* Solomon offered 1,000 burnt offerings on the altar when he was inaugurated as king.
* There was no command to do this and was WAY more than customary.
* This is like giving hundreds of thousands of dollars away.
* He spared no expense for God.
* How did God respond?
* He decided to give Solomon something in return - a chance to ask for “anything” he wanted.
* Solomon gave to God what was already God’s (the animals) and so God gave Solomon something he didn’t have - wisdom.
* Key - give God what you have and then you can expect him to give back to you a hundredfold return.
* Solomon’s wisdom was far more valuable than 1,000 animals.
2 Chronicles 3:1 (6.25/15)
June 25, 2015 • Benham Brothers
God gave David the pattern of the temple but didn't let him execute the building of it. David then gave it to Solomon his son who executed it with precision.
This is the pattern of Fatherhood for us to follow today:
1) God gives dad a pattern for His kingdom.
2) Dad models this and builds to the best of his ability, recognizing his work will not be completed before he dies.
3) Dad passes down this pattern to his son.
4) Son executes the plan exactly as dad passed down, which dad got directly from God.
5) Son then becomes a dad and does the same thing.
2 Chronicles 6:12 (10/18/23)
October 18, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 2 Chronicles 6:12–14
* Leadership is the ability to create an appetite in others.
* The best leaders lead people to God.
* Solomon’s early life as king shows us what this looks like.
* The Chronicles were written to encourage the Jews who were captive in Babylon, centuries after the events it recorded took place.
* Just after Solomon built the temple he stood in front of the people.
* What would he do? What would he say?
* Vs 12-13 - “ Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven…”
* Notice three things that Solomon did as leader:
* 1) He STOOD on his platform.
* 2) He KNEELED on it.
* 3) He RAISED HIS HANDS TO HEAVEN.
* Raising hands is a universal sign of surrender to God.
* As leader, Solomon pointed people to God.
* Then he prays:
* Vs 14-15 - “and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 15 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day.”
* He continues by praying one of the most eloquent prayers in all the Bible.
* Notice how he prayed (notes from Wiersbe):
* He looked back (1–11). He recalled how God chose him to build the temple.
* He looked up (12–21). He asked God to fulfill the covenant promises He had made with David.
* He looked ahead (22–31). Solomon asked God to help His people in various trials of life, particularly to forgive them when they sinned.
* He looked around (32–35). The king called on God to help the Gentiles.
* He looked within (36–40). He ended his prayer by pleading for forgiveness for sinning Israel.
* Where did Solomon learn to pray like this?
* His dad taught him (David created an appetite in Solomon).
* Then, Solomon most likely prayed alone - a LOT!
* You don’t just stand in front of people and pray like this without practice.
* I’m sure Solomon saw his dad praying all the time, so he picked up on the habit.
* The next thing you know he’s king and his private habit now became a public one.
* All of us should spend time privately with the Lord, pouring our hearts out to him.
* Then, if we are tapped on the shoulder to pray or speak publicly, we simply do the same thing in front of people that we do when we’re alone.
* Our prayers and our lives will point others to God.
* And this is what makes a great leader!
