Sermon Tone Analysis

Leader Guide ESV, Unit 12, Session 1

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Edited by Rev. Lex DeLong, M.A., Sept 2022.

Up to the time of Solomon, no ANE empire had greater influence over the land of Canaan than did Egypt.

Nevertheless, for the period during the reign of Saul and David (c.a.

1050-970 B.C.), preceding Solomon’s reign, Egypt was weaker than it had been in times past.

Egyptian historians call this time period the Twenty-First Dynasty (ca.

1069-945 B.C.), which is part of the Third Intermediate Period (1069-656 B.C.).

It was marked by chaos, disunity, confusion, and a decentralized government.

It was divided and was ruled by two independent dynasties, one in Upper Egypt to the south (ruled by powerful military leaders and high priests) and one in Lower Egypt to the North (ruled by nobility).

The end of that Twenty-First dynasty came after Solomon’s marriage, but during Solomon’s later reign.

It came at the hand of Shishak (1 Kings 11:40; 14:25; 2 Chron.

12:2-9).

Shishak was responsible for consolidating the two dynasties into one.

He regrew their wealth and strength, and began to see Solomon as an obstacle and rival to his ambitions to restore Egypt’s prominence.

Regarding other nations, God blessed Solomon not only by making him both militarily and economically strong, but also by making Israel’s enemies and potential enemies weak.

Those who were on friendly terms with Solomon were blessed themselves.

Such a situation is reminiscent of God’s promise to Abraham to bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him (Gen.

12:1-3).

God worked both in the smallest details to bless Israel and on the grander scale of the entire ANE in order to fulfill His Promises to His people.

Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 3:1) prior to the unifying of the two Egyptian Dynasties and their return to power.

Most scholars believe that Pharaoh, father-in-law to Solomon, was Siamun (978-959 B.C.), from the Northern Dynasty, nearing the end of the Twenty-First Egyptian Dynasty (about 12 or so years before the end) and Egypt's consolidation back into one, more powerful and prominent Dynasty.

Summary and Goal

In this session we meet Solomon, the third and final king of Israel’s golden age as a united kingdom.

In 2 Samuel 7:11-13, God promised to establish an eternal kingdom through King David and his descendants.

The life of Solomon shows God making good on that promise.

We will see that Solomon began his reign with the humble acknowledgment that he didn’t know how to do what he had been called on to do.

So he asked God for wisdom.

God is all-knowing; He is the source of all wisdom.

The pattern for obedience we learn from Solomon is simple yet profound:

We ask for wisdom...

++God provides wisdom...

++Then...

++We exercise that wisdom.

When we make decisions according to God’s wisdom, the world stands in awe.

Session Outline

++The Request for Wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9, ASK)

++The Gift of Wisdom (1 Kings 3:10-15, TRUST GOD WANTS TO AND WILL GIVE YOU WISDOM)

++The Exercise of Wisdom (1 Kings 3:23-28, TRUST AND USE THE WISDOM GOD GIVES YOU)

Session in a Sentence

God gives His people wisdom from above, but His people need to use that wisdom with a heart focused on the Lord.

Christ Connection

Solomon reigned with great wisdom and insight, yet he was still an imperfect king who needed God’s forgiveness.

Solomon foreshadows the coming of a greater king—Jesus, in whom are hidden

“all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col.

2:3).

Missional Application

Because we have received God’s perfect wisdom in Christ Jesus, we depend on His wisdom from above to live as a testimony to our all-wise God.

Ask: