The world we all want 1 Kings 4v1-34

10 head of stall-fed cattle, 20 of pasture-fed cattle,

100 sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl.

For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the river Euphrates,

from Tiptia and Gaza, and had peace on all sides.

During Solomon's lifetime, Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,

lived in safety, and everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.

Solomon had 4,000 stalls for chariot horses and 12,000 horses.

The district governors each, in his months, supplied provisions for King Solomon,

and all who came to the king's table, they saw to it that nothing was lacking.

They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw

for the chariot horses and the other horses.

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,

and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.

Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,

and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezraite,

wiser than Heman, Calgal, and Darda, the sons of Mahal.

And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

He spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his song numbered 1,005.

He spoke about plant life, from the cedars of Lebanon

to the hyssop that grows out of the walls.

He also spoke about animals and birds and reptiles and fish.

From all nations, people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom,

sent by all the kings of the world who had heard of his wisdom.

Well, before we start, what I'd like us to do, just by way of ease,

you can keep your finger or something.

Maybe you can use one of the little cards there

and slip it into 1 Kings 4,

and then turn all the way back to Genesis chapter 12.

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

Okay, so keep your finger there in 1 Kings 4,

and jump all the way back to Genesis chapter 12.

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

Well, let's pray.

Lord, for the food and drink that we have just shared with each other,

we say thank you.

And because you are a generous God,

we ask that you would continue to pour out your blessing upon us now.

Give to us generously your Holy Spirit.

Bring life to these words,

that it may cause us to lift our heads,

to look to Jesus,

to glory in our great and wonderful King.

Help us, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, we had been walking for a few hours,

and all of a sudden, the talking stopped.

We turned around to a forest,

a blaze of reds and oranges and yellow and golds

as the autumn leaves began to turn.

Below the forest was this deep blue lake,

and behind us up above were the towering snow-capped peaks

of the Andes Mountains.

The silence,

the silence,

the crisp,

the crisp, cool air.

That scene,

that beauty

remains etched

in my mind.

But we all knew that it was an escape from reality.

Only the week before,

we were working on the edge of a shanty town.

people scraping together in existence,

open sores,

plastic and tin shacks.

the poverty and the pollution was there to see.

But just for those few minutes,

as we gazed at the splendour,

we escaped the suffering and the brokenness.

We all long for those moments to last forever.

We long for a good and beautiful world

where there is no more suffering or hurts or pain.

Well, 1 Kings chapter 4

1 Kings 4 · chapter mention

paints for us the world

that we all long for.

It's a picture we can easily miss.

We've got this great big long list of names

and we've got this strange supply of food

for catering purposes.

And we look at these lists

and we think,

no, I won't bother reading that.

And we jump ahead

looking for something more exciting.

But if you like,

stamped across 1 Kings chapter 4

1 Kings 4 · chapter mention

is God's faithful promise

to establish a new and beautiful world.

If you want a summary for chapter 4,

it's God's faithful promise

to establish a beautiful new world.

And in chapter 4,

God paints for us a picture

of the world we all long for.

But before we go into the details of chapter 4,

we need to look back

at God's promise

in Genesis chapter 12.

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

First, God promises

the world we all long for.

The story of the Bible,

which I'm sure is familiar with us all,

begins with a beautiful world,

doesn't it?

The Garden of Eden.

Eden means paradise,

and it was paradise.

God's people,

Adam and Eve,

living under God's loving rule.

And there they were,

enjoying God's abundant provision

of all they could ever want or imagine,

safe and secure.

It's a place of harmony

and beauty.

But sadly and tragically,

God's people turned and rebelled against God.

The world and its people were cursed.

And instead of the harmony,

we get sin and suffering.

And in place of the beauty,

there's death and destruction.

Paradise was lost.

But into this chaos

and into this disorder,

God spoke his promise

to Abraham.

The promises that we read

in chapter 12,

verses 1 to 3.

God's promises to Abraham

were clear.

I want to point out

four promises that God makes.

Promise number 1,

in verse 1.

The Lord said to Abraham,

go from your country,

your people,

and your father's household

to the land I will show you,

and I will make you

into a great nation.

So promise number 1,

you are going to be

a great nation,

a people group.

Later, God would promise Abraham

that this nation

would be as numerous

as the grain of sands

on the beach.

And then promise number 2.

Look again at verse 1.

God had said,

go to the land

I will show you.

And verse 7,

the Lord appeared to Abraham

and said to your offspring,

I give this land.

So God promises the nation

that they would have a land,

a place in which to live.

So a nation,

a land,

promise number 3.

Let's pick that up again

in verse 2.

He says,

I will make you

into a great nation

and I will bless you

and I will make your name great

and you will be a blessing.

This promised nation

who live in their own land

would be blessed,

a land of peace

and prosperity,

everything they need

for life

and happiness.

So a nation,

a land,

a blessing.

And then promise number 4,

verse 3.

I will bless those

who bless you

and whoever curses you

I will curse

and all peoples on earth

will be blessed

through you.

this blessed people

would in turn

become a blessing

to all the other nations.

What does it remind you of?

Well, it sounds like

the Garden of Eden,

doesn't it?

A people

living in their own land,

enjoying God's blessing

and being a blessing.

And isn't that

what we all long for?

Where people are living

in joy

and happiness,

enjoying the beauty

and living under

God's loving rule.

Everything wonderfully good.

Into the chaos

and the disorder,

God speaks

an incredible promise.

Well, how would

all this happen?

How would

God's promise

become

a reality?

Well, second,

God's promise world

is unveiled

for us.

Just jump ahead

a couple of chapters

to Genesis chapter 17.

Genesis 17 · chapter mention

God speaks

to Abraham again.

But this time,

if we look carefully,

he adds

another promise.

So,

Genesis 17,

Genesis 17:5

verse 5.

No longer

will you be called

Abram,

but your name

will be

Abraham,

for I have made you

a father

of many nations.

I will make you

very fruitful.

I will make

nations of you.

And here's

the other promise.

And kings

will come

from you.

God promises

that kings

would come

who would bring

rule

and who would bring

blessing

to the people.

It was through

the king

that the blessings

that God had promised

would become

a reality.

In particular,

a king would come

from the line

from the line of David.

A king whose kingdom

would last forever

and ever.

And we can read it here.

God had promised

David this.

I will raise up

your offspring

to succeed you,

your own flesh

and blood.

And I will establish

his kingdom

and your throne

will be established

forever.

forever.

So,

God is promising

that a king

would come

and it is

through this king

who would make

the blessings

become a reality.

Now,

let's jump

to 1 Kings

1 Kings 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

and we'll settle

there

in chapter 4.

because in 1 Kings

1 Kings 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

we see these promises

beginning to take shape

through God's king.

Look at chapter 4

verse 1.

So,

King Solomon ruled

over all Israel

and these were his

chief officials

and we read down

through those names

and we see

verse 3

there were secretaries

there were recorders

in verse 4

there's commander-in-chiefs

and priests

in verse 5

we've got governors

and advisors

and administrators

everything you need

to establish

order

and maintain

rule

in God's kingdom.

And then in verse 7

Solomon had 12

district governors

over all Israel

so

all of this

great big land

this nation

has been divided

into 12 areas

who supplied

provisions for the king

and the royal household.

Each one

so each division

had to provide

supplies

for one month

in the year.

So if they all

did their part

there would be food

for the 12 months

of the year.

And we get a big

long list

of all the people

who were involved.

But look at the supplies

look at all the food

that they supply.

Verse 22

Solomon's daily provisions

were 30 cores

that's 5 tons

of finest flour.

60 tons

or 60 cores

that's 10 tons

of meal.

10 head

of stall

fed cattle.

20 of pasture

fed cattle.

And 100

sheep

and goats

as well as

deer

and gazelles

and roebuck

and the

choicest

of fowls.

One would only hope

that he also got

part of his

five a day

with all that meat.

Someone worked out

that this was

enough food

to supply

5,000

kingdom officials.

This is not

just one month's

food.

This is not

a year's food.

This is

every single day.

It's enormous.

The provision

and the plenty.

There's no chaos

going on here.

There's no disorder

in the ranks.

Nobody going on

strike saying

I haven't got

enough.

Even the animals

are well fed.

Look at verse 26.

Solomon had

4,000

some say

40,000

stalls

for chariot

horses

and 12,000

horses.

Verse 28.

They also brought

to the proper

place their

quotas of barley

and straw

for the chariot

horses

and all the

other horses.

This is

in a

magnificent

kingdom.

A kingdom

so great

and wonderful

that it

was the

desire

and envy

of all

the other

nations.

Look back

at verse 21.

And Solomon

ruled over

all the

kingdoms

from the

river

Euphrates

so that's

right up

into the

north

to the

land of

the

Philistines

over on

the west

over by

the Mediterranean

and as far

as the border

of Egypt

right down

to the south.

These

countries

brought

tribute

and were

Solomon's

subjects

all his

life.

It's like

the author

is unveiling

to us

the splendour

of the

king's

rule

tempting

us

making us

envy

stand back

and be

amazed at

the glory

of this

kingdom.

Look at

how great

it is.

Look at

all the

people

who are

ruling

here.

Look at

all the

food

that's

being

supplied.

Wouldn't

you want

to live

in this

kingdom

too?

Now the

purpose of

this king

was to

bring blessing

to the

people just

as God

had promised.

And look

how wonderful

life is

under this

king.

Verse 20.

The people

of Judah

in Israel

were as

numerous as

the sand

on the

seashore.

Remember

that promise

that they

would be

a great

nation

just as

God had

promised?

And here

they are

as a

great

number.

Verse 20.

They ate,

they drank,

and they

were happy.

It's like

one continuous

party,

one glorious

day after

another.

Yes,

of course

there's work

to be done,

but everybody's

enjoying their

work.

It's a

place of

beauty and

wonder.

It's,

well,

it's just

like

paradise.

And not

only is

there a

joyful

people,

but they

are abundantly

secure.

Verse 24.

For the

king ruled

over all

the kingdoms

west of

the river

Euphrates,

from

Tipsha

to Gaza,

and had

peace on

all sides.

during

Solomon's

lifetime,

Judah

and Israel,

from Dan

in the

north to

Beersheba

in the

south,

lived in

safety.

No crime,

no violence,

no need

to lock

your car

at night.

Everyone

lived in

safety.

And there's

no homelessness

here.

Look at the

end of

verse 25.

everyone

under their

own vine

and under

their own

fig tree.

Everyone

with their

own plot

of land,

abundantly

rich and

fertile land,

supplying

everything that

they needed,

each one

living like

a prince

or a

princess.

It's like

paradise.

verse 27.

The district

governors,

each in his

month,

supplied

provisions

for King

Solomon.

And all

who came

to the

king's

table,

they saw

to it

that

nothing,

nothing

was lacking.

Nothing.

Everyone

from the

king down

enjoyed a

life of

wonderful

blessing.

It's like

Eden.

But I

guess that's

the point,

isn't it?

God had

promised to

create a

people who

would live

in their

own land

and enjoyed

the blessing

of God

living under

his amazing

rule.

And here

it is on

display,

unveiled

before our

eyes in

all its

beauty and

wonder.

Stand

back and

be amazed.

God's

faithful

promise

to establish

a beautiful

new

world.

third,

God

extends

his

promise

of a

new

world

to

all

nations.

God

has

unveiled

before us

what this

new

world

would be

like,

but this

new

world

is on

offer

for all

nations.

Look at

verse

29.

God

gave

Solomon

wisdom

and

very

great

insight

and a

breadth

of

understanding

as

measureless

as the

sand

on the

seashore.

It

wasn't

just a

great

kingdom

but a

great

king

who

ruled

over.

Solomon's

wisdom

was

greater

than the

wisdom

of all

the

people

of the

east

and

greater

than

all

the

wisdom

of

Egypt.

Solomon

was

like a

walking

encyclopedia.

David

Attenborough

and Albert

Einstein

and Stephen

Hawking

all rolled

into one.

Wouldn't

it be great

to have

somebody

around?

You

could

ask

him

anything.

What's

the weather

going to

be like?

What do

you think

is going

to happen?

Can you

tell us

what the

skies are

predicting?

And

what about

that gnat?

Why does

it sting

the way

it does?

Any

special

treatments

for it?

You

could ask

him

anything

and it

seemed

he knew

the answers

to it.

But

more than

that,

verse 32,

he spoke

3,000

proverbs

and his

song

numbered

1,005,

some of

which are

recorded for

us in

scripture

itself.

The book

of Proverbs

written by

Solomon,

most of

them anyway.

Song of

songs

written

by

Solomon.

God

gave

Solomon

such

wonderful

wisdom.

But

why?

Why does

Solomon

have such

vast

knowledge

knowledge

and

understanding

so that

he could

be a

blessing?

Look at

verse 34.

From

all

nations,

people

came to

listen to

Solomon's

wisdom

sent by

all the

kings of

the world

who had

heard of

his

wisdom.

God

gave

Solomon

wisdom

so that

he could

rule

well to

bring

peace and

prosperity

to the

people.

And now

that same

blessing is

being extended

to the

nations.

Verse 34,

from all

the nations,

people came

to listen to

Solomon.

They've

heard about

this great

kingdom.

They've

heard about

this great

king.

They've

heard how

blessed

these people

are.

And they

want to

get in on

the blessings

too.

And they're

being sent

in their

droves from

all the

different

nations to

come and

see.

It was

always God's

plan.

God never

intended his

blessings to

be restricted

to just

one people,

the people

of Israel.

God longed

that his

blessings would

flow to

all nations

and all

people groups

and all

languages.

You see,

God's promise

of a new

world is

open to

all,

to all

who will

come to

his

king.

So God

promises the

world we

long for.

The

promised

world is

unveiled for

us.

This

promised

new world

is extended

to all

nations.

And then

force God's

people can

enjoy this

new world

through

Jesus.

You see,

1 Kings

1 Kings 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 is

like an

unveiling,

isn't it?

It's like the

curtains are

being pulled

back and

we're given

a picture,

we're given

a glimpse

of the world

that we all

long for.

But as we

gaze in

wonder,

before our

very eyes,

the colours

on the

picture begin

to run.

And what

was bright

and beautiful

has become

distorted

and darkened.

It's

subtle,

but the

signs of

failure

are already

written

into chapter

4.

Look at the

chief officials

in verse 2.

Look at all

the people

that Solomon

has put

together

to bring

about this

glorious

kingdom.

He's got

secretaries.

He's got

commanders

in chief.

He's even

got the

priests

in place.

But who's

missing?

Who's

missing?

There's no

prophet.

Where

is God's

prophet?

The one

who spoke

God's

word,

reminding

the people

of all

God's

promises

and how

they should

live and

receive the

promise.

It's

through the

prophets that

the promises

seem to

keep on

track.

Reminding

people and

showing people.

We saw

that right at

the very

beginning.

David was

already old

and he had

forgotten what

he was meant

to do.

And Nathan

the prophet

springs into

action and

brings God's

word and

rescues the

situation.

salvation.

It seems

Solomon has

forgotten God's

prophet.

God's word

doesn't seem to

be high

priority.

And instead

of a prophet,

look at the

end of verse

six.

We have

Adoniram,

son of

Abda.

What did

he do?

In charge

of...

Sorry, is

that meant to

be in

there?

Forced

labour?

That doesn't

sound like

loving rule

to me.

You can be

sure that

those people

under forced

labour were

not a joyful

people.

No peace

and prosperity

for them.

This

beautiful

world

pictured

before us

is beginning

to crack.

And then

in verse

26,

we're told

that Solomon

had 4,000

stalls for

chariote

horses and

12,000

horses.

It sounds

very grand,

doesn't it?

Well, why

don't you just

take a look

back to

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17.

io.

Deuteronomy

16.

So here's

God's word

saying to

the people,

look, when

you have a

king, this is

what the king

must be like.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17:16

17 verse 16 the king moreover must not acquire what great numbers of horses for himself

or make the people return to egypt to get more of them solomon no no no horses solomon

well why wouldn't he have horses well more than likely because it was a way of building a vast

and great army and your dependence was on the army and not on god himself but here in one kings chapter

four has solomon forgotten his word all because he didn't have the prophet in place

the beautiful world pictured before us in one kings chapter four is tragically being torn apart

it's it's beginning to crack the colors are running and it's distorted and darkened

like a contagious disease it begins to spread and by the time we reach the end of kings

well this model kingdom before us now is broken and destroyed god's people are not in their own land

they're in exile they're not enjoying blessing they're in slavery all over again

you see the world when it's left in our hands is always doomed to fail left to ourselves

we can't create god's new world our sinful hearts are a constant reminder that we are a failed people

we do not obey god's word as we should we trundle through life parking it to one side

we do not deserve god's new world

and yet and yet amazingly god in his grace has made it possible for us

to enjoy his new world let me show you how we can enjoy and be part of all that god had promised

go to galatians in the new testament galatians

galatians chapter 3

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

and verse 14

galatians 3 verse 14

Galatians 3:14

just one verse

see what it says god redeemed us in order that the blessing given to abraham

might come to the gentiles through christ jesus

so that by faith we might receive the promise of the spirit

so let me just show you three things that guarantee our place in god's new world right from this verse

first

the faithful promise

you see the only way we can ever enjoy god's new world to come

is because god is faithful to his promise

god is faithful to his promise

despite centuries and generations of failure

since solomon and before solomon

god still keeps his promise

and despite our ongoing failure

the promise still stands

look at verse 14

he redeemed us in order that the blessings

things given to abraham might come to the gentiles

to people like us

this promised blessing

of a people living under god's loving rule

and enjoying his favor

forever and ever

that promise

extends to us

and is still alive

because god is faithful

to you and to me

that's why we can be guaranteed of our place

in the new world

but second

faith in christ

because this promise still stands

and the way to receive that promise

to experience and to know it for ourselves

is by faith

so look at verse 14 again

he redeemed us in order that the blessing

given to abraham

might come to the gentiles

that's people like us

through christ jesus

or as he's been saying all the way through chapter 3

through faith

you see christ came

to take our failure

and the suffering

and the suffering that we deserve

he took the curse upon himself

so that we might receive

the blessings of the promise

the promises that god has made

are now ours

through our faith in christ jesus

the promise of forgiveness

of adoption into his family

to be loved and cared for now

and for all eternity

and when christ returns

we will receive the fullness

of the promise

life forever

in the new creation

god's beautiful new world

our place is guaranteed

because god is faithful

and because of faith

in what christ

has done

and achieved

for us

but here's the third reason

filled with the spirit

look at the end of verse 14

so the blessings

so the blessings might come

to people like us

through christ jesus

so that by faith

we might receive

the promise

of the spirit

to guarantee

our place

in god's new world

god has given to us

his holy spirit

the spirit is like god's

seal of blessing upon us

a mark upon us

to say

you are mine

and you belong to me

and where i am

you will be

we are never ever

going to be separated

and god gives

to his people

fills us with his holy spirit

to assure us

and to keep us

until

we are part of god's

glorious

new world

god is faithful

and god has come

to us

in christ

and god has

filled us

with his holy spirit

so that we can

look forward

and be assured

that what god

promised

is ours

today

and will be

ours in all

its fullness

when christ

returns

one kings

chapter 4

is like an

unveiling

the curtain

being pulled

back

to just give us

a glimpse

of what is to

come

and through

christ

it is what

we are guaranteed

forever

and forever

let's just

stop and pray

as we reflect

you