"Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth"
Psalm 71:9

Solomon's Example

TOPIC: Obedience

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE: I Kings 9:4, 5 & 11:1, 2, 4, 7, 8

PURPOSE: To allow people to see a need for the intercessory work of Jesus

ILLUSTRATION: Jesus alone can satisfy God

CONCLUSION: Just like King Solomon we need the intervening work of Jesus before we are acceptable to God.

God had abundantly blessed Solomon's reign as King of Israel; monetarily, spiritually and abundantly. God only required in return the obedience of King Solomon. God had strictly forbidden (as he did with Adam & Eve) Solomon to do some very simple things as seen in I Kings 9:9, notice the natural progression of rebellion against God:

  1. Do not forsake the Lord your God
  2. Do not take hold of other gods
  3. Do not worship other gods
  4. Do not serve other gods
The progression goes as follows: Forsake, Take Hold, Worship and Serve.

Now lets look at Solomon's progressive steps of rebellion towards God
  1. Solomon forsook God for other forbidden things. I Kings 11:1; states that Solomon loved many strange women, from God forbidden nations, who eventually turned his heart away from his God.
  2. Solomon allowed his wives to turn his heart towards other gods, this is found in
  3. I Kings 11:4.
  4. Solomon began to worship Chemosh, Molech and other god's. (I Kings 11:7)
  5. Solomon served other gods by building high places, burning incense and offering sacrifices to those gods.
    (I Kings 11:7,8)
Ironic that Solomon, one of, if not the wisest man in the history of mankind was a failure as far as obedience was concerned.

Dear child of God, lets look at a greater progression, that of Jesus Christ, and the victorious results that were derived from His obedience to God the Father.

  1. Jesus forsook (or set aside) his divine nature, humbled himself and came in the humble form of a servant.
  2. Jesus took hold of God and carried out His divine plan - Matt 26:39 - And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will.
  3. Jesus on worship issue: Matt 4:10- Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence Satan; for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
  4. Jesus was a servant - Phil 2:6,7: (Jesus) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made of himself no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
In John 14:6, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me". Conclusion, we cannot keep perfect obedience, just as the wisest man (Solomon) in the world couldn't.

  1. All are sinners- Rom 3:10: There is none righteous, no not one
  2. Jesus is the way (acceptable sacrifice) - Heb 9:12 - Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
  3. Rom 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
CALL UPON JESUS' NAME AND MAKE HIM YOUR LORD!



David W. Tack

Sounds of Joy Ministries
Ministry Family
446 Halsema Rd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32220


q Process, Inc.