THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

The Books Of Kings: The Kings Of Israel And Judah From Solomon To The Babylonian Captivity

I. The United Kingdom, 1 Kings 1:1-11:43

J. Heeding God's Disciplinary Signals On Unholy Associations

(1 Kings 11:14-43)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

Interpersonal conflicts abound in today's world, and we may wonder why, especially if they occur to us:

(1) It occurs at the international level: the Associated Press story, "Olympics sees controversy before it even opens" (Republican-American, February 9, 2018, p. 1A) told of the "Olympics convening in South Korea with the participation of its nuclear rival, North Korea" while "uneasiness about potential nuclear war continues unabated."

(2) It occurs at the national level: following another tragic school shooting, this time in Florida last week, we heard both talk show hosts Brad Davis and Dan Lavallo and their callers on "The Talk of Connecticut" struggle to explain why it had occurred, why there is so much violence and divisiveness in society that leads to such atrocities.

(3) It occurs at the state level: Chris Powell ("No more hush money for victims," Ibid., p. 6A) claims "Connecticut state agencies reportedly have been paying departing employees hundreds of thousands of dollars, in exchange for their promises that they won't say anything bad about their employer," all at taxpayers' expense!

(4) Interpersonal conflicts occur in Christian circles: Brannon Howse in his book, The Coming Religious Reich, 2015, p. 444-445, reported when he stated on his Worldview Weekend Facebook page "what Pope Francis was saying that was not biblical," he "came under immediate attack by Roman Catholics and self-described evangelicals." Howse listed his critiques, some of which were that the pope "was preaching global warming, but 2 Peter 3:10 says God will be the one that destroys the earth by real global warming," that Pope Francis had "been preaching social justice (socialism), which is in direct contradiction to biblical teaching on covetousness and stealing" and "(i)n his remarks on the balcony of the U. S. Capitol," the pope "referred to everyone as God's children," what "is false." (Ibid.)

Need: So, we ask, "If we face unusual interpersonal conflicts, is God trying to tell us something, and if so, what?"

I. When God gave His 2 Samuel 7:4-17 Davidic Covenant, He promised at verse 14 to punish the sinful Davidic king with the "rod of men," causing him to face trials like interpersonal conflicts with others.

II. Solomon's departure from God for pagan idols angered the Lord (1 Kings 11:1-13), so God applied that Davidic Covenant promise, arranging for three foes to arise to oppose him, 1 Kings 11:14, 23, 26.

III. Significantly, the DETAILS of these conflicts SIGNALED GOD'S CRITIQUE of Solomon's ALLIANCE with PHARAOH, an alliance that had led to ALL Solomon's OTHER notable sins, including IDOLATRY:

A. First, the details of Solomon's conflicts indicate they were not some massive, co-ordinated, human conspiracy, but were divinely ordered that Solomon might realize God was using them to punish him:

1. Hadad as an Edomite opposed Solomon from Edom, south of Israel (1 Kings 11:14-22), Rezon as an Aramean opposed Solomon from Damascus, north of Israel (1 Kings 11:23-25) and Jeroboam, a fellow Israelite of Ephraem in the central part of Israel opposed Solomon from within the core of his own country, 1 Kings 11:26-40. (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, Map 4: The Twelve Tribes of Israel)

2. Such foes were too scattered and too unrelated to one another for their opposition to have been humanly co-ordinated as a great conspiracy, so their opposition was divinely ordered to signal to Solomon that God was using these conflicts to punish him "with the rod of men" for sin in application of 2 Samuel 7:14!

B. Second, two of Solomon's three foes were aided by Pharaoh, straining Solomon's alliance with Egypt's ruler as a divine effort to get Solomon to end his alliance with Pharaoh, which alliance had led to his other big sins:

1. God had told Israel's kings in Deuteronomy 17:16 that the people of Israel were not to return to Egypt from which they had been delivered, that they were not to have any association with that sinful nation!

2. However, in violation of this command, Solomon made a treaty with Egypt's ruler Pharaoh, 1 Kings 3:1a.

3. This alliance had eventually led Solomon into all his other notable sins that culminated in pagan idolaty:

a. In order to seal his treaty with Pharaoh, Solomon had wed Pharaoh's daughter (Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p. 494), what violated Deuteronomy 7:3-4 and also left Solomon feeling obligated to gratify his Egyptian princess bride by building her a big palace house like what she had known in Egypt, 1 Kings 3:1b; 7:1-8.

b. David had left him a lot of materials to build the temple (1 Chron. 29:1-10), but Solomon had to borrow $170 million in gold from king Hiram of Tyre to finance his new, larger palace along with other projects, what in turn had led to Solomon's building a navy to acquire gold to repay Hiram, 1 Kings 9:10-14, 26-28.

c. Hiram's expression of dismay at Solomon's initial effort to repay his gold loan with 20 cities from Galilee (1 Kings 9:12-13) left Solomon feeling obliged to enhance Israel's cities lest Hiram's critique of Israel's cities circulate, tempting other nations to want to invade Israel as an easy prey, 1 Kings 9:17-19.

d. This all left Solomon needing laborers to address his projects, so he violated Deuteronomy 17:20a, lifting up his heart above his countrymen to subject them to prolonged slavery, 1 Kings 9:15-23; 12:1-4.

e. Solomon's ties with Pharaoh led to his acquiring many horses from Egypt (1 Kings 10:28-29; 4:26) and expanding his chariot force (1 Kings 9:19), prolonging Israel's slavery and violating Deuteronomy 17:16.

f. Meanwhile, Solomon's naval enterprise to acquire gold from Ophir had expanded to his hoarding of lots of gold and other exotic, material things, the idolatry of greed, 1 Kings 10:14-22 with Colossians 3:5b.

g. Solomon's love of the world led to his love of many foreign women whom he married in violation of Deuteronomy 17:17a and 7:3-4, and they led him into syncretism with pagan idolatry, 1 Kings 11:1-8.

IV. Nevertheless, 1 Kings 11:41-43 reports that Solomon died without repenting. He had begun his rule with great promise, but he finished poorly due to sins ALL rising from his unbiblical alliance with Pharaoh!

Lesson: Solomon's apostasy grew out of his unbiblical alliance with Pharaoh, so God applied His 2 Samuel 7:14 Davidic Covenant promise to Solomon in letting very scattered, unrelated foes arise to indicate that God, not man, was letting these conflicts arise to discipline Solomon, and since two of his three foes were aided by Pharaoh, thus fostering tension between Solomon and Pharaoh, to signal that Solomon end his alliance with Pharaoh!

Application: If we face interpersonal conflicts, (1) may we trust in Christ to be saved, John 3:16. (2) Then, if the conflicts (a) are unrelated to each other and geographically very scattered, may we conclude God has let them rise to discipline us for violating Scripture. (b) If a pattern appears in the conflicts that point to a Scripture violation by us, may we repent! (3) NOTE: not all conflicts indicate sin in one affected, for 2 Timothy 3:12 claims the godly will suffer persecution! Only if issues "2,a" and "2,b" immediately above apply must we conclude we are in sin!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . . )

This last week, God vigorously applied this sermon in my life, and by application, in our Church life as well:

Last Tuesday night, I was surfing the Internet for news on second degree separation, the biblical doctrine of parting fellowship with unholy fellow believers (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; Romans 16:17; 2 Timothy 2:20-21). I was restless about my first draft's illustration for this "Conclusion" section since it used information on interpersonal conflict trials I had faced in some cases decades ago that seemed "too old," for today! I wanted newer information.

However, while on this search, I discovered John Beardsley's jarring article, "General Association of Regular Baptist Churches: From Separation to Inclusivisim." (Biblical Discernment Ministries, revised 2/03; rapidnet.com) I was ordained under the GARBC, "a fundamentalist and strictly separatist entity" that had long claimed it separated "'from theological liberalism and compromising accommodation.'" (Ibid., citing the GARBC official web site, 2/2003)

To my dismay, the article told, among other issues, how an "official arm of the GARBC, Regular Baptist Press," in its "manual for senior high Sunday School teachers titled Surviving Our Society (Vol. 40, No. 2, 1991)," in its "lesson on homosexuality, under objectives (p. 70)," the teacher is told, "'(G)ive students opportunity to determine their view of homosexuality' (Emphasis added)" (Ibid., Beardsley), and on page 71 to "'(e)ncourage students to avoid homophobia'" (Ibid., Beardsley, citing Surviving Our Society, Ibid.), a term progressives use of us who view homosexuality as a sin!

Yet, the article also added, "(T)he GARBC's monthly magazine, The Baptist Bulletin," refused to run ads for books by "Martin & Deidre Bobgan" that critique Christian psychology "'to not be [sic] involved in the promotion of material related to the counseling controversy.'" (Ibid., Beardsley, citing The Baptist Bulletin, Feb. 1991 & late 1996) Significantly, our deacons last Wednesday evening received copies of "Psychology and Psychotherapy, Parts I and II," by T. A. McMahon, Martin & Deidre Bobgan in the January and February issues of the reputable newsletter, The Berean Call, that critique Christian psychology. I was also decades ago led by 2 Timothy 3:15-17, interpersonal conflict trials and the Bobgans' 1987 book, PsychoHeresey personally to stand against so-called Christian psychology.

This discovery led me to see my need now not only to pull back ties from the GARBC under which I was ordained due to its compromising accomodation on homosexuality, but also to retain my past stance against Christian psychology that God had led by Scripture and past interpersonal conflicts, to retain personal fellowship with Him!

Thus, God this last week indicated that whether the lessons on parting fellowship with the unrighteous were given long ago or last week, lessons that have been gained especially through God's use of interpersonal conflict trials, they are meant as God's disciplinary measures that are to be permanently applied in our lives!

May we trust in Christ and heed Scripture's leading to "read" God's signals in interpersonal conflicts!