1 Kings 5 Bible Study (Preparations for Building the Temple) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Do you have a copy of God's Word in your hand?

Yes. Would you join me in First Kings

1 Kings 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 as we come to this precious text?

Perhaps a challenging text in terms of how to glean

application, but we'll trust that the Holy Spirit will reward

us for our diligence. So meet me in First Kings

1 Kings 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5, and it's so great to see so many of you.

I know some can't make it, especially because of the event

tomorrow. They have to rise early in the

morning, But Bible study must go on, as you know.

And so here we are in this wonderful chapter, and here's

really a brief summary of where we're headed now into this book.

Solomon now, after doing much, is prepared to make preparations

for the building of the temple. We've now reached the pinnacle

of his achievements, at least the beginnings, the genesis of

this great project that has been divinely orchestrated and

ordained by God himself. And as we come to this chapter,

to our surprise, we don't see Solomon getting right into.

The construction itself, we don't see him taking the

resources that his father had consecrated before his death.

We see something strange perhaps to our understanding of how this

should happen. We see a gentile being

introduced to us, at least reintroduced to us, and we will

read the first few verses. And really what will summarize

and what will make up this text? Is Solomon dealing with this man

extending an invitation for him to participate in this

assignment? And this man's response, That's

really the format of it. And through that we will again

glean some truths for our own walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so let's read here the first few verses of First Kings,

chapter five we read now Hiram, king of Tyres, sent his servants

to Solomon when he had heard that they had anointed him king

in place of his father. For Hiram always loved David.

And Solomon sent word to Hiram. You know that David my father

could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God,

because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded

him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side.

There's neither adversary nor misfortune.

And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God.

As the Lord said to David, my father, your son, whom I will

set on your throne, in your place shall build the house for

my name. Now therefore command the Cedars

of Lebanon be cut for me and My servants will join your

servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you

set. For you know that there is no

one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Cydonians.

Father, we come with reverence and anticipation.

We believe that what we just read is the word of the Lord.

We believe that this word is your voice, and we believe that

you will speak to us. But we do not presume that we

will experience such a thing unless you help us by the power

of the Holy Spirit. Lord, hover over us and do

miracles in our hearts. We trust, Lord, that you will

make much of Your name. As we study this text together.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen.

Indeed. The last time that this man

Hiram has appeared in the scriptures was back in Second

2 Samuel 5:11

Samuel, chapter 5, verse 11, where we are told that Hiram

came to the aid of David and supplied some materials for his

own palace. And then Hiram disappears.

And then he reappears again here in this text, this time to visit

Solomon, the successor of David, and to express his support and

express his allegiance to him. By sending representatives in

his name. But what's so fascinating here

is the motivation that Hiram the king of Tyre, which is tires in

modern day Lebanon. The motivation, the the thing

that stirred him to reach out to Solomon in this way, look again

here at the end of verse two we read and Solomon, Excuse me,

verse one. For Hiram always loved David.

Hiram always loved David. And so this man had affinity.

He had affection for David. And what I find so fascinating

is that this is being told to us after David had transitioned

into glory, after David had passed on and graduated into the

presence of God, this man still had high honor for David.

He is moving based on his history with David.

A memory, really. And if you go to the parallel

account, which you don't have to turn to in Second Chronicles 2,

which is a fuller testimony of the same chapter, we're told

that even Hiram called David his Lord not, you know, attributing

to him divinity, but his his master.

He's giving him respect, this title of being superior to him.

So this man had a deep, deep love for this man that we are

familiar with, David. And it translates even here that

he comes to his son to express his love for him in the name of

David. And as I looked at this and I

thought to myself, isn't it isn't it wonderful to see

someone have such a depth of devotion to another person?

Though he can no longer interact with him, he can't engage with

David. He can't see David any longer.

But his his respect from outlived the life of the very

man that he greatly appreciated. And as I looked at Hiram, I

couldn't help but think about the words of Peter to the

believers, when he reminded them of the quality of their love

toward the Lord Jesus Christ. What did he say there in First

Peter? 18 Though you do not see him,

you love him, and though you do not now see him, you have this

joy in you toward him that is inexpressible and filled with

glory. Hiram love David.

David. David died.

And our king, yes, he died. But he didn't stay in the grave.

He rose and he ascended into the heavens.

And he promised, while being high priests and interceding for

us, to walk with us and to lead us and to guide us.

And then he will one day return to us.

If David could love a man, or if hiring could love a man like

David in such a way, how much more us with our king, our king,

who we not only attribute our faith to in terms of a

historical account of what he has done, but a king that we

know lives today and is in our midst every day and goes before

us and surrounds us every moment.

How much more should our love for the son of David outshine

the love that Hiram shows for David himself?

I'm impressed by this man, but I'm also challenged that you and

I have a king who is greater than David, and he deserves a

greater love than this. And so he comes.

And as he comes, Solomon realizes that he clearly is a

friendly foreigner. He's someone who has an open

heart. And so he takes advantage of

this moment to extend an opportunity, a request, a royal

request to Hiram. And he asks him to join him to

partner with him in this amazing project known as the Temple of

God, this House of worship for the true and living God.

And it's in this message that we want to take our time to examine

some things that again, we can attribute to ourselves, or at

least to some extent. Notice the first words of verse

three. What are the 1st 2 words?

You know he's speaking to Hiram. He says, you know that David, my

father could not build a house for the name of the Lord has

got. How did Hiram know that he's all

the way in Lebanon. He's a distant friend.

One logical conclusion, right? At some point David shared his

heart with Hiram. At some point, some juncture, he

opened up to Hiram and he says, you know, Hiram, so appreciate

you helping us build my house. But down deep inside, more than

anything, I want to build a house for God.

I want to build a house for the Lord.

And with that he must have explained.

But I've been prohibited by the same God that I longed to honor

and his perfect wisdom. He did not allow me to directly

build a house for him. I I just wonder what that looked

like. At what point David opened up

about these things. The reason why that's so

significant is because Hiram. Is he a Jew?

Is he? No, he's Lebanese.

He's a gentile. He's a gentile.

I thought to myself, what stimulated David to open up?

His heart, to share this personal thing that he had with

God, with this man who had no direct relationship with the God

of Israel or the people of Israel.

And I thought and I meditated. And then I remembered some of

the Psalms where David makes these statements, these

declarations, these exhortations.

And I think in those Psalms you get an understanding of his

heart and maybe what he wrote in those psalms is why he did what

he did with Hiram. Let me give you a couple

examples. So in Psalm 96 verse 3, David

Psalms 96:3

makes this amazing statement that you are probably familiar

with declare his glory among the nations.

Declare his glory among the nations, and he doesn't finish

there. And he says his marvelous works

among all the peoples plural. The author of Psalm 119 is

unknown, but many are comfortable to give that Psalm

over to David in terms of authorship.

And if it is David, listen to what he says in Psalm 119 verse

Psalms 119:46

46. I will also speak of your

testimonies before who? Kings before kings.

So this man, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, also in

connection to his desires, worked about by the Holy Spirit.

Doesn't want to just contain the testimony of the goodness of

God, his marvelous works to the people who are familiar with it,

he says Go beyond that. Go beyond the borders.

If there's a way, let the nation's here.

If there's a way, let the peoples here.

If there's a way, let kings here.

And I like to think that David testifying about this to to

Hiram is David proving that he was more than a worshipper and a

psalmist. He was an evangelist.

He was an evangelist. His worship was not just in

creating songs. His worship overflowed and

telling people who might not be familiar with these amazing

truths about how amazing they really are.

That excites me about David. He came to higher up at some

point, he says. I want to just tell you about

what I had in mind for God, and I want to tell you something

about the wisdom of God. And we do not know for certain

if Hiram ever became a believer. There's some evidence that you

can make a case for, especially in Second Chronicles, and you

read here that he actually says that the Lord is the maker of

heaven and earth. I don't think that's enough

evidence in chapter 2, verse 12 of Second Chronicles.

But one thing is for certain, this man loved David.

Even though David unashamedly testified about his God, he

still loved him. I mean, it's very likely that

Hiram was a worshipper of many false gods, and yet still there

is this sense of great respect and appreciation for David in

light of the fact that he proclaimed the true God without

fear. Listen, if people are going to

love you, if people are going to love me, let it be because of

the fragrance of worship that's on us.

Let it be because of our walk with the Lord.

Let it be because we are unashamed about the gospel of

Jesus Christ, not because for fear or anxiety, we conceal our

testimony with the attempt to win the allegiance of people who

don't know our God, Hiram. Loved David and David did not

conceal his love for God and made an impression on this man,

no doubt. And so we see Hiram come now and

he's already aware of the situation.

And as Solomon explains in verse 3.

Not only how he knew, but he also explains and reintroduces

why Solomon was the one that had to build the temple.

Reading anniversary, you know that David, my father, could not

build a house for the name of the Lord his God, because of the

warfare with which his enemies surrounded him until the Lord

put them under the soles of his feet.

David, throughout his life you know this.

Throughout his reign was preoccupied with warfare, his

time, his energy, his planning. Was to defend, was to fight

back, was to resist. And because of that

preoccupation, at least in part, was the reason why he could not

give himself over to this. Yes, God prohibited him because

he was a man of war. But Solomon explains that he was

also very busy with a different mission.

And it's in this that we have another insight, I think a

golden insight concerning the Church of Jesus Christ.

Because now Solomon goes on to say Data was a man of war.

My my father was very busy doing that.

But now me because of God's goodness, because of God's

provision of peace, we can build.

Look what he says here in verse 4.

But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side.

So he tributes even this rest to God and rightfully so.

Well, what's the insight for you and I?

Here's the insight right? Because Solomon saying it's it's

a time of peace. So let's build, Hiram.

Let's build. And you and I also as Christians

have to understand that in society and culture, with

politics and government, when there are times of peace, we

have to take advantage of those times.

We have to take advantage of those times of rest that have

been sovereignly permitted by God.

When persecution has been restricted, has been pushed

back, and we enjoy more freedom than the world has known, Our

dear brother Mark, Pastor Mark preached on persecution this

past Sunday. What we're experiencing in

America is not common. It's an anomaly.

Hiding to have church is common. Hiding your Bible when you come

from your car to a building is common.

Times of peace, even in Solomon's day was uncommon.

And it's a special window of time that the Lord has ordained.

For what purpose? For what purpose?

For His Kingdom to be built. For his Kingdom to advance with

an acceleration that is unusual as well.

And so, in times of peace, you and I cannot afford to get dizzy

by extensive leisure. You and I cannot afford to get

lost in our own priorities and our own ambitions.

You and I, like Solomon, have to understand when God gives us

peace all around, when the people of God know or rest, that

doesn't make sense. It's time to be strategic.

You know, when the whole COVID thing broke out, part of me, and

I'd like to think it was a righteous indignation, was like

it happened so quick, just it was just a surprise.

We're all surprised everything got flooded on the media.

We're all told to bunker and hide in for two weeks until we

flatten the curb in two weeks became two years.

As you know, I just thought to myself, ministries were shut

down, missionaries couldn't travel, people have to come back

home. The world shut down overnight.

And on many occasions I remember asking the Lord if this world is

to return to somewhat of a normal state again, please help

us take advantage of this time. Please let us not waste an

opportunity again. In fact, you and I are commanded

by the Holy Spirit in our prayers as a church to ask God

for times of peace. Let me prove that to you.

Do you have your bibles? Yes.

First Timothy chapter two look at the 1st 2 verses.

First Timothy chapter two, look at the 1st 2 verses.

You know the verse, the first verse because it's an

instruction for the church to pray.

Look what Paul says in verse one.

And first Timothy chapter two first of all.

Then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and

Thanksgivings be made for all people.

Now he qualifies. A group of people that we should

focus much of our prayers for verse 2 for kings and all who

are in high positions. Why Paul?

Why pray for those in high positions that we may lead a

peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way?

Can I translate that into modern English?

Pray and ask God to do a work in those who make decisions in

society and civilization and your culture.

And ask God that the government would leave you alone as a

church. That's the translation that they

would have put up hindrances, threats, obstructions.

Challenges that you would be as free as possible?

To do what? To live a godly life, dignified

in every way. In other words, ask that there

might be favor so that you can be more effective in your gospel

work. That's what we're asking God for

when we pray for our officials. And yes, in the next words, he

asked that we pray for their salvation, right?

Because God desires the salvation of all men, including

those in high positions. But even in asking for their

salvation, whether they are saved or not, we we should be

aiming saying Lord, give us a time of peace, give us a window

of opportunity where we can have a a greater freedom in making

your name known. We don't want inconvenience, we

don't want more difficulty. So Lord, give us that grace.

So again, in times of peace, as much as it's chaotic out there,

we are still in that time of peace in the West.

So listen, we can't afford to be lacking enthusiasm.

You can't. And Solomon here is fully aware

of that. He understands this is a time to

build, this is a time to get to work, this is a time to get

busy. And I'm afraid that often the

opposite is true. Where there is so much freedom,

we don't know what to do with it, and so we get distracted

with so many other things. Often what it takes is

persecution, when everything is stripped from you, where you

realize what matters most. It doesn't have to come to that.

It doesn't. We just need the mind of Christ.

We need the wisdom of God to interpret what's happening in

our day and to realize that in times of peace or persecution we

do the work of Him who's called us.

But it's much more difficult to do it in times of peace, isn't

it? May not be so of us.

Now look here verse. Four, he says.

But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side.

There is neither adversary nor misfortune.

And look at this in verse 5. And so I intend to build a house

for the name of the Lord my God. I intend to build a house for

the name of the Lord my God. I love how he's being honest.

He's like at this point I intend to do so.

Intending to do something is not the same as actually doing it.

Actually, I need 3 volunteers. It's a very simple task.

I need one person. To open to one passage each.

OK who wants to volunteer? You got to be able to read with

authority, though. OK, my brother, please open the

Second Chronicles 21. Who's the next person?

Somebody lifted their hand. Second Chronicles 3.

One and sister open up the Second Chronicles 51.

So Second Chronicles 2. One, Second Chronicles 3 one,

And then Second Chronicles 51 again.

This is a parallel account of what's happening here at this

portion of First Kings, and you can turn there if you'd like to

highlight these points because Solomon sequence.

Of how he moves about in building the temple is presented

beautifully in Second Chronicles and those chapters that I

mentioned. And it really provides us a

model of how we should approach ministry for ourselves.

And it also provides warning that in certain phases of how we

go about ministry, some get stuck at these stages.

So let's read Second Chronicles 21.

Let's read the first verse and pay attention to the words.

So again, kind of like what we read here in verse 5, Solomon

determined to build a house for the Lord.

Now let's stop there. So there are many believers who

determine or purpose to do things for God, right?

They have ambition. Those ambitions sometimes are

even expressed to others with great interest.

I really want to serve the Lord in this way.

I really want to honor him in this way.

I really believe I should start this.

I really believe that God has called me or gifted me in this

way, but unfortunately, many people just stay in the place of

determining They know that they are supposed to be plugged into

a local church. They know that they're supposed

to be active with what God has put in their heart, but they

never get to it. It just stays in the realm of

wishful thinking. And they tend to be satisfied

with the fact that in their hearts they have these desires,

though those desires are never materialized.

Solomon doesn't do that. Solomon goes to the next next

step. And what's that brother in

second Chronicles 3? One.

Yes, your second Chronicles 51. Your second Also three One.

Go ahead, you're. You're in Chapter 5.

Go ahead, brother. Then Solomon began to build a

House of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord

had appeared to David, his father, at the place that David

had appointed on the thrusting floor of one in the West side.

What's the next thing that he did?

The first thing that he did is he determined what's the next

thing that he did? He began to build.

So he didn't. He didn't stay in the place of

just determining. Now he started something.

He laid a foundation. So that ambition now finally

manifested into a real action. And so he starts, He puts his

hand to the plow and he begins to till the soil.

And that's what some believers do as well.

So they go from just knowing what they're supposed to do or

believing something they're supposed to do, and they

actually start doing that. And we praise God for that.

But unfortunately, some people start something, and what they

don't finish, they don't fulfill their ministry, They don't

complete it. And that's the case of many, for

whatever reason. Now, one justifiable reason is

that the Lord has called you to elsewhere, and that was a season

of training. But that's not often the case

with how people go from determining to beginning

something. It's often for unjustifiable

reasons. They lose interest.

They don't think that it offers the fruit of the reward that

they anticipated. At a certain point, they are

invited or another opportunity opens up, and so they kind of

jump from one thing to the next. Here's the thing, many people

rob themselves of great blessing and rob others of blessings

because of a lack of this one characteristic, Loyalty.

Loyalty. More and more is loyalty

becoming a rarity? Many profess to have a love, but

a faithful man who can find It's easy for people to express their

appreciation, the devotion, their love, but to live it out

and to prove it with action as a rarity.

It was a rarity in the book of Proverbs.

It's a rarity even today. Unfortunately, you rob yourself

of much when you miss out on the discipline and the honor and the

call of loyalty, hopping from thing to thing to thing,

friendship to friendship to friendship, church to church to

church, ministry to mission and ministry.

And you don't stay long enough to see the fruit of the thing.

And I, even growing up in the church, I I I've been to

different churches in different seasons.

And I remember one particular church, I think in five years

they had four different pastors just jumping from ministry.

Oh, better pay over here. It's warmer in that place.

And look, if God's called you, God's called you.

But if your reasons are in the flesh, you're hurting your own

Ministry, and you're hurting other people can be blessed by

your Ministry. So much more can be said about

that. So you have some who determine

you have some who begin. But what does Solomon do in

Second Chronicles 5/1? Was finished.

So it went from a plan to beginning to completing.

That should be what you and I emulate in our own lives in

ministry. That you stay the course that

whatever God's called you to do, in whatever context he's called

you to do it in. That you do it until he calls

you home. That you spend yourself, as Paul

said, that you I poured myself out as a drink offering, like

every drop of who I am has been spilled over to the cause of

Christ. Do that.

Be that I ask God for the grace to complete what he's called you

to. We have enough wreckage and half

built ideas and ministries, and May God be honored with

longevity and loyalty. So this man completes and then

he goes on and verse 6 and he says now therefore command that

Cedars of Lebanon be cut for me and my servants will join your

servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you

said. For you know that there is no

one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Cydonians.

Some would criticize Solomon. For what?

I just think Why would some criticize Solomon for reaching

out to Hiram? Yeah, you said it right.

He's a Gentile. Why are you involving A Gentile

with this Jewish project, right? Why are you asking for resources

and supplies beyond the Promised Land?

But if somebody carefully reads the Old Testament, they would

understand something about the Promised Land.

Do this on your own if you'd like.

When you go to Joshua 13, you read that when Joshua and the

generation with him went into the promised Land and performed

some successful campaigns taking over some of the promised Land,

they didn't complete it. And the Lord said in verse one

of chapter 13, there's still much land to take over.

And when you go to verse six, you read something interesting

part of the Promised Land. I know this is controversial

today. Is all of Lebanon?

Yeah, all of Lebanon. And they were called to drive

out all the Sidonians. The same Sidonians that he is

referring to here, let me say this way, there's a lot of

controversy about the Promised Land today, right?

If you actually study the Old Testament, the the boundaries of

the Promised Land are much larger than what people believe.

Much larger. So I just throw that out there.

I'm just throwing that out there to for what point?

For the point of this, Because we shouldn't condemn Solomon

here because in essence, he's really asking for something that

belongs to him and his people. And so this man is not acting

out of faith. He's acting in lineman with his

faith. And at the same time, he is

respecting Hiram as a king and he's respecting his people for

who they are separate. Autonomous, But he is not

performing something illegal by reaching out to them.

And in fact, this is a picture of a future temple that would be

built, right? A future temple, the Church of

God, The Church of God, that would be built not through the

resources of Jew and Gentile, but comprised of Jew and

Gentile. Ephesians 2 We're told in 22

that we are being built together as a dwelling place for God.

By the Spirit. You and I are those precious

stones that are being cut and prepared to make a house for

God. Right here, right now, in this

very room. I'm looking at precious faces.

Precious Saints. Awake faces.

Praise God. This is the temple right here.

This is it. It's not this.

It's not this. It's not this.

It's not this. It's this coming together.

Different backgrounds, different shades of skin and color and

length and accents and cultures and food and all those wonderful

things. Coming together by the grace of

God through the blood of Jesus Christ, making a house for God.

And so here we even have a nudge of a house to come, Jew and

Gentile coming together to glorify God and His presence,

hosting it in partnership with the truth of the Son of God.

Let's see here what happens next verse 7.

Now we get the response of Hiram.

As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly

and said, blessed be the Lord this day who has given to David

a wise son to be over this great people.

And Hiram sent to Solomon saying, I've heard the message

that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire

in the matter of cedar and Cypress timber.

My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I

will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct, and

I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it,

and you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.

Again, it's not conclusive whether or not Hiram believed in

the true and living God eventually, or for he did at

this point. What is certain, though, is that

his response to the invitation of Solomon is a wonderful model

for believers in connection to how they should respond to the

invitation of the call of God for their lives and the

respective ministries that you received.

Let me remind you of the simple truth.

But God help us. We need to be reminded often of

simple truths. When Jesus Christ shed his blood

for you and forgave you, when you responded in repentance and

faith, you didn't just get heaven.

You got a gift. You received a supernatural gift

from God in order to equip the church, build the church, edify

the church, and glorify God in and through that gift.

And each of us in this place have been invited to some degree

to participate in the expansion of the glory of God.

Right. And this is what this man

understands. I am ready to do all you desire

in the matter of cedar and Cypress timber.

I know the lane that I'm supposed to stay in, provide you

wood. And I'll do it with all my

desire. And I will do it with all my

strength, all my joy, all excellence.

But let's look at this year before he even says that.

Notice his response in verse seven when he received the

message. What did he do at verse seven?

What stands out to you? It's 2 words.

Or three. He rejoiced greatly.

So when the message came to him says, hey, are you willing to

work with me on this? He exploded with excitement.

Are you telling me that I get to be part of this awesome thing?

And from that great joy we're told in verse eight, I am ready

to do all you desire. This is going to save some

people. Not salvation.

Maybe even salvation. I'm talking salvation saving.

I'm talking about sanctifying, saving.

Notice here, before he confessed I am ready to do all you desire,

he expressed this. Amazing.

Explosive. True.

Genuine joy. The joy resulted in this high

commitment and great sacrifice. And doing whatever he could do

in order to please God. And why is that?

Important because I'm convinced that the reason why any believer

has a low commitment and whatever God's called them to do

is because they have a low joy. And the reason why they have

little joy is because, unlike Hiram, they can't perceive, for

whatever reason, the awesome privilege it is to be invited in

serving God in any way that makes sense.

It's a poor outlook on what it is that Almighty God has

beckoned you to. And when you have a blurry

understanding of the awesome privilege of serving the Lord

Jesus Christ, then you're not going to have much joy.

And if you don't have much joy, you're not going to have high

commitment. You see how simple that equation

is? Why is it you can't get people?

Why is it that you can't get yourself to do something

continually, consistently, effectively?

I believe one of the main reasons is because your heart is

void of gladness. It's as simple as that.

It's no mystery. It's deeper than that.

And let me say something even perhaps more shocking.

The reason why I can diagnose that is because that's how God

diagnosed at least one of the main reasons for the spiraling

apostasy of the nation of Israel.

Listen, this is what I meant. This might save some.

It might save some. Yeah, God diagnosis the nation

of Israel for their apostasy by putting his finger on this very

truth that I'm trying to convey. They lacked joy in serving God.

Now let me prove it. So you don't think I'm just

pulling this out of thin air. Deuteronomy chapter 28, verse

Deuteronomy 28:47

47, where God gives the rewards for obedience and the curses for

disobedience to the nation. And notice what he says to this

people in terms of the reason why they would disobey

Deuteronomy 28, verse 47. I remember stumbling upon this

Deuteronomy 28:47

verse studying Deuteronomy and it changed my life and I hope it

changes yours as well. Look what the Lord says to the

people. Look at this.

Hey, if you haven't paid attention up to this point, pay

attention now because you did not serve the Lord your God.

Now he could have stopped there because you didn't serve the

Lord your God. And then he gives his warnings

and he gives the consequences of that.

But he doesn't say that because you did not serve the Lord your

God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the

abundance of all things. And he goes on to explain what

they were headed to because of that lack, not just of

obedience, joyful obedience. You know what George Mueller

said? George Mueller said that it is

my ambition to attend to this every single day as my top

priority, and it is to be happy in God, my priority every single

day, Mueller said. It's not to get preoccupied with

how to serve God, what kind of thing I need to do next.

My priority numero Uno is to ensure that my soul is happy in

God. Why did George Miller have that

revelation? Because he understood that true

ministry flows from that place. Longevity, effectiveness.

Again, fruitfulness comes from the heart that serves the Lord

with a revelation of joy and gladness.

Now, if you're waiting for that to be spontaneous, if you're

waiting for that joy to be spontaneous or to just erupt out

of nowhere, you're in for some disappointment.

This joy is not even determined by whether or not things are

going for you that week, and that's why you have a little bit

extra skip to your step when you want to serve the Lord that

week. No, no, no.

That joy has to be nourished. It has to be fed.

It's a discipline to see that joy grow.

And how does that joy grow? I mean, there's many ways, But

just realizing again what Hiram realized.

Who is it that I'm serving here? What reward awaits me in my

contribution in light of the New Covenant?

The eternal impact that I can possibly make with my brothers

and sisters is I I just serve in this area and they serve in that

area and and together we become this machine that bulldozers

over the Kingdom of darkness and makes room for God's light to

shine brighter. That's how you feel your joy

when you come to the truth of your position, of your calling,

of the empowerment that belongs to you, of the promises of God

for those who walk in obedience and say this is really what I've

been invited to. And then you begin to feel a

pulse, and then you begin to feel fire in your blood.

And something deeper than feeling is something deeper than

just emotion. It's a conviction that steers.

You get happy and God make that your priority every single day.

Feed that every single moment and everything else will just be

the natural consequence. All ministry, all the things

that you feel like you need to do, even the difficult things

will be done. This is what this man had.

He had joy and led to him saying, I'm ready to do all that

you desire. So he says I'll do my part.

Look at verse 10. So Hiram supplied Solomon with

all the timber of cedar and Cypress that he desired, while

Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cores of wheat as food for his

household at 20,000 cores of beaten oil.

Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.

And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him.

And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon and the two of

them made a treaty. Yes, if we want peace, we need

wisdom. In many ways.

We need wisdom in many ways. Verse 13.

Now we're going to end it here in a few minutes.

It's going to be a shorter Bible study than.

Usual King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel.

Now I I'm reading this for a reason, so so be patient and

read this with me. And the draft numbered 30,000

men and he sent them to Lebanon. 10,000 a month in shifts.

There would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home.

Arunayaram was in charge of the draft.

Solomon also had 70,000 burden bearers and 80,000 stone cutters

in the Hill Country. And besides Solomon's 3300 chief

officers who are over the work, who had charged the people who

carried on the work at the King's command, they quarried

out great costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the

house with dress stones. So Solomon's builders and

hiram's builders and the men of Gebel did the cutting and

prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.

And it's usually text like this where.

We're just going to read on quickly and barely remember any

details and say, OK, I read First Kings Chapter 5 today.

1 Kings 5 · chapter mention

No, no, no, no, no, don't do that.

I looked at that set of verses and I and I thought to myself,

why would the Holy Spirit include such great detail of the

operations of the beginnings, of the preparation of the building

of the temple? And here's what came to mind,

maybe came to yours. We're supposed to feel and be

impressed by the magnitude of it, by the intricacies of it.

By the mechanics of it, it's supposed to make us this is

huge, this is costly, this is demanding.

And here's the thought also that came to mind.

You know how Solomon felt about it.

We know how, Hiram. Felt about it.

But in reading all these different numbers of peoples who

were commanded to do this, here's my question for you.

How do you think the people felt about it?

Let's let's do a vote here, yeah?

Who thinks that the people were happy about this?

The thousands of thousands of people?

Were they happy? OK, Who thinks that they weren't

happy? OK, prove it.

Make your case for those who think that they were happy.

You thought I was just going to let you vote and not explain why

you made your answer. Why were they happy?

OK. Building an awesome temple for

God. And you might even look back to

the people who contributed to the Tabernacle in the

wilderness. I mean, they were giving so much

that Moses said stop. Can you imagine an offering like

that? Imagine an offering like that on

a Sunday. Hey, stop that.

We have way too much here. We don't need any more any more

contributions. That's what it was like.

So maybe, like, OK, history is repeating itself.

Now make a case for why they were not happy.

Yes, after Solomon died and Rehoboam took over the throne.

Look at first Kings 12 with me and you will get the true

response of this people. Look at verse three of first

Kings 12 And they sent and called him and Jeroboam and all

the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam.

Your father made our yoke heavy. Now, therefore, lighten the hard

service of your father and this heavy yolk on us, and we will

serve you. So there's your answer.

They weren't happy. I mean, they were traumatized.

They were bitter all the way to the point where we're.

Became king, they said OK, this is our chance to get some

relief. Hey, rebel home.

Listen, your dad was really tough on us.

We promise to be good to you if you just lighten up this load.

And we know what happens. We're going to study it in a few

months, I think. But let's think deeper here.

Let's think, in light of our past studies, what's going on

here? The fact that they were

commanded to serve in this way and the fact that they cried out

with complaints. Think back at First Samuel.

When the people wanted a king. Oh, I heard light bulbs go off.

Didn't, right? The people demanded Samuel for a

king. And what did Samuel do?

Like a good prophet, He warned them.

He warned them. You want a king?

You don't want God to be your king anymore.

Here's what you're signing up for.

Do you guys remember? Some of you Remember some of

you, maybe not. So let's remember.

Together. Go to First Samuel Chapter 8.

1 Samuel 8 · chapter mention

Now as I'm reading First Samuel chapter 8, I'm going to read a a

1 Samuel 8 · chapter mention

fairly large portion of scripture.

I want you to look for a word that is repeated First Samuel 8,

1 Samuel 8:10

verse 10. Let me read verse 10 down to

verse 18. And again, here's your homework.

In this moment, pay attention to something that is emphasized.

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were

asking for a king From him He said, these will be the ways of

the king who will reign over you.

He will take your sons, and appoint them to his Chariots,

and to be his horsemen, and to run before his Chariots.

And he will point for himself, commanders of thousands and

commanders of 50s and some, to plow his ground and to reap his

harvest, and to make his implements of war and the

equipment of his Chariots. He will take your daughters to

be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive

orchards, and give them to his servants.

He will take the 10th of your grain and of your vineyards, and

give it to his officers and to his servants.

He will take your male servants and female servants, and the

best of your young men and your donkeys have put them to his

work. He will take the 10th of your

flocks, and you shall be his slaves.

And then that day you will cry out because of your king, whom

you have chosen for yourselves with the Lord will not answer

you in that day. What word stands out?

Take, take, take, take, take. And Samuel is an effective

minister and preacher. He knows exactly what he's

doing. By repeating that word, you know

why that's important? It's an important lesson for all

of us and how we view sin and righteousness, obedience and

disobedience. The people in wanting a human

king were in essence, rejecting God as their king.

And they thought that in having a human king they would gain.

We'll be like the world and he'll fight our battles and he's

tangible, he's observable, he's there, He's not tucked in some

box behind a curtain. We want a human king, and we

will win so much by having a king.

And here's Samuel now coming with his sermon.

He says in. Fact, it's the opposite.

He will take from you by having a human king and rejecting the

will and purpose of God at this time.

You're going to lose. You're going to lose.

And that is always the case when we trust in human wisdom.

And betray the truth of God's word in any particular realm or

lane. You always lose when you walk

away. You always lose when you think

that it's gain to do it your way.

Always, always, never forget it. You'll always have something

taken from you. You'll lose your peace.

You lose your joy. You'll lose your testimony.

You lose your ministry. You always have something taken

from you. When you choose to not trust God

in an area of your life where you deliberately say this is

what God says, I don't believe it.

I want to trust in this. And what Samuel says to this

generation, he says to all of us, you'll have something taken

from you, and often it's more than you anticipated.

And that's what they're experiencing.

This, this is, this warning is manifested through Solomon.

He put a burden on the people and then when they cry out and

protest. I wonder if any of them thought

of what Samuel had said many, many years ago.

And what's so sad about Samuel? Warning here is the sadness that

many preachers know that they can warn ahead of time.

If you do this, if you go in that direction, you will lose.

It will hurt you and people still do it.

Look at verse 19. But the people refuse to obey

the voice of Samuel and they said no.

But there shall be a king over us that we will also be like the

all the nations, so that our king may judge us and go out

before us and fight our battles. So you read first Kings and 2nd

Kings, and that's what you realize except for a few.

But in the generality that was the case, there was unnecessary

burdens placed on the general population because they chose

to. Have a human king instead of an

invisible one. And so again they asked Rehoboam

Lighten our yoke be easier on us, and Rehoboam refuses.

And here is. The main point of first kings,

Second kings. What is it that every king, even

the greatest kings of Israel failed?

And then you have that impression as you read first

kings, second kings, as as told you before.

I remember when I first got saved, we're flying back from a

conference and my friend and his devotions was reading First

kings, Second kings. And I looked over to my right in

the late flight, and I heard sniffles.

And I looked. And I asked what's wrong and he

says I'm reading first kings and 2nd kings and I just can't

believe how ridiculous the people of Israel are.

I I just can't believe the incompetence of these rulers to

get it right and to provide what these people desperately needed.

And then you come to Matthew, you go to Matthew 11/28/29 and

you see a different king. They said, would you, would you

lighten our yoke, would you make this easier on us?

And Samuel warned, Hey listen to kings that you're choosing

they're going to take from you. And then Jesus comes on the

scene and he says come to me all you are weary and heavy laden,

and I will take. I would give, I'll give you

rest. That's our king.

I would give you rest. There's a king coming who would

not take. Take, take, take.

Oh, yes, there's a call for you and I to surrender and to

repent. But for what?

To receive abundant life. To lay down as we saying lesser

things so that we can have true life and eternal life.

Ultimately, that is our king. He's ready to.

Give what kind of king is like this so we do not serve a rare

bone where we come to me. Say you're a hard taskmaster.

You tell us to make bricks, but you don't give us straw.

He's not like Pharaoh. He's a king.

Who says come to me, you're heavy laden, you're broken,

you're distressed, you're in turmoil.

Let me lighten that burden. Let me give you something that

is overwhelmingly joyful, blissful, fulfilling and

satisfying. That's the king that we serve.

It is not a burden to serve the Lord.

It is a joyful thing. And if Hiram can rejoice and

being invited to serve Solomon, how much more him who is greater

than Solomon, I don't know. This is the thing with

preaching, man. You try to communicate things

and in the moment you are fully aware of your incapability of

trying to convey something that is in essence.

Impossible to fully explain the plight of the preacher, right?

And so this is where we have to trust the Holy Spirit.

I my, my. Goal and prayer.

Preparing this was Lord, let us all just be refreshed and

reminded that it is an absolute honor to serve you and Lord.

If if we had intention to do something and we've never done

it, may we begin it. And if we're beginning to begin

it, may we see it to fruition and completion by your wonderful

mercy and grace and power. My prayer is that your heart

would be touched again to say what he said here to Solomon.

I will give you all that you desire.

Let's pray. Lord, we are moved to see how

you spoke in First Kings 5, and we believe that there is so much

more even in that chapter for us to discover.

But for tonight we pause and we say thank you for the portion

that you have provided. Lord, you know the people in

here who might be serving you, but not with joy or gladness of

heart. They've lost sight of the

absolute privilege and honor it is to serve you in any capacity.

Renew our vision and help us see, Lord, that there is no

alternative to serving you. There's nothing better to do on

a Friday night than to worship you.

There's nothing better to do with our weekends than to serve

you. There's nothing.

Help us believe that when we feel like the happiness in our

soul is being drained by lies and temptation or

discouragement, rescue us from such a place because we know

that it begins. The downfall begins when we lose

that joy and gladness of heart, never mind serving Lord.

Rescue us from being an autopilot mode in ministry and

bring us to the place again, where we know the energy of the

Holy Spirit and we know the animation of the gift of God.

Given to those who believe and that the same kind of power that

Paul knew. We would know that even in our

weakness we would be excited about it because we will know a

perfection of your grace. So look tonight we just simply

ask that as we sing and close and even prepare to serve you

tomorrow That you would do what no preacher can do, no

communicator, no song, no counseling can ultimately do.

That you would deposit in US. The necessary graces so that we

can be where you want us to be. And Lord, we say thank you again

as a church, that we can be in a place among people who surely

love you. Lord, receive this honor and

adoration as we sing in Jesus name.

Amen.