SOAP 03/17/2016; 1 Kings 12:26-28

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 32, 33, 34; 1 Corinthians 2*

S) " ²⁶ Jeroboam said in his heart, 'Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. ²⁷ If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.' ²⁸ So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.'"

1 Kings 12:26-28 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 12

O) So here's a little recap: Jeroboam was told that ten tribes would be taken from Rehoboam because of the idolatry of Solomon. He was told that he would be made king over those ten separated tribes. Then it actually happens, just as the prophet told him. Then he proceeds to create idols to specifically keep the people from returning to Jerusalem and worshiping the LORD... Not only is this the epitome of wickedness, in that he was not only idolatrous himself but leading others astray intentionally, but this must also be the height of foolishness! This is a great reminder that the Bible is full of stories of terrible people, terrible leaders, doing abominable things, because the Bible is true. The Bible has lots of examples of what not to do, by wicked and righteous people alike.

A) When I read stories like this, it's easy for me to look down my nose and wonder how stupid other people can be. But, when I am humble and determined to be teachable, and I read a story like this, I am a lot closer to say, "I get it." Fear makes people do stupid things all the time. Greed makes people do stupid things all the time. When you combine the two, there are disastrous consequences. Rehoboam was afraid for his life, and he was greedy to hold onto his newfound kingship, and he made a horrible mistake. This is just one more reason for me to heed the words of Christ, choosing to lose my life to Him. This is just one more reason for me to heed the words of Christ, choosing to forsake the approval of others and the authority of men. Even still, it's not enough for me to not lead others astray. Even if Rehoboam was the only person to ever worship those two calves, that still would have been enough for him to lose all he had. This is why I must continually choose to place Christ as the center of my worship, the only focus for my devotion.

P) Father, You are holy and just. You are a righteous and true judge. I know that You have extended grace to me, all through my life until this very moment. I also know that, even if I don't see the return of Christ on this side of the grave, I will still stand in judgment sooner than I know. So Lord, I want to subject myself to Your judgment, to Your discipline, even now. Help me to rightly judge myself, that I would clearly see my sins and repent. Please forgive me for pride, greed, and fearing for my life. Please forgive me for the idolatry that creeps up in my heart. Please continue to discipline me, as I seek to worship You more and more faithfully each day. I love You, God. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/16/2016; 1 Kings 11:31-33

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 30, 31; Psalm 40, 1 Corinthians 1*

S) "³¹ He said to Jeroboam, 'Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes ³² (but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), ³³ because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did."'"

1 Kings 11:31-33 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 11

O) At this point in the narrative, Solomon has turned away from the LORD, following the various gods of his wives and concubines. God had therefore told him that the kingdom would be divided. This prophet had gone out to talk with Jeroboam (one of Solomon's officials) and prophesied the words above. What I thought was so revealing about this passage, though, is the fact that these ten tribes were being taken out from under Solomon's rule because of idolatry to these other gods - which is exactly what would happen in the northern kingdom of Israel. If keeping score was possible, we would see clearly that the southern kingdom of Judah had many more righteous kings than Israel had, so it seems the northern kingdom was in a worse condition for separating from Judah. This may cause wonder as to why God would do this, but I think it really just reveals His sovereignty and omniscience all the more. Certainly, consequences and judgment was due against Judah, and based on the promises made to David and Solomon, the kingdom could not remain in tact. At the same time, God knew very well that Israel would continue in idolatry, but He wasn't separating them from Judah in order to preserve the ten tribes. He was separating them because that was the righteous judgment. It could very well be, then, that the peoples of the north would have continued in their idolatry, regardless of who was king. In fact, that seems very likely, considering the history they had. When Israel did have a righteous king on their throne, it made little impact long-term. Being allied with righteous kings in Judah made little impact long-term. Even Judah themselves stumbled repeatedly into idolatry, despite their many more righteous kings.

A) God's judgment or discipline, of a people group or individual, can never be mistaken as affirmation for the behavior of those not yet judged or disciplined. If I see someone who seems to be incurring discipline from God because of their unrepentant sin, and I don't seem to be experiencing the same consequences or struggles, that does not mean that my behaviors are approved by God. I cannot use the experiences of others to justify my choices. This is where it is absolutely vital, that I am relying on the word of God to be the authority in my life for righteousness and morals. Jeroboam would have been gravely mistaken to think that the judgment against Solomon meant the approval of himself. I cannot make that same mistake. I cannot even take the approval of other people as affirmation of my behaviors. I must seek God and allow Him to teach me in righteousness, allowing the word of God to rightly divide me, as Hebrews 4:12 describes.

P) Father God, You are a righteous, true, and just Lord. Open my eyes and ears, so that I can rightly understand where I am sinning in my heart and in my deeds. Discipline me as Your son, so that I can gain self-control and be approved as Your servant. I love You, God. I want my life, my daily decisions, my character, my behavior to please You. Let me refrain from judging myself against other people, because that is foolishness that will only serve to deceive me, causing me to stumble all the more. Help me to understand that Your ways are not like the ways of men. You discipline one and extend grace to another, all according to Your perfect timing, merciful love, and just judgment. Let Your will be done in my life, and in the world, as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/15/2016; 1 Kings 10:27-29

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 28, 29; Galatians 6*

S) "²⁷ The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland. ²⁸ Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price. ²⁹ A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and by the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans."

1 Kings 10:27-29 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 10

O) When I highlighted this as a warning, it was really by association. On the surface, this passage seems pretty great. Solomon was ushering into Israel, an era of great prosperity and influence. However, maybe because I'm reading through Deuteronomy as well and so it came to mind easily, this passage immediately reminded me of a warning that Moses gave in Deuteronomy 17:16-17, that the king of Israel should not increase silver and gold for himself, and he should not multiply his horses or return to Egypt to do so. In that same warning centuries earlier, the people were warned that their king should also not multiply wives for himself, else his heart be led astray. This is exactly what happened to Solomon, through his many foreign wives and concubines. While it's much more direct to highlight the warning from Deuteronomy to remember this lesson, the passage above also serves as a reminder that prosperity can look good on the surface, while also setting up a lot of problems, difficulties, and pitfalls.

A) On the one hand, I am not a king and I never will be. On the other hand, this concept extends beyond monarchies. There is no mistake that I lead a small group of people, even at least my own family. My wife is a believer, so our marriage is the smallest possible church, which is a portion of the kingdom of God. As my kids grow up as believers (Lord let it be so), then I effectively have a church that lives together. A small community of believers who live out their faith with each other, and I am in position leading them. In a spiritual way, I serve the function of a prince in God's greater kingdom, over my tiny jurisdiction. I don't have to concern myself with multiplying my wives, although the warning is still there that lust becomes idolatry. I don't have to worry about horses, per se, but what they represent in terms of power or influence certainly apply. There is a heavy warning against seeking influence and power like the world does (which is what is symbolized, I think, with Egypt). It would be good to be in position to influence people for the purposes of spreading the gospel, but that should always be done by seeking Jesus first, and letting Him direct me into position to do His work. The last warning is almost universally applicable, and that is to not seek wealth. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with having an abundance of silver, but seeking to increase wealth comes with a whole host of problems. It's not that those problems cannot be overcome, but it seems foolish to seek something that is A) not necessary and B) risky.

P) Father, Your wisdom and plans are amazing to me. I will never fully know the depths of Your reasons for doing things the way You do. You see the heart of men, I see the outside. That is just another example of Your holiness, that You are different from me. In that way, I want to become holy as You are holy. It's not that I want to see the motivations of people, exactly, but I want to see when the motivations of people are unrighteous, and therefore should not be followed. In every way I want to be like Jesus, but I confess that I am weak and fail to do so. Jesus never had a savings account, but I feel compelled sometimes, pressured to "prepare" for problems. I don't want to have success the way the world defines it, though. Jesus never sought political advantage, even in strictly societal circles. Still, the world would have me believe that I must read books about how to lead and influence people. I know there is wisdom out there, still. I know there are people with decent, righteous advice. I don't want to miss that. So please give me discernment, to recognize what is wicked, foolish, and risky about how people do things. Help me to see good examples of righteousness, and follow those disciplines. Ultimately, help me focus more on the life of Jesus Christ directly, that I would seek to be more and more His disciple, living as He did. Help me to shun the world's way of thinking, about influence, sexuality, and money. Let me live for Your glory alone. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/14/2016; 1 Kings 9:4-5

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 25, 26, 27; Galatians 5*

S) "⁴ As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, ⁵ then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'"

1 Kings 9:4-5 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 9

O) There are a few things that come to mind with this promise (which is specific to Solomon). For starters, sometimes it can seem a little strange that God would present something as hypothetical, since He certainly knows what will happen. It would seem this is a kind of anthropomorphism, so we will understand God better. In this case, God wanted to show Solomon that He is faithful to the promises made to King David. Nothing about the king's death negated the promises made, to establish the throne of David forever. But, it was made clear that God's promise was dependent on obedience and devotion. Particularly, God told him to have "integrity of heart," which is more than just right behavior. This is a matter of having a clean heart, as David himself described in Psalm 51. It seems just as likely, that God was trying to specifically give incentive for obedience because He knew the tests that Solomon would face. Solomon failed many of those tests, as he did not remain faithful to the LORD, allowing his many foreign wives and concubines to lure him away into idol worship. Immediately after these verses, God also warned Solomon about the consequences of infidelity. By laying this all out for Solomon ahead of time, it makes it very clear who is responsible for the consequences of His actions, once he began making wrong choices.

A) This promise is not for me, but this does remind me of the character of God, which does not change. Even now, with the grace of the gospel and the work that Christ did to reconcile me to the Father, and having the Holy Spirit within me, God requires obedience. He requires integrity of the heart, which is exactly what Jesus preached over and over. Nothing about the grace I received negates the concept of obedience. While my obedience does not earn me anything with God, it is still required if I am to walk in the promises He does give. The promise of peace, for example, is compromised when I have sinned and not confessed or repented. Why? I surely have no power to negate the promise of Jesus! Even still, I have no peace when I have sins that are not confessed, and I have not repented. It is by grace that Jesus offers me peace, but I cannot have it unless I come to Him repentant, humble, and willing to follow Him as my Lord. God wants good things for me. In the new covenant, there are a great many promises. I must remember that I have a role to play in them, though. I cannot take them for granted.

P) Father, You are holy and just. You require things from me, because You are God and I am not. I love You, God. Because of that love, I desire to obey You. There is nothing You want from me, that I want to hold back. Even so, I confess that I sin. Even in all of my willingness to obey, when I am walking in the Spirit, deep in Your word, sober of mind, in self control. There are times when I am not those things. When I am full of regret, I thank You that Your mercy and grace is new every morning. Please forgive me, Lord. Help me to remember the promises You have made. Thank You for them. You could have simply required obedience against warnings of punishment. You would be completely justified to deal with my sins so severely. However, You are more gracious than I could imagine, and You offer promises in obedience. Help me to keep my eyes on all that You do for me. Let me be full of thanksgiving and praise. Help me to walk in the Spirit, to glorify You in all that I do. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/13/2016; 1 Kings 7:13-14

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 22, 23, 24; Galatians 4*

S) "¹³ Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴ He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work."

1 Kings 7:13-14 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 7

O) King Solomon had plenty of wisdom and understanding; he's still famous for it. And yet, when it came to some of the finer work of bronze, he outsourced it. I don't think this means that Solomon was incapable or lacking in knowledge, but in his wisdom he understood the value of having help. He had already formed a covenant with Hiram, king of Tyre. He knew that the man had Israelite heritage. He knew that Hiram was a master of bronze work. Who knows what other motivations Solomon had, but these are enough. He didn't allow competitive emotions or independent pride, to prevent him from seeking help.

A) There is a trap when I know I can do something very well. I don't want to ask for help in something that I do very well, or know how to do, especially if I enjoy it. But, as a matter of fact, there are simply times when it makes more sense for me to accept help. Even more to the point, there are times when I should reach out for help. I'm not exactly a busy person, so it's not like I have too much on my plate, per se. Still, there are other reasons (usually related to staying humble), that I should certainly seek help from people. I need to be reminded that I am not the strongest, smartest, most knowledgeable, or most capable. I don't have all of the answers. I don't have all the experience. Even if I can do something, even well, it is still worth asking for help when it's available. I need to recognize when someone is just better than me, and not just recognize but respect it, particularly by seeking help from that person.

P) Father, You are holy and mighty. I have been proud, arrogant, and haughty. Please forgive me for those things. I will humble myself before You, and before others. Please also humble me whenever I am thinking too highly of myself than I ought. Open my eyes to see the talents of other people, particularly when their skills, knowledge, or understanding exceed my own. Regardless of the topic or application, I want to be humble enough to acknowledge that I don't know what I am doing, and to seek help from those who do. Thank You for gifting me as You have, Lord. I know that You have made me strong, able, and wise enough to do a great many things for Your glory. Help me to remain humble, remembering that Your glory is at stake in everything I do. Help me to remember that it glorifies You to admit my deficiencies. Be magnified in my weakness. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.