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TODAY IN THE WORD
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Topic: TODAY IN THE WORD (Read 503841 times)
Soldier4Christ
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #885 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:29:55 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 1:22-37
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TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1944, Alan Brooke, chief of the British imperial general staff, remarked to King George VI that although British field marshal Bernard Montgomery was a good soldier, ""I think he is after my job.""
The king replied, ""I thought he was after mine.""
If Montgomery did wish he were king, he certainly would not have been the first person in a position of leadership or privilege to hold that ambition. David's son Adonijah longed to be king so much that he took matters into his own hands. He gave himself a coronation banquet, basking in the admiration of his brothers and David's disloyal court officials, who shouted, ""Long live King Adonijah!"" (v. 25).
The prophet Nathan, still loyal to David, knew that something had to be done to stop Adonijah. So with Bathsheba, he requested an audience with David and spoke to the king respectfully yet plainly (vv. 24-27), much as he had done years earlier when the Lord sent him to expose David's sin of adultery (2 Samuel 12:1).
Nathan needed to tell it straight. This was no time for ""coded messages"" or indirect talk. Much as his brother Absalom had done earlier, Adonijah was building a popular following. If David did not move soon in naming his chosen successor, the kingdom of Israel could be torn out of Solomon's hands before he received it.
David acted decisively. He restated to Bathsheba his vow to make Solomon king, underscoring its certainty by stating, ""As surely as the Lord lives"" (1 Kings 1:29). What followed formed an interesting contrast to Adonijah's self-glorifying banquet on the other side of Jerusalem. David ordered Solomon to ride his mule, the animal ancient kings often rode to symbolize their role as the people's servant.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Imagine the people of Jerusalem, watching these coronation parades going on at basically the same time, trying to decide who was their rightful king. That's a good picture of the way Satan has operated since the beginning. When God does something, Satan shows up too, counterfeiting it to lead the unwary astray.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #886 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:32:49 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 1:38-53
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The police called it a ""crime of opportunity."" Last May, an armored truck was involved in an accident in Oakland, California. The rear doors of the truck flew open, and sacks of bills and coins fell out. Before police could get to the scene, some bystanders made off with bags of loot. Faced with a tempting opportunity, they literally grabbed it and ran.
Solomon's half-brother Adonijah knew all about opportunism. We have seen him to be a supreme opportunist, taking advantage of King David's age and his invalid condition to make a play for Israel's throne.
This was a crisis for the kingdom. Adonijah split David's court, turning officials such as David's military commander Joab and the priest Abiathar against Solomon. Then he and his followers organized the procession and banquet we studied yesterday, forcing David to hurriedly announce Solomon as his rightful successor.
We don't know if the people of Israel actually had to witness the two would-be royal processions and make their choice between Solomon and Adonijah. In any case, they didn't hesitate to declare their loyalty when the time came. As Solomon rode David's mule to the spring of Gihon and was anointed by Zadok, the people burst into glad shouting as the trumpet sounded (vv. 38-40).
The noise of the celebration ""rattled the crystal on the table"" at Adonijah's phony coronation. When word arrived that Solomon had been anointed and installed as king and Jerusalem was celebrating, the mood quickly changed.
Adonijah's so-called friends, who thought they had seen an opportunity to grab a piece of the royal action, proved to be as opportunistic as he was. They realized they would be branded as traitors if they stuck around, so they scattered like insects from underneath an overturned rock (v. 49).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most of us don't like to deal with opportunists, because we might wind up as victims of their selfishness.
But human nature being what it is, all of us have been taken advantage of at one time or another. Do you have something against a friend, family member, or fellow believer whom you believe has used you in some way?
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Soldier4Christ
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #887 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:33:15 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 2:1-12
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TODAY IN THE WORD
As the Greek philosopher Socrates sat in prison awaiting his execution by the poison hemlock, he was visited by his wife Xantippe. As she bemoaned her husband's condemnation by a jury on a charge of corrupting the youth of Athens by his teaching, Xantippe said, ""But the condemnation is unjust!""
""Would you prefer it to be just?"" Socrates replied. Soon afterwards, he drank the hemlock, the victim of an unjust government.
We are so used to hearing stories of the way ancient rulers dealt unjustly with their foes that we can forget a king's responsibility to execute justice. David dealt directly with this difficult issue in his final charge to Solomon just before he ""rested with his fathers"" (v. 10).
David's last words to his newly crowned successor are a fascinating mixture of spiritual advice and kingly counsel. In verses 2-4 we hear echoes of the great psalmist and spiritual giant that David was, a man ""after [God's] own heart"" (Acts 13:22).
David's deepest desire for Solomon was that he would keep the Law of God and walk before Him with a fully devoted heart. David also mentioned God's promise that if his descendants would remain faithful to the Lord, He would continue David's throne forever. Sadly, we shall see that Solomon departed from this charge toward the end of his life and the kingdom of Israel was divided after his death.
The remainder of David's charge to Solomon may sound out of place to us, coming as it did on the heels of such deep spiritual counsel. But there is no contradiction here.
As king, Solomon was responsible to execute justice on murderers like Joab and men like Shimei, who had cursed David and thus dishonored God. At the same time, Solomon was to remember a ruler's need for mercy by rewarding the family of Barzillai for his kindness to David at the low point of his reign: the rebellion of Absalom.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As a leader, Solomon had the awesome responsibility of carrying out justice while also showing mercy to those who deserved it.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #888 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:34:00 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 2:13-25
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TODAY IN THE WORD
For the Presidential campaign of 1884, the Democratic nominee and eventual winner was New York governor Grover Cleveland, known as ""Grover the Good"" for his integrity. Cleveland had opposed the infamous Tammany Hall ring of corruption in New York City. Tammany boss ""Honest John"" Kelly hated Cleveland for trying to spoil the party, but Cleveland's honesty was attractive to reformers.
The appointment of Solomon as king of Israel literally spoiled the party for his half-brother, Adonijah. Even as Adonijah was holding a banquet to celebrate what he thought was his coronation, word came that Solomon had just been anointed and crowned. In a matter of minutes, Adonijah's party turned into a dinner for one.
His attempt to steal Israel's throne could have cost Adonijah his life. But Solomon had mercy on his brother and let him live. Life is something, though, that a spoiled opportunist like Adonijah doesn't know how to handle. Given a reprieve, Adonijah didn't know when he was well off. He immediately set out to jump-start his faltering ""campaign"" for the kingship by asking for permission to marry Abishag, David's caretaker nurse.
Give Adonijah credit for being clever. Like most good plotters, he knew whom to use for his purposes. He made his request through Bathsheba, who failed to see through what sounded to her like a reasonable request. Perhaps Bathsheba thought the marriage made good sense. Abishag was beautiful; Adonijah was handsome. It would be a ""Ken and Barbie wedding.""
But give Solomon credit for seeing the truth. By asking for Abishag, a member of David's harem, Adonijah was actually scheming for another route to the throne. As such, his action constituted rebellion against God, who had put Solomon on the throne (v. 24).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We can be thankful that God does not deal with us as He dealt with Adonijah every time we break a promise.
Keeping our word is one of our responsibilities as believers. But many of us have a hard enough time remembering what we've said, never mind following through on all our promises.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #889 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:34:23 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 2:26-46
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The year 1912 saw a very interesting race for the U.S. Presidency. The Republican Party had a bitter split--the regulars nominated William Howard Taft for a second term, but a splinter group chose Theodore Roosevelt. Taft campaigned hard against Democrat Woodrow Wilson, telling reporters: ""I am in this fight to perform a great public duty--the duty of keeping Theodore Roosevelt out of the White House.""
Solomon also had a public duty to perform as king, but it had little to do with election politics. David had solemnly charged his son to deal with those in his court and in the general citizenry who had committed crimes or been disloyal to David. In today's text, Solomon completed that unpleasant but necessary task.
After dealing with Adonijah, Solomon turned his attention to the men who had conspired with his half-brother to take his throne. The priest Abiathar was spared because of his sacred work with the ark of God and his loyalty to David during Absalom's earlier rebellion. But because Abiathar had dishonored his high office, he was removed. In verse 27 the writer notes that this was in fulfillment of God's judgment against Eli, the priest who allowed his sons to sin freely against the Lord (1 Samuel 2:27-36).
David's former army commander Joab did not fare as well. Although he ran to the altar and grabbed the horns on the side as Adonijah had done (see 1 Kings 1:50), Joab was summarily executed for murder. His crimes are detailed in the text, and Solomon linked Joab's sentence to the Lord's justice (1 Kings 2:32).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The writer of 1 Kings shows that God used the office of king to carry out His justice. This is still one duty of government today (Rom. 13:1- 4). But as individual believers we are exhorted to pray for and love our enemies (Matt. 5:44) and to do good to them as a means of bringing them to repentance (Romans 12:17-21).
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #890 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:34:47 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 3:1-15
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Dwight L. Moody was once addressing a group of children in Scotland. In order to get their attention, Moody asked, ""What is prayer?"" He expected no answer, but scores of hands went up. One little boy surprised the great evangelist by answering: ""Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confessions of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.""
There was one child who knew a great deal about prayer! King Solomon knew how to pray, too; and he proved it in the prayer recorded in today's reading. Even though Solomon was only about twenty years old at this time (see v. 7), he displayed spiritual sensitivity far beyond his years and experience by asking God for wisdom to rule His people.
In these verses we see Solomon's love for God and his dedication to walk before the Lord as his father David had done. Solomon's concern for his people, which he placed above personal power and gain, is a refreshing reminder of the way God wants leaders to govern and of how he wants His children to act.
The ""high places"" where the people of Israel offered sacrifices had been in use since the days of the judges. The temple, a project that Solomon himself would later accomplish, was not yet built. The Mosaic Law prohibited the offering of sacrifices at any place other than the tabernacle; nonetheless the practice was common in Solomon's day.
The fact that Solomon made his lavish offering at the high place in Gibeon did not deter God from offering the king whatever he desired. We have to wonder how many people in history could handle an offer like that wisely, but Solomon did.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's always revealing to ask a person, ""What would you ask for if you could have anything you want?""
That's a good question to ask yourself today. Today's verse underscores what Solomon found to be true: God is a lavish Giver when our requests are pleasing to Him. But James also cautions us that it is easy to ""ask with wrong motives"" (James 4:3).
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #891 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:35:10 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 3:16-28
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The home movie that Dallas clothes maker Abraham Zapruder made in Dallas on November 22, 1963, is old and deteriorated, but according to a judge it still has ""enormous symbolic value."" The Zapruder film may be the most memorable piece of evidence in the investigation of John F. Kennedy's assassination, and now a government board has settled the question of who owns the famous 26-second film. Since the assassination it has been in government possession for years, and the board declared it the permanent property of ""the people of the United States."" For the government, taking legal ownership of the film involves fair compensation for the Zapruder family.
What made the decision a bit problematic is that for people old enough to recall the Kennedy assassination, the Zapruder film still stirs deep emotions. The decision Solomon faced in today's reading was also a difficult case which stirred deep emotions. But more than emotion was involved. In the case of the Zapruder film, the life in question was already tragically gone, but in the case of these two women, the life of the baby still hung in the balance.
We don't need to review this famous case in detail here. If a case like this came up today, the court would no doubt order DNA tests or other medical procedures to determine the baby's true mother. But Solomon didn't have that option. He had something infinitely more accurate: wisdom from God. This case was sent from God to establish before all Israel that He was indeed with Solomon in an unusual way. At least, that was the result of Solomon's astute decision (v. 28).
Clearly, Solomon's insight in this case came from God. As a young man, he would have been stretched beyond his unaided abilities to penetrate the mysteries of motherhood. But God had answered the king's prayer for ""a discerning heart"" (1 Kings 3:9) with a supernatural gift of wisdom.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our problems may not have life-and-death implications. But then again, we can't always see the ultimate impact of our decisions. Some choices are spelled out clearly in Scripture. For example, we don't need to stagger in indecision over an issue of morality or immorality.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #892 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:35:44 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 4:20-34
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TODAY IN THE WORD
A recent sale prepared by an auction house in London revealed the almost unbelievable wealth amassed by the late Shah of Iran, who was deposed by Islamic militants in 1979. In particular, the Shah was a fanatic collector of fine cars--including several super-powerful models custom-made for him. Overall, the Shah owned more than 3ꯠ cars, the largest private collection in the world.
It's hard to determine whether the Shah of Iran's estate could match the wealth and splendor of Solomon's kingdom at its height. Certainly, the late Iranian ruler's auto collection was Solomonic in scope! But it's doubtful whether any king before or since can rival Solomon's splendor. The mere size of his administration and the daily provisions required by the people at his court suggest a kingdom that none could surpass.
In addition to mind-boggling wealth, Solomon possessed influence that reached all the way from the Euphrates River to Egypt. Verse 21 indicates that he ruled over almost the entire portion of land God had promised to Abraham. God gave His young king a peaceful reign. The people in those nations were Solomon's subjects all of his life. And true to God's promise, Solomon's wealth and power were matched by his wisdom, which far exceeded the collective insight of the most famous wise men of the ancient world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Your bank account may not show it, but if you belong to Jesus Christ you are a rich person. Paul told Timothy that God ""richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment"" (1 Tim. 6:17).
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #893 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:36:09 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 5:1-6
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Another famous name in American history now has a monument of his own in Washington, D.C. In early May, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the service and accomplishments of America's only four-term President. Now future generations can learn about the leader who guided the nation through the end of the Great Depression and most of World War II.
Solomon was ready to build a memorial to honor God. With his kingdom solidified and his royal coffers full, David's son was eager to undertake the greatest project of his reign--a temple for the Name of the Lord his God (v. 5).
In Solomon's reply to the congratulations of King Hiram of Tyre he expressed his deep desire to build a temple for the Lord. David had cherished the hope that he would be the one to build God a house. But God revealed to David that his son was the chosen vessel to construct a temple (2 Sam. 7:1-17).
That time had now arrived. Solomon even used his reply to Hiram to begin making arrangements for the special wood needed for the project. Solomon's temple would become one of the wonders of the ancient world, a tribute to the God whom both David and Solomon loved and worshiped.
It's obvious that David had shared his dream with Solomon, for the latter was fully aware of God's prophetic word to David through the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 7:12-13). Solomon would prove to be as zealous for the work as his father surely would have been. No trouble or expense would be spared to build a house worthy of Israel's great God.
Since Hiram was an old friend of David's, he was eager to help Solomon with his plans. The people of Sidon, a city just north of Tyre and part of the same Phoenician kingdom, were skilled in cutting the cedar trees that grew on the mountains of Lebanon.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
While so many people are spending their lives building ""memorials"" to themselves, we as God's people are called to bring His name the honor and glory it deserves.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #894 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:36:35 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 5:7-18
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TODAY IN THE WORD
One of America's most visible and wealthiest media and entertainment moguls recently challenged his fellow multi-millionaires to give more of their money to charity. Speaking at a charity event, Ted Turner told attendees, ""What good is wealth sitting in the bank? It's a pretty pathetic thing to do with your money.""
It remains to be seen how Turner's challenge will be accepted and acted upon. But there was no question about King Hiram's response to Solomon's challenge concerning a temple for the God of Israel. Hiram jumped at the chance to help the son of his old friend David. In addition, Hiram's greeting to Solomon (v. 7) indicates that this Gentile king held the God of David in high regard.
Hiram set his price for the assistance Solomon requested: Solomon was to provide food for Hiram's royal household. The yearly allotment was considerable (v. 11), indicating that Hiram had a large family and court of his own to feed. The arrangement was made in the wisdom God granted to Solomon, maintaining peace between the two kings and leading to a treaty.
Verses 13-18 give us an idea of the scope of Solomon's plans for the temple. To get the massive amount of work done, Solomon drafted and hired tens of thousands of men, both Israelites and non-Israelites. The writer speaks of the ""forced labor"" (v. 14), an oddly harsh phrase to use in reference to such a noble project.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
You need not be a millionaire to make a lasting impact with the resources God has given you. Jesus assured us that the treasure we lay up in heaven is secure for eternity (Matt. 6:19-21). Our challenge today is to make sure that we use the temporary financial resources God gives us to build up heavenly treasure by investing in His work.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #895 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:37:10 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 6:12-22; 2 Chronicles 3:1-2
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
David's statement to Araunah illustrates a spiritual principle that is still true today. Anything of great value comes with a cost attached.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #896 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:37:36 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 6:23-38
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was caught in an embarrassing situation a few months ago at a local supermarket. Because Mrs. Thatcher did not have a bank debit card, her attempt to pay for $40 worth of groceries with a personal check was refused. England's former leader had to tear up her check and pay for her purchase with cash. ""I can't override the system, so there was no way I could take her check,"" explained the equally embarrassed cashier.
We can be sure that King Solomon had no such ""credit problem"" as he amassed the materials and paid the workers necessary to build his great temple. As today's text makes clear, no detail was overlooked in the important work of building a house in which the God of Israel, the Lord of the earth, would dwell.
These verses may be part of the reason that one Bible commentator referred to the Books of Kings and Chronicles as the ""pots and pans"" section of the Bible. There are many construction details given here, but they are important if for no other reason than the sense they give us that every aspect of God's work is worthy of our attention.
Solomon's temple was not that big by modern standards, but it was certainly magnificent. The king was even careful in the way the work was carried on (see 1 Kings 6:7). No one associated with this construction project would have had any doubt that he was involved in something very special.
For example, it's hard to imagine the beauty and workmanship of the two cherubs Solomon had crafted to stand in the Most Holy Place (vv. 23-28). These huge figures, carved from olive wood and overlaid with gold, must have been an awe-inspiring sight, a magnificent symbol of the presence of God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Isn't it great to know that there will be no ""credit problems"" with our heavenly bank account? On Tuesday we talked about the importance of storing up treasure in heaven rather than on earth. The wonderful thing about serving God is that there is no limit to the amount of genuine spiritual treasure we can ""send on ahead"" to heaven. Our challenge during this life is not to grow weary in our worship and service for Christ.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #897 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:38:00 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 7:1-12; 2 Chronicles 2:1-2; 8:1
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Next to Genghis Khan himself, the greatest Mongol ruler was his grandson, Kublai Khan. He conquered China, bringing that great nation under foreign rule for the first time in history. Kublai Khan was also the founder of the Yuan dynasty, which would rule China for more than seventy years. Although he was a ""barbarian,"" Khan encouraged the development of the arts and sciences in China and furthered Chinese civilization. Yet he also bankrupted his treasury in futile attempts to conquer Japan and other Asian kingdoms.
No wonder one historian referred to Kublai Khan as ""a Mongol enigma wrapped in Chinese riddles."" In some ways, Solomon's reign was as enigmatic as that of Kublai Khan.
In his early years, Solomon exhibited a love for God that seemed to rival that of his father David. He was granted the honor of building a temple for the Lord. He spared no expense and missed no detail in creating a dwelling place that reflected God's splendor and glory.
Today's text and the rest of chapter 7 (which we will not deal with), reveal that Solomon was a master builder who created a grand complex of buildings for his private residence and official functions (v. 7). The king was also a landscaper on a grand scale (Eccl. 2:4-6). Included among this complex of buildings was a separate residence for Solomon's Egyptian wife, a political marriage arranged to seal an alliance with Pharaoh (see 1 Kings 3:1).
Yet for all of these accomplishments and in spite of his great spiritual heritage, Solomon was something of an enigma. The book of Ecclesiastes, probably written in the twilight of Solomon's life, tells us that in the midst of all his building projects and other pursuits, Solomon's heart became turned around.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Solomon eventually gave himself to pleasure in an attempt to find fulfillment. We can take warning from his example.
Most likely none of us will need to worry about handling wealth or power on the scale of Solomon! But the principles for dealing with earthly things are the same. All of us face the temptation to allow legitimate activities, hobbies and enjoyments to get out of hand.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
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Reply #898 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:38:28 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 8:1-5
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TODAY IN THE WORD
This past spring, before official control of Hong Kong passed from Britain to China, a vanguard of Chinese troops rolled into the city. Led by the deputy commander of the garrison, the arrival of the forty unarmed Chinese troops served notice that a new day was ahead for the former British colony. Their arrival was followed by the deployment of the full Chinese garrison, expected to number up to 10ꯠ troops housed at fourteen different bases.
We can only imagine the emotions that must have been stirred in the hearts of Hong Kong's citizens as they watched Chinese troops and other officials arrive to take control of the city. Anyone who witnessed the sight would definitely have known that something important was happening.
Anyone who was in Jerusalem when King Solomon summoned the officials of Israel to the city would also have known that something important was happening. The temple Solomon had built to house the ark of the covenant--and thus, God's holy presence--was completed, ready for ""divine occupancy."" Without a doubt, the transfer of the sacred ark from the tent David had made for it (2 Samuel 6:17) to its new resting place in Solomon's temple was a momentous occasion.
The event was made all the more special because it was scheduled for the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, an occasion when all Israel assembled to worship the Lord and to remember His goodness.
During this feast, the people recalled their wilderness wanderings, when the ark had traveled with them. How appropriate that the ark would be brought to its new resting place during this festival! As one Bible teacher has pointed out, it was a wonderful testimony to the fact that Israel had ceased its wanderings.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
During this month, we have become accustomed to reading about Solomon's lavishness in things pertaining to God.
Our temptation when presented with such scenes is to wonder how anyone could ever match what Solomon was able to do. But God never compares us to other people in terms of our worship. The standard is our own love for Him.
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Re: TODAY IN THE WORD
«
Reply #899 on:
August 01, 2006, 07:38:53 AM »
Read: 1 Kings 8:6-11
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Fifty-eight years after he was whisked out of Albania by his father, the man who claims the title ""King"" Leka returned to his native country earlier this year. Leka has lived abroad since he was three days old. His father, who declared himself King Zog I in 1928, fled with his family when Italian troops invaded Albania in 1939. Leka's return caused quite a stir at the airport in Tirana, Albania's capital, as thousands of people jostled with police for a glimpse of the king.
The ""ark of the Lord's covenant"" (v. 6) was not in exile, as Leka's family had been. But it had been in a temporary tent house in the southeast corner of Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:1). So when Solomon brought this symbol of the Lord's covenant and presence with His people to its new home--the Most Holy Place in the new temple--it was a homecoming indeed!
Notice that the writer of 1 Kings took time to mention the ark's carrying poles (v. 7). This detail tells us that on this occasion, the ark was transported in obedience to the Law. The ark had rings on its sides through which the poles were to be inserted, so that it could be carried without being touched.
On one past occasion, David had failed to obey the Law's instructions when the ark was recovered from the Philistines and brought to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:3-8). Instead, the ark was placed on a cart. When the cart tipped and seemed about to fall, a man named Uzzah reached out to steady the sacred box. God's anger was ignited and Uzzah died.
But no such tragedy marred the celebration in Solomon's time. As the ark rested between the outstretched cherubim, a cloud filled the inner sanctuary, symbolizing the Lord's presence and glory. The cloud was of such intensity that the priests were prevented from performing their service.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Doing things your own way has become almost a religious creed in the 90s. But God has always had only one standard of acceptability: His holy Word.
Logged
Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
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