Solomon # 4

Recap

Week 1:

David’s final charge to Solomon

Solomon’s 1,000 burnt offerings in Gibeon

Week 2:

“What shall I give thee?”

What would your response be if God asked this to you?

Don’t limit how God can use you.

Week 3:

Solomon’s response

A witnessed faith (he spoke of the great mercy God showed David)

A humble heart (I am just a little child and can’t lead this great nation)

A wise request (an understanding heart to judge thy people.”

“The speech pleased the Lord”

A changed mind (because thou hast asked this thing…”

This week: The Reign & Perspective of Solomon

1. The source of his reign

1 Kings 2:12 KJV 1900

12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

1 Chronicles 29:25 KJV 1900

25 And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

2 Chronicles 1:1 KJV 1900

1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

His kingdom was established greatly

The LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly

Solomon was strengthened in his kingdom

The Lord was with him and magnified him exceedingly

2. The extent of his reign

1 Kings 4:21 KJV 1900

21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

1 Kings 4:24 KJV 1900

24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

David’s kingdom was greater than Saul’s and now Solomon’s kingdom is greater than David and Saul’s

3. The nature of his reign

1 Kings 4:20 KJV 1900

20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

1 Kings 10:23 KJV 1900

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

What Solomon possessed:

1 Kings 10:10–11 KJV 1900

10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

Gold

1 Kings 10:22 KJV 1900

22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

Silver

precious stones of all kind

Rare spices

Ivory

Finest clothes and armor

Linen

Abundant and exotic foods

Apes

Peacocks

1 Kings 4:26 KJV 1900

26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Horses

Mules

4. The fame of his reign

1 Kings 10:1–7 KJV 1900

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

I Kings 4 “…and his fame was in all nations round about.”

Solomon had everything a person on earth could want…

Turning gears into the perspective of Solomon…

Ecclesiastes 1:2–4 KJV 1900

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

a.) Old people die, young people are born…

b.) The sun rises and sets every day

Ecclesiastes 1:5 KJV 1900

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

c.) The wind continues to blow

Ecclesiastes 1:6 KJV 1900

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

d.) Man is never satisfied

Ecclesiastes 1:9 KJV 1900

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

e.) There is nothing new

Ecclesiastes 1:10 KJV 1900

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

f.) We will repeat our mistakes

Ecclesiastes 1:11 KJV 1900

11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

g.) We won’t even be remembered

What is Solomon saying?

Living life under the sun never satisfies me…

This bothered Solomon so badly…

He gave himself to wisdom instead, but that didn’t work either…

Ecclesiastes 1:18 KJV 1900

18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

He tried everything:

Ecclesiastes 2:4–12 KJV 1900

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Enjoy what God has given you:

Ecclesiastes 5:18–20 KJV 1900

18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Solomon concludes the issue with this:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV 1900

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.