1 Kings

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‘And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?”’ (1 Kings 1:6 NKJV).

June 6, 2017

When King David was old, his son Adonijah decided to make himself king. He followed the tactic of his rebellious older brother, Absalom, and started riding around Jerusalem in a chariot with fifty men running before him. As before, David was passive and did nothing to stop his son’s behavior.

Fortunately, Nathan the prophet worked to remind David of his promise to make Solomon king after him. Following a carefully worked out strategy, Nathan and Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, went to David and helped move him to action.

Great leaders and warriors don’t necessarily make great fathers. And they rarely do a good job at preparing their organizations for a smooth and successful succession. Yet, God gave David excellent counselors, such as Nathan, who helped make the transition from David to Solomon the most successful succession in all of Israel’s history.

Starting well is good, but finishing well is even better.

“Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there” (1 Kings 19:3 ESV)

June 18, 2016

Elijah, in the power of the Spirit, called fire down from heaven and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal. He called on God to break a 3-year drought and the rains came pouring down. He pulled up his robe and outran King Ahab’s chariot in sandaled feet. But then, Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, threatened him and he lost heart. He was struck with fear and ran into the wilderness alone and asked God to take his life. He was exhausted, depressed and isolated. He literally went from a mountain top experience to the deepest valley in a day. But God sent an angel to care for him. We must take care after a great success or spiritual experience. Ironically, we are often most vulnerable after a “mountain top” win. And Satan often sends a “Jezebel” to attack us right as we come down from the heights and enter the valley.

‘And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”’ (1 Kings 18:21 ESV)

June 17, 2016

The prophet Elijah challenged the people of Israel to stop “limping,” or wavering back and forth between “two different opinions.” He called them to choose who they would follow. As Joshua before him had challenged, “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Then, Elijah proceeded to challenge the 450 prophets of Baal, to prove whose god was truly God. Regardless of modern thinking, not every religious “opinion” is equal. Some are true and some are false. And Elijah’s God proved Himself true. Are you still “limping” along thinking all paths to God are equal, that all “opinions” are true? How long will you continue wavering with such fallacious thinking? There is only one God, and one way revealed to us to follow Him and that is Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Choose this day whom you will follow.

“So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day” (1 Kings 12:19 ESV)

June 13, 2016

The ten tribes of Israel rebelled against the House of David and rejected his grandson, Rehoboam as king. The author of this book commented that Israel was still in a state of rebellion during the time of his writing. He spoke of a political reality. Yet, his observation was Spirit inspired and had a spiritual fulfillment. For centuries later when it came time for the long awaited Messiah from the House of David to appear, Israel rejected him too. Those, whether Jew or Gentile, who have rejected Jesus as King are in rebellion to this day.

‘Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness”‘ (1 Kings 8:12 ESV)

June 11, 2016

When the priests placed the Ark in the newly completed Temple, it was filled with a cloud so dense that they could not remain inside. King Solomon recognized the cloud as the glory of the Lord and reminded his people that God had promised to dwell with them in such a way. For the Lord had told Moses, “…I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat” (Lev.16:2). Just as the Lord’s glory inhabited the Tabernacle in the wilderness, so He showed forth His glory in Solomon’s Temple, representing His approval. It must have been quite a sight. The rejoicing crowd that joyfully watched the priests enter the Temple with the Ark, now stood dumbstruck with awe as those same priests came scurrying out with fearful faces. The previously cacophonous crowd fell silent as a dark cloud rolled out of the Temple doors behind the retreating priests. And then, in the sudden silence, Solomon’s trembling voice was heard, “The Lord said he would dwell in thick darkness.”

“And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Kings 6:7 NKJV)

June 9, 2015

That every massive stone used in the building of Solomon’s temple was “finished at the quarry” was an astounding feat. For a worksite of such magnitude to be absent any hammering or chiseling would be just as amazing today as it was then. Both the designer and the builder had to be exacting in their precision and skill in order to accomplish this. Some stones weighed as much as 100 tons, yet they were perfectly honed and fitted together. The temple site may have been quiet, but there must have been much noise at the quarry as each stone was hammered and chiseled out, shaping it perfectly for God’s house. The apostle Peter tells us that God is building a new house and we are like “living stones being built into his spiritual temple” (1 Peter 2:5). God is both the Architect and the Builder of this spiritual temple (Heb. 11:10). Sometimes He is noisily chiseling away on us in the quarry and at other times He is quietly putting us into place. Yet, it is God who builds His house and we who are being perfectly fitted for it.

“And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Kings 4:34 NKJV)

June 8, 2015

The God-given wisdom of Solomon attracted the nations to Jerusalem to hear him. He was considered the wisest man on earth. But Solomon ultimately succumbed to a lust for riches, sex, and power. Yet, in his early years, he was a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Son of David, Son of God, who is the Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor.1:24). We catch a glimpse of God’s purposes in the early days of Solomon’s reign, but the fulfillment is in Christ. One day, all the nations will recognize Him as King of kings and Lord of lords, as the very wisdom of God displayed.

“Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him” (1 Kings 19:5)

June 18, 2012

Today’s OYB reading was full of angels. Elijah was fed and encouraged by an angel and an angel broke Peter out of prison (Acts 12). Angels seem to show up at key moments in the Bible, especially when one of God’s servants needs an intervention. I wonder what God’s angels are busy doing today?

“O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant” (1 Kings 18:36)

June 17, 2012

Elijah prayed to the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Perhaps he referred to God in this way to remind his people to turn back to the God of their fathers too. God answered Elijah’s prayer and sent fire from heaven. May God send fresh fire for this generation of fathers today.

“Then the word of the LORD came to him” (1 Kings 17:8)

June 16, 2011

After the brook dried up, Elijah heard from God. I wonder how long he sat there without water before God spoke?