How Israel Shipwrecked Their Nation

[0:00] There we go. 1 Kings chapter 11. If you are new or visiting, welcome. My name is BK. I have the pleasure of serving here as one of the pastors.

[0:11] If you have been with us, you will know that we are in a sermon series which is helping us understand the Old Testament. If you were to take a poll or ask most people in the church which is the testament that they are most unfamiliar with, the majority of the vote goes to the Old Testament.

[0:32] The Old Testament is a big book. It's written over thousands of years to a culture that is not really familiar to us. And it's very easy for us to start asking these type of questions like, what is the purpose of this book?

[0:50] Why these stories? Sometimes there's these chapters of these stories of individuals that seem so random that it gets us thinking. We look at the laws. We ask questions. Are these laws for today? Are these ceremonial or religious laws for us to follow?

[1:07] So a whole bunch of different questions come out and I would say we've been quite successful at answering those questions if I do not say so myself. But the biggest one that we have right now that we're getting into, it's a time of Israel where there's also a lot of prophecy.

[1:28] One of the biggest questions that and rightfully that we should be asked is, how do I apply these teachings to my own life that were written to a culture and people that lived thousands of years before?

[1:44] Is just this a historical story or does this have anything to do with my life? Well, one of the things that I'd like to say and that we've been emphasized that the key to understanding the Old Testament books of the Bible is to understand that the Old Testament didn't just happen.

[2:07] And what I mean by it just didn't happen, it's not like these were historical people just writing what was going on, but it was a story that God created.

[2:21] You get me on that one? It's a story that God created. What that means is God was the primary mover of these stories. Nothing happened outside of His sovereignty.

[2:38] Last week we were at the Shepherd's Conference with one of my friends, big R.C. Sproul friend. He's always quoting them, but his big favorite one is, there is no random molecule in the world.

[2:49] Every molecule is under God's absolute sovereignty. And it's the same with these stories. So if you looked in your bulletins today, I gave you a handout.

[3:03] And this handout is a chronological order of the Old Testament books. In case you did not know, the books of the Bible listed through the Old Testament are not in a chronological order.

[3:16] First five books are, but you could also insert Job in there. And one of the things that I gave this to you, and it was really helpful for me to understand, is if we're going to understand, especially where the prophets fit in, it's really important to understand what is going on at history that God is doing at that time.

[3:40] As an example, the books of Obadiah, Joel, and Jonah. They're kind of the first of the prophets. They actually contain a lot of judgment and warnings against foreign powers.

[3:51] And that happened before the exile. What I mean by that is before God brought punishment on Israel and Judah for their rebelliousness. But what it was demonstrating is that God just wasn't sovereign over Israel and Judah.

[4:09] But God is sovereign over every other nation. Amen? It's not like these guys were doing their own thing under their own gods. God, just because he's writing about his people, because this is his story of redemption, does not mean that God was not sovereign over all of those other nations.

[4:28] So God was still being kind and giving them warning. Jonah is the key book on this. Jonah was sent to the Assyrian people, to the city of Nineveh, who were the most powerful, hated nation in the world.

[4:46] And God said to Jonah, you are going to give them a message of salvation. And Jonah didn't want to do it. He hated them so much that he tried to escape.

[4:56] And we know the story. The fish grabs hold of him, spits him back out. You're going to do my will. There's no getting away from this, Jonah. And Jonah does. And there's this great revival in the city of Nineveh.

[5:08] So even in that timeline, God's mercy. We also have this book of Hosea. And it's the story of a man trying to reclaim his wayward wife.

[5:22] And the whole story is a reflection of God continually calling his wayward people back to him. Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Lamentations were written as Judah had descended into rebellion and were being conquered by the Babylonians.

[5:43] And Habakkuk asks one of the most pivotal questions of the Old Testament. It's God, how can you allow a wicked people bring judgment on your people?

[6:00] So when we read these prophets, it's important to understand where they fit into Israel's history.

[6:24] And once you do, you'll be able to understand those words. Now, if you get a challenge over this list and someone says that's kind of not how they're supposed to be ordered because different people say different things, you can simply say this is BK's special SBC edition.

[6:44] So it's good for you and I really don't care what anybody else says on that. So, all right. But the main theme that I want to get into today is I want to look at the descent of Israel. If you remember last week, Israel was at the height of their power.

[7:01] God had been working to build a nation. Remember, we've divided up the Old Testament into three acts. Act 1 is Genesis 12 to 1 Kings 10.

[7:14] That is God who built his nation from which the Redeemer will come. Number two, we see within that, we see that they are now a people.

[7:26] They have laws. They have land. And God used these kings. And we're going to have to have drummer girl to not drum much here. It's throwing off my beat here, guys. And then we see God use Saul who unites the 12 tribes.

[7:41] We saw God use David who purged the land of false worship and got rid of the enemy people that were there. And he expands the kingdom significantly.

[7:52] And finally, God used Solomon to build a home for God, a temple, and to solidify the kingdom through trade and economics. In fact, the highlight comes in 1 Kings 10 when this queen visits Queen of Sheba.

[8:09] She comes to inspect this kingdom because she's heard so much about it, about its glories as Solomon's reputation had spread around that part of the world.

[8:20] And it's been so great for her. It literally says that she's literally out of breath. And she concludes in verse 6 of 1 Kings 10. And he says, This is it.

[9:16] Israel is at peak power. This is a theocracy. This is a kingdom who listens after God. That is act 1.

[9:32] Act 2. I have entitled, It's How God Destroys or How Man Destroys a Nation that is set up by God.

[9:44] It's interesting this week I found that in all honesty, this section of Scripture is probably the most depressing, discouraging part of the Word of God that you can ever read.

[9:59] It is a definition of a true tragedy. A few weeks ago I preached a sermon on how we can shipwreck our faith. Well, this sermon is how Israel shipwrecked their nation.

[10:14] So I've divided the destruction of Israel into five sections, with each section featuring a predominant sin that existed in that nation, which drew them further and further and further away from God.

[10:34] My hope is just to take you through the text. And I'm not going to spend much time on application, because as you will see, the sins that they had are very much the sins that we struggle with today.

[10:52] They are no different. They might have happened in greater courts, in bigger kingdoms, but they are things and areas that we struggle with today as well.

[11:03] But before I continue on, let me pray for us. Dear Holy Heavenly Father, this is going to be a little bit sobering in some ways, just as we see who God's people, who had God speaking to them directly, we saw how God raised kings to rule over them.

[11:25] We will see how God brings prophets into their lives to give them warnings. We'll see them read your word that you had given them, and then we see men and women completely abandon everything that you had done for them.

[11:44] I don't know why. I don't know how. But I know that in this story, there is a great ending. there is an ending of a Savior who waits for them, who ultimately doesn't take them as their great and strong, as the most powerful nation and land, but he takes them as a broken people and draws them to him.

[12:12] So, Father, I pray that as we weave through these stories, some quickly, some not so quickly, I pray that you use them to touch the areas of our hearts that need to be touched by your truth.

[12:30] that we allow these words to penetrate our hearts as well, as not just being simply a recounting of history, but let it be the sword that pierces our own hearts in regards to how we live before you, O Father.

[12:54] We ask these things in your most holy and precious name. So, the destruction of Israel begins with King Solomon choosing his own glory over God's glory.

[13:09] We read that Solomon's predominant sin becomes pride and divided affections. These are reflected in three specific actions that Solomon does.

[13:20] In 1 Kings 10, we see that Solomon spends more time building up his palace than he does the temple of God. So, he gets caught into his riches, his glory, rather than God's glory.

[13:38] Number two, we read that Solomon begins to collect many horses, which is a reflection of wealth, which we will see that God had commanded him not to.

[13:52] And the third, and kind of the final pin to Solomon's life, is that Solomon begins to collect wives. Solomon begins to collect wives.

[14:05] Just turn the page from 1 Kings 10 to 1 Kings 11. And this is such an incredible contrast. He's being praised in one chapter, and then we see the immediate fall.

[14:18] Let me read this text to you. Now, King Solomon loved, and I want you to pay attention to the word loved, and the type of heart words that come out of here.

[14:29] King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh, who he had married, and he built the biggest part of the palace for the daughter of Pharaoh.

[14:40] Just think about this. Pharaoh was the one that had enslaved them for 400 years, and that's who he's drawing his main bride from. He also had Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidian, and Hittite women, all nations that were aligned against Israel.

[15:00] Now, some of them it's from political expediency, but it says that he loved them from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, you shall not enter marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.

[15:20] Get the point? This was the way it was done in the old days. We're at war. I'll tell you what, I'll have my son marry your daughter, and we'll bring out peace. You know what? That is a man-made kingdom.

[15:33] Solomon had a God-made kingdom. Don't worry about these alignments and alliances. I am the one who rules over all.

[15:43] But here, Solomon's deciding, I'm going to go the worldly way to bring peace rather than upon you. Notice it says, Solomon clung to these in love.

[15:57] He had 700 wives. He had 300 wives who were princesses and 300 concubines, and his wives turned away his heart. How easy it is for the idol of hearts to lead us astray from God in doing what is right.

[16:15] And we're not even talking, and I'm not even talking about not just a love for women or love in relationships, but anything, an idol can be anything that our heart desires that turns us from God.

[16:28] It could be our own glory. It could be the riches of this world. It could be the entertainment and excitement that this world offers. Verse 4, For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart from other gods, after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

[16:50] So Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord as David his father had done.

[17:05] Verse 9, The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods, but he did not keep what the Lord commanded.

[17:31] Therefore we read the judgment. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, Since this has been your practice, and you have kept my covenant, my statues that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

[17:49] Yet, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of David my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.

[18:13] We don't remember this, but in Deuteronomy, Moses gave instructions in the law that one, you may not have a foreigner put over you that is not your brother.

[18:25] You must not acquire many horses for yourself or cause people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses. And the third one is, And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

[18:51] Solomon did all that the Lord had commanded him. Not to do. In fact, this text tells us that God himself spoke to Solomon twice to make sure this would not happen.

[19:09] The judgment, God declared to Solomon that the kingdom would be torn from his lineage. How did this happen? We keep reading in chapter 11.

[19:21] Verse 14 tells us that God raised up enemies against Solomon. That these countries who were at peace and splendor were now torn or made into several rebel factions.

[19:38] And what's interesting to note when we understand the text, he essentially reads, he lifts up this one guy named Hadad the Edomite and Rezon the son of Iliad.

[19:50] They become rebel factions fighting Solomon. But they also use, God raises up one of Solomon's most trusted servants, a man by the name of Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.

[20:06] Jeroboam was in charge of all the building projects that Solomon had. History tells us that Solomon had begun many great building projects and Jeroboam was seen as an industrious servant and was appointed as the leader over the labor force.

[20:29] And the point that we need to understand is these things just didn't happen as life went. But these were divinely appointed consequences for Solomon's spiritual, because of Solomon's spiritual compromise.

[20:49] What I'm saying is God raised up these enemies. They weren't the natural occurrences of enemies, but God specifically made these things happen.

[21:02] Now, Jeroboam, a prophet, appears to him and gives him this prophecy. And he gives him this cloak and he rips this cloak into 12 pieces and he gives 10 pieces to Jeroboam and says that God is going to tear the kingdom apart and you are going to get 10 of the pieces and the descendants of Solomon are going to get two of these pieces.

[21:27] Obviously, Solomon hears about this. He's not too happy so he wants to kill Jeroboam so Jeroboam escapes to Egypt. But he makes this promise to Jeroboam.

[21:42] He tells him, he says, if you will listen to all that I command you and will walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments as David my servant did, I will be with you and you will build you a sure house as I built for David and I will give Israel to you and I will afflict the offspring of David because of this but not forever.

[22:11] Now that's a pretty incredible promise that God gives to this man Jeroboam. If I give you this kingdom and you do what is right into my eyes I will be with you.

[22:21] So what happens is Solomon dies Jeroboam returns from Egypt and now we get to the second point the destruction of Israel continued with Rehoboam who was the son of Solomon choosing to be pridefully arrogant and harsh with God's people.

[22:48] The predominant sin during this time was arrogance and oppressive leadership. What's interesting is that after Solomon dies Jeroboam returns and he's kind of like a union boss.

[23:02] All the workers respect this guy. We know in the text there's over 30,000 probably more and they trust him. So Jeroboam goes to the son of Solomon whose name is Rehoboam who is the king and he simply asks him if you could lighten the load the workload for us we will follow you but don't be harsh with us because sometimes your father was harsh and I was just doing some research about all the great working projects and what Solomon would do is he'd send families for months at a time and they'd come home for two months then they would be gone for another month so a lot of the people started saying that's just too difficult for us could you lighten the load so what Rehoboam does is he seeks his older advisors who are full of wisdom and they say yes lighten the load make it easier for him but then he asks his peers and they give the exact opposite they say make them work harder so

[24:10] Jeroboam after making their request to Rehoboam Rehoboam says give me three days on the third day he returns and this is what he says to Jeroboam my father made your yoke heavy but I will add to your yoke my father disciplined you with whips but I will discipline you with scorpions so the king did not listen to the people for it was a turn affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word which the Lord spoke to the prophet to Jeroboam the son of Nabat what that means is despite hearing great advice from the older advisors or the arrogant advice from the youngers God had turned his heart towards the younger advice to be cruel in order to fulfill the prophecy what happens kingdom splits ten of the tribes follow

[25:12] Jeroboam and become known as Israel and Rehoboam only has power over Judah and which includes Benjamin in the south this is now 931 BC the land is divided into these two parts Rehoboam rules over Judah Jeroboam rules over Israel the third action that Israel does is the destruction of Israel continues as Jeroboam in fear chooses false worship over true worship and this is kind of an interesting story what happens is remember the temples in Jerusalem the people live by the laws that God has given to them so they still have to go to sacrifice they still have to go do the festivals in Jerusalem at the temple so what does

[26:14] Jeroboam starts to think well if they keep going down there they're going to want to join Judah and not stay up here and he says I know what I'm going to do I'm going to set up my own religion so he builds two golden calves and he puts them in the city of Dan Bethel and it uses as alternate worship centers and this is what he states behold your gods O Israel who brought you up out of Egypt that is the echo of the sin of Exodus 32 when they build the golden calf so here is Israel doing the exact same thing all these years later after they had seen and heard

[27:14] God love them for years they go back to the old ways what's interesting is Jeroboam in his fear creates almost a bizarro worship that's kind of like the Jews but not like the Jews in order to keep the people there how do you think God thinks of that I had told you if you follow in my ways I will bless you first opportunity Jeroboam chose his self over God God rejects Jeroboam's dynasty and destruction is promised to him the blessings that were to be Jeroboam's blown away and then we get the creation of the Samaritans which Jesus deals with later fourth element that we see the destruction of

[28:17] Israel continued as the kings that followed continued to remain stubborn by rejecting God's word and desired autonomy from God the predominant sin at this time is called a persistent rejection of God's word you know what that is it's called the idolatry of autonomy the rejection of God's word is the idolatry of autonomy that we value our autonomy over God's sovereignty in our lives at this time generations have gone by but God continued to send prophets after prophets after prophets some of them don't have books but God's great love kept warning repent repent repent and God's people said no now some of the stories are quite humorous I'm going to sum up one of the story King Ahab if you remember he's one of the famous evil kings was married to

[29:18] Queen Jezebel the whore of Babylon a wicked people who killed prophets in Kings 1 Kings 22 King Ahab wants to go to war against this nation Ramoth Gilead and he asked King Jehoshaphat who's now ruling in Judah to join him and Jehoshaphat says yeah I'll join you but he says first let's seek counsel of the Lord so Ahab gathers about 400 prophets and they always give the same glowing answer go for the Lord will give it into the king's hand but Jehoshaphat the king of Judah is a little bit suspicious of this group think out of all the 400 prophets they are all saying the same thing so he asked Ahab is there another prophet of the Lord that you can consult and this is his response he goes yeah there is there's still this prophet though whom we can inquire of the

[30:20] Lord he goes but I hate him I hate this prophet because he never prophesies anything good about me and if you know Ahab he was a wicked man but here he's lamenting the fact that can you believe God's prophet doesn't say anything nice about me but always had right he never says anything good about me but it's always bad and he is Micaiah the son of Imlah so king of Judah Jehoshaphat insists Ahab calls him to man of God now before Micaiah arrives the messenger warns the prophet to agree with the other prophets so Ahab sends someone ahead of time to this prophet so when Messiah first shows up he sarcastically says what the Lord wants to hear you know attack and be victorious for the Lord will give it into the king's hand you know you can just imagine how he's saying this but then

[31:24] Ahab gets suspicious at this answer so he pushes him further and he goes how many times must I make you swear to me to tell me nothing but the truth so he's like would you just tell me the truth and and then my say says he delivers the real prophecy of disaster the prophecy is that Israel will be scattered like sheep without a shepherd and describes a vision of deceiving spirit sent to mislead Ahab to the false prophets so this good prophet says you've been deceived what does

[32:25] Ahab do he ignores the warning goes into battle and dies just as he had been prophesied judgment eventually comes in 722 BC God raises Assyria which was a wicked foreign power to bring judgment on Israel the northern tribes are scattered and these tribes are scattered or killed and we actually lose them in history we don't know where they went I was reading on what the Assyrians did to their captives wicked wicked the amount of level of torture they would do to foreign powers then kill them after the torture then the final sin that leads to the entire destruction of

[33:29] Israel is the sin of religious hypocrisy the sin of religious hypocrisy see the whole time all these events are trends going on in northern Israel Judah kept thinking to themselves that we're okay we've got God here we have the temple here they trusted that God would never destroy Jerusalem they trusted that God would never destroy the temple they continued with the sacrifices and the religious festivals God won't come against us because we still offer sacrifices we still complete these religious traditions what had happened in there is they trusted their religions but the text says that their hearts were far from God and eventually God speaks in 2nd Kings 17 I'll just read this to you beginning in verse 7 and this occurred because the people of

[34:33] Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt and had feared other gods and walked in the customs!

[34:44] of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced and the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord the God things that were not right they worshipped as pagans did wicked things provoking the Lord to anger and they served idols of which the Lord had said to them you shall not do this verse 13 yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer saying turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes in accordance with all the law that I commanded your fathers that I sent to you by my servants!

[35:27] the Lord their God they despised the statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them they went after false idols and became false and they followed the nations that were around them concerning whom the Lord had commanded them they that should not do like them verse 17 and they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord provoking him to anger therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight none was left but the tribe of Judah only verse 19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the

[36:29] Lord their God but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced and the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers until he had cast them out of his sight and finally in 586 BC God had enough he raised Babylon a wicked kingdom and brought them in they destroyed the city took all the riches that the Jews had in the temple and flattened the temple all because their hearts were far from God one of the most gracious aspects of this story when we go through this act is how God brings prophets after prophet after prophet in order to turn the hearts of his people back to him has anyone here ever said

[37:36] I wish we had prophets I wish we had someone that we could go see if I do this how will it go can you share with me if this decision will lead my family astray anyone ever thought that I got a few nods okay but here's the thing did you know that scriptures tell us that there's actually something better than prophecy and that is the sure word of God this book that we've been given second Peter 19 21 the apostle Peter says and we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed to which you would do well pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts what he's saying is until God comes and reveals all things when Jesus comes we have his word to rely on it is the lamp that lightens up in the dark says knowing this first of all that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation for no prophecy can ever be produced by the will of man but men spoke from

[38:56] God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit here we've been given this word that is all God has revealed to us and even better on the moment of our salvation we are given spiritual birth the Bible tells us that we are born again a new spirit has risen that is the spirit of God comes to reside in us Jesus Christ himself says this is a great thing in fact you don't want me here you want the comforter the spirit to be here within you and what the spirit of God does the Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the knowledge of the word of God that helps our conscience understand what is true and what is not true let's be honest we know these stories we're confronted with a decision sometimes the Holy Spirit warns us the Holy Spirit reminds us what the word of God says you might use different terminology but that's what's going on there's a check in your spirit that if you do not change directions you are headed for destruction you see the idols of the hearts that shipwreck

[40:13] Israel are the same sins we struggle with self glorification pride harshness and I define often harshness as I demand justice for your sins but mercy for my sins we choose convenience over sacrifice we fear man more than we fear God we are stubborn of heart we are hypocrites!

[40:44] we know the fact is we know the stains that these sins have left on our lives so the question is does that mean we deserve judgment the Bible actually says yes we do deserve judgment that there's not a single one of us that live a life that is pleasing to God that we all deserve the penalty of death now there's some people here and I'm sure today actually believe in a false gospel the false gospel tells them that if they pursue righteousness and if they try to do all these really good things they can make up for their sin that's the religion of the world if I become more pious if I give more if

[41:45] I think in terms of how I act that will help me be closer to God rather than start to think I'm so thankful that God did the work that I cannot do for me and if that is confusing let me explain that see the fact of the matter is there's no amount of good works that will ever save you none there's no amount of righteous deeds that you can do to cover yourself up that God won't see your sins you see the work that was done by God who sent his son to die on the cross for your sins is why on that cross Jesus Christ before he died said these finished he did the work that we cannot do the only work that we could have that could make us righteous in

[42:49] God's eyes was the sacrifice of an innocent lamb and that is what Jesus Christ became for us you see when we accept the work that Jesus Christ did in our lives that becomes our work what I mean is Jesus literally gives us his righteousness and he took on our righteousness to the cross you with me there's like a switch of identities that goes on for those who love Jesus Christ who come under his authority who give their lives to him his perfect righteousness is now my perfect righteousness so I live in a way where I am not constantly thinking how do I live in a righteous way to honor God the

[43:50] Holy Spirit within me is already guiding me in that way through the knowledge of God's word there's this last story I'm going to read it or part of it from you I believe this story in the text reflects much many of our lives I know I respond to this story it is a confusing story but turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 13 I struggled with this on Friday I was wondering how do I bring this story into the sermon but it's a sobering story this chapter tells a story about a man of

[44:54] God from Judah that's all we know him as a man of God from Judah who was sent by the Lord to confront King Jeroboam at Bethel whom Jeroboam had set up an adulterous altar the man of God prophesies that a future king named Josiah will desecrate the altar and destroy its priests which happens 300 years later as a sign that his message is true the altar splits apart and ashes pour out Jeroboam hearing this tries to seize the prophet but his hands automatically wither at this action but he's restored after the prophet prays for him so Jeroboam knowing that this man has power invites him into his home the king invites the man of God to eat with him but the prophet refuses because God had strictly told him not to eat or drink in that place and to return the same way he came alright simple story it's straight forward while he's on his way home an old prophet from

[46:13] Bethel tells him that an angel has appeared and told him to invite the man of God into his home for dinner the man of God believes him disobeys God's word and eats while they're eating the old prophet who is a false prophet gets word from the Lord and he condemns this man of God who he tricked to come and eat with him and he condemns the man of God for disobedience for on his way home he was not supposed to stop so this prophet saddles the donkey for the man of God and he sends him on his way and as the man of God is going home he's attacked by a lion and killed the man the prophet who tricked him actually buries him and mourns over him and gives instructions that when he dies that his bones would be buried with this man of

[47:31] God that's a crazy story but it tells us some very important lessons tells us one that God's word is supreme and it must be obeyed God's word is supreme and it must be obeyed the man of God delivered a powerful message he saw the miraculous sign but even he was accountable for his disobedience to God's direct instructions the fact is partial disobedience is not obedience two even God's messengers are accountable it is startling that the man of God he's a faith how many guys in scripture are called a man of God he's a faithful prophet is killed and it underscores the fact that no one is exempt from obedience not even those doing great things for

[48:37] God third false prophets can be deceptive old prophet manipulates the man of God with a word from an angel this highlights how spiritual deception can even come from those who seem trustworthy or religious this is a warning to us friends where do you seek your wisdom from I know many people instead of talking to the pastor or one of the elders will seek peers to get spiritual and this is my working theory the reason is if you share it with a friend there's actually no authority or someone to come back and say hold you accountable for that sinful decision or that unwise decision why because we want autonomy we do not want to show deference to someone who may have been appointed over you spiritually to love you and help you with those things the fourth thing we learn is that

[49:53] God judges disobedience seriously what's interesting is the lion kills the prophet but does not eat him which demonstrates that this was supernatural judgment this was no accident this was God's solemn discipline and five the prophecy is fulfilled in the future which tells us that God's word stands across centuries millennial so how do I how do we apply these truths one to know and obey God's word above all else amen to understand that it is our final authority it's not our experiences it's not feelings it's not even religious leaders it's God's word don't let others reinterpret what God has clearly said number two beware of spiritual deception the old prophet sounds convincing but he lied discernment is critical today it is the test of every message just because someone claims to speak for

[51:09] God doesn't mean they do the third application is guard against compromise guard against compromise the man of God compromised just once and the consequences were huge today compromise can start subtly through one conversation or one small act of disobedience fourth application be accountable for your own obedience be accountable you are responsible for what you do with what God has told you not what others say he said the fact is obedience is not optional even for leaders pastors or those in ministry in fifth and this is something we need to claim we need to remember the power of God's word we need to remember the power of God's word when the prophet declared that

[52:09] Josiah was the prophecy was fulfilled hundreds of years later it tells us that God's word does not fail it's active even when we don't see the immediate results our calling as believers in Christ is to continue trusting in the person and character of God who gives us these commands amen amen let me pray dear lord holy heavenly father it's a it's a sobering testimony for the last while we were looking at these great exciting works that you were doing to build these people into a nation father we need your strength we need your wisdom we need your holy spirit to work on our conscience we need to expose!

[53:13] to ourselves to your word we need to throw compromise out the door we need to rely on your righteousness for our salvation father I pray that we ultimately come with open hands to you that we just ultimately say lord be the king of our life sit on this throne of mine command me but the good news is we do live in a time of grace and mercy father some of us know!

[53:49] much the price that we have paid for our disobedience and sin perhaps we knew what the truth was but we chose our own way for our own reasons thinking we could negotiate a settlement with you father I ask you that you would give us strength to obey when the times are tough when there is seems like there's wisdom even for Solomon to let's conduct these marriages so that would bring peace between these countries perhaps we need to more often say I know there's an easy way out of here but right now I want to trust in you to do these things oh God and it's hard to trust it's hard to have faith when our eyes see so many other things that's why we're to carry around your word that's why we're supposed to learn it and know it and to trust and know you oh father so

[55:02] God if there's anyone here just contemplating these type of decisions may they seek out someone godly and who loves them cares for them perhaps they need to seek us out as elders pray your blessing upon those who seek wisdom oh God I pray for your mercy on those who don't so father I ask just in our church as we seek to grow in you may you give us a heart that desires for your words and your instructions more than anything else and may we never be found as a people who justify condemn your words or decide to make up our own we ask these things your most holy and precious name amen to