1 Kings 9-11
Halftime
They are known as great 2nd half comebacks
A) 1957 Lions vs. 49ers: – Division play off championship – Lions were Trailing 24-7 at half time
Locker room at half time they could here thru the wall that the 49ers were already starting their celebration.
In the second half, the Lions scored three touchdowns in four minutes, 29 seconds and went on to win 31-27.
1982 playoffs CHARGERS VS THE DOLPHINS
Chargers led 24-0 at the half – The Dolphins rallied back to tie the game 38-38 in the 4th Quarter
The game went into double overtime and the Chargers won on a 29 yard field goal.
Biggest comeback – 1993 Playoff Championship – Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Oilers
Buffalo was playing without 3 Key stars – QB Jim Kelly RB Thurmon Thomas & LB Cornelius Bennett
Halftime Bills were trailing 35-3 – They came back and won the game in the 2nd Half. 41-38
Here is the thing that I want you to think about in everyone of those games there was one team that made a huge 2nd half comeback
A) That was after having a lousy first half
B) But the thing that we often forget is this:
1) there was also a team that had a great first half – only to fall apart in the 2nd half.
C) Half time is a very important time in any game. Much has happened but the game isn’t over yet.
D) What happens in the 2nd half is going to determine the outcome and will often be what people remember.
D) 1Kings 9 Puts us at the half way point in the life of Solomon.
Solomon had been reigning for 20yrs and was at this point 41 or 42 yrs of age.
A) The life of Solomon is kind of like one of those teams – Great first half – LOUSY 2ND HALF
C) Solomon had enjoyed an amazingly successful first half
1) He had accomplished all of his goals both personally and nationally.
2) He had achieved unimaginable glory and prosperity and so had his nation.
D) Israel’s splendor and glory and significance was known around the world.
1) Evidenced by the fact that in Ch.10 the Queen Sheba travels a long way just to see it.
Sheba modern day Yemen – 1500mile journey over land – Camels most likely
A) Sheba was a well watered fertile part of the Arabian Peninsula strategically located at the union of the Red Sea
B) Its location made it a prosperous center for trade – linking the regions to the north to Africa & India by Sea
C) Now because Solomon had formed a trading alliance with Hiram of Phoenicia that made him and increasingly important player in the region.
So there were most likely two reasons for the Queen of Sheba’s visit.
A) #1: Curiosity – that is how popular Solomon and his King had become –
B) Cause a queen to make a difficult 1500 mile trek thru mostly desert regions to see it.
C) #2 Solomon would make for a very strong trade partner and ally.
D) Before her visit however: Solomon had his 2nd appearance from the Lord - RD V 1-9
Now to some it must seem weird that the Lord would appear to Solomon at this point with this 2nd message
A) A message where the Lord is warning Solomon not to turn aside from worshipping Him.
B) This is the guy who just spent seven yrs of his life orchestrating a place to WORSHIP GOD
1) Why would the Lord come to him now and warn him about forsaking Him?
C) The Lord in His wisdom seems to know our tendency in times of success to get lazy
1) We get comfortable and we drop our guards – we think we can compromise.
D) It is in times of Struggle and battle – times when we are in the mist of doing something huge for God
1) That we are very dependent – We know the only way we are going to make it out of the struggle
E) The only way we are going to have victory in the battle –
1) The only way we are going to finish the project is thru the Lord and his help.
So it is those times that keep us focused
A) Keep us Praying – keep us seeking – that is why it is always good to be involved in something – major
B) Missions – Ministry – Building project – those things keep us on our Knees
C) The moment things get comfortable: Opportunity for compromise / get ours eyes off the Lord and on to other things
D) So 20 yrs earlier God had appeared to Solomon and summoned him to walk in my ways and obey my statues and commands as David did
Now after 20 yrs and all this success and Achievement – the Lord appears again
A) He brings Solomon the Same message – because Solomon needed to know:
The Basics had not changed.
B) The Lord wanted Solomon to have no illusions that the game was over.
1) Although Solomon had been extremely successful – there was still potential for defection.
C) And there would be great consequences for this rebellion.
In fact one of the reasons 1 Kings was written was to answer the question what happened to the Jews who were in exile in Babylon.
A) They had heard the History reports of Solomon’s great kingdom – and Israel’s Prominence
B) The Grand and glorious temple: But now they were in captivity the temple was in ruins
1) What happened?
C) Answer: Solomon and his Sons did not take heed to the warning of the Lord.
1) That process of Destruction had taken place in the 2nd half of his life.
D) I fear should the Lord tarry: America could suffer and similar fate.
1) Generations from now could look back upon a History that was rich in seeking God
E) Wonder what happened? How did we get here?
1) Nation crippled by materialism and ungodly pursuits
In the news this week: Pro abortion people excited by new reports: Babies Brain isn’t developed enough to feel the pain.
Euthanasia ok – if we can numb the pain?
I was watching a sports tribute to Cal Ripken Jr on vacation: Humble hard working – I like Cal.
A) Hall of Famer – who broke the consecutive games-played record – 2,632 consecutive games
B) He was asked how he wanted to be remembered.
1) His simple answer showed his Humility: I just think it is special to be remembered at all.
C) Great answer but not exactly true: Who wants to be remembered as the guy who lost the World Series
D) Who wants to be remembered for being a jerk who wants to be remembered for being a loser?
E) All of us are going to leave a Legacy: We are going to be remembered – How for what?
F) This is the difference between Success and Significance.
1) Solomon had achieved Success but would he leave behind a Significant Legacy
The Rest of Ch. 9 gives us a snap shot of Solomon’s success RD V.10- 28
CH. RD 10:1-13
So the queen of Sheba comes to measure Solomon as a potential partner and ally.
A) She was impressed- v7 tells us that what she was told wasn’t even half of what she saw
B) In other words the reports didn’t even come close to describing what she saw and experienced
C) V.9 Tells us that she blessed the Lord for his hand upon Solomon-
1) here is this pagan Queen who Knows little about the true God of Israel –
D) She sees how Prosperous Solomon is and ends up praising God for the glory that she saw.
This tells me that Solomon must have attributed his success to God’s grace upon his life.
A) Good testimony to where Solomon’s heart was – at the time of this visit
B) Our lives are to be a testimony to the Glory of God!
1) Read in my Devo’s this morning – 2 Cor 4:6
C) Turn there: In Ch.3 & 4 contrasting the OC w/ the NC –
1) OC was outward…. Even Moses shinning outward
D) But the NC is inward – God’s light shinning in our hearts
2 Cor 4:5-6
.6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts
TO GIVE the light OF THE knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4:6
6 For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)
AMP
Our lives become this incredible testimony of the Knowledge of God’s glory.
A) Glory that is seen the most in two areas – God’s grace in our lives when we suffer.
B) Cracked pots – Lights shine the Brightest
C) When we are showing His grace to others
1) People look on Gain Knowledge of God’s glory
D) SO people can look what God has done with us and in us – even thru us –
1) Like the Queen of Sheba – declare Glory be to God!
Before we move on I want you to note that what happened to the queen of Sheba when she came to visit Solomon is a good picture of what I think should happen when people come to CHURCH.
Note 6 things
#1 She came and got hard questions answered!
A) Church is to be the Place – people get their questions answered – about Life / Purpose
B) Eternity / Morality / right vs. wrong
1) How to Know God
C) Those questions get answered in God’s word
#2 V.5 tells us she was Impressed with the food on his table.
A) God’s word is our Food: The word delivered – needs to be Relevant / insightful – well put together
B) Not slop thrown down – Laid out in a way where it is easy to distinguish what things are
C) Bible teaching is to be that way: Easy to follow
1) Well laid out plan
#3 V.5 The seating of his servants:
A) She was impressed by how they sat.
B) Picture of the order of a service: It is orderly not a free for all – there is a beginning and an end.
#4 V.5 The service of the waiters: She was impressed with the servants and how they served.
A) V. 8 Their countenance: Happy to serve – they weren’t all grumpy complaining
#5 V.5 Their apparel – How they were dressed.
A) She was impressed at that – People come here wearing whatever they want
B) Those serving should look nice – Kept
#6 V.5 Impressed by the Entry way:
A) Her entrance into the House of the Lord moved her in such a way that there was no spirit left in her
NIV – Overwhelmed
AMP Left her Breathless, overcome & amazed!
Now we don’t have a fancy building for people to see
But 1 Cor 6 tells us we are the temple of the HS
A) Oh that our lives would leave people feeling that way.
B) Our Love for the Lord – Passion – leaves them feeling like they were missing something –
1) Kids saved in High school group
C) Our love for each other – Different from world
1) Unconditional / Kindness / interest for reasons not to profit –
D) Result: She left that place with her questioned answered / praising the God of Israel
1) We could say she was converted
E) That is to be what Church is to be like – We all play a part in that experience
V. 14-23 Give us another snap shot of Solomon’s wealth – 10 verses gold is mentioned 9 times
RD V.14-23
Gold was everywhere – used for everything
Shields of Gold / throne overlaid gold
Cups for drinking of Gold
Gold everywhere
V.24-29 Continue the Description: RD v24-29
That was the result of Solomon’s First half. – But Ch. 11 reveals his defection and Demise RD v1-6
A) Now v.3 said that Solomon loved all these women-
B) But I suggest to you that this was not real love at all- How can one man love 700 women
1) Why would he want to – Hard enough keeping one wife happy – who would want 700
C) Truth of the matter is this Solomon fell in the same area as Samson: Unbridled lust
D) Started with gold – progressed to women and ended up in Idolatry totally forsaking the Lord
Quote: “Solomon’s collection of wives was like his collection of gold never enough. These women were trophies used to enhance his status and power, but at some point this was no longer about status or sex but about a sickness of the soul” Gary Inrig
V. 7-13 tell the tragic result of Solomon’s sin
Rd vs. 7-13
The very thing that God had warned Solomon about in the beginning of His reign & again at the ½ pt.
A) Listen, are there things that the Lord warns you about?
B) Are there re-occurring things that God convicts you of? Message / devotions –
C) Things that every few months – the voice of the Lord watch out for this – don’t give place to that
1) The reason the Lord continues to warn is that He knows it is an area where you are vulnerable
D) Take heed – pay attention to that warning – take heed.
1) God in His love is telling you where you need to watch be on guard-
2) ALSO where Satan is the most prone to attack
E) Area of Pride: Lust: Greed:
1) Area of being over extended in one area – He knows you are prone to extremes – Workaholic or Playaholic
Don’t be like Solomon and ignore the voice of the Lord –
A) The rest of Ch. 11 Chronicles the Judgment the Lord brought into his Life – 3 sources
B) External opposition: V.14 The Lord raised up Hadad from Edom
C) V.23 Rezon the son of the King of Zobah
D) V 26 Internal opposition: Jeroboam Solomon’s own Servant
Ahijah the Prophet would meet Jeroboam and the road – clothed in a new garment
A) It was a symbol that God was going to do a new thing
B) Dramatic fashion: Ahijah took that garment and tore it into 12 pieces symbolizing – a torn Kingdom
C) 10 tribes would be given to Jeroboam and for David’s sake 2 would remain in his family
D) But because of Solomon’s sin - Israel would be a Divided Kingdom
E) That is what sin does – it Divides
1) Nations
2) Families
3) Friendships
4) Churches
V.39 Gives us one glimmer of Hope – Not forever Jesus is coming – Bring it together
Here is what we learn from Solomon’s 2nd half
A) At half time in Solomon’s life by all apparent standards He was a Success.
B) He had achieved all that He desired to do!
C) But this was the Problem: Solomon never moved from Success to Significance
1) The 2nd half of Solomon’s life was all about more of everything.
D) Yes his kingdom was impressive – but it was becoming more and more Superficial
1) focused more on External wealth than Internal Depth and Holiness.
Solomon’s situation tells us three things – Important for us to hear California Culture.
#1 Success can become an addiction
A) Solomon accumulated more and more stuff – never satisfied –
B) His life would become marked by a lifestyle of self-serving excess.
C) That is why Successful people are in danger of living insignificant lives if they become addicted to Success
Lesson: Apparent success can blind us to genuine success if we do not measure it by God’s standards
#2 Success can become a Deception:
A) It can mask our true condition.
B) All of the gold that Surrounded Solomon – masked the fact that his heart was turning to stone.
C) Later Solomon would say: All Vanity
D) All the fame, wealth, buildings and women he accumulated could not be a substitute for the relationship with God that he lost in the Process.
Lesson: Earthly accomplishments are no substitute for a lifestyle of obedience to the Lord.
#3 Success can be an illusion:
A) No one coming to the end of Ch.10 of 1 Kings would believe that all the glittering success that we read about in ch.9-10 would disappear in a few short yrs – BUT IT DID
Lesson: Genuine success can be measured only in the long run, not the short run.
Genuine success is that which results in a life of Significance.
A) Leaves behind a Legacy of Spiritual wealth
B) Unless we shift from a mind-set of success to one of significance our successes will turn into failure.
Half time: Many of us in this room tonight are right there! – What is the 2nd half going to look like?
A) How are we going to be remembered – all depends upon how you play in the 2nd half
B) Maybe you are here tonight – Great first half
1) My life – God has chosen to use me around the world {Never dreamed I would be used at all.
C) What is the 2nd half going to look like?
1) Don’t want to get lazy – comfortable – keep Charging – Keep going for it.
D) Don’t want to lose ground in the 2nd half –
1) Up 30- 0 at the half – lets go for 60-0 for the final score.
Maybe you have had a lousy first half – Maybe you have been recently saved –
A) Or for 20 yrs your walk has been up and down
B) Listen you can have a great 2nd half – great comeback – leave a legacy of Significance
1) Cling to Jesus
C) Make your Passion – Pursue Him – Know Him
1) Serve Him and Honor Him