When Overwhelmed by Responsibilities ~ 1 Kings 3:1-15
Monday September 01, 2008
Biblical truth
God delights in giving His people the wisdom they
need to manage the responsibilities He assigns them.
Turn
to the Lord ~
1 Kings 3:1-4
v.1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of
Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter.
Solomon
brought her to the city of David until he finished
building his palace, the Lord’s temple, and the wall
surrounding Jerusalem. v.2 However, the people were
sacrificing on the high places, because until that
time a temple for the Lord’s name had not been built.
V.3 Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes
of his father David, but he also sacrificed and
burned incense on the high places. v.4 The king went
to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most
famous high place. He offered 1,000 burnt offerings
on that altar.
Focus on What’s Important (3:5-9)
v.5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, God said, “Ask, What should I give you?” v.6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. v.7 “Lord my God, You have now made Your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. v.8 Your servant is among Your people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. v.9 So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
Walk in God’s Ways (3:10-15)
v.10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. v.11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to understand justice, v.12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. v.13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no man in any kingdom will be your equal during your entire life. v.14 If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.” v.15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.
v. 1-4 Solomon, was David’s son by Bathsheba. Shortly before his death, David instructed Solomon to obey the Lord. However, while Solomon genuinely loved the Lord, his early decisions tended to compromise with the world system. One example of his compromise was to make alliance with a pagan king, Pharaoh king of Egypt. Solomon married the Pharaoh’s daughter, but he didn’t stop with one marriage. Over the course of his lifetime, Solomon accumulated 700 wives and 300 concubines! His personal passions resulted in destructive pressure to honor false gods as a result. While marriages were often used to solidify political treaties, Solomon was supposed to be walking in the ways of God, not the world.
Since a temple had not yet been constructed in Jerusalem, many people worshiped by sacrificing on high places. The high places were the locations of pagan religious practices before and after the arrival of the Israelites in the promised land. When the Israelites came into Canaan long before the time of Solomon, God commanded them to destroy the high places of worship the Canaanites used lest the Israelites be tempted to worship the Canaanite gods.
Faced with his weighty responsibility as King of Israel, Solomon turned to the Lord. He traveled to Gibeon to offer burnt offerings. Gibeon was the most famous of all high places, and Solomon’s hugh sacrifice there of 1,000 burnt offerings indicates he felt great need of God’s help. Already the weight of responsibilities was heavy, but that weight drove him to God for help.
Our first step in managing responsibilities as well is to turn to the Lord for help!
v.5-9 God responded to Solomon’s worship with an expansive offer. God said, “Ask, What should I give you?” Solomon’s responded with an affirmation of God’s character. He acknowledged that God had shown great and faithful love to his father David. David’s blessings were connected with his walking with the Lord in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. Solomon knew that his own existence was due to God’s faithful love for David and that his reign as king in the place of his father was a part of God’s purpose.
Solomon also spoke of his youth and lack of experience. He didn’t approach God with pride. Instead, he realized the daunting task of managing people that not only were too numerous to be numbered but who also were the uniquely chosen people of God.
Humbly acknowledging our neediness can help us focus on what is really important in life.
Solomon asked God for an obedient heart! He understood that the key to wisdom was obedience. He also knew that true obedience was not a result of keen intellect but of a loving heart.
Solomon demonstrated in his prayer the important principle that a life pleasing to God must be lived from the inside out. He knew no amount of money or victory over enemies or worldly power made any eternal difference. He knew the qualities most necessary for managing weighty responsibilities were spiritual in nature.
v. 10-15 Solomon’s selfless prayer pleased the Lord. The Lord noted that Solomon had not asked selfishly for long life or riches or even the death of his enemies. God responded by giving Solomon a wise and understanding heart that would be unparalleled to anyone before or after him. The Lord went beyond Solomon’s request and granted him what he had not requested. He would have both riches and honor in such large portions that there would be no man in any kingdom who would be his equal during his lifetime.
God’s blessings were somewhat conditional. If Solomon wanted to enjoy God’s fullest blessing, he would walk according to the Lord’s ways and keep God’s statutes and commandments in the same manner as his father David.
God loves us enough not to give us unlimited blessings without expecting loving obedience on our part.
Solomon then woke from his dream and publicly marked his determination to keep the covenant God made with him. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant. There, in the place associated with the unique presence of God, Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. Burnt offerings reflected total commitment to the Lord, often combined with personal sin. Fellowship or peace offerings represented the restored covenant relationship between the worshiper and the Lord.
Solomon acknowledged his sin and committed himself to walk with God in obedience and faithfulness.
Focus on What’s Important (3:5-9)
v.5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, God said, “Ask, What should I give you?” v.6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. v.7 “Lord my God, You have now made Your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. v.8 Your servant is among Your people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. v.9 So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
Walk in God’s Ways (3:10-15)
v.10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. v.11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to understand justice, v.12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. v.13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no man in any kingdom will be your equal during your entire life. v.14 If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.” v.15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.
v. 1-4 Solomon, was David’s son by Bathsheba. Shortly before his death, David instructed Solomon to obey the Lord. However, while Solomon genuinely loved the Lord, his early decisions tended to compromise with the world system. One example of his compromise was to make alliance with a pagan king, Pharaoh king of Egypt. Solomon married the Pharaoh’s daughter, but he didn’t stop with one marriage. Over the course of his lifetime, Solomon accumulated 700 wives and 300 concubines! His personal passions resulted in destructive pressure to honor false gods as a result. While marriages were often used to solidify political treaties, Solomon was supposed to be walking in the ways of God, not the world.
Since a temple had not yet been constructed in Jerusalem, many people worshiped by sacrificing on high places. The high places were the locations of pagan religious practices before and after the arrival of the Israelites in the promised land. When the Israelites came into Canaan long before the time of Solomon, God commanded them to destroy the high places of worship the Canaanites used lest the Israelites be tempted to worship the Canaanite gods.
Faced with his weighty responsibility as King of Israel, Solomon turned to the Lord. He traveled to Gibeon to offer burnt offerings. Gibeon was the most famous of all high places, and Solomon’s hugh sacrifice there of 1,000 burnt offerings indicates he felt great need of God’s help. Already the weight of responsibilities was heavy, but that weight drove him to God for help.
Our first step in managing responsibilities as well is to turn to the Lord for help!
v.5-9 God responded to Solomon’s worship with an expansive offer. God said, “Ask, What should I give you?” Solomon’s responded with an affirmation of God’s character. He acknowledged that God had shown great and faithful love to his father David. David’s blessings were connected with his walking with the Lord in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. Solomon knew that his own existence was due to God’s faithful love for David and that his reign as king in the place of his father was a part of God’s purpose.
Solomon also spoke of his youth and lack of experience. He didn’t approach God with pride. Instead, he realized the daunting task of managing people that not only were too numerous to be numbered but who also were the uniquely chosen people of God.
Humbly acknowledging our neediness can help us focus on what is really important in life.
Solomon asked God for an obedient heart! He understood that the key to wisdom was obedience. He also knew that true obedience was not a result of keen intellect but of a loving heart.
Solomon demonstrated in his prayer the important principle that a life pleasing to God must be lived from the inside out. He knew no amount of money or victory over enemies or worldly power made any eternal difference. He knew the qualities most necessary for managing weighty responsibilities were spiritual in nature.
v. 10-15 Solomon’s selfless prayer pleased the Lord. The Lord noted that Solomon had not asked selfishly for long life or riches or even the death of his enemies. God responded by giving Solomon a wise and understanding heart that would be unparalleled to anyone before or after him. The Lord went beyond Solomon’s request and granted him what he had not requested. He would have both riches and honor in such large portions that there would be no man in any kingdom who would be his equal during his lifetime.
God’s blessings were somewhat conditional. If Solomon wanted to enjoy God’s fullest blessing, he would walk according to the Lord’s ways and keep God’s statutes and commandments in the same manner as his father David.
God loves us enough not to give us unlimited blessings without expecting loving obedience on our part.
Solomon then woke from his dream and publicly marked his determination to keep the covenant God made with him. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant. There, in the place associated with the unique presence of God, Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. Burnt offerings reflected total commitment to the Lord, often combined with personal sin. Fellowship or peace offerings represented the restored covenant relationship between the worshiper and the Lord.
Solomon acknowledged his sin and committed himself to walk with God in obedience and faithfulness.
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