TODAY’S READING IN THE ONE YEAR BIBLE -SOLOMON’S APOSTASY; SAUL’S CONVERSION and PRAYER FOCUS ON HAITI
JUNE 13- 1 Kings 11-12:19; Acts 9:1-25; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 17:4-5
Solomon was the son of David appointed to rule on his father’s throne and to build the temple his father desired. He had great wisdom, honor, wealth, and power from God. Unlike Jesus, the Greater Son of David, Solomon’s wisdom did not extend to his moral and spiritual life. Solomon did not remain humble. Nor did he always put to good use what God had given Him. His judgment became distorted.
Those who grow in riches, fame and power of influence can fall into self-deception, thinking that might makes right. They forget that moral and spiritual laws apply to themselves. Their transgressions reap a harvest of consequences. Many at the height of their careers become blind to the moral precipices beneath their feet of clay.
Jesus puts Solomon’s earthly splendor into perspective as He contrasts it with the splendor of the Father’s plan in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 6:28-29 "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, [29] yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
The queen of Sheba sought out Solomon for his wisdom. Jesus tells us that there is a greater wisdom that is to be found in God’s wisdom, His plan of salvation:
Matthew 12:42 "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
If the Queen of Sheba was responsive to the wisdom God gave Solomon, how much more should we be responsive to the wisdom of God in giving us the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior?
Solomon’s glory is severely tarnished as his heart is turned away from the Lord. His prophetic voice disappears. His spiritual credibility is undermined. He fails to keep the Lord before his face. Notice the declension. He treats unfairly those who had been generous towards him (9:12-13). He oppressed foreigners into forced labor (9:15-22). He violates God’s law to accumulate wealth (10:26-29) and takes foreign wives who lead him into idolatry (1 Kings 11).
Notice that he does all that is forbidden in the law of Moses pertaining to kings:
Deut. 17:16-17 "Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never again return that way.' [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.
1 Kings 11 tells us how Solomon’s heart is turned.
1 Kings 11:1-3 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, [2] from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." Solomon held fast to these in love. [3] He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.
Solomon had exhorted the people to be “wholly devoted to the Lord” and “keep His commands” (1 Kings 8:61). Yet he became more devoted to his wives than to God. He disobeyed God’s commands and both accommodated and entered into their idolatry. Solomon’s example of marrying women from pagan nations set in motion a practice that would cause great problems centuries later during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 9:2; 10:2-3; Neh 13:23-27).
The consequences of Solomon’s apostasy would be that the kingdom would be divided, with ten tribes forming the nation of Israel to the north, and two tribes forming the nation of Judah in the south. The kingdom would have been torn out of his hands completely if it were not for God’s previous covenant with David and His choice of Jerusalem.
Solomon dies after a 40 year reign.
Solomon’s successor, King Rehoboam, forsakes the counsel of the elders and gave in to the advice of his peers to be even more of a tyrant than his father.
1 Kings 12:13-15 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him, [14] and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." [15] So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
So begins a period of approximately sixty years from the death of Solomon and the break up of the kingdom to the corrupt reign of Ahab and the coming of the prophet Elijah.
We see in the despotic reign of Solomon in his later years and the rule of Rehoboam, that people often strangely submit to tyranny rather than speak out against it.
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Acts 9:1-25
Today we have Luke’s account of the conversion of the Apostle Paul. We will read it again in the Book of Acts as Paul repeats his testimony which proves useful on several occasions. This is another great evidence of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection- the transformation of the Apostle Paul.
PSALM 131:1-3
This Psalm eloquently speaks of the benefit of humbling ourselves before the Lord.
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
PROV 17:4-5- These Proverbs touch upon the impact of listening to evil speech and mocking the poor or taking pleasure in the difficult circumstances of others.
PRAY FOR THE NATIONS
(Taken from the Prayer Guide- OPERATION WORLD)
Haiti
Republic of Haiti
Caribbean
Geography
Area: 27,400 sq km
Western third of the island of Hispaniola; shared with the Dominican Republic.
Population: 10,188,175 Annual Growth: 1.60%
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Urbanites: 49.6%
Official language: French (10% speak it). Common languages Haitian Creole, English and Spanish increasingly used as a second language.
Haiti is the poorest state in the Western Hemisphere, aggravated by overpopulation, deforestation (only 2% of original forests remain), soil erosion, pollution and hurricanes. Around 75% live on less than $2 a day, and two thirds are under- or unemployed. Political instability and violence prevent proper aid distribution and long term investment. The 2010 earthquake devastated much of what little economic infrastructure did exist. After this disaster it will take billions of dollars and many years of stability, coupled with sustained redevelopment, to see any long term economic progress. Major sources of income include remittances from expatriate Haitians and, now, aid, relief and development funds earmarked for earthquake recovery.
POLITICS-
A slave revolt against the French in 1804 created the first black republic in the world. Haiti was made to pay for its freedom with steep reparations to France and economic/diplomatic isolation by the European and American imperial powers, crippling the nation in its early years. Since then, it has had a troubled history of bloodshed and dictatorships. The deposing of the Duvaliers in 1986 ended a particularly brutal dictatorship. A succession of coups and military governments since, including US led intervention in 1994, have done little to instill stability, but the longer-term presence of the UN has assisted. Haiti annually appears at or near the top of the corruption index; crime is rife, and 25% of the already-under-strength police force are in the pockets of drug lords and gangs.
Answer to Prayer
The spiritual response to the tragedy of the 2010 earthquake was an almost universal outpouring of prayer, repentance and calling upon God for mercy and deliverance. Out of the disaster, God appears to be doing something radical and new among the people of Haiti. Reports abound that the three days of prayer and fasting called for by the president – replacing February 2010's Mardi Gras – were attended by over one million people.
Challenge for Prayer
The earthquake of 2010 was a disaster on many levels. But it also offers hope out of tragedy. It is believed that 230,000 lost their lives, 300,000 were injured and over one million were rendered homeless. Hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings were also destroyed, including some major government buildings. Aid arrived from around the world, but coordination was difficult in the aftermath of the earthquake, and assistance will be needed for a long time to come. For a host of reasons, Haiti struggled as a nation from its very inception. This shattering disaster could be an opportunity to reshape not just the physical infrastructure of the nation, but the cultural, economic, political and societal infrastructures as well. Some points to cover in prayer include:
a) The rebuilding efforts will take years. Haiti’s infrastructure was never good, and Port-au-Prince’s was especially weak due to rapid urbanization from poorer rural areas. Countless homes will need to be rebuilt or restored; the sheer scale of money and manpower needed is staggering for the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation. Pray for the best long-term development for the city and nation, rather than quick fixes. Pray for generous assistance from wealthier neighbours and nations and agencies from further abroad.
b) The human suffering was immense in the immediate aftermath and will continue for years. The shared emotional trauma of the events, the massive loss of life and the long-term injuries will all leave major scars on the Haitian population. Healing from such hurts needs time, care and the love of God.
c) Haiti was a financial and social mess even before the earthquake. Repairing all the damage, however, will not create a healthy economy. Haiti must rebuild beyond its previous state and develop long-term plans and policies that are shaped with wisdom and justice.
Pray for the many ministries that are working with the poor in Haiti, including, “Hope for the Children of Haiti” and “Orphans First” .
Pastor David
So, naturally, we proclaim Christ! We warn everyone we meet, and we teach everyone we can, all that we know about him, so that, if possible, we may bring every man up to his full maturity in Christ. (Colossians 1:28, J.B. Phillips paraphrase)
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