King Solomon Outline

SOLOMON'S ATTITUDE

1 KINGS 3:1-3 (NIV)

A COUPLE HAD BEEN FIGHTING OVER THE PURCHASE OF A NEW CAR FOR WEEKS.

HE WANTED A NEW TRUCK.

SHE WANTED A FAST SPORTS CAR SO SHE COULD ZIP THROUGH TRAFFIC AROUND TOWN.

THE DISCUSSION WAS GETTING VERY HEATED WHEN FINALLY HIS WIFE SAID,

"LOOK, I WANT SOMETHING THAT GOES FROM 0 TO 180 IN FOUR SECONDS OR LESS, AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT!"

" MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP AND YOU BETTER SURPRISE ME,

OR IT'S GONNA GET MIGHTY LONELY FOR YOU AROUND HERE,

IF YOU GET MY DRIFT!"."

WHEN HER BIG DAY CAME, HIS WIFE WENT OUT TO THE GARAGE, BUT THERE WAS NO NEW CAR.

BEING VERY ANGRY, SHE WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE LOOKING FOR HER HUSBAND, BUT HE WASN'T AT HOME.

FRUSTRATED AND UPSET, SHE WENT INTO THE BATHROOM TO GET READY FOR WORK     AND

THERE, SITTING ON THE FLOOR, WRAPPED IN A RED RIBBON,

WAS A BRAND NEW SCALE!

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FUNERAL SERVICES ARE PENDING.

INTRODUCTION:       ATTITUDE      THE SANTA CLAUSE MOVIE

                                                                                    EVLES WITH ATTITUDE

ATTITUDES ARE IMPORTANT.

THERE WAS A FASCINATING STUDY DONE BY PROFESSOR

VICKI MEDVEC IT REVEALS THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE

THAT OUR ATTITUDES HAVE TO DO WITH OUR HAPPYNESS.

PROFESSOR MEDVEC STUDIED OLYMPIC MEDALISTS

AND DISCOVERED THAT

BRONZE MEDALISTS WERE QUANTIFIABLY HAPPIER

THAN SILVER MEDALISTS.

THE REASON IS         THAT:

SILVER MEDALISTS TENDED TO FOCUS ON HOW CLOSE THEY CAME TO WINNING THE GOLD, SO THEY WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH SILVER;

WHERE AS THE BRONZE MEDALISTS TENDED TO FOCUS ON

HOW CLOSE THEY CAME TO NOT WINNING A MEDAL AT ALL,

SO THEY WERE JUST HAPPY TO BE UP THERE ON THE MEDAL STAND.

“ATTITUDE IS A LITTLE THING THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE,”

WINSTON CHURCHILL ONCE SAID.
NOTHING AFFECTS THE CHURCH MORE THAN ATTITUDE.

HE WENT ON TO SAY
IT'S ATTITUDE NOT APTITUDE

THAT DETERMINES ONE’S ALTITUDE IN LIFE.

SOMEONE ELSE SAID, "IT’S HARD TO BE A SMART COOKIE WITH A CRUMMY ATTITUDE."

ANOTHER PERSON SAID,

"A CLOUDY DAY IS NO MATCH FOR A SUNNY DISPOSITION."

OUR ATTITUDES ALWAYS SHOW THROUGH

AND AFFECT OUR  ACTIONS.
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TODAY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THREE OF

KING SOLOMON'S ATTITUDES.

WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT HOW WISE HE WAS,

BUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,

HE HAD SOME ATTITUDES IN HIS HEART

THAT WEREN'T THAT SMART.

THESE ATTITUDES WERE SEEDS THAT AFFECTED THE DECISIONS HE MADE IN HIS LIFE.

LET'S LOOK INTO SOLOMONS HEART AND SEE WHAT ATTITUDES WE CAN FIND.

THEY'RE FOUND IN:

1 KINGS 3:1-15 (NIV)
3     SOLOMON MADE AN ALLIANCE WITH PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT AND MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER.

HE BROUGHT HER TO THE CITY OF DAVID UNTIL HE FINISHED BUILDING HIS PALACE AND THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD, AND THE WALL AROUND JERUSALEM.

2 THE PEOPLE, HOWEVER, WERE STILL SACRIFICING AT THE HIGH PLACES,

BECAUSE A TEMPLE HAD NOT YET BEEN BUILT FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD.

3 SOLOMON SHOWED HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD BY WALKING ACCORDING TO THE STATUTES OF HIS FATHER DAVID,

EXCEPT THAT HE OFFERED SACRIFICES AND BURNED INCENSE ON THE HIGH PLACES.

1.   SOLOMON HAD AN ATTITUDE IN HIS HEART THAT ALLOWED HIM TO MAKE A POLITICAL ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT AND MARRY AN UNBELIEVING WIFE (1 KINGS 3:1).

HIS MARRIAGE TO PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER WAS OBVIOUSLY A POLITICAL MARRIAGE,

IT WAS A MARRIAGE THAT SEALED AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN HIM AND THE PHAROAH OF EGYPT.

WITH THIS ALLIANCE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT, SOLOMON DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EGYPT ATTACKING HIM FROM THE SOUTH.

BUT,          WHAT MAY BE POLITICALLY SAVY,

MAY NOT BE SPIRITUALLY SMART.

WHEN SOLOMON MARRIED  PHAROAH'S DAUGHTER,

HE MARRIED AN UNBELIEVER.

HE BROUGHT AN UNBELIEVER INTO THE PALACE

AS HIS WIFE.        AS HIS QUEEN.

SHE WASN'T JUST AN UNBELIEVER,

SHE WAS A BELIEVER IN THE FALSE GODS OF EGYPT.

WHEN HE BROUGHT HER TO ISRAEL,

HE EXPOSED HIMSELF AND THE WHOLE NATION

TO HER FALSE GODS AND TO HER FALSE RELIGION.

SOLOMON SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL IN PROTECTING HIMSELF AND ISRAEL

FROM OUTSIDE IDOLATROUS BELIEFS.

BUT THIS CARNAL ATTITUDE WAS ALREADY THERE

IN HIS HEART. 

HE WAS WILLING TO RISK HIS SOUL AND HIS NATION TO HAVE PEACE WITH EGYPT.

THIS ALL HAPPENED BEFORE HE EVER ASKED GOD FOR WISDOM.

SOLOMON STARTED OUT PRETTY WELL,

BUT THESE ATTITUDES IN HIS HEART

LED HIM AWAY FROM THE GOD OF HIS FATHERS.

OVER IN 1 KINGS 11:1 WE SEE HOW THIS ATTITUDE OF HIS HEART CONTINUED EVEN AFTER HE RECEIVED GOD'S GIFTS.

1 KINGS 11:1-6 (NIV)
11     KING SOLOMON, HOWEVER, LOVED MANY FOREIGN WOMEN BESIDES PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER—

MOABITES, AMMONITES, EDOMITES, SIDONIANS AND HITTITES.

2 THEY WERE FROM NATIONS ABOUT WHICH THE LORD HAD TOLD THE ISRAELITES,

“YOU MUST NOT INTERMARRY WITH THEM,

BECAUSE THEY WILL SURELY TURN YOUR HEARTS AFTER THEIR GODS.”

NEVERTHELESS, SOLOMON HELD FAST TO THEM IN LOVE.

3 HE HAD SEVEN HUNDRED WIVES OF ROYAL BIRTH

AND THREE HUNDRED CONCUBINES,

AND HIS WIVES LED HIM ASTRAY.

4 AS SOLOMON GREW OLD, HIS WIVES TURNED HIS HEART AFTER OTHER GODS,

AND HIS HEART WAS NOT FULLY DEVOTED TO THE LORD HIS GOD, AS THE HEART OF DAVID HIS FATHER HAD BEEN.

5 HE FOLLOWED ASHTORETH THE GODDESS OF THE SIDONIANS, AND MOLECH THE DETESTABLE GOD OF THE AMMONITES.

6 SO SOLOMON DID EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD; HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE LORD COMPLETELY, AS DAVID HIS FATHER HAD DONE.

SOLOMON NOT ONLY CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR HIMSELF, BUT HE CAUSED THE NATION OF ISRAEL TO BE SPLIT IN TWO.

IN 1 KINGS 11:11-12 (NIV) THE LORD SAYS:
11 SO THE LORD SAID TO SOLOMON, “SINCE THIS IS YOUR ATTITUDE AND YOU HAVE NOT KEPT MY COVENANT

AND MY DECREES, WHICH I COMMANDED YOU,

I WILL MOST CERTAINLY TEAR THE KINGDOM AWAY FROM YOU AND GIVE IT TO ONE OF YOUR SUBORDINATES.

12 NEVERTHELESS, FOR THE SAKE OF DAVID YOUR FATHER,

I WILL NOT DO IT DURING YOUR LIFETIME.

I WILL TEAR IT OUT OF THE HAND OF YOUR SON.

THE THINGS SOLOMON CHOSE TO DO NOT ONLY HURT HIM, BUT IT HURT THE WHOLE NATION.

SOLOMON HAD ANOTHER ATTITUDE IN HIS HEART. 

IT WAS:

2. AN INDUSTRIOUS ATTITUDE.

IT DROVE HIM TO UNDERTAKE MASSIVE,

EXTRAVAGANT, BUILDING PROJECTS (1 KINGS 3:1).

HE WAS INDUSTRIOUS, AND FOR THAT,

HE IS TO BE COMMENDED.

THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT SUGGEST

THAT SOLOMON HAD AN EXTRAVAGANT, INDULGENT, AND UNRESTRAINED ATTITUDE IN HIS HEART:

1.  THE ORNATE, COSTLY STRUCTURE AND FURNISHINGS OF HIS BUILDINGS.

(1 KINGS CHAPTER 7)  TELLS OF THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF HIS BUILDING PROJECTS.

; 9:10-28; 10:14-29)

2.  HE PLACED HEAVY TAXATION ON THE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO COMPLETE HIS PROJECTS

(1 KINGS 10:14)(NIV)
14 THE WEIGHT OF THE GOLD THAT SOLOMON RECEIVED YEARLY WAS 666 TALENTS,

(THAT'S, ABOUT 25 TONS OF GOLD PER YEAR)

DO I DARE TALK ABOUT HOW HIGH TAXES ARE HERE?

NO, I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

AND NUMBER THREE...

3.  THE LABOR POLICIES HE ADOPTED,

WHICH INCLUDED FORCED LABOR, SLAVE LABOR

AND DRAFTED LABOR                       (1 KINGS 9:20-23)

1 KINGS 9:20-21 (NIV)
20 ALL THE PEOPLE LEFT FROM THE AMORITES, HITTITES, PERIZZITES, HIVITES AND JEBUSITES

(THESE PEOPLES WERE NOT ISRAELITES),

21 THAT IS, THEIR DESCENDANTS REMAINING IN THE LAND, WHOM THE ISRAELITES COULD NOT EXTERMINATE—

THESE SOLOMON CONSCRIPTED FOR HIS SLAVE LABOR FORCE,

THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF SOLOMON WAS ACTUALLY A SEED OF CARNALITY,            IN HIS HEART,

IT LED TO A LIFE OF LUXURY, PLEASURE, COMPROMISE, AND THEN, TO DISOBEDIENCE (1 KINGS 9:10-28; 11:1-43).

THE STORY IS TOLD ABOUT A CHURCH THAT ALWAYS HAD TO USE A NEIGHBORING CHURCH'S BAPTISTERY WHENEVER THEY WANTED TOBAPTIZE SOMEONE.

SO WHEN THEY PUT ON AN ADDITION TO THEIR CHURCH THEY MADE SURE THEY INCLUDED A BAPTISTRY.

A YOUNG GIRL WHO HAD JUST BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NEW BAPTISTRY WAS RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT OF A CAR WITH HER FRIEND,

AS THEY WENT PAST A POND.

HER FRIEND PROUDLY SPOKE UP AND SAID, "I WAS BAPTIZED IN THAT POND."

THE FIRST YOUNG GIRL REPLIED WITH NO LESS PRIDE:

"OH, I WAS BAPTIZED IN A JACUZZI AT OUR CHURCH."

A YOUNG MAN TELLS THE STORY OF A FRIEND OF HIS THAT HAD JUST COME FROM NORTHERN INDIA,

HIS FRIEND'S NAME WAS ASHISH AND HE CAME FROM NORTHERN INDIA TO VISIT HIM IN CHICAGO.

THEY WERE EATING AT GINO'S PIZZERIA ONE DAY

AND RAN INTO A YOUTH PASTOR,

ALONG WITH HIS YOUTH GROUP.

THEY HAD JUST RETURNED FROM CENTRAL AMERICA.

"SO WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR TRIP?"

ASHISH ASKED.

STUDENT AFTER STUDENT OBSESSED ABOUT THE POVERTY OF "THOSE POOR PEOPLE."

AFTER THEY LEFT, ASHISH SAID,

"WHY DO THEY THINK WE'RE SO POOR?"

ASHISH'S FREND SAID;

"ASHISH, YOU ARE POOR COMPARED TO ANY OF THOSE KIDS.

IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO GET THEIR MINDS OFF THEIR CONSUMERIST PASSIONS.

ASHISH REPLIED;

"I'M SICK OF SYMPATHY FROM WESTERNERS WHO THINK WE NEED MORE STUFF,"

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH OUR HAPPINESS?

PLEASE DON'T HELP IMPORT THE CONSUMERISM IDOL TO INDIA."

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THE IDEA HERE IS THAT:

STUFF DON'T MAKE YOU HAPPY.

IT'S AN ATTITUDE THING.

THE THIRD ATTITUDE THAT WE FIND IN SOLOMON'S HEART IS THAT

3.  SOLOMON HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT WAS DIVIDED SPIRITUALLY (1 KINGS 3:2-3).

HE ALLOWED THE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE WORSHIPPING AT THE HIGH PLACES THROUGHOUT ISRAEL.

EVEN THOUGH GOD HAD FORBIDDEN THE ISRAELITES TO USE THOSE PAGAN ALTARS AND HIGH PLACES FOR THE WORSHIP OF THE LORD

(NUMBERS 33:52; DEUT. 7:5; 12:2-6, 13).

THE REASON GOD SAID NOT TO DO THIS,

WAS TO PREVENT THE INFILTRATION OF

FALSE WORSHIP INTO ISRAEL.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DESTROY THE HIGH PLACES AND NEVER PARTICIPATE IN THE WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS THERE.

THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO TAKE OVER THE PAGAN ALTARS

THEY WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BUILD WORSHIP CENTERS AT THE PLACES THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN.

BUT SOLOMON FAILD IN THIS AREA:

HE WORSHIPPED THE LORD AT THE HIGH PLACES,

NOT IN THE TENT OR WORSHIP CENTER WHERE THE ARK OF GOD WAS.

THE SEED, OR ATTITUDE,

OF WORLDLY, CARNAL WORSHIP

HAD BEEN PLANTED IN SOLOMONS HEART.

THOUGHT 1. THE LESSON FOR US IS:

WE MUST GUARD AGAINST THE SEEDS OF A WORLDLY, CARNAL LIFE.

WHEN THE URGES OF OUR FLESH ARE AROUSED,

WE MUST RESTRAIN THEM

AND PUT THEM UNDER SUBJECTION.

WE MUST KEEP OUR BODIES UNDER CONTROL.

IF WE FAIL TO DISCIPLINE OUR BODIES,

THE URGES OF OUR FLESH WILL RUN WILD, URGES LIKE...

EATING A THIRD OR FOURTH HELPING.

COMMITTING IMMORALITY.

READING PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE.

LOOKING WHEN WE SHOULD CONTROL OUR EYES.

STEALING OR SHOPLIFTING.

DECEIVING OR LYING.

BECOMING ANGRY OR HOLTILE.

SEEKING REVENGE OR RETALIATION.

ASSALTING OR MURDERING.

MISUSING OR ABUSING.

SUBJECTING OR ENSLAVING.

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PERSONALS WEBSITE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS?

LOG ON AND YOU HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WILLING TO KICK THEIR VOWS TO THE CURB FOR A NO-STRINGS-ATTACHED SEXUAL TRYST.

AND SHOULD YOU WANT TO USE THE SITE TO HAVE AN AFFAIR,

THE DESIGNERS BEHIND THE SITE HAVE WORKED HARD SO THAT NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW ABOUT YOUR SIN.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY JUST RELEASED CELL PHONE VERSIONS SO YOU WON'T LEAVE A TRAIL OF VIRTUAL EVIDENCE BEHIND ON YOUR HOME OR WORK COMPUTERS.

SO FAR THE SITE HAS BEEN A THROUGH-THE-ROOF SUCCESS.

IN JUNE OF 2009—AFTER JUST ONE MONTH—679,000 MEN

AND WOMEN USED THE SITE TO HAVE AN AFFAIR,

AND SINCE 2008, SITE MEMBERSHIP HAS DOUBLED TO 4 MILLION PEOPLE.

IT SEES ITS LARGEST TRAFFIC JUST AFTER FATHER'S DAY

(WHEN MEN FEEL MOST UNAPPRECIATED)

AND VALENTINE'S DAY

(WHEN WOMEN FEEL MOST UNAPPRECIATED).

ACCORDING TO THE PERSONAL PROFILES OF THOSE WHO USE THE SITE,

92 PERCENT OF THE MALES

AND 60 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES ARE, IN FACT, MARRIED.

THE CEO OF THE SITE, NOEL BIDERMAN, SHRUGS OFF ANY CRITICISM,

SAYING, "WE'RE JUST A PLATFORM.

NO WEBSITE OR 30-SECOND AD IS GOING TO CONVINCE ANYONE TO CHEAT.

PEOPLE CHEAT BECAUSE THEIR LIVES AREN'T WORKING FOR THEM."

HE WENT ON TO INSIST "HUMANS AREN'T MEANT TO BE MONOGAMOUS."

BUT WHEN ASKED HOW HE WOULD RESPOND IF HIS OWN WIFE WERE TO USE THE SITE? "

HE SAID,   I WOULD BE DEVASTATED."

THE LUST AND AROUSAL OF THE FLESH WILL LEAD TO A CARNAL LIFE.

THIS IS WHY WE MUST CONTROL

AND DISCIPLINE OURSELVES.

WE'VE GOT TO GUARD OURSELVES AGAINST CARNALITY.

A FLESHLY, WORLDLY LIFE IS NOT WHAT GOD WANTS US TO LIVE.

THIS IS WHAT GOD'S WORD TEACHES.

CAN YOU SEE JESUS DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF?

NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THIS KIND OF LIFE ARE LIKE THE SEEDS THAT FELL AMONG THE THORNS IN JESUS' PARABLE ABOUT THE FOUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOIL.

IT'S FOUND IN  LUKE 8:14 (NIV)
14 THE SEED THAT FELL AMONG THORNS STANDS FOR THOSE WHO HEAR, BUT AS THEY GO ON THEIR WAY THEY ARE CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES, RICHES AND PLEASURES, AND THEY DO NOT MATURE.

CONCLUSION:

SOLOMON WAS AN AMAZING MAN.

HE DID A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS IN HIS LIFE

BUT HE MESSED UP IN THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA

OF LIFE.

THE AREA OF SERVING ONLY GOD.

SOLOMON STARTED OUT WITH A NATURAL TENDENCY TOWARD THESE THREE FAILINGS.

HE HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT SAID

IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE POLITICAL PEACE WITH THE WORLD THAN TO SERVE GOD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART.

HE HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT SAID

I WANT THE BEST MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS I CAN GET.

HE HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT SAID

I DON'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT GOD TO GET RID OF THE HIGH PLACES WHERE FALSE WORSHIP WAS TAKING PLACE.

AND WHEN HE HAD AQUIRED THE WEALTH AND POWER TO INDULGE IN THEM,          HE DID.

DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE DONE BETTER?

SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE DONE EVEN HALF AS WELL AS SOLOMON DID.

JUST THINK ABOUT THE PARANOIA OF BEING KING

AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WOULD ASSASSINATE YOU

IN ORDER TO GET YOUR THRONE.

JUST THINK ABOUT ALL THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO MANAGE ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING THE KING.

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EVERYONE OF US HAS INNER WEAKNESSES AND AREAS WHERE WE STRUGGLE.

WE ALL NEED TO BOW BEFORE GOD AND ASK HIM TO GIVE US HIS STRENGTH

AND ABILITY TO LIVE ABOVE THE WEAK LIFE

WE'RE CAPABLE OF LIVING.

THAT'S WHY WE MUST PUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE

AND EVERYTHING WE ARE,

ON THE ALTAR AND LET GOD HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL

OF US.