2016 Adult K-Group Bible Studies Hoffmantown Church Lesson #22

Transcription

1 Title Solomon and the Temple 2016 Adult K-Group Bible Studies Hoffmantown Church Lesson #22 Target Date June 12 Part 2: Israel/Grace Demonstrated Preface for Teachers Learning Objectives To overview the reign of King Solomon, hylighting His selection and anointing His prayer for wisdom to govern Israel and God s generous response. His phenomenal wealth, power, and influence. His building the Temple, a house in which the Lord dwelt on earth. And his sad demise, ushering in the Divided Kingdom. Key Scripture Passages 1 Kings 2:1-4 1 Kings 3: King Kings 8:10-11, Kings 11:1-25 Related Scripture Passages 1 Kings 2 Chron References Reconstruction drawings of the Tabernacle and the Temple from The Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps, and Reconstructions, 1993, copies attached. Commentary Introduction The Israelite Monarchy began with what I call the three big kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. (All the little kings will follow.) The current lesson deals with King Solomon and his building of the Temple, the permanent structure to replace the portable Tabernacle, first constructed at Mt Sinai and that accompanied the children of Israel in their desert wanderings. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 1

2 From David to Solomon 1 Kings 1:1 NOW DAVID WAS OLD AND ADVANCED IN YEARS. And as his TIME DREW NIGH, some around him began to look forward. One of his sons, Adonijah, began to make motions toward assuming the throne. David s longtime friend and prophet, Nathan, and some others became aware of Adonijah s plans and approached David as to whom he wished to succeed him. He had previously told Bathsheba that her son, Solomon, SHALL REIGN AFTER ME, v 17. (See also 1 Chron 6, where that account of the Lord s telling David that he would not be the one to build the Temple names Solomon as the successor.) And David had Solomon anointed King of Israel at Gihon, a spring on the east side of Jerusalem that supplies water to the city. (The site can be visited today on the east side of the City of David, immediately south of the Temple Mount.) 1 Kings 2:1 4 (ESV) David s Instructions to Solomon 2 When David s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. In David s charge to Solomon, note that he instructs Solomon to conduct himself AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES. Other kings assumed total sovereignty to do whatever they wished and could make happen. Israel s kings were to be God s leader of the people, following themselves and leading the people to follow the WAYS of God, KEEPING HIS STATUTES, HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS RULES, AND HIS TESTIMONIES. Notice also that David makes Solomon s full blessing contingent on his performance relative to WALKING IN HIS (GOD S) WAYS. We can see here that God s unconditional covenant with David that his house was established as king forever does not guarantee that the recognized king will always physically rule from a throne in Jerusalem. Eventually, during the Millennium, Christ will restore that aspect of the kingdom. However, the identity and recognition of David s kingly line was kept intact until Jesus was born of Mary (the physical line of David) and Joseph (the royal line of David) in Bethlehem. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 2

3 This was one of the difficulties Jesus faced during His ministry. The Jews expected their Messiah to throw off Roman rule and re-establish David s kingdom with its capital and throne in Jerusalem. This was such a strong expectation that few of them grasped the spiritual and eternal significance of Jesus among them. 1 Kings 2:10 12 (ESV) The Death of David 10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. Like other such sites, today you may visit David s tomb in the southwest part of the old city of Jerusalem. However, not many serious scholars/archaeologists confirm the location. But, it is still impressive, for you can indeed see at least the general area where David lived and ruled. This is not a fable or a myth; it is for real. So the throne is now Solomon s. Solomon s Prayer for Wisdom It is interesting that before the narrative goes into revealing the glory of Solomon s reign, there is this glimpse forward in v 3:1. The reference is to something that happened much later. (Many commentators posit that the verse was misplaced by editorial error. The text returns to the story in ch 7.) In this position, mentioning Solomon s taking a foreign wife is a small cloud on the horizon, of little concern now but eventually to become the destructive storm that ruins Solomon s reign and life. Wayne Barber: Sin will take you further than you ever intended to go and cost you more that you ever intended to pay. 2 Chron 8:11 shows that Solomon recognized the error in what he had done, but it did it anyway. But for the present, let s see how Solomon, and Israel, was blessed by God. 1 Kings 3:3 9 (ESV) 3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, Ask what I shall give you. 6 And Solomon said, You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 3

4 kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? HIGH PLACES The Israelites had, to some degree, adopted the pagan practice of dedicating the tops of hills as places of worship. During the Period of the Judges the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh (1 Sam 1:3). Late in his reign, David erected a tent near his palace for housing the Ark of Covenant, but that tent is not referred to as the Tabernacle, though it seems to have functioned as such in some respects but not as a national center of worship. So, perhaps by the time of Solomon, the worship of Yahweh may have moved significantly if not primarily to these HIGH PLACES. This would have been more convenient than taking pilgrimages to some central place, but one wonders if this was not indicative of a drifting away from following the Law as given by Moses, And, as such, maybe the time is ripe for God to bring Israel back to Himself by focusing the national attention on the building of the Temple (to follow). God came to Solomon as he worshipped and invited him to ASK WHAT I SHALL GIVE YOU. Wow! What an offer! A blank check signed by God. Before he made his request, notice that Solomon described the relationship between God and David God gave David GREAT AND STEADFAST LOVE and a son to carry on the Covenant, and David responded TOWARD YOU (GOD) with FAITHFULNESS, i.e., staying true to his commitment to the Lord, RIGHTEOUSNESS, i.e., obedient (with some notable slip-ups) to the commandments and teaching of God, and UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART, i.e., his good behavior grew out of a heart consistently committed to following the Lord. One would suppose Solomon s words here indicate his understanding of the importance of this sort of relationship and his commitment to make it so for his own relationship with God. Solomon also says explicitly that he recognizes the awesome task and responsibility that has become his. So he asks for wisdom, specifically, AN UNDERSTANDING MIND TO GOVERN YOUR PEOPLE, THAT I MAY DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, so that he might best GOVERN THIS YOUR GREAT PEOPLE. 1 Kings 3:10 14 (ESV) Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 4

5 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. Just what God wanted to hear! And when God gives a gift, it is the best! Not only does Solomon get wisdom, he receives a greater gift of wisdom than has ever been given. And RICHES AND HONOR above all other kings. The next passages illustrate just how great Solomon s gift was. His reputation for wisdom and wealth spread far and wide. v 4:34-- AND PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONS CAME TO HEAR THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON, AND FROM ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, WHO HAD HEARD OF HIS WISDOM. Building the Temple Tabernacle. While the children of Israel were encamped at the foot of Mt Sinai, they built a portable center for the worship of Yahweh, called the Tabernacle, according to instructions given by God to Moses. This Tabernacle was moved with them as they wandered in the wilderness. There are also references to a TENT OF MEETING prior to the construction of the Tabernacle and the term is used subsequently without clarity as to whether it refers to the Tabernacle or some other tent. Josh 18:1 refers to the setting up of THE TENT OF MEETNG in Shiloh, most probably referring to the Tabernacle. Eli (1 Sam 1:3) and Samuel (v 3:19) served AT SHILOH, presumably at the tent of meeting/tabernacle. As described above re HIGH PLACES, David built a tent housing the Ark of the Covenant near his palace in Jerusalem, but this tent is not specifically referred to as the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle served as a model for the Temple, both in terms of design and liturgical function. Attachment A is a reconstruction drawing of the Tabernacle. Although he had been precluded from building the Temple, the thought stayed near to David s heart. In 1 Chronicles 29:1-9, we read that David, the national leaders, and the common people gave great gifts in preparation for the building of the Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 5

6 Temple. We read that the people gave "WILLINGLY...WITH A WHOLE HEART" (1 Chronicles 29:9). Application: Giving is always a matter of the heart. These people, along with David, their king, rejoiced when they gave to the work of the Lord (1 Chr. 29:9). Of course, Paul wrote that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). May God grant us generous hearts in returning to Him what He has so graciously bestowed upon us! Solomon, with his power and wealth firmly establish, now turns to building the Temple envisioned by David. 1 Kings 5:1 5, 18 (ESV) Preparations for Building the Temple 5 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, 3 You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name. 18 So Solomon s builders and Hiram s builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house. Let s take note of the fact of God s hand, i.e., His outstretched arm, in bringing about the right timing for this important event. David s dream. David s friendship with Hiram, king of Tyre (Lebanon). Available resources, some already collected by David. Peace, NEITHER ADVERSARY NOR MISFORTUNE, v 4. Solomon s acceptance of the task. As mentioned above, the spiritual need in the nation to renew the commitment to their faith in Yahweh. Et al. And Solomon takes his first step arranging for the help of Hiram, specifically skilled labor not available among the Israelites and choice timber from Lebanon. 1 Kings 6:1 (ESV) Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 6

7 6 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTIETH YEAR AFTER THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CAME OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT an important date in establishing the chronology of the OT. HE BEGAN TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. Some facts: (Attachments B and C are reconstruction drawings of the Temple.) SIXTY CUBITS LONG, TWENTY CUBITS WIDE, AND THIRTY CUBITS HIGH. Stones cut to specifications in the quarry so that NEITHER HAMMER NOR AXE NOR ANY TOOL OF IRON WAS HEARD IN THE HOUSE WHILE IT WAS BEING BUILT, presumably in reverence to the holiness of the Temple. (ref Deut 27:5-6. The inside was completely lined with cedar so that NO STONE WAS SEEN. At the rear was AN INNER SANCTUARY, AS THE MOST HOLY PLACE. The inner sanctuary was a cube, 20 cubits on a side, and lined with gold, to house the Ark of the Covenant. The text here and in 2 Chron describe in detail the Temple and its furnishings. The Temple was awe-inspiring, befitting the Lord God Yahweh Whom it honored. (Teachers may want to share with your classes those aspects which you find the most impressive.) In the midst of the narrative of the building, 1 Kings 6:11 13 (ESV) 11 Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, 12 Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel. God reminds Solomon (and Israel) that His continued DWELLing with them is conditional upon their WALK(ing) IN MY STATUTES AND OBEY(ing) MY RULES, AND KEEP(ing) ALL MY COMMANDMENTS. Their building the house for the Lord and, later, His occupying it, did not guarantee them the continued blessings of His presence with them. The construction took seven years, 1 Kings 6:38. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 7

8 With appropriate pomp and circumstance, Solomon had the Ark moved from its place in the tent near David s palace into the HOLY OF HOLIES. 1 Kings 8:10 11 (ESV) 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. Visibly signifying God s acceptance of the Temple as His dwelling place on the earth, and specifically among the people of Israel. (We certainly recognize that God is spirit, and as such is not confined within in any structure or limited to any particular location. But His representative presence in the Temple confirmed His special relationship with Israel, ref v 8:27) And, with great eloquence, Solomon led the people in dedicating the Temple and renewing their commitment to Him. 1 Kings 8:54 61 (ESV) 54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day. And THEN THE KING, AND ALL ISRAEL WITH HIM, OFFERED SACRIFICE BEFORE THE LORD (v 62) for seven days and The people BLESSED THE KING AND WENT TO THEIR HOMES JOYFUL AND GLAD OF HEART FOR ALL THE GOODNESS THAT THE LORD HAD SHOWN TO DAVID HIS SERVANT AND TO ISRAEL HIS PEOPLE (v 66). God appeared to Solomon again after the building was complete (v 9:1ff), saying Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 8

9 I HAVE CONSECRATED THIS HOUSE THAT YOU HAVE BUILT, BY PUTTING MY NAME THERE FOREVER; MY EYES AND MY HEART WILL BE THERE FOR ALL TIME, and Warning him and Israel once more that the continuance of His blessings toward them was dependent upon their remaining faithful to Him and His word. Application: One point here is that God recognizes their (and our) bent toward sin and unfaithfulness, and He repeatedly warns them of the consequences as would any loving, responsible father. Solomon s Continued Reign After the building and dedication of the Temple, Solomon continued to build his wealth, his reputation, and Israel s stature among the nations. The Queen of Sheba (present day Yemen) heard of Solomon and came to check him out. What she saw took her breath away (v 10:5). She said BLESSED BE THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO HAS DELIGHTED IN YOU AND SET YOU ON THE THRONE OF ISRAEL! BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED ISRAEL FOREVER, HE HAS MADE YOU KING, THAT YOU MAY EXECUTE JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, v 9. With Hiram, Solomon built a powerful and profitable navy that brought in wealth from as far away as modern Spain (TARSHISH). 1 Kings 10:23 25 (ESV) 23 THUS KING SOLOMON EXCELLED ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH IN RICHES AND IN WISDOM. 24 AND THE WHOLE EARTH SOUGHT THE PRESENCE OF SOLOMON TO HEAR HIS WISDOM, WHICH GOD HAD PUT INTO HIS MIND. 25 EVERY ONE OF THEM BROUGHT HIS PRESENT, ARTICLES OF SILVER AND GOLD, GARMENTS, MYRRH, SPICES, HORSES, AND MULES, SO MUCH YEAR BY YEAR. Notice that God s gift of wisdom is designated as the foundation for all this success. God said that Solomon s wisdom would be above all others, and it was. And, of course, all this influence and prosperity was reflected in military might. V 26 refers chariots and horsemen. Today, tourists and archaeologists (including Katie and I, PTL) visit the cities of Gezer, Hazor, and Megiddo, referred to as Solomon s chariot cities. The majesty and wisdom of King Solomon are obvious even still among the ruins. Solomon and Israel were indeed King of the Mountain. But then Solomon s Heart Turned Away from the Lord In spite of repeated specific warnings, and in spite of the written word of the Lord with which Solomon was supposed to be familiar, v 11:9 says that Solomon s heart turned away from the Lord. The text suggests that the nub of Solomon s spiritual problem lay in the MANY FOREIGN WOMEN he brought in from all the nations where he had influence. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 9

10 Although the Law forbade marrying foreign women, he probably rationalized the practice as necessary to establish and maintain profitable relationships with their home countries. And the text says (v 2) simply that he loved them. How many have been led astray by the base desires of mankind? At any rate, Solomon brought them in (some as concubines as well as wives) and allowed them to bring in their home religions, facilitating, even participating in, the worship of their gods. 1 Kings 11:11 13 (ESV) 11 Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen. Conclusions So, after an absolutely phenomenal, God-blessed reign, Solomon disregarded the word of God and fell into sin. And God TORE THE KINGDOM FROM HIM (v ll:ll) by RAISING UP ADVERSARIES (v 11:14, 23) and starting the process by which Israel s United Monarchy would become the Divided Kingdom in the next generation. Application: We must guard against sin in our lives. We cannot compromise with it one whit. Proverbs 4:23 says that we are to "KEEP (OUR HEARTS) WITH ALL VIGILANCE." This cannot be emphasized enough. Sin robs us of joy in the Lord, as David found out (Ps. 51:12a). One of the strategies John Piper lists as we fight for joy in the Lord is to resolve to fight against every known sin in our lives. He points out that all sin stems from the idea that there is something more desirable than God and His ways. That appears to have been true for Solomon. Had women, or more precisely his lust for them, become more attractive to him than God Himself, in spite of how much God had blessed Him? Did he lose his joy in the Lord because of this? Many believe that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as an elderly man. This Book begins with the sad lament, "VANITY OF VANITIES...ALL IS VANITY" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). If Solomon did indeed write Ecclesiastes as his life drew to a close, it seems that he, operating outside of the will of God, had by this time lost all meaning and purpose in his life. It is no wonder, then, that he concludes this Book with this observation: "THE END OF THE MATTER; ALL HAS BEEN HEARD. FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Solomon had seen life from both sides of the fence - living (mostly) in accordance to God's will, and living in opposition to it. The way to Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 10

11 living a life full of purpose and meaning - a life that is not vain - is through obedience to God. But in addition, when we resolve to fight sin in our lives, let us perish the thought that we can fight against it in our own strength. Through prayer, we must beseech the help of God in this fight. This is David and Goliath again. If we go out and fight this battle against sin in our own strength, we will lose, as it is a mismatch from the word "Go." However, we, as Christians have the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is in His strength, and not ours, that we fight to maintain "THE GOOD DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED TO (US)" (2 Timothy 1:14). The Holy Spirit is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). With the help of God, Goliath - in this case, sin in our lives - now becomes the small enemy who cannot stand against the omnipotent God that we serve. As Christians, the fight against sin is a fight worth fighting. There is much at stake. God's will for us is our sanctification, i.e., our growth in holiness (1 Thes. 4:3). We enter this fight knowing that, at least on this side of glory, we will never attain to perfect holiness. Nevertheless, we must press on. Why? "BECAUSE CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE (US) HIS OWN," paying such a dear price to make this so (see Philippians 3:12; 1 Cor. 6:19-20). May God grant us the wisdom to identify the sin in our lives; confess it to Him and receive forgiveness from it; turn from it; fight against it in His strength; seek to please Him through obedience to His commands; and turn to Him as our chief desire above all sinful pleasures, which are but cheap substitutes for the felicity He alone can give. This is the way to avoid a vain, useless life, and to enjoy the abundant life that can only come from a life of deep, intimate communion with our Lord (John 10:10b). With the hymn writers we sing, "Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now;" and, "Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be." Indeed, it was Solomon himself who wrote, "DRAW ME AFTER YOU" (Song of Solomon 1:4). Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 11

12 Attachment A Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 12

13 Attachment B. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 13

14 Attachment C. Lesson #22 Bill McCulloch Page 14