The Progress Of Redemption
David and Solomon ( or...The Last Emperor )
Bible Sections Covered
2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-9, Most of Psalms and Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes
Progress Events
Intro :
David, last week was the guy waiting in the wings. Saul, who started off to be godly soon fell victim to sin (the power of kingship was too much?).
David spent his time :
- knowing god had annointed him to be the king
- trying to stay alive
- not harming the king, not sinning
- acting a bit like jacob (both were a bit of trouble; david lived with the philistenes, etc)
the final event of last week was the death of saul.
that paves the way for the event we've all been waiting for... the great nation .
who's the guy to do it? david.
David
A Great Nation (The promise fulfilled?)
1. David unites the country
--- david is sad at the right times, for the right reasons ---
2 sam 1 - David learns of saul's death, shows sorrow; this demonstrates his innocence
--- david wins his wars ---
2 sam 2-5:10 - civil war breaks out between david/judah, israel/ishbosheth
short version is that david wins... (2 sam 2-4)
david then captures jerusalem and makes it his capital city (2 sam 5).
2. David defeats Israel's enemies
2 sam 5:10 "and david became greater and greater, for the lord god of hosts was with him"
3. David's heart is for the Lord
2 Sam 5 - David consults the Lord before battle...and then actually follows the commands.
this is a bit different than saul, who followed sometimes ("what is this bleating of sheep?")

2 Sam 6 (david moves the ark)
Is our nation great enough yet?
the promise is to abraham THROUGH A GREAT NATION for all the nations...

The Promise Extended
2 sam 7 - David plans to build the temple; God says no, your son will... and makes a promise.
What does God promise?
 
Read 2 Sam 7:8-17
1. God promises security (2 Sam. 7:10)
v10 "I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly"

2. God promises an eternal house for David (2 Sam 7:16)
"Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."


But...We're Not There Yet
1. We're still getting promises (we're still looking to the future)
We have now had 3 major revelations, 2 of which were tied to lineage :
Abrahamic (confirmed to Isaac, Jacob - a hereditary promise), Mosaic, Davidic (a hereditary promise)
 
They also mean that there is more to come.
2. We have a very imperfect nation - Sin and Separation are still problems.
David and Bathsheba - 2 sam 11
2 sam 12 - nathan rebukes david, david loses child, solomon born
2 sam 12:11,12 Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretely, but i will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.
(2 sam 16:22 absalom fulfills this)
Revolts against David - 2 sam 13 - 23
2 sam 13 - 19 (absalom)
2 sam 13 (amnon and tamar; absalom's revenge)
2 sam 15-18 (absalom's rebellion)
2 sam 19 (david restored as king)
2 sam 20 (sheba's revolt)
Sinful Census - 2 Sam 24
 


Solomon
A Great Temple (The promise fulfilled?)
(details about solomon)
1 kings 1,2 (solomon becomes king)
1 kings 3 (solomon asks for wisdom)

1. Solomon's wisdom brings wealth and peace
Solomon asks for wisdon - 1 kings 3:5-9
Solomon gets wisdom, riches, and honor - 1 kings 3:10-14
the result :
King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom (1 kings 10:23)
2. Solomon builds the temple
Solomon builds the temple - 1 kings 8:1-11, 2 chronicles 7:1-3
solomon's temple is this large, elaborate, ornate, and beautiful edifice.
after it's inaugeration, god fills it with his glory.
1 Kings 8:10,11 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

What is important about the temple?
1. God is with Israel...God is with Humanity. The Temple is God's house.
2. The Temple is where Atonement is made. The Temple is the (partial) solution to the problem of sin and separation.
3. The Temple is for 'all people'.
The Nations are to come to God in Israel; (1 kings 8:41-43, 1 kings 8:60, solomon asks that God hears the prayer of the foreigner in the temple)
e.g the Queen of Sheba in 1 kings 10..."Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD..."
Isaiah 56:7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."
this verse is significant enough that jesus quotes it when he cleanses the temple :
Matthew 21:13 And He *said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."

The Promise Renewed
1. Promise to David is restated to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1-5)
1 Kings 9:4,5 "If you will walk before me...then I will establish the throne of your kingdom forever"
2. Conditions of the promise are emphasized to Solomon (1 Kings 9:6-9)
1 Kings 9:6,7 "If you or your sons indeed turn away from following me...then I will cut off Israel"

But...We're losing what we've gained.
1. Solomon turns from God (1 Kings 11)
Foreign women "turned his heart away after other gods" (1 Kings 11:4)
Remember Deut 17:17? "He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself."
2. God says that He will tear the kingdom from him and split it up (1 Kings 11:9-13)
1 Kings 9:11 "Because you have done this...I will surely tear the kingdom from you"

Difficult Questions : Is this the 'Great Nation' we've been looking for?
Some say yes...
They were a wealthy, powerful, and famous, esp under Solomon
These folks don't expect greater things for Israel in the future.
Some say no...
'Great' should be greater than what they got.
These folks expect greater things for Israel in the future.

 
Application
We think middle/old age == maturity and stability. It doesn't.
1. Fight for spiritual purity in your physical maturity
Man is sinful
David ("a man after god's own heart, 1 sam 13:14", "[God's] servant", 2 sam 7:5) and Solomon (wiser than any before or after him) both blew it.
Are you or I above this?
1 cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
There is no sin you are above. Murder, Adultery, etc - nothing is beneath you.
2. Fight for spiritual effectiveness in your physical maturity
Piper's "Jesus, look at my shells!"
good works are available to all ages.
 
Be pure, be effective. You can use your powers for good or evil.

 
Prologue : Solomon's Benediction (given at temple inaguration)
1 Kings 8:55-61 - And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. "May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers. "And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. "Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day."