January 7, 2004, from old hand written notes, 9/13/84

V. 3. Napoleon said that there were but two great powers: the sword and the pen, and in the long run, the sword will lose out to the pen. (Pulpit Commentary.) Solomon seems to agree, for his number two post goes to the pen, the scribes and the recorder.

V. 4, personal note
V. 31, So why did Solomon fall (II, Pride)

1 Kings 4

As in the preceding chapter we have a proof of the wisdom and understanding which the Lord gave to Solomon, as promised, so in this an account is given of the riches and honour he was possessed of; of him, as king over all Israel, and of his princes, #1Ki 4:1-6; of the providers of food for his household in the several parts of the land, #1Ki 4:7-19; of the largeness and extent of his dominions, and of the peace and prosperity thereof, #1Ki 4:20,21,24,25; of his daily provisions for his household and for his cattle, #1Ki 4:22,23,26-28; and of his superior wisdom and knowledge to all others in all nations, which brought some out of all to hear it, #1Ki 4:29-34. (Gill)

V. 1, those found worthy will reigned with Solomon, after he exercised true and just judgment. These positions of authority were no doubt determined by the faithfulness of these men before he came to the throne.

Matthew 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Vv. 11, 15, two of Solomon's daughters are mentioned here. He must have been very young when he started his family. No doubt his dad's weakness for women was passed down to him. It is sad that David seemed to do nothing to prevent Solomon's domination by women. Maybe David had a guilty conscience, which prevented him from taking the proper stand in his family.

Notice: Solomon not only sets the perfect example of the wisdom of God in judgment (ch. 3), but also in his personal affairs in ruling. Remembers, this is before his heart was turned away from the Lord by his wives.

V. 2, the number one post in his Kingdom was God; that is, Zadock the priest is mentioned first. Is the Lord first in our lives?

Solomon was the king of peace. David was the king of war. Remember, however, that there can be no peace without war. David, with his blood and the blood of many of his followers, won the peace that Solomon and the nation could enjoy. (David's wars were just wars, commanded by God.)

There can be no peace without war.
There can be no peace with God without the shed blood fo the Son of David, Christ.

David's emphasis was on the captian and officers of his army, but now Solomon can emphasise the scribes and recorder. Someone will have to pay the price in blood for someone else to enjoy the peaceable life.

But notice human nature.

The nation was united and strengthened into the mightest nation of its day with war.
The same mighty nation fell apart with peace.

We are strengthened, united in the time of battle. We will fall apart by taking too much for granted in the time of peace.
David and his nation were kept on their toes and close to God by the enement threats of attacks by the enemy (read Psalms).

Notice then maybe we should keep our number two post for the captain and officers of the army. We must keep our guard up, keep a bigger goal always before us to keep us from "falling apart".

The same with the church. The church is the West is very soft and weak. However, the church in Muslim countries where the persecutions are hot is very strong, and growing stronger all the time.

40 year of war made the people and country strong.
40 years of peace divided it.

V. 4, the third post went to the captian of host, a place held by Joab under David.

Vv. 3, 4, 6, 16. Solomon in his wisdom appointed and retained many of his father's "staff". Rehoboam refused to do this, and lost the kingdom.

Proverbs 27:10 Thine own friend and thy father's forsake not is very good advice. Solomon overlooked many personal friends for those who had faithfully served his dad, and we need to do the same. We need to look past personal feelings and opinions in favor of those who have and are serving our Father faithfully.

Personal
Example:

I suppose this has been a problem with me (9/13/84) with Mr .... The former pastor, Bro Lee, brought him here because he was such a nice guy and well qualified. This seems to be the main consideration for all school men/personal.

I had a problem with him because he would not, could not be faithful to the Father. I could not get him to be consistent on Sunday services (out of town to dad's), or on SW-Visitation, but he would be faithful to the school and kids. But he would sleep in church, and let his kids sleep.

I could not get him to visit the parents, private devotions, &c.

Lord willing, when we reopen, it will be with people who have been faithful to the Father in the past.

If I want the work established here, this must bea prime consideration. How faithful have they been to the Father?

Good Illustration would be Bro. ..., Merrywoods Baptist Church School. The nicest personality you could want with parents, kids, and a good personal friend with Bro Burrows from the school.

He worked hard with the school and gave himself for the kids, but just could not seem to show a love for the local church.

As I said, this seems to be a real problem with school people. He graduated from Hyles-Anderson.

Lord, send us someone who is faithful to the Father.

If God had not removed Bro ..., I still could not have done anything because the people loved him, and thought nothing of his inconsistencies, because they were used to this manner of Christianity; they practiced it. (Bro Lee seemed to have someone preach for him as much as he could.) It will take years of consistency on my part to retrain the people.

By the Lord moving Bro. ..., he answered my prayer and desire for someone consistant, and He made Himself the "bad guy." He saved me a real headache and heartache. I would not have the "public support" to do as Bro Burrows did with Mr. ...

The first qualification of a staff member must be faithful to the Fahter. And God in his wisdom, mercy and grace has worked this out for me. Now he must send, provide someone of like mind to fill this place HE left vacant.

He has moved this far, now He must move someone in, so we can once again train our own children.

He has protected me thus far; now he must continue to do so.

End of Personal.

Probably one of the most important and most overlooked area is that faithful service to the Father is what qualifies for service here.

V. 3, Elichoreph and Achijah, sons of Shisha (2 Samuel 8:17, 20:25)
Jehosaphat (8:17 & 20:24 also)
V. 6, Adoniram (Adoram 2 Samuel 20:24)
V. 4 Zadock, Abiathar (2 Samuel 8:17)

Abiathar had been removed as high priest (2:27, 35), so it appears that Soloman only removed him from his office, but not from his "Dignity". Once we have been made priests to the Lord God, we cannot become an "unpriest". WE can sure lose our position with the King through sin.

V. 16, Baanah son of Hushai (2 Samuel 15:32), had been a faithful servant of David.

V. 7, the 12 officers.

1. Solomon's 12 were princes and men of importance.
Christ's 12 were poor working men, unimportant, even despised in the world's eyes.

2. Solomon's 12 were respected and feared, dressed in splendor. Luke 8:25.
Christ's 12 were hated and shammed. 2 Corinthians 11:24-29

3. Solomon's 12 presided over the people, restricted to the kingdom of Israel.
Christ's 12 were servants of the people, world wide. Matthew 28:19, 20.

4. Solomon's 12 took from the people to give to the king.
Christ's 12 received from the King to give to the people.

A. Solomon's took taxes and tribute.
Christ's gave gifts and blessings 2 Timothy 1:6

B. Solomon's provided food (v. 7) for the king, his household and his army.
Christ's provided food from the King for uncounted multitudes.
Fed the 4,000, 7,000 and today feeds the physical food (ordinances) to uncounted multitudes.

C. Solomon's provided food left the person hungry.
Christ's provided food satisfies the hunger.
1) Although both must be eaten daily, Christ's is much more important.
2) As Solomon's army would become powerless without the food provided by the 12, so is Christ's army powerless by a lack of the food supplied by his 12 in doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. Without a daily intake of the Bread of life, the Church of the living God (body of believers) have today become a powerless, formal gathering of people.

5. The ministry of Solomon's 12 stopped at his death.
The ministry of Christ's 12 started at His death.

A. He could not send the power of the Spirit back until He went back to heaven.

B. Note: physical service is soon forgotten.
Spiritual service is remembered for centuries and rewarded for all eternity.

6. The 12 who followed Christ will judge the 12 who followed Solomon. Matthew 19:28.

Conclusion:

The 12 who followed Solomon had all the world holds important:
Authority, position, respect, wealth, "pomp", power, attainment.

Some even became sons-in-law to the wealthiest king to ever live (V. 11)

They probably had whatever the eye could desire for the asking.

The 12 who followed Christ had nothing the world holds important, but these 12 will judge Solomon's 12 as well as Solomon himself. (Luke 22:30)

They did not have earthly acclaim, but they did have heavenly acclaim.
They did not have an earthly crown, but they did have a crown of life.
They could not set on the throne with Solomon.
They could not offer the people joint rule with Solomon, but because of their message, we are now seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Only 2 of Solomon's 12 became sons-in-law to the king, but we are the bride of the King.

Which king will we follow? King Solomon with all his wealth and worldly acclaim, or King Jesus with all he has to offer?

Of course, it is much more appealing to follow Solomon here and now, but what good does it do a man if he gains the whole world?

We need to heed Solomon's advice: Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14, Fear God and keep his commandments, this is the whole duty of man.

Solomon is very temporary, as a vapor.
Christ is eternal.

The Greater than Solomon is here with us now, and whosoever will may come and enjoy the blessings of His kingdom.

Solomon's 12 represents the most glorious kingdom that man CANNOT imagine.

V. 31, for he was wiser than all men...

So why did Solomon fall?

Since his wisdom was from God, it looks like he would be smart enough to remain true to God.

1 Corinthians 8:1, I believe gives us a clue here. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth (builds).

Solomon's intellect was developed at the expense, neglect, of his spiritual life.
His morals did not keep up or grow with his knowledge. (Apparently, he was already "hooked" on women well before he became king at an early age.)
His wisdom increased, but his godliness did not.
Godliness must be the foundation to build knowledge and wisdom upon, or the building will be top-heavy, such as an upside-down pyramid.

Love for the Lord builds, knowledge only "blows up". As wisdom increases, so must the love for the Lord, and we see this problem in society today. "Wisdom" or simply knowledge is exploding without the increased knowledge of God. In fact, as knowledge increases, man feels the needs less and less of the Lord. Love for the Lord is ignored, and the colossus is getting top heavy, and will collapse.

II.

Another reason I think he fell. He forgot or failed to heed his own warnings. He leaned upon his own wisdom and understanding, and fell on his face. (1 Corinthians 9:27.)

Wisdom and knowledge has a way of convincing its ‘victims' to walk by their own understanding instead of by faith, although true wisdom will walk by faith. But the ‘wiser or more knowledgeable' a person becomes, the more he attempts to ‘reason out' the way they should walk, rather than accepting God's word. (Hebrews 11:3, By faith we understand...) Solomon reached the point so many have reached, "By my own wisdom, strength and abilities, I understand.

He ignored (reasoned away) his own warning against the strange women, and fell to women with, "I'm smart, wise enough that they won't cause me any serious problems."

III.

Another reason I think he fell. Pride crept in and perverted the gifts God gave him. Ecc 1:16. I know many men who fit this description.

James 3:3, 4, speaks of the small bits turning about the horses and the small helm turning about the large ships. Then in v. 5, it speaks of pride defiling the whole body, and turning about the person.

Solomon's wisdom was, no doubt, the same, if not greater, until he died, but pride misdirected, or caused him to miss use it.

He did not keep his heart with all diligences, and because he did not, the wrong issues of life came out, Proverbs 4:23, and it became lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride. (Daniel 5:20.)

It does not require much pride at all to cause a fall. (Proverbs 16:18), and it is far better to deal with that little pride now while it is still small, than refuse to heed instructions or seek counsel. If allowed to grow, it will increase control until it destroys completely.

Solomon became wise in his own eyes, and saw no more need to seek God's wisdom. Proverbs 28:11, The rich man is wise in his own conceit...

I think Solomon in his wisdom saw what was happening, but in his pride could not prevent it. I think the sum of his problem here is in:

Ecclesiastes 4:13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

Solomon goes on to talk of coming out of prison, but I think that v. 13, Solomon describes himself.

Why was the king foolish and lost his kingdom to the poor wise child? (1 Kings 12:20, Jeroboam). Because his pride in is wisdom prevented him from being admonished, corrected. "I am wise enough to figure thai. out. I don't need any person to admonish me."

Proverbs 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Notice here that when Solomon got lifted up in his wisdom from God, he lost his godly wisdom, but still had his ‘natural' wisdom. Replaced faith with reason – read his account of this very thing in Ecclesiastes. Here I believe we have the account preserved for us of Solomon's downfall. (Ecclesiastes 1:16, 2:9, &c.)

I cannot imagine God not preserving an account of the downfall of the wisest, richest man to ever live, and I think we have that inspired account in Ecclesiastes. I believe in that book, Solomon gives a verbal account of what caused him to fall, as he wrote it lying on the ground looking up at the top rung of the ladder from where he fell. Ecclesiastes gives us a step by step account of how and why he fell from his highly exalted position where God had placed him.

Ecclesiastes 4:13 seems to be the summation of Solomon's fall.

WE MIGHT ALSO RECALL:

1) David had to fight all through his reign, and keep his heart right "with all diligence."
2) Solomon did to have to war for his kingdom, so his heart had time to pursue other things. (See Ecclesiastes for what his heart did pursue.)

It will happen every time. We get out of the fight, and our heart will stray. Very few people can keep their heart right with God in a time of peace. Society only reflects this fact. In times of distress, war, society seeks God's blessings, and tries to meet His conditions.

Peace time, society seeks its own sensual pleasures.

See the caution here in Solomon's downfall:

NEVER seek knowledge, wisdom nor understanding (facts of any kind), without the knowledge of God. The soul of man requires more than pure intellect can provide.

Knowledge without God only manes man more effective in his rebellion against God.

There is a built in hunger and thirst after righteousness that only God can fulfill, and if this is neglected, then the man is on his road to destruction.

Vv. 32-34

True wisdom sees God in all creation.
True wisdom will astonish even the world:

Deuteronomy 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God, and of all those things of nature point to Him. All of creation points to God the Father and His Christ. Old Testament wisdom brought the world to the Old Testament Church. New Testament wisdom takes the church to the world.

Conclusion:

If the wisest and richest man ever could fall victim to wisdom without knowledge, if he could lay aside the humble spirit and turn to human reasoning without God in his pride, then think of how much more open we are to this very thing. How could he think he could get away with it when his head knew better (Ecc. 8:11, 12, 13)? How? The same way we think we can get away with the same things.

Why did Solomon fall?

I.) His intellect was developed at the neglect of his spiritual life.

There must be a balanced input. Knowledge, intellectual pursuits without spiritual growth is like building the great pyramid upside down. It will topple sooner or later.

II.) He failed to heed his own warnings and became a castaway by not keeping his own body under subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 compare with Ecc. 2:1, 3, 10... And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart from any joy. And in doing this, he walked in darkness (Ecc. 2:14 compare with James 1:22-26. Again, the Old Testament only tells us what happened, and the New Testament tells us why it happened. The New Testament gives us the doctrine illustrated in the Old Testament.

III.) Pride crept in and perverted the gifts God gave him. (Used Pride only, 9/16/84 AM.)

He became wise in his own conceit. Ecc. 2:9, 1:16, and with this, he lost his godly wisdom, and it became human reasoning.

IV.) I also believe that the Lord allowed all of this to happen to Solomon as an example for all men of all times. He shows that unlimited "wine, woman and song" will not make one happy. All of the things the world holds important will not satisfy the human soul. King Solomon had it all, yet read Ecclesiastes.