

Asa’s answer was not to kill these Sodomites but to remove them for the land.

This should also be the response of our own nation!

BUT, Asa did much more than this one thing!

Asa removed any image or idol that the government of his father and his grandfather had put in place!

The truth is that America was built on the principles of Jehovah God and it is about time we acted like it!

Asa demanded for Judah to remember their heritage.

We need a leader now, who will step up and that America remember her heritage!

2Ch 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
2Ch 14:3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
2Ch 14:4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
2Ch 14:5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

Regardless what we see in the news and the bold mouths of the gay community, it is only the truth of God that will bring peace to America and only then can America begin to rebuild as a Nation!

2Ch 14:6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

Biblical principles bring peace and prosperity to any nation!

Asa could not show the proof of his intentions to restore Judah and if he allowed such sin to be seen in his own household, so Asa began by clearing out his own household!

*****1Ki 15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

King Asa removed all the appearances of government involvement in religious practices except those that concerned Jehovah God.

King Asa knew that we cannot know the peace of God until we have peace with God!

King Asa told his nation, let’s work together in rebuilding the sure platforms of our nation!

We need a leader today that we can work together with to rebuild the platforms of our own nation!

Our true foundation is still Jesus Christ!

2Ch 14:7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

It was during the time of King Asa that most all the Levites relocated to Judah from Israel.

It was during the time of King Asa that most all believers of the ten tribes of Israel returned to Judah from Israel.

It was during the time of Asa that many of those deep in sin and the sodomites, left Judah to go to other places where they could practice their sin openly.

Israel was in turmoil and at this time, but Judah was at peace!

And King Asa said to all of Judah, let us just seek the Lord!

God did not put all these things in the Bible, just for us to read!

God put all these things in the Bible for us to learn from so we do not make the same mistakes!

History is only useful when we avoid the mistakes of the past that have caused such errors in the lives of mankind!

Now we can just sit by and allow all these things to keep happening in America or we can insists that those we place in leadership positions honor the Word of God.

Either way we deserve the results that we get!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

The Fame And The Shame Of King Solomon

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon, His Fame And His Shame

1 Kings 10-11

“Fame” can be said to possess a good reputation versus a “rumor” which can only be a good or a bad report.

There are many people that the Bible mentions of having great fame.

Joshua, Mordecai, Joseph are just a few but the Bible also says that God has fame as did the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus became so famous that even kings and rulers had heard about Him!

Mat 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the “fame” of Jesus,

Solomon also became very famous throughout the world of that day because God had given to Solomon the gift of “Wisdom”!

In the time of Solomon, fame and shame became the marks of mankind and of nations and it is even more prevalent today.

Today all our leaders seek a legacy hoping that their good outweighs their bad and it would if they would just refuse to do bad things!

As wise as and as rich as Solomon was, he is remembered as much for his shame as he is for his fame if not more so!

No matter what people think of our existing president, he will be remembered for the fact that while he has been in office, he has done nothing improve the conditions of his own race nor of America!

He has even divided America more then any other president that came before him!

God placed these scriptures in the Bible for us to learn more from Solomon’s mistakes and not so much to learn of Solomon’s accomplishments!

To honor someone is to recognize their value to society.

This time next year we will be asked to vote for our next president.

From now until then, many men and women will present their fame.

But because of the way our world works, many news sources and many others will point out to us the shame of all these individuals and not so much their accomplishments.

To shame someone is to challenge their reputation!

In many cases the one with the less shame will get elected but people are so fickle that today many who should withdraw because of their shame actually take advantage of that shame showing they have exalted them selves above the ordinary people!

We must rely on the facts and the proved record of these people in order to determine who will be our next leaders and not so much on what they say, for what they say does not usually match their actions!

Pro 5:9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

If we show a lack of concern for matters of honor and shame we will then become shameless ourselves and deny the truth and we will suffer for our own poor judgment!

Adam and Eve were not ashamed to be in the presence of God until sin came into their lives.

Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Once sin entered into their lives they became ashamed to be in the presence of God!

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Anyone who is ashamed to be in the presence of God does not need to hold public office!

Today sin has progressed to a point where mankind has no shame in their sin because they have rejected to Word of God.

SO, Let’s see how Solomon reached this point in his own life even though he was the wisest man to have ever lived.

*****1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Let’s first see Solomon’s glory and his fame.

Though some may disagree Sheba was the country of the Sabeans.

Sheba was a prosperous nation in southern Arabia.

Scholars believe that this long 1500 mile journey was taken by this queen to establish a commercial treaty with Solomon but we already know that many kings and monarchy traveled to visit King Solomon to seek his wisdom to help them in their own nations and this queen was no different.

We can trust the Biblical account of these things!

We will also see that this queen wanted to know more about the God of Israel, who we know is the true God of all creation!

The nation of Sheba was formed by the descendants of Cush, a son of Ham who was the son of Noah.

Today this area of Sheba is known to us as Yemen.

Yemen was a rich merchant nation for 1000 years or more until it became dominated by Muslim cultures and Yemen is now in political turmoil.

Nations such as Sheba were expected to bring gifts signifying royalty.

Psa 72:10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Psa 72:11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

This in typology, this represents the time when all nations will worship the true King of Kings and come to Jerusalem once again seeking wisdom, but this is still in the future.

Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

The Lord Jesus Christ also used this historical truth of the Queen of Sheba, in His rebuke of the Pharisees.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Jesus was saying, that even this great queen was wise enough to seek the wisdom and the knowledge of the God of Israel and came to Solomon, yet these Pharisees, who already had the Word of God, were not wise enough to seek the kingdom of God even though the Lord Jesus was much wiser than Solomon and was in their presence that very day.

God says we must first seek the kingdom of God, before we can truly see the benefits in this life we have now.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

These Sabeans were indeed traveling merchants and if they were to ever go further north to sell their wares they would have had to go through the area of land that was ruled by King Solomon.

*****1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

In many ways Solomon was a type of Christ in typology and that being the case, the Queen of Sheba would then be a type of the Church!

We all know that as we are lead by the Holy Spirit, and we will also sometimes have hard questions of spiritual things in our daily walk with the Lord.

This queen was also well aware as she traveled through Israel, how Solomon was well prepared to defend all of Israel.

We should remember it was some of these Sabeans who had also destroyed Job’s flocks because Job was also a merchant with many things to sell.

Job 1:15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

These Sabeans were willing to destroy the competition if it were possible.

We can be sure that this was no ordinary merchant caravan.

This queen would not have traveled without her military escort!

This queen had many reasons to visit Solomon and during her visit she found that the rumors she had heard of King Solomon would prove to only tell half the truth of his might and of his fame.

*****1Ki 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, “the half was not told me”: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

This queen had seen the splendor of the palace of Solomon.

This queen had seen royalty like she had never observed before.

This queen had seen the construction projects as she had passed many of them along her route to Jerusalem.

This queen had seen the Temple that was prepared to worship the God of Israel.

2Ch 9:3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
2Ch 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

And it is written that she had no more spirit in her from the sight of all these things!

This queen was overwhelmed by what she had seen and what she had heard!

This queen then had a great desire for a new spirit!

Psa 119:81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

What does God say to the Church?

Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

What did the Apostle John do when he saw the glory of Heaven?

Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

We can be sure that as wonderful as we believe Heaven to be, we do not have a clue to the real glory and the real splendor of our Heavenly home.

We do not even know half the truth of the glory of Heaven!

Words by them selves cannot explain the glory of Heaven and it is only when we are like Christ that we can know these things.

This should be our main reason to keep steady in our walk with the Lord!

Our goal must be to tell as many as we can about the Lord Jesus Christ, so they can seek His wisdom for themselves just as this queen had done from Solomon.

*****1Ki 10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
1Ki 10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

During this period of King Solomon, the Phoenicians were the dominant sea power, Assyria and Egypt were also great military powers but it was Israel that was the dominant nation of that day and also the richest of all nations.

King Solomon financed the Phoenician sea going operations and King Hiram shared his sea going knowledge with King Solomon but he also paid a considerable tribute to Israel.

We can see that even Egypt sought peace with Israel as Egypt’s Pharaoh gave Solomon his daughter for a wife.

Assyria was not near strong enough to challenge Israel at this time.

All the known powers of that day sought out King Solomon to hear his wisdom.

All the known powers of that day paid tribute to Israel and to King Solomon and he and Israel became very rich.

Many other nations followed after Pharaoh and offered their daughters as wives in order to have peace with Israel.

We can see that it takes a strong military presence to insure peace, a weak military is a sure sign you will be attacked even by those that say they are friendly.

These are all facts because it was God who places fear in man!

Psa 102:15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

We know that at the return of Jesus Christ all nations will again have this fear of the Lord!

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

But, Solomon began to use all these things to his advantage to control the economies of the world.

*****1Ki 10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1Ki 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
1Ki 10:27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
1Ki 10:28 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

Solomon used his riches to build a great military machine and placed them strategically through his realm.

Silver had no more value than ordinary stones.

Precious timber had no more value than cheap lumber.

Solomon controlled the price of durable goods and the breeding of pure blood animals.

Solomon’s annual intake of gold was 25 tons.

In today’s market one ton goes for about 32 million dollars.

That would easily be 8 billion dollars today of tribute paid per year to King Solomon and Solomon reigned for 40 years.

The glory of Solomon was open and visible to the entire world, but inside of Solomon, this outer glory began to influence his inner person!

Solomon fell into great sin!

Nehemiah challenged all of Israel with this truth in a great sermon.

Neh 13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

Solomon was beloved of God but even in all his wisdom, given to him from God, Solomon fell into the snares of the devil.

The downfall of Solomon began when he began trying to please his many wives!

*****1Ki 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

Let’s listen as Solomon describes his own downfall.

Ecc 4:13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

Solomon became so rich and powerful that no one would tell him that what he was doing was wrong because they feared for their own lives!

Again Solomon wrote of his own downfall.

Ecc 11:8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
Ecc 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

Solomon realized that though no one else had the power to judge his actions, there was One who would judge him and judge him harshly!

Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Solomon realized that he had spent to much of his life in vain!

The immediate occasion of the fall of Solomon was the influence of his foreign idolatrous wives!

Solomon did not just have one wife of paganism, Solomon had way too many wives!

*****1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

1) Not only did these wives sap Solomon’s physical strength, they blunted his perception and dulled his morals.

2) They had worshiped false gods all their days and they convinced Solomon to provide them temples so they could worship the idols of their own nations.

3) To make it convenient for them, they insisted that these places of worship be located adjacent to the House of God.

4) They then convinced Solomon to worship with them.

Solomon’s 700 wives were mostly from kings who paid tribute and who sought peace with Israel.

Solomon’s 300 concubines were considered secondary wives and this seemed to never cause jealousy among the true wives.

But many of Solomon’s wives were never truly treated as wives as Solomon says himself.

Son 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and “virgins without number”.

This would be 60 queens, 80 concubines, and an untold amount of virgins.

The nation of Israel may have been at peace at this time, but Solomon was not at peace with himself!

Solomon sinned grievously against Jehovah who had set him on his throne and had given him such wonderful gifts.

Solomon had violated the kingdom charter given to Moses by God Himself!

Deu 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
Deu 17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
Deu 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Deu 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Solomon had openly violated the Mosaic Law of marriage and he knew it!

Ecc 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

And Solomon fell even deeper into sin!

*****1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.

Ashtoreth was the moon goddess of the Phoenicians and she was associated with Baal the sun god.

She was also known as Ishtar, Astarte, and Diana and open sexual behavior was used in this worship of her.

Milcom or Moloch or Chemosh, were considered as fire gods and were worshiped with human sacrifices and mutilation but there were also some who made vows of celibacy and virginity in worship of them, which is still seen in some religions of today.

A place for Milcom was even built on the Mount of Olives.

2Ki 23:13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

*****1Ki 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
1Ki 11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

And Solomon did these same things for all his wives.

1) Solomon openly violated the first and second commandments of the Laws of Moses.

Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

2) Solomon openly defied God.

1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
1Ki 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
1Ki 9:9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.

3) By placing places of idol worship adjacent to the Temple, Solomon was flaunting an insult directly in the face of God.

4) It is a terrible sin for Solomon to abuse the wisdom that was a gift from God by trying to add religion and philosophy to God given knowledge!

5) It is a terrible sin to place God in competition to false deities!

America is not the nation it once was, because our leaders have allowed paganism to take a foothold in America and the Church has also compromised the Word of God in the name of peace with these false things.

And God became angry with Solomon.

*****1Ki 11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
1Ki 11:10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.

God had personally blessed Solomon at Gibeon but God had also warned Solomon.

1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

God had personally blessed Solomon at Jerusalem but God had warned Solomon here also.

1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

Solomon had also been given many instructions by his father David.

Solomon had been taught the Word of God by God’s prophet Nathan.

Solomon therefore had no excuses for his actions in turning away from God!

We should never doubt the Word of God!

God means what He says and God says what He means!

The Lord Jesus told a great parable to the disciples about the faithful steward and near the end of that parable Jesus had these words!

Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Solomon had been given much by the Lord and Solomon was given a great opportunity to spread the Word of God around the known world of that time period but Solomon failed in these things.

Solomon fell at the stumbling block of Satan!

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

As Solomon fell from the “Grace” of God, so did the nation of Israel, and Israel has not recovered since that day.

1) Israel would soon become a divided nation.

We can also see that America is more divided than at any time in our own history.

2) The division of Israel resulted in the destruction of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Today the people of God are being destroyed all over the world and the world does not seem to care especially our own leaders.

3) Idolatry became the religion of Israel.

Idolatry now rules in America, as wants and desires outweigh the Word of God!

4) Division made Israel a weak nation in the presence of her enemies.

America is now seen as a weak nation in the presence of all our enemies.

5) The destruction of the ten tribes of Israel brought about the Samaritans who were a mixed people who built there own temple and compromised the Word of God.

In America the Word of God is being modernized so much, till it is not even the truth anymore.

6) In Israel philosophy and religion and atheism began to dominate the people.

We can see this same thing happening to America today!

Solomon had allowed God to be just a small part of his life and he had began to rely on his own wisdom to rule in his life.

So therefore God said:

1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

What is the truth?

When rulers live in the splendor of high office and in luxury, they become irresponsible to the moral laws of God!

They will try their best to maintain costly establishments and the people will find that taxation and servant-hood are the dominant themes of these rulers, our own president included.

What does God say?

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

What is the truth of God?

1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

So, how does God continue to do His work?

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

God’s will, will be done no matter what the leaders of our world try to do in their own wisdom!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!