* Notice how Abiathar (bad priest) was attracted to Adonijah (the bad king).
* Both guys were seeking a name for themselves.
* But Zadok (the good priest), Benaiah (the warrior), and Nathan (the prophet) were all attracted to David (the good king).
* The conniving, brand-building, ambitious, self-seeking man refused to hang around those who were faithful to the one true king.
* Question - who is attracted to you and who are you attracted to?
* All too often we see pastors staying away from certain people because what’s in them doesn’t jive with what’s in the others.
* vs 32-25 - it was the prophet, priest, and warrior who made Solomon king!
* We need to represent Jesus as king, and the only way to do it is to be like these guys!
1 Kings 1:15 (5/18/17)
May 18, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* What do you think of when the name Bathsheba is mentioned?
* Now, how about Esther?
* Both women ended up in the same spot - in a position to influence the most powerful man on the planet.
* Both women got the king moving in the right direction and it positively affected their culture.
* This is a picture of God’s redemption - He can make a message out of our mess if we let Him.
* Also notice - both women needed someone to get them moving in the right direction.
* Esther needed Mordecai and Bathsheba needed Nathan.
1 Kings 1:52 (5/18/17)
May 18, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* This verse shows us the very first words out of Solomon’s mouth.
* Two oversvations:
* 1) What he DID say:
* Essentially, “it’s not my decision to put you to death - it’s yours” (Adonijah)
* Solomon was showing mercy and giving Adjonijah a mulligan.
* It would be Adonijah’s choice.
* 2) What he DID NOT say:
* “You have nothing to fear.”
* Adonijah had everything to fear, but it would be based on his own behavior.
* Solomon’s first act was to show mercy, but he did it in such a way that struck fear in the heart of this man.
1 Kings 2:46-3:1 (5/20/21)
May 20, 2021 • Benham Brothers
* The Spirit that brought us success should never be replaced by a strategy to keep it going.
* Check out this pattern:
* Clarity bring Success.
* Success bring Increased Options.
* Increased Options can lead to Diffused Focus.
* Diffused Focus sabotages the Clarity that brought you Success.
* Backstory - Solomon had now become king.
* He had to get rid of the rif-raf in David’s court before the kingdom was firmly established in his grip.
* But once it was established, what would Solomon do?
* Vs 2:46b-3:1 - He began to create alliances with other nations through marriage.
* This was a very “strategic” move, one that other nations had done as well.
* The Spirit of God on Solomon is what brought him success.
* But when he was established in place his options increased (he didn’t have these options before he was king).
* Although he had wisdom, he didn’t operate by the spirit - he let the strategic take over.
* How? By focusing on the purpose over the Person.
* His purpose as king was to rule and reign and increase the name of Israel in the world.
* But God didn’t want them to do it the way the other nations did it.
* He wanted Israel to do things differently, to be set apart, so that the other nations would take notice and desire to serve their God.
* So what do we do?
* Stay hyper focused on God and let Him handle the rest - focus on depth and let Him handle breadth.
* When success comes our way, don’t forget what led you to that place.
* EX: Keystone story to Franchise growth - no marketing, just faithfulness.
1 Kings 3:4 / 2 Chronicles 1 (6/28/18)
June 28, 2018
* 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.
1 Kings 3:13 (5/27/19)
May 27, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* God gives us a model of a good worker who’s always doing more than he’s asked to do.
* When we do this we open up our customer or client’s hear to hear the reason why we work like that.
* Solomon asked for wisdom and God gives more than what he asked for.
1 Kings 3:26 (5/19/16)
May 19, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• 1 Kings 2:2 - David encouraged Solomon to act like a man - this kills the gender debate.
• God makes us who we are - we just need to be that person.
• So what does a real man do? He relies on God, just as Solomon did when he asked for wisdom.
• Solomon's first test to show his wisdom was with two women fighting over a baby.
• When the SWORD entered the equation, we see Two Perspectives:
• 1) Solomon's perspective - the sword represented discernment.
• Solomon needed to distinguish between who was right and who was wrong.
• The sword penetrates, pierces, and divides - it reveals the real from the fake.
• God's Word is our sword and we must use it to discern good from evil.
• 2) The women's perspective - the sword represented death.
• One woman grew harder and one woman softer.
• The fake mom wanted to kill the baby to appease her selfishness.
• The real mom was willing to let go of what she had, whatever the cost.
• Look at today - do we use God’s Word? How do people respond to it?
• The real from the fake are put to the test - who will stay true whatever the cost?
1 Kings 3:24 (6/4/15)
June 4, 2015 • Benham Brothers
Solomon asked for the ability to DISCERN between good and evil.
Because of this, God granted him wisdom in all things.
True wisdom, accoding to God and seconded by Solomon, is the ability to distinguish between good and evil.
The removal of distinction has always been one of Satan's key strategies.
Satan hates white, loves black, and knows the only way to get people from white to black is through the strange shade of grey.
Romans 1 - depraved mind: you cannot distinguish between good and evil.
What gives us the ability to discern between good and evil?
The truth of God's Word!
Solomon's first opportunity came when two moms argued over a baby.
Solomon didn't know which way was the right way.
So he brought out a SWORD!
The Word of God is our sword!
The moment the sword came into place the REAL mom was divided from the FAKE mom.
Through the use of the sword Solomon had the wisdom he needed to make the decision.
This is why Jesus says He didn't come to bring peace but a sword - to separate the real from the fake.
1 Kings 5:1 (5/21/13)
May 21, 2013 • Benham Brothers
Hiram proactively blessed Solomon so Solomon blessed Hiram
Hiram acted first, and did it with pure motives (he was a friend of David)
Because of what Hiram did he became a partner in biz with Solomon
1 Kings 5:3-5 (5/24/18)
May 24, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Solomon referred to God as his father’s God.
* Then he referred to Him as “my God.”
* This is a great picture for how a dad should raise his son.
* Imagine young Solomon hearing his dad in a meeting with his advisors, only to hear him say, “Let’s pray and ask God.”
* Or he sees him up early in the morning on his knees praying.
* David definitely had his issues, but he modeled for his boy the importance of a personal relationship with God.
* This created an appetite in Solomon for the same type of relationship.
* 1 Kings 17:12 - this widow was a gentile and needed an experience with Almighty God so He could become “hers.”
1 Kings 5:17 (5/21/20)
May 21, 2020 • Benham Brothers
1 Kings 6:1 (8/16/23)
August 16, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 1 Kings 6:1
What were David’s two greatest sins?
His adultery with Bathsheba.
Taking a census of the people.
For both of these he was punished greatly.
However, God can turn things around for our good and His glory when we repent!
We see this in the very first verse of 1 Kings 6.
Vs 1 - “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the Lord.”
Sin #1 w/Bathsheba led to the birth of the PERSON who built the temple.
She gave birth to Solomon - the greatest king in Israel’s history.
Sin #2 w/counting the people led to the purchase of the PLACE where the temple was built.
Because of the plague caused by the census, David purchased property on Mount Moriah.
God took the consequences of David’s two worst sins and built a temple!
Romans 5:20 - “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”
This isn’t an encouragement for us to sin.
David paid dearly for both of those transgressions.
It’s an encouragement to us to go on serving God after we’ve repented and confessed our sins.
Two responses to sin:
Guilt - we should feel this “temporarily.”
Guilt is good when it leads us to God.
We need to “release our guilt” after we have repented.
EX: Release the goat (Leviticus 16).
Gratitude - our natural response to God’s forgiveness.
We should thank God for His mercy and grace.
Mercy = not getting what you deserve.
Grace = getting more than you deserve.
KEY - Satan wants you to feel guilt, not gratitude.
Why? Because gratitude draws you toward God.
It bonds you to Him and Him to you.
God can and will turn your sin around for your good and His glory if you let Him!
1 Kings 6:11-13 (6/12/14)
June 12, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Solomon was sparing no expence at the building of God's temple.
He even used cut stones to lay the foundation, which would never be seen.
God liked what He was seeing so He spoke to Solomon to encourage him.
What God told Solomon, however, had nothing to do with the building.
He knew Solomon was building a temple for His presence to remain, so God reminded Solomon the true cause of His presence remaining.
It wasn't because the building was so nice - it was due to obedience to God's commandments.
God's presence would not fill the incredible building Solomon built unless God's people obeyed His commands.
God's presence in our lives is the same way - no matter what type of "good" you're doing in the world it won't bring God's presence - only obedience will.
1 Kings 7:21 (6/12/14)
June 12, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Solomon erected two decorative pillars at the entrance of the temple so everyone would be reminded of God.
One pillar was named Jachin, a priest who's name means "God will establish."
This pillar was a reminder that God is in control and He will establish His purposes on the earth.
The other was named Boaz, David's great grandfather who's name means "In God is strength."
This pillar was a reminder that it's not by our strength that we do anything - it's by God's strength!
The temple signified God's presence, so if you were going into the temple you had to pass these two pillars.
They were a reminder of God establishing Israel as a nation and that it was by His strength it was accomplished.
These two represent the bond between king and priest in the establishment of God's kingdom.
The king ruled and took dominion and authority in the establishment of his kingdom.
The priest represented the heart of God to the people and was the vehicle through which people experienced God's grace and mercy.
In the OT they were separate, but in the NT they are one in Jesus - He was the king of kings and the great high priest.
Revelation 3 & 6 reveals that now we are kings and priests as well.
We take dominion and authority to bring God's kingdom on this earth and we represent God to the world.
But we must always remember, it's God's deal to establish it and it's by His strength that we do it.
