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WELCOME: Elder Higgins Reflections Group Thursdays @ 7:30 pm
ICEBREAKER:
Reflections Church Service
May 29th, 2022
“What Makes God So Incredible?”
Psalms 8
Question: What is the most incredible thing about God you’ve realized since coming into a relationship with Him?
Question: Who was Solomon in the Bible?
Solomon was the third and last king of the united kingdom of Israel, following King Saul and King David. He was the son of David and Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite whom David had killed to hide his adultery with Bathsheba while her husband was on the battle front. Solomon wrote the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and much of the book of Proverbs.
1 Kings 2:1-3
1 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,
Question: What do you like best about David’s opening remarks? Why? Who has giving you helpful advice at key moments in your life?
1 Kings 2:5-9
5 “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”
Question: Do you find these instructions to be wise, vindictive, or somewhere in between? Explain.
1 Kings 3:1-4
1 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 instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
A CLOSER LOOK:
v.1 “marriage alliance with Pharaoh”
Deuteronomy warns against a “return to Egypt” (Deut. 17:16) in terms of too close relations with that nation. (Deut. 7:3) Commands not to marry foreigners is explicitly tied to a warning that such marriages will lead the people to serve other gods. (Deut. 7:4). This becomes all too real for Solomon even though he “loved the Lord” (1 Kings 3:3), he is a king with a divided heart, failing to keep the Law of Moses wholeheartedly as David his father had instructed. (1 Kings 2:1-4).
v.2 "high places”
Upon entering Canaan, the Israelites often followed the Canaanite custom of locating their altars on high hills, probably on the Baal sites. It is clear that they were forbidden to take over pagan altars and high places and use them the worship the Lord (Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3). It seems these conditions were not followed, and the pagan places were being used for the worship of the Lord. This would eventually lead to religious apostasy, and syncretism. Think [COEXIST]
v.3 “except” (NIV)
Solomon’s one major fault early in his reign was inconsistency in meeting the Mosaic requirements concerning places of legitimate worship.
Question: If you had the opportunity that King Solomon had to ask God for anything, what would it be?
1 Kings 3:5-9
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 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?”
Solomon’s response showed that, he was already wise beyond his years. (He was about 20 yo. when he became king) He realized his inadequacies with no experience in leadership, yet now made ruler over numerous people (3:7-8). He needed a receptive heart to judge and lead them well (3:9). The first step toward becoming a kingdom citizen is to realize your desperate need for God. He also rewards you when you ask for what will not only benefit you, but others as well.
1 Kings 3:10-15
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.” 15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
God was so pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom, rather than long life or riches, that he granted the request, and added to it what Solomon did not ask for: riches… honor … and long life (3:10-14).
But, for these promised blessings to be a reality, Solomon would have to walk in the Lord’s ways and keep his statutes and commands (3:14). God’s promises were sure, but they had to be accessed by obedience. Solomon responded to the encounter offerings, worship and feasting (3:15).
1 Kings 4:29-34
29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. 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.
As a result of God’s blessing, Solomon was what we would consider a Renaissance man. There was not area in which he did not have unsurpassed wisdom (4:29). He was an author, a composer, a botanist, and even a zoologist (4:32-33).
The fact that his wisdom far surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt (4:30) was significant because these regions were fabled for their wisdom. The surrounding nations came to know and revere the king of Israel (4:31). Every king on earth sent emissaries to listen to Solomon’s wisdom (4:34). the kingdom of God was blessing the kingdoms of the world.
1 Kings 10:1-9
1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. 6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 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.”
One last point: A consideration of Solomon’s ancestry in instructive.
He was the son of David by Bathsheba, a Hamitic woman of African descent. We know of her lineage because her name Bathsheba literally means “daughter of Sheba” in the line of Ham, making Sheba a man from an African nation (Gen. 10:7). Solomon’s mother (as well as his an Rahab and Ruth) gave him further roots within the black community., They place him as an example of black achievement as well as black history in biblical culture.
Proverbs 31:1-9
1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: 2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, 5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; 7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. 8 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
We don’t know much about King Lemuel, other than what is revealed in Proverbs 31. The name Lemuel means “for God” or “devoted to God.” Based on the one passage attributed to Lemuel, we know that Lemuel was a king, he had a wise mother, and he wrote some poetry. Many commentators have surmised that Lemuel is actually King Solomon—in which case the mother would be Bathsheba. It could be that Lemuel was a pet name for Solomon, used by his mother in tender address, and that Solomon wrote down her advice in the manner she would have expressed it.
The counsel from King Lemuel’s mother is good advice for any leader. A kingdom man does not spend all his energy playing the field (31:3). Instead finds a godly woman, marries and cherishes her. He also does not waste all his time on drinking, and I would add other self indulgent activities, so that his head is fogged and forgets to do justice (31:4-5). Rather, he speaks up for those who have no voice (31:8) and defends the cause of the oppressed (31:9). A kingdom man goes into battle as God’s soldier to serve others.
Question: What are your thoughts on Proverbs 31:10-31?
Proverbs 31:10-31
10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. 25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
v. 10: This final passage’s opening question is a tribute to a capable wife, a woman of excellence in her being and character. An excellent woman is one who knows how to grab heaven and apply it to earth so life becomes better for everyone under her influence.
v. 11-12: This woman is wise in her ways as well as her words. Therefore her husband trusts in her, and is blessed by her. A woman of noble character who loves God is to be sought after and cherished.
v. 13-27: Notice that this woman prioritizes her family. God has given woman the unique responsibility of watching over the activities of her household (31:27). The word household shows up three times in this section (31:15, 21, 27), indicating the attention a woman of real excellence gives to her family and its needs. In all her endeavors, she’s making sure the home is run effectively and efficiently. She also has a ministry (31:20). In other words, she’s not talking on the phone or engaging on social media all day. She’s not gossiping. She’s too busy making money, making a difference, and investing in others. When she does speak, she “speaks wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue” (31:26).
v. 28-29: What is her reward? Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her. They rightly value her and make a big deal of her. They know she’s worth more than her weight in gold.
v. 30: Time has a way of erasing beauty. The years and decades guarantee that for us all. Ideally, a woman’s internal class and her divine fear of God will shine, and those are beauty indicators that time can’t erase.
The secret to this woman’s modus operandi is found in her fear of the Lord. The reason she is wise, the reason she could prioritize her family, the reason she has everything in order is because she took God seriously. She had a divine worldview. The marketplace didn’t control her; her friends didn’t control her; social media didn’t control her. God controlled her, and so her decisions were divinely authored.
v. 31: The writer concludes, give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her. The reason we forget to praise women of excellence in our lives is because we take them for granted. But offering praise is like watering a flower, thus allowing its buds to open up. So let’s praise the godly women in our lives and watch them blossom. This is God’s design, so let’s be wise and live accordingly.