WHAT COMES AFTER SUNDAY?
Use the next steps, Bible plan, message recap, questions & resources below to go deeper.
this week's next steps
This Week's Message Recap:
As we have learned so far through the story of King Solomon, it is not about how you start, but how you finish! In the first half of Solomon’s reign as king, he had a lot of wins! He built the temple, was rich both spiritually and financially, and had expanded his influence around the world. At the beginning of 1 Kings 9, we learn that at this point, Solomon “had achieved all he had desired to do.” On top of building a temple for the Lord, Solomon also built a palace for himself. In fact, he spent almost double the amount of time building his own palace than he did in building the temple for the Lord. At this halfway point, God comes to Solomon for a pep talk of sorts. He warns Solomon about what would happen if he did not obey.
You see, God saw where Solomon’s trajectory was taking him. He saw the disproportionate amount of time he spent building his personal palace. Halftime is the perfect opportunity to reflect on what went right and what went wrong in the first half. Did Solomon reflect? Not likely. What was more likely was that Solomon experienced what greatness and power felt like and he didn’t want to let that go. The Lord promised him that if he obeyed Him, he would establish a dynasty. 1 Kings 9:5, God reminds Solomon of the promise he made to his father, David. He said, “One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.” Solomon was being explicitly reminded of what would happen if he disobeyed, and he still chose disobedience. Solomon’s choices were for personal gain. He wanted to go down in history as a legendary leader. A man among men. Instead, 400 years later, their kingdom was in exile in Babylon as a direct result of the actions King Solomon made in the second half of his reign. Ultimately, Solomon lead the people astray. He did not finish well.
You see, God saw where Solomon’s trajectory was taking him. He saw the disproportionate amount of time he spent building his personal palace. Halftime is the perfect opportunity to reflect on what went right and what went wrong in the first half. Did Solomon reflect? Not likely. What was more likely was that Solomon experienced what greatness and power felt like and he didn’t want to let that go. The Lord promised him that if he obeyed Him, he would establish a dynasty. 1 Kings 9:5, God reminds Solomon of the promise he made to his father, David. He said, “One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.” Solomon was being explicitly reminded of what would happen if he disobeyed, and he still chose disobedience. Solomon’s choices were for personal gain. He wanted to go down in history as a legendary leader. A man among men. Instead, 400 years later, their kingdom was in exile in Babylon as a direct result of the actions King Solomon made in the second half of his reign. Ultimately, Solomon lead the people astray. He did not finish well.
Questions to Consider:
- Are there any areas in your life that you feel like God is asking you to obey? Are you choosing to obey? Why or why not?
- Consider the actions of Solomon. How do his choices impact the way you might make decisions?
- Like Solomon, have you ever believed your “great” actions were enough to make up for your lack of obedience to God? What made you think this?
- What do you think was King Solomon’s downfall? How do you think he could have done things differently?
Resources for Study:
Recommended Reading:
King Solomon's Empire by Margaret P. Roy
1 Kings 1-11 Proverbs & Ecclesiastes: The Rise & Fall of Solomon by John MacArthur
King Solomon: Life Lessons from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived by Bill Crowder
The Root of Righteous by A.W. Tozer
1 & 2 Kings: A Theological Bible Commentary on 1 & 2 Kings from Leading Contemporary Theologians
1 Kings 1-11 Proverbs & Ecclesiastes: The Rise & Fall of Solomon by John MacArthur
King Solomon: Life Lessons from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived by Bill Crowder
The Root of Righteous by A.W. Tozer
1 & 2 Kings: A Theological Bible Commentary on 1 & 2 Kings from Leading Contemporary Theologians
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