Intro:
2 Chronicles begins with the reign of Solomon
A) Book revolves around the
temple and its worship
As well as Revival in the nation.
B) It takes us thru a series
of kings in
C) Sad commentary on the
Northern Kingdom in
1) Much of the focus of 2
Kings was on the fall of the
D) The focus in 2 Chronicles
is the southern kingdom
The Kings of
E) Several of which were
very godly – God used several to bring Revival to the Nation.
Begins
with Solomon. 5/6 of what we read about Solomon here in 2 Chron centers around
the temple
A) Solomon had great
beginnings – came to the thrown most pp think: 16-19
yrs old
B) Huge undertaking for a
young man – taking control of the greatest power in the world at the time
C) Solomon comes on the
scene – he is not inventing anything new. No new
aspirations
He
comes on the scene with a goal to carry out the vision of His father – Build
God a house /temple
A) So he doesn’t come with
any new aspirations
B) He has a great beginning
– but Solomon will get off track in his life.
1) Turn and read Deuteronomy 17:14-20
C) Solomon did all of that.
1) Horses from
D) 700
wives / 300 Concubines – Harem [In thing]
1) Trouble – 1000 mother in
laws
E) Read that multiplied gold
and silver – so that they were so abundant they were like Stones in
Solomon
blew it in all those areas but he was a man of great beginnings
A) Let that be a warning to
all of us. – Doesn’t matter how you start – Most important how you finish
B) Solomon was called the
wisest man who had ever lived and yet all of his wisdom wasn’t enough to keep
him from going off track.
C) He writes the book of Proverbs – I believe at a young
age
1) Reflecting on many of the
things he had learned from his father David.
D)
23 times in 31 Chapters we hear the Charge – My son ….. To heed some
instruction
E) David no doubt reflecting
on his own failings – admonishing his son – Solomon penned those things
Solomon
would write ECCL in his old age – reflecting on his life – VANITY
A) Also write Song of
Solomon – Song of Songs
Beautiful and Poetic – Love
story
B) When he was born David
named him Solomon – but God named him Jedidiah
1) Jedidiah = Loved of God.
C) God knowing that Solomon
would fail – that he wouldn’t finish well still
named him loved of God
1) What an encouragement to
all of us – we struggle we fail – we don’t measure up
D) We relate to Paul – the
things I want to do I don’t do / the things I don’t want to do I do …..
E) God continues to Love- He
is so patient –
V.6
What a great way to begin for this young man – Takes the leaders to go and
Sacrifice
A) Tabernacle @
B) Begins by consecrating
themselves – Imagine this young man taking leaders saying: “This is where my reign is going to begin.” WISDOM
God was
impressed.
7 on
that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I
give you?"
C) Imagine God coming to
your 18 yr old and giving a blank Check- ask what shall I give you – ask
D) Forget about your 18 yr
old – what would you ask for? Million dollar Home
–over looking the Ocean?
1) Would you see beyond your
immediate needs – Bills paid etc
E) Solomon makes an amazing
request for an 18 yr old RD V.8-10
Defining moment for Solomon
A) A time to Decide his
deepest Values – What did he want his life and reign to be about!
B) Solomon didn’t ask for
personal gain – but for that which would help him SERVE
the people.
1)
Give me an Understanding Heart to Judge the People
C)
Solomon saw himself as young and inexperienced but he wanted to do a good Job –
1) So He asked God to meet
him in the mist of his weakness – Help him lead – help him rule
D) God was radically blessed
by Solomon’s request
RD V.11-2
What
can we learn from Solomon’s Prayer?
A) We are instructed to pray
in accordance with God’s will – He honors such request
B) Shows us the importance
in the eyes of the Lord of being others centered!
C) God is blessed when we
are concerned about how we might better serve his body.
Also:
A) Does that mean that the Lord is still asking human beings – What do
you want – Ask?
B) I think He does –
“For the eyes of
the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on
behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
C)
That is still His heart – Show Himself strong on behalf of those … loyal hearts
D) Luke “Good pleasure – give you the Kingdom”
God’s heart is to
bless – pour out – that which is in accordance with what He knows is best for
us.
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall
give you the desires of your heart.”
A) Key:
Delight yourself - Make your desires His desires as you delight yourself
in Him.
B) Solomon is delighting
himself in the Lord – His heart is in line with the Lord’s
C) God is blessed by his
request and gives Solomon what He asked for and even more!
Note
Asked for Wisdom and it was granted: Reminds me -
“If any of you
lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him
ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man supposes that he will
receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all
his ways.”
Ben Carson youngest in
charge Ped surgery
V.13 So Solomon came to
The greatest
reign in
A) Although Solomon would
surpass his father in wealth and military might & territory.
B) God
would say of Solomon
Solomon’s heart was not
perfect toward me … your father David.
David
was a different Kind of man than Solomon. David had a different passion
A) David had a heart for
God. –
B) See although David had
many failings: Adultery Murder / failed as a father –
C) David never worshipped other gods like Solomon
1) David never built a pagan
temple in
D) David never accommodated
the worship of Molech or any other pagan deity like Solomon.
David LIVED before one
God. SINNED before one God / REPENTED …../ FAILED …. / SUCCEDDED
WROTE ABOUT … / AND LOVED
…..
In
that David’s heart was complete or Perfect before God more so than Solomon.
A) In Fact had God asked
David – ask for one thing – I think he would have answered – Be a Priest
B) David would have gladly
given up his crown for a priestly robe. {Psalm
27:4
4 One thing I
have desired of the LORD,
That will I
seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the
beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
C) That is what David was
desiring here – I wish I could serve you like the Priest –
D) That is what led God to
say of Solomon – your heart isn’t like your fathers – not perfect toward me in
that way.
Rd v.14-17
A)
Solomon is starting an import/ export business – He had married Pharaoh’s
daughter –
B) Doing business with
father in law – Buying horses at wholesale – selling at retail to Hittites /
Syrians
1) It was wise – it was good
business sense – but it was wrong
C) He wasn’t to multiply
Chariots – tank – Apache Helicopter – or Multiply horses
1) No
matter how great an idea might seem if it means Compromise –God is not in it. Ch.2:1-6
Great
House for a great God!
A) This is for God and so I
want to do it right
Noble
Heart {He had a huge budget
B) But Solomon also realized
– Can’t build God a house – Heavens / earth can’t contain Him
C) Place for worship!
D) This is not God’s house /
new place on
YOU
ARE GOD’S HOUSE Peter living
stones
A) This is simply a place
for His Church to gather and offer up praises = He inhabits …….
B) That is why TV Church –
1) Something happens in
God’s pp when they gather publicly – that is different from alone computer
C) Live Web – good – never
replace this.
1) Those viewing miss out on
something special happens when we gather here.
D) Never
replace – live service! – Something dynamic takes place –
1) Solomon realized that I
think
RD
V.7-12
Hiram
is an interesting Guy – He loved David and I think came to love David’s God
A) Hebrews 11:2 recognizes
this about those in the Hall of faith – they believed in CREATION
B) Hiram acknowledges here-
He believed in Creation – Jehovah – created ….. earth
C) I really think we are
going to see this guy in heaven – David had won him
over to the Lord
Rd v.13-14
Huram from
Hiram sent him to do all this work - that is,
the fine artistic work on the temple.
A) This is something interesting to me in reading
thru the word – Is how often the Lord makes a point to mention the names of
Craftsmen.
B) He
specifically mentions those who worked with their hands in making the Tab and its
instruments in Exodus
C) Tells me two things – #1 those who work in Practical ways
are of Value to the Lord
D) #2 – God is
blessed when gifted people Craftsmen are using their gifts for his glory.
RD V. 15-17/ Ch.3:1a
Ch.2:1
Solomon determined to Build
Ch.2:5 I am going to Build
Ch.2:9 About to Build
Ch.3 He began to Build
The
need for follow through!
A) Determined to do
something {Purpose in your heart
B) Verbalize it – I am going
to do this – going on record is good
C) Getting to the place
where – ready to start – I am about ready –
D) No good if you don’t begin.
Sharp
shooters vs. Shotgun blast
A) Reason some never begin –
trying to do too many things
B) Do one thing Well –
Follow thru
C) Don’t move on until that
is going well.
Principles:
#1 Every follower of Christ
has a divine calling that links his or her gifts and skills to the furtherance
of God’s Kingdom.
APP
Think beyond your
career to your calling, to your God given mission in life.
#2 Planning
and preparation are an indispensable part of doing a work for God.
APP We need to embrace that
calling with conviction and commitment!
#3
God is worthy of our best. His glory must be reflected in all that we do.
APP Our actions need to
reflect a passion to exalt the Lord seeking his glory in all we do.
#4
There is no priority or effort more important than maintaining a right heart
before God in worship and obedience.
APP We need to regularly
evaluate our focus to make sure that we are keeping a God centered focus.