1King 9: 1-9 Promises and Warnings

INTRODUCTION:

·         The building projects are done.  The temple has been consecrated and is now open for “Kingdom” business.

·         FSC in a smaller way has finished a building project, the building was consecrated, and similarly “open for business”.

·         So, what is next?  Is there anything in 1Kings that we can apply to us today?

·         Open your Bibles to 1Kings 9, we will be looking at the first 9 verses.

1.      from Genesis. 

So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. — Genesis 2:1 (CSB)

o   Motivation behind the work.  (desired to do) : “a strong desire, or delight”

For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities —all things have been created through him and for him. — Colossians 1:16 (CSB)

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day. — Genesis 1:31 (CSB)

o   God creation was for His good pleasure and that his creation can also know the pleasure that flows from knowing Him. 

2.      The LORD appears . 

1)      Mentioning this is the second time connecting them.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you? ” — 1 Kings 3:4-5 (CSB)

o   King Solomon asks for wisdom.  God is pleased with his request.  Not only does He grant his request for wisdom but adds the promise of “riches and honor’.

o   What is important in the appearances of the LORD is not so much knowledge of His appearance, but what is said when He does appear. 

o   The problem is not that God is not speaking, but that man is not listening. 

Now, because you have done all these things ​— ​this is the Lord’s declaration ​— ​and because I have spoken to you time and time again but you wouldn’t listen, and I have called to you, but you wouldn’t answer, what I did to Shiloh I will do to the house that bears my name, ​ ​the house in which you trust, ​ ​the place that I gave you and your ancestors.  I will banish you from my presence, just as I banished all of your brothers, all the descendants of Ephraim.’ — Jeremiah 7:13-15 (CSB)

See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven. — Hebrews 12:25 (CSB)

3.      The LORD . 

1)      The LORD hears. 

When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? — Psalm 8:3-4 (CSB)

2)      The LORD answered.  “I have consecrated this temple you have built”

                                                              i.      Consecrate – to make holy.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPAL:  The name of the LORD and the presence of the LORD makes things holy. 

Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. So Moses thought, “I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up? ” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses! ” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. — Exodus 3:2-6 (CSB)

This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.” — John 3:19-21 (CSB)

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. — Matthew 5:14-16 (CSB)

3)      The LORD exhorts. 

                                                              i.      God’s exhortations are personal.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” — Genesis 3:8-9 (CSB)

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” — Matthew 16:13-15 (CSB)

                                                             ii.      A call to obedience. 

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” — Matthew 22:34-40 (CSB)

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:34-35 (CSB)

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:  In God’s Kingdom means NEVER justify the ends.  In His Kingdom the means are ALWAYS centerstage and the ends are in His hands.  For us it is about the HOW and the WHY.

                                                           iii.      A promise to establish. 

“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. — Matthew 24:9-14 (CSB)

4)      The LORD warns. 

                                                              i.      Behavior to avoid. 

                                                             ii.      Consequences they will suffer.

EMERALD CITY:

1.      What are you doing with the name of the LORD and His presence in your life?

https://www.iamsecond.com/film/brian-welch/#modal-media-vimeo

2.      We need to be very careful with what we have heard.  Take heed to the great warnings from Hebrews.

For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? — Hebrews 2:1-3 (CSB)

Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. — Hebrews 3:12-13 (CSB)

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned. — Hebrews 6:4-8 (CSB)

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. — Acts 3:19-20 (CSB)