1 Kings 12: The Nation Splits Apart

Chapter 12 of 1 Kings marks a decisive turning point in the nation of Israel. For 120 years Saul, David and Solomon had consolidated power, expanded borders and built a strong government. But immediately after Solomon's death everything began to unravel. Simmering hostility in the north boiled over at last, and the northern tribes seceded to form their own nation.

Ten tribes joined under Jeroboam to form a nation in the north called Israel. Only two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, remained loyal to Solomon's heir in Jerusalem. These southerners took on the name Judah and made Jerusalem, home of the temple, their capital. From that time forward, the united nation of Israel ceased to exist.

Ironically, the northern tribes seceded as part of a reform movement, to correct some of the excesses of Solomon's reign. But starting with the first king, Jeroboam, no king of Israel did what was right in God's eyes. The two books of Kings condemn all the northern kings, who brought idolatry into their religion and corruption into their politics. Conversely, Judah proved more faithful to God, producing at least a handful of good kings. The temple remained a powerful symbol for worship to the true God. And every few generations a sincere, committed king arose to sweep away his predecessors' dangerous practices.

Within 250 years the northern kingdom, Israel, was obliterated. Judah survived another 135 years before likewise falling to foreign invaders. In a sense, its fate was sealed from the time of the original secession. The prophet Isaiah would remember the schism as the worst disaster that had befallen his people. (Isaiah 7:17)

Life Question: Have you seen rebellion lead to "civil war" in families? Churches? Schools? When you don't like what the leaders are doing, are there alternatives to outright rebellion?

I think that at least on the "family" level, outright rebellion is usually just foolishness. Even with these Old Testament kings, one has to wonder why they never bothered to consult their contemporaries in regards to worship and leadership. Too often, one's stubbornness and excessive pride serves as a roadblock to God's will. Communication and prudence are the keys to "keeping the peace", and many families have been broken because of selfish individuals who impose their will on others...a will that is not God's.

1 Kings 8: A Magnificent Temple

They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

Solomon spares no expense in building a place for God to dwell. The temple, fashioned by 200,000 workmen, soon ranks among the wonders of the world. From a distance, it shines like a snow capped mountain. Inside, all the walls and even the floors gleam, plated with pure gold.

In many ways, the scene in chapter 8 represents the high-water mark of the entire Old Testament, the fulfillment of God's covenant with Israel. Solomon calls the nation together to dedicate the temple to God. As thousands of people look on in a huge public ceremony, the glory of the Lord comes down to fill the temple. Even the priests are driven back by the mighty force.

God is making Solomon's temple the center of his activity on Earth, and the crowd spontaneously decides to stay another two weeks to celebrate. Kneeling on a bronze platform, Solomon prays aloud, "I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever." Then he catches himself in astonishment. "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, event the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"

God has done it. His promises to Abraham and Moses have finally come true. In one of the most magnificent prayers ever prayed, Solomon reviews the history of the covenant and asks God to seal that agreement with his actual presence in the temple. God responds: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple...My eyes and my heart will always be there." (9:3) The Israelites now have land, a nation with secure boundaries and a radiant symbol of God's presence among them.

Life Question: What promise of God are you still waiting on?

Until I began attending the Chapel, I never longed for Christ's promise of salvation with the same degree of earnest that I do now. I had lived my life with the notion that if I tried to "do the right thing"- maybe, just maybe I'll get into heaven. But over the last few years, I truly have embraced the belief that if I accept Christ as my saviour, he'll welcome me home one day into his kingdom...and that promise is definitely worth the wait.

1 Kings 3: The Man Who Has Everything

I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

Solomon, the precocious prince and son of David, grows up with every conceivable advantage. Even God lavishes special gifts on him. In an incredible dream sequence, young Solomon gets the opportunity every child secretly longs for. God offers him his heart's desire- long life, riches, anything he wishes. When Solomon chooses wisdom, God rewards him with bonus gifts of wealth, honor and peace. His very request, the wisdom to be a good king, shows that Solomon possesses much wisdom already. Unfortunately, its accompanying humility does not stay with Solomon throughout his life.

Chapters 2 and 3 show conflicting personality traits in Solomon. In the power struggles of chapter 2, he proves far more ruthless than his father. This tendency stirs up resentment among the northern tribes of Israel and eventually leads to civil war. But chapter 3 shows Solomon as faithful, wise and even humble. Tragically, he yields more and more to his darker side as his reign progresses.

The famous scene recorded here shows "Solomonic wisdom" at its best. As is still true in the Middle East today, the nation's king serves as the "supreme court" of justice. Solomon's bold proposal to two prostitutes forces out the truth and brings a quick end to an ugly quarrel.

Even in the happy days depicted in this chapter, telltale danger signs begin to appear. Solomon marries a foreign wife and signs dangerous political agreements. His public spectacle of 1,000 burnt offerings makes a startling contrast to his father David's humble confessions before God. The new kings has a penchant for excess- whether in worship, architecture, or women- that will prove his undoing.

Life Question: And God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." How would you respond to this?

No doubt, I would be terrified. I truly can't think of one earthly possession that wouldn't probably come back to bite me in the proverbial butt. Certainly I want happiness for my family and the opportunity to watch my kids live out their faith to a ripe old age. Who wouldn't want these things? Asking for a tangible gift, though- like winning the lottery- would take an enormous amount of courage. Because with a gift like that, comes a responsibility to utilize it in a way that is pleasing to God. How often do we see the wealthy of today's society hoard their money instead of using it to advance Christ's message? Solomon's request for wisdom showed a degree of maturity that not only was pleasing to God, but inspiring to all of Israel.

2 Samuel 23: Final Words

When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.

David inherited a country in tatters. His fellow southerners recognized him as the new king. But Saul's son, backed by a powerful general, launched a civil war for the throne. Ugly infighting followed: intrigue, murder and treachery.

Even after David's rivals were eliminated, peace was uneasy. Unless David could heal the wounds of war, resentment might smolder in the hearts of the northerners. David's decisive action showed wisdom and firmness. He justly punished murderers who expected his gratitude. He showed respect for his enemies by mourning their deaths. From his first day in office David behaved as the king of all the people, not just his loyal followers. The northern tribes soon came over to him, submitting to his leadership (5:1-3)

David's next move was to capture Jerusalem. People said it couldn't be done; mountainous Jerusalem was impregnable. Yet, David did it, and made Jerusalem his new political and religious capital. Located on the border between north and south, Jerusalem symbolized a new national unity based on trust in God.

That was just the beginning. David led the unified tribes to do what they had barely dreamed of: They defeated the dreaded Philistines once and for all. Almost overnight the tiny, threatened nation of Israel became safe. Secure borders encouraged expanded trade, and Israel's economy boomed. (In truth, David's son Solomon reaped most of the wealth from this.) Naturally, David's popularity increased.

But David's reign held ironic tragedies, too. Samuel 2 makes no effort to hide them. David could lead a nation but not his own children. His ineffective parenting nearly destroyed all he had done, when his heartless son Absalom led a rebellion. Samuel 2 portrays David without retouching his blemishes: He was a murderer and an adulterer and a leader capable of cruelty.

Nevertheless, he was Israel's greatest king. Evan at his lowest points, his great strength of character showed. He was never vengeful with his enemies. He took full responsibility for his mistakes. He managed to remember that he had started out as a mere shepherd. He held power only by the grace of God- and he believed that God had every right to take power away. Through his love for God and his sense of astonished gratefulness for what God had done for him, David became a living embodiment of the Israel God Wanted. Like all truly great leaders, he made his country thrive not just by what he did, buy by who he was.

Life Question: What do you envision your final words to be when your time comes?

Not to skirt the question, but my true hope is that I don't leave this place regretting not having spoken my final words...whatever those may be. Both David and Moses- arguably the Old Testament's greatest leaders- were able to leave this world by leaving a poignant message to their loved ones. But, life doesn't work that neatly. My daughter's dearest neighborhood friends lost their dad about 3 years ago...he died in the hospital after having undergone what was suppose to be a routine artery stint replacement. The girls never got to say goodbye to their dad, and I'm guessing that poor guy never got to give his final words to his children.

2 Samuel 18: A Cancer in the Family

"O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you- O Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel reads like the history of a spreading cancer. In the beginning, David was on top of the world- and so was Israel. The civil war over, the land was at peace and Israel was entering an era of unprecedented prosperity. God had promised to ensure David's descendants a continuous reign forever. What more could David hope for? The rest of life appeared as one long celebration.

However, that celebration never began. After David's act of adultery with Bathsheba,the consequences of the sin were far from over. Unknown to David, cancer was growing in his own household. David's oldest son Amnon had an eye for women too. He tricked his half-sister Tamar into his bedroom, then raped her. Afterward, filled with disgust, he threw her out. David was furious. But, maybe because he felt his own sin had robbed him of moral authority, he did nothing to punish his son. According to the law (Leviticus 18:9, 29), Amnon deserved exile, but he got off free. David apparently wanted the matter forgotten.

The cancer merely disappeared from view. Absalom waited two full years to avenge his sister's rape. Then he murdered Amnon in cold blood. Again David was long on regret, short on punishment. He wept over Amnon's death but perhaps recognized his own responsibility for it. After three years, David let Absalom return to Jerusalem unpunished; two years later, when Absalom angrily demanded either a murder trial or full acceptance back into the palace, David kissed and made up completely.

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Again, the cancer appeared to have disappeared from view. But it was not gone; it grew. Now an arrogant Absalom started a program of public relations designed to make him look better than his aging father. At the end of four years, having become quite popular, he set his coup in motion. Taken completely by surprise, David was driven out of Jerusalem into the desert. The shock seemed to awaken David. Though dazed and weeping as he left the city, he had enough sense to make some clever plans. When the battle came at last, David's army won, and Absalom was captured and killed.

For David the king, Absalom's defeat was a great triumph. For David the father, it was a horrible tragedy. The worst thing that can happen to a father had happened to him. His own son had tried to kill him, and in trying had been killed. David could not stop weeping over his son's death until Joab, his general, warned him that he was insulting the troops who had fought for him. So, David pulled himself together. Piece by piece, he put his kingdom back in order. He sent conciliatory words to the rebellious leader of his won tribe. He rewarded his supporters. He took no revenge on any rebel faction, but showed remarkable fairness. A 2nd rebellion broke out but was soon put down. Thought the cancer seemed to have finally run its course, it had not. For after David's death, murderous scheming would continue with his son Solomon.

Life Question: Many people will, at some point, see their well-run lives disintegrate. What enables someone to pick up the pieces, as David did?

Without question...faith in Christ. I was an utter mess when I went through my divorce a number of years ago. Anger and spite encompassed just about every hour of my day. But, I can honestly say that Christ got through my thick head and urged me to let go of all these destructive feelings and put my daughter Marie at the front of the picture. This was definitely a part of my life that I am not proud of, but it is also a part of my life that I look back at and realize that I could not have gone through it without Christ by my side.

2 Samuel 11: Only Following Orders

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Many people feel sympathy for the person who commits a crime under pressure or coercion. Perhaps Bathsheba fits this category. She could hardly help being beautiful, and in all probability she was bathing quite innocently when she caught David's eye. To complicate matters, the king- not just anybody- summoned her to sleep with him. The king's word was law, and had Bathsheba refused him she might have expected severe penalties- perhaps even death.

Certainly, Bathsheba suffered for what she did. She lost her husband and her child. Did she join with David in his repentance? The Bible does not say. After bearing another child, Solomon, she received no further mention in Scripture until the very end of David's life, when she supported Solomon's bid for the throne. The one really notable thing Bathsheba accomplished in life was the wrong thing- her affair with the king.

The way the Bible tells the story, David bore the chief responsibility for this national scandal. He initiated the adultery, followed it up with murder and suffered the consequences throughout the rest of his life. When we consider how the repercussions of David's actions affected the entire nation, however, we can see why "I was only following orders" is no defense. Although Bathsheba was in some ways a victim, her failure to resist a sinful situation made David's sin possible.

Life Question: Are there any situations in which you are tempted to "just go along" with sin because of pressure?

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Sometimes I struggle with living out my faith when I'm away from the church and the WT/ praise band gang. These friends, who are all so incredibly dear to me, make it so much easier for me to "do/ say the right thing". But when I find myself out in the secular world...at my job/ hanging out with my other buddies on occasion, it can be rather easy to regress into a conduct that is contradictory to the message that I hear each Sunday. I know that Christ wants me to be genuine in all that I say and do, and I shamefully admit that this is something that I really need to address in my life.