WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.000 This morning's reading is going to be slightly abridged from 1 Kings 11 and 2 Kings 17. 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:13.500 Feel free to follow along on the screen or in your bulletins. 00:00:15.099 --> 00:00:18.339 Starting in 1 Kings 11, we read, 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:24.260 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh. 00:00:24.260 --> 00:00:30.200 Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite woman, 00:00:30.620 --> 00:00:34.539 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:40.540 You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:44.359 for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. 00:00:45.340 --> 00:00:48.140 Solomon clung to these in love. 00:00:48.420 --> 00:00:54.219 He had 700 wives who were princesses and 300 concubines. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:57.159 And his wives turned his heart away. 00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:03.780 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. 00:01:04.099 --> 00:01:10.299 And his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:16.060 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, 00:01:16.060 --> 00:01:19.900 and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:23.939 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, 00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:28.200 and did not wholly follow the Lord as David his father had done. 00:01:29.300 --> 00:01:34.620 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:38.800 and for Melech, the abomination of the Ammonites, 00:01:39.160 --> 00:01:41.180 on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:48.440 And so he did for all his foreign wives who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. 00:01:49.720 --> 00:01:51.980 Then in 2 Kings 17, 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:58.920 In the ninth year of Hosea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:06.340 and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Hela and on the Habor, 00:02:06.340 --> 00:02:10.379 the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 00:02:10.379 --> 00:02:16.919 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God. 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:22.719 The people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. 00:02:23.579 --> 00:02:27.000 They built for themselves high places in all their towns, 00:02:27.319 --> 00:02:29.840 from watchtower to fortified city. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:37.780 They set up for themselves pillars and asherim on every high hill and under every green tree. 00:02:38.420 --> 00:02:41.539 And there they made offerings on all the high places, 00:02:41.539 --> 00:02:45.860 as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. 00:02:46.939 --> 00:02:52.480 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, 00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:00.439 Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes in accordance with all the law 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:06.759 that I commanded your fathers and that I sent to you by my servants, the prophets. 00:03:07.979 --> 00:03:13.259 But they would not listen, but were stubborn as their fathers had been, 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.939 who did not believe in the Lord their God. 00:03:16.339 --> 00:03:21.339 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers 00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:23.700 and the warnings that he gave them. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:27.420 They went after false idols and became false. 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:30.740 And they followed the nations that were around them. 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:34.460 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings, 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:36.780 provoking him to anger. 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:43.180 Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. 00:03:44.480 --> 00:03:47.219 None was left but the tribe of Judah only. 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:48.920 This is the word of God. 00:03:51.340 --> 00:04:20.060 And if you are new to Watermark, you are joining us in the middle of this preaching series 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:21.899 called The Wonderful Work of God. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:25.579 And we are looking at the whole storyline of the Bible. 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:28.939 Often we know some of the stories in the Old Testament. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:30.399 We know the individual parts. 00:04:31.100 --> 00:04:32.620 But why are they there? 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:33.899 Where do they fit in? 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:38.560 Why has God given us Psalm 23 and David and Goliath? 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.500 What is the point of all these things? 00:04:41.060 --> 00:04:44.079 And so we are trying to zoom out and see the big picture 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.879 and how the storyline of God moves. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:48.319 And what is God saying? 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:51.300 Why does he give all these stories and commands and instructions? 00:04:52.300 --> 00:04:56.680 And what we are seeing is that what God is doing through all these sections 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:04.040 is that he is showing that he made these promises. 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:07.120 God has promised to make the world right again. 00:05:08.700 --> 00:05:11.140 God is dealing with the brokenness of our world. 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:13.220 And he is dealing with it in two ways. 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:14.840 He is dealing with the cause, that's sin. 00:05:15.340 --> 00:05:17.879 And he is dealing with the consequences, that's suffering. 00:05:18.420 --> 00:05:20.500 And he is making all things new. 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:21.759 He has made these promises. 00:05:22.400 --> 00:05:24.460 And he is going to be faithful to his promises. 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:28.240 He is working all things according to the purpose of his will 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:30.500 to make all things new under Christ. 00:05:30.580 --> 00:05:32.080 This is the wonderful work of God. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:34.899 And one of the ways to think about that 00:05:34.899 --> 00:05:38.099 is to think in terms of kingdom or kingship. 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:39.959 God is this king. 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:42.879 And he has all authority over all the world. 00:05:43.539 --> 00:05:46.899 And humanity, we have rebelled against him. 00:05:47.039 --> 00:05:48.060 We call that sin. 00:05:48.620 --> 00:05:50.419 We want to be our own lords and authority. 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:54.299 And as a result of that, we've kind of been exiled from his kingdom. 00:05:54.479 --> 00:05:56.219 We've been expelled from his kingship. 00:05:56.220 --> 00:05:59.940 We now live under not his blessing and his favor. 00:06:00.280 --> 00:06:04.960 We now live under the suffering and the curse of rejecting God. 00:06:05.700 --> 00:06:09.200 And that's why the theme of kingship is such a big one in the Old Testament. 00:06:09.440 --> 00:06:11.440 God's always talking about these kings. 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.940 And God gives his people these kings as pictures of the divine king. 00:06:17.100 --> 00:06:18.620 Of course, the greatest of these is David. 00:06:19.200 --> 00:06:21.180 David is the great king in the Old Testament. 00:06:21.180 --> 00:06:24.939 And he rules with righteousness and justice. 00:06:25.400 --> 00:06:27.900 He rescues his people from their enemies. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:33.680 And he's a picture of what does it look like to live under the rule of a good and gracious king. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:39.019 Ultimately, to live under the rule of God, who is the ultimate good and gracious king. 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:42.000 And so David is a picture of God and his kingdom. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.299 But God's plans don't end with David. 00:06:44.419 --> 00:06:46.399 Remember, he makes a great promise to David. 00:06:46.819 --> 00:06:48.120 He says, I will give you a son. 00:06:48.500 --> 00:06:50.299 And that son will expand the kingdom. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:53.279 And the kingdom will be a glorious place. 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:55.740 And that promise is fulfilled in two ways. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.299 One, he has a son called Solomon. 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:01.479 But two, he's going to have a great, great, great, great grandson called Jesus. 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:04.359 Both of whom are going to be greater kings than David. 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:08.080 And Solomon, we saw last week, is David's son. 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:09.560 He succeeds David on the throne. 00:07:09.900 --> 00:07:11.500 And he establishes the kingdom. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:13.720 And he expands the kingdom. 00:07:14.379 --> 00:07:17.840 And by the end of Solomon's rule, or kind of midway through Solomon's rule, 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:23.439 the kingdom, God's people in the Old Testament, is a wonderful place to live. 00:07:23.900 --> 00:07:25.220 It's exceedingly wonderful. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:27.360 It is prosperous. 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:28.520 It is peaceful. 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:32.160 It is the picture of perfection on earth in many ways. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:36.420 And some of the things we saw last week is that they have abandoned prosperity. 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:40.860 Remember, in Solomon's kingdom, silver is like cheap. 00:07:41.960 --> 00:07:44.500 You know, if somebody gives you a silver present, they're like, 00:07:45.100 --> 00:07:47.020 they were cheap, you know, for my birthday present. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.960 Remember, the queen of Sheba, this foreign queen, 00:07:50.440 --> 00:07:54.260 she comes and she says, when she sees Solomon's kingdom, her breath is taken away. 00:07:54.440 --> 00:07:55.100 She is speechless. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.860 She says, I've heard the rumors of your kingdom. 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:00.020 I didn't even believe them. 00:08:00.019 --> 00:08:03.599 But even what I was told is not half the truth of what I've seen. 00:08:04.099 --> 00:08:05.299 Abundant prosperity. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:06.759 Amazing peace. 00:08:07.219 --> 00:08:11.099 All the nations around Israel are coming to Israel, not to attack them, 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:13.859 not to subjugate them, but to learn from them, 00:08:14.299 --> 00:08:16.079 to do business with them, to trade with them. 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:18.699 Israel, for the first time, is at peace. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:20.120 There's prosperity. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:20.799 There's peace. 00:08:20.899 --> 00:08:21.500 There's wisdom. 00:08:21.659 --> 00:08:22.259 There's justice. 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:22.919 There's equity. 00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:23.539 There's fairness. 00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:28.040 But the greatest thing about Solomon's kingdom is God's presence is there. 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:34.480 Solomon builds this amazing temple, this magnificent place that houses the presence of God. 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:42.460 And for the first time in Israel's history, God's presence has a permanent dwelling in the center of the nation. 00:08:42.460 --> 00:08:51.120 And so by the end of chapter 10, the point that we're going to see is that Solomon is like a second Adam. 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:55.180 And his kingdom is like a second Eden. 00:08:55.900 --> 00:09:00.420 There's abundant prosperity and peace and wisdom and wealth and blessing. 00:09:00.540 --> 00:09:01.620 God's presence is there. 00:09:02.280 --> 00:09:04.259 It's just, it's wonderful. 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:13.460 And by the end of 1 Kings chapter 10, you would hope that the next verse in the Bible says, 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:16.559 and God's people lived happily ever after. 00:09:16.939 --> 00:09:18.539 And Jesus came, right? 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:21.019 Because everything is looking so amazing. 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:24.019 And then you think, why doesn't Jesus just come? 00:09:24.899 --> 00:09:26.580 But that's not what happens. 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:32.159 Because after 1 Kings chapter 10, in chapter 11, where Rachel read to us this morning, 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:35.219 things take a turn for the worse. 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.639 And things start to go downhill again. 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:41.719 And so let's see what happens here. 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:48.199 While 1 Kings chapter 10 ends on a high, chapter 11, things go bad. 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:50.059 And the big idea for today is this. 00:09:50.699 --> 00:09:54.860 Trust in God, not the kingdoms of this world. 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:57.759 Keep God at the center of your life. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:04.679 For while the kingdoms of this world will inevitably fail, God will be faithful and true to his promises. 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:06.100 That's the big idea. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:08.679 Trust in God, not the things of this world. 00:10:09.259 --> 00:10:10.819 Keep God at the center of your life. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:15.240 Because the things of this world, the kingdoms of this world, are inevitably going to fail. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.700 But God will be faithful to his word, to his promises. 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:19.960 So hold on to him. 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:22.000 So let's see how we get there. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:26.840 Open up your bulletin or your Bible with me and let's look at 1 Kings 11 again. 00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:29.139 I'm going to read some of it to us again. 00:10:29.220 --> 00:10:30.100 I won't read all of it. 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:31.059 But it says this. 00:10:31.419 --> 00:10:39.100 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughters of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edenites, Sidonians, Hittite women, 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.120 from the nations around which the Lord had said to his people, 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.460 Do not enter into marriage with them. 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.379 They will turn your heart away. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:48.659 Solomon clung to these in love. 00:10:48.659 --> 00:10:55.860 He had 700 wives who were princesses, 300 concubines, and his wives turned away his heart. 00:10:56.439 --> 00:11:01.579 Now, you may think, okay, Solomon's got an issue with marital faithfulness here, right? 00:11:01.959 --> 00:11:04.179 That's a lot of women to love. 00:11:04.439 --> 00:11:06.939 700 princesses, 300 concubines. 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:10.059 That's true. 00:11:10.899 --> 00:11:11.860 But there's a deeper thing. 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:21.960 What's going on here is that in the ancient world, the way to secure peace for your nation was to enter into political alliances with the surrounding nations. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:26.440 And one of the best ways to do that was to marry the princesses of their kings. 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:33.139 It's very unlikely that a foreign army and king is going to invade you, ransack the palace, destroy all the people in the palace, 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.820 when his daughter and his grandchildren are in your palace. 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:46.520 So the way to make sure that there's peace around you is enter into these alliances, political alliances with the nations around you by exchanging your daughters in marriage. 00:11:47.260 --> 00:11:50.720 And so Solomon and Israel are doing that. 00:11:51.180 --> 00:11:52.560 But God was very clear. 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:59.740 He doesn't want his people to enter into marriage alliances with people that do not belong to the people of God. 00:12:00.300 --> 00:12:00.820 Why? 00:12:01.260 --> 00:12:05.420 Well, one, he wants God to be their security, their confidence. 00:12:05.419 --> 00:12:10.740 Don't trust your political maneuverings, your treaties and your pacts that you make with those guys. 00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:11.799 Trust me. 00:12:12.219 --> 00:12:13.639 I will keep you safe. 00:12:14.479 --> 00:12:27.319 But the second reason is he doesn't want Israel to tolerate and then welcome and then finally worship the gods and the idols of the surrounding nations. 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:29.839 Because that's what marriage is about, right? 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:31.819 Marriage is the two becoming one. 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:34.860 And so you have shared values and shared ethos. 00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:37.120 And ultimately he shared worship. 00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:38.860 And so God is very clear. 00:12:38.979 --> 00:12:42.039 Let my people stay my people. 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:44.659 But look what happens. 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:45.199 Verse 4. 00:12:45.740 --> 00:12:50.319 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. 00:12:50.419 --> 00:12:51.399 Just a side note here. 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:53.079 We're a very young church. 00:12:53.459 --> 00:12:54.479 Lots of young people. 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:57.979 It's easy to think young people have lots of temptations. 00:12:57.980 --> 00:13:02.399 And once you're like 55 plus, you're free from temptations. 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:05.700 When Solomon was old, his heart was turned away. 00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:09.759 From now until the day we die, we're going to have to watch our hearts. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.439 First, temptation is always knocking at our door. 00:13:12.439 --> 00:13:15.759 When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.899 And his heart was not wholly true to the Lord as God, as was the heart of his father, David. 00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:26.459 For Solomon went after the Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sinaeans, and after Milcom of the Ammonites. 00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:32.019 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord as David his father had done. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:37.600 Solomon built high places for Tremesh of Moab and Melech of the abomination of the Ammonites. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:44.500 On the mountain east of Jerusalem, he did so for all his foreign wives who made offerings and sacrifice to their gods. 00:13:46.040 --> 00:13:51.180 I don't know if you noticed that in the first eight verses, five times it talks about Solomon's heart. 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:53.000 His heart was turned away. 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:54.800 His heart went after other gods. 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:56.100 His heart was corrupted. 00:13:56.540 --> 00:13:58.019 His heart, his heart, his heart. 00:13:58.740 --> 00:13:59.639 What's happening here? 00:14:00.420 --> 00:14:07.320 Solomon with his mouth and with his head, he's still worshiping God, but his heart has gone after another love. 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:10.259 He loved something else. 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.000 Something else has taken occupation of his heart. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:21.860 We actually see at the end of chapter 10, it says that Solomon went down to Egypt and bought many horses from the Egyptians. 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:23.860 Now you think, what's wrong with horses, right? 00:14:23.920 --> 00:14:24.720 I like horses. 00:14:25.100 --> 00:14:26.159 I'm sure God likes horses. 00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:27.300 What's wrong with horses? 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:33.740 Well, nothing in particular, except that God has said to his people, when you get a king, 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:41.740 make sure that they don't go and build these massive stables of horses, and especially horses from Egypt, horses and chariots. 00:14:42.279 --> 00:14:42.639 Why? 00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:45.759 Because, one, God delivered you from it. 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:47.019 That's your old life. 00:14:47.580 --> 00:14:49.000 God rescued you from it. 00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:53.559 Never go back and strengthen ties with the people from where God delivered you. 00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:57.720 But two, again, I want to be your security, your safety. 00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:58.840 Trust in me. 00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:01.059 Look at Deuteronomy 17. 00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:01.979 It says, 00:15:01.980 --> 00:15:28.220 So God says, 00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:32.660 When you've got a king, don't go and strengthen his military power with alliances. 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:35.820 Don't go and marry lots of foreign women and make alliances. 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:39.259 And don't become wealthy and proud and self-sufficient. 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:40.860 And what does Solomon do? 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.639 Strengthens his military capability. 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:48.740 Marries hundreds of foreign wives and has excess gold and silver. 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:56.139 And so, just like Adam and Eve, Solomon's heart is turning. 00:15:56.919 --> 00:15:57.639 It's turning. 00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:59.039 His heart is not after God. 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:01.240 He's still worshiping God. 00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:03.240 But there's a little shrine over there. 00:16:03.299 --> 00:16:04.620 There's a little temple over there. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:08.480 On the hills just behind Jerusalem, he builds a temple for this God out of the way. 00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:13.299 Maybe in his house in the back corner, just puts a little shrine to this God to keep his wives happy. 00:16:13.299 --> 00:16:19.139 And before you know it, just like Adam and Eve, the consequences are disastrous. 00:16:20.099 --> 00:16:23.299 There's shrines in this temple all over Israel. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.559 And the consequence is that Israel will never be the same. 00:16:29.599 --> 00:16:33.959 The first thing that happens is the nation of Israel splits into two. 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:37.099 Solomon is the last king of the unified Israel. 00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:39.099 Because Solomon has a son called Rehoboam. 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:45.820 And when Rehoboam becomes king, the first thing that happens is 10 out of the 12 tribes split away. 00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.139 And they say, we don't want you, our king. 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:49.560 We're going to go form our own nation of our own. 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:52.180 And so, they form a breakaway nation. 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:55.019 It's called the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:00.740 And Israel are never again, 3,000 years since then, are these two kingdoms united. 00:17:00.899 --> 00:17:04.640 The once great nation of Israel is now split up into two smaller kingdoms. 00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:08.539 Now, it's a bit confusing because the Northern Kingdom is known as Israel. 00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.619 So, that's a bit confusing. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.480 The Southern Kingdom is known as Judah. 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:18.000 And these two kingdoms, the once nation of Israel, are fighting for the next 200 years. 00:17:18.099 --> 00:17:18.859 They're at each other. 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:19.899 They don't get along. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.740 There's civil war. 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:23.680 And things go from bad to worse. 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:30.019 For the next 200 years, the Northern Kingdom lurches from one disastrous king after another. 00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:31.920 And there are assassinations. 00:17:32.379 --> 00:17:35.700 There are members of the royal family killing other members of the royal family. 00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:37.200 There are coups. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:39.460 The nation just goes down here. 00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:41.120 Worse and worse and worse. 00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:46.500 And eventually, you have kings burning their own children in the fire as offerings to pagan gods. 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:48.080 It's just utterly awful. 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:51.660 And so, look at what happens in 2 Kings 17. 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:52.680 Rachel read it for us. 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:53.380 It says, 00:17:53.380 --> 00:18:23.360 It says, 00:18:23.380 --> 00:18:27.400 Asherim was the goddess of fertility of one of the surrounding nations. 00:18:27.520 --> 00:18:29.580 They built these poles and they bowed down to it. 00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:33.059 There they made offerings to foreign gods in the high places. 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:36.639 But the Lord had warned them by every prophet and every seer, saying, 00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:37.759 Turn from your ways. 00:18:37.899 --> 00:18:41.339 Keep my commandments and my statutes in accordance with my laws. 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.899 But they would not listen. 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:47.819 No, they were stubborn as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 00:18:48.139 --> 00:18:52.940 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.720 They went after false gods and became false. 00:18:56.139 --> 00:18:57.740 They followed the nations around them. 00:18:57.740 --> 00:19:02.420 They burnt their sons and their daughters in the fire as offerings to pagan gods. 00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:04.559 Then the Lord was angry with Israel. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.620 He removed them from his sight. 00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:09.539 None was left but the tribe of Judah only. 00:19:10.380 --> 00:19:12.839 So you've got these two kingdoms, the northern and the southern kingdom. 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:18.519 And the northern kingdom, Israel, they just, things go really bad really quickly. 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:23.440 And for 200 years, God is pleading with them, sending their prophets, saying, come back, and they don't listen. 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:33.240 And so eventually, 200 years to the year, after they split, in 722 BC, the king of Assyria marches into Israel, 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:35.660 and he completely wipes them out. 00:19:36.379 --> 00:19:37.579 Completely destroys them. 00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:42.940 And Israel, this northern kingdom, is never again constituted as a nation. 00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:44.859 They never come back to the land. 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:47.000 They are forever wiped out. 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:48.819 But they don't exist anymore. 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:53.180 Now the southern kingdom, Judah, they're a little bit better. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:54.299 But they're not too much better. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:56.799 They have a mix of good kings and bad kings. 00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:59.099 They have good kings like Josiah and Hezekiah. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.220 And they try and reform things. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:04.180 And whenever they come to the kingdom, they pull down the ashram. 00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:06.220 They pull down the pagan temples and shrines. 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:08.140 And they call people to worship God. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.339 But their reforms are always short-lived. 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:12.400 And so they rule well. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:16.000 But as soon as they die, the next king after them just goes back like the other kings. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:18.400 And so they last a little bit longer. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:20.400 They last about another 150 years. 00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:23.259 But things still go down, down, down. 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:26.940 And Judah's kings end up doing just what Israel had done. 00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:30.720 Worshiping foreign gods, adopting pagan practices, committing injustice. 00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.920 The rich are exploiting the poor. 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:35.220 The powerful take advantage of the powerless. 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:38.980 And eventually Judah in the south is just like Israel. 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:42.380 And God sends prophet after prophet, warning after warning. 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.960 But they don't listen. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:49.460 So 150 years later, Babylon marches into Jerusalem. 00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:51.620 Lays siege to Jerusalem for three years. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.460 Eventually they burn down the walls. 00:20:53.539 --> 00:20:54.120 They march in. 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:55.099 They destroy the temple. 00:20:55.220 --> 00:20:56.039 They destroy the palace. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.680 They kill thousands of people. 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:01.579 And those that they don't kill, they march off as slaves back to Babylon. 00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:03.500 And they take them to exile. 00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:09.480 And so God's chosen people are now as slaves to the Babylonians. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:12.439 Let's read the last section of the scripture, what happens. 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:15.240 If you've got your bulletin, 2 Chronicles 36. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:15.579 It says, 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:36.460 So he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans. 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:38.039 That's another word for the Babylonians. 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.079 He killed their young men with the sword. 00:21:40.659 --> 00:21:42.259 He gave them all into his hand. 00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:47.339 And all the vessels of the house of God, the treasures of God's house, the treasures of the king and the princes. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:49.579 He took these off to Babylon. 00:21:50.379 --> 00:21:51.619 They burnt the house of God. 00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:53.299 They broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:55.099 Burnt all its palaces with fire. 00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:56.980 Destroyed its precious vessels. 00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.920 He took them into exile. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:00.779 Those who had escaped from the sword. 00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:03.640 And they became servants to him and to his sons. 00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:06.579 To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah. 00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:09.579 Until the Lord enjoyed its Sabbath 70 years. 00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:12.579 Okay, you're tracking the storyline. 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:14.779 So there's Solomon, great kingdom. 00:22:15.139 --> 00:22:17.220 The kingdom splits because of his idolatry. 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:19.339 The northern kingdom gets wiped out. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.279 Southern kingdom lasts a little bit longer. 00:22:21.399 --> 00:22:24.139 But eventually Babylon takes them into exile. 00:22:24.919 --> 00:22:27.079 And so this one magnificent kingdom. 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.699 Once glorious place where God's people and his presence are. 00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:36.019 And his prosperity and peace is now nothing but a smoldering pile of ruins. 00:22:36.840 --> 00:22:38.779 And it's utterly disastrous. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:42.600 And God's people are now serving godless nation in Babylon. 00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:44.259 Ruthless Babylonians. 00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:50.120 And in a sense, Israel is all the way back to Genesis chapter 3. 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.480 At the fall. 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:54.680 Remember there's the creation and then things fall disastrously. 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:57.080 And Adam and Eve are exiled from the garden. 00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:58.420 Expelled from God's presence. 00:22:58.580 --> 00:23:01.019 No longer living under God's blessing and favor. 00:23:01.120 --> 00:23:02.380 Now living under God's curse. 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:05.080 And then God restores things better, better, better. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.840 And now they're all the way back there again. 00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:09.060 Exiled out of God's kingdom. 00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:10.620 Expelled from his presence. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:14.039 Living under the curse of the Babylonians. 00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:17.380 I'm not sure if you know Psalm 137. 00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:21.820 It is probably one of the most heart-wrenching chapters in the entire Bible. 00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:25.339 Listen to Eugene Peterson's translation of it. 00:23:25.419 --> 00:23:25.519 It says, 00:23:25.639 --> 00:23:28.819 Alongside the waters of Babylon, we sat on the banks. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.460 We cried and we cried. 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:32.919 Remembering the good old days of Jerusalem. 00:23:33.639 --> 00:23:37.700 Alongside the quaking poplar trees, we stacked our unplayed harps. 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.519 That's where our captors demanded songs of us. 00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:42.379 Sarcastically and mocking, saying, 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.220 Sing for us one of those happy songs of Zion. 00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:48.439 God, remember the ruin of Jerusalem. 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:50.440 That day that they yelled out, 00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:52.140 Rick it, smash it to bits. 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:55.080 Oh you Babylonians, you ravagers. 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:57.559 A reward for whoever gets back at you. 00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.740 For all you've done to us. 00:23:59.320 --> 00:24:03.620 Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads against the rocks. 00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:06.039 It's pretty gruesome. 00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:06.640 It's in the Bible. 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:09.279 That's how Israel felt. 00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.940 All that had happened to them. 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:15.620 That's where Israel landed up. 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.660 And so this is the story of God's people. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.299 From David and Solomon through Israel's annihilation at the hands of the Assyrians. 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.340 Judah's annihilation at the hands of the Babylonians. 00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:29.059 And here they are, weeping and mourning in Babylon. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:33.200 Okay, we're going to pause the story there. 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:35.700 And next week we're going to pick up on what happens. 00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.900 But here's the question. 00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:39.500 What should we learn from this? 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:41.500 What does God want to say to us? 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:44.920 I mean in some ways, why doesn't God just go from Solomon to Jesus? 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.380 Why is this in the Bible? 00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:54.680 If you remember last week, Neil spoke about how Solomon's kingdom is like a model. 00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:57.299 A foreshadow of the great kingdom. 00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:01.359 And now it feels like the model has been completely smashed. 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.539 So why is it in the Bible? 00:25:03.619 --> 00:25:04.759 What should we take from this? 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:07.920 Well, let me give us four things that I think we should learn from this. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:10.539 Okay, four things to take with us this week. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:11.940 First thing is this. 00:25:12.360 --> 00:25:13.300 The Lord of history. 00:25:14.080 --> 00:25:15.279 The Lord of history. 00:25:16.320 --> 00:25:20.820 One of the great points that Neil's made last week is that God's plan for salvation is historical. 00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:25.599 You shouldn't just read the Bible as metaphorical, allegorical. 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:28.339 These things really happened in the history of the world. 00:25:28.659 --> 00:25:30.099 You can go and visit these places. 00:25:30.639 --> 00:25:31.740 Archaeologists have uncovered them. 00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:32.519 You can touch them. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:33.179 You can feel them. 00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:35.919 This is real historical stuff. 00:25:36.439 --> 00:25:43.200 The Bible isn't just a book of philosophy from which you're only meant to extract some deeper spiritual truth. 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.559 It's really historical. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:51.079 So on the one hand, the one danger is to read the Bible as just allegorical, metaphorical. 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:52.460 Okay, there's some lesson in it. 00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:55.179 And actually the Bible wants to say these are real historical realities. 00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:56.639 This happened to God's people. 00:25:57.319 --> 00:26:04.539 But the other danger is to read the Bible purely from a historical, archaeological perspective. 00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:07.379 And to think, okay, this is a great story. 00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:14.920 So God brings his people and then 922 this happens and 722 this happens and Assyria comes and then Judah comes and Babylon and then there's Cyrus. 00:26:15.280 --> 00:26:16.640 Great story. 00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:23.180 And you can attribute the fall of Jerusalem and these things to ancient Near East political history. 00:26:24.280 --> 00:26:30.820 But the point that God wants to make here is that God is the Lord of history. 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:34.240 These things aren't random or on chance. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:41.220 God is the one who's weaving and guiding all of history according to the purpose of his will. 00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:51.120 The God that we've been talking about all these weeks, who spoke his covenant to Abraham and Moses and David, is ultimately the one who is God of history. 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:54.900 As has often been said, history is his story. 00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:57.160 So we sang it earlier. 00:26:57.559 --> 00:27:01.160 None above him, none before him, all of time in his hands. 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.240 That's not just, you know, poetic lyrics. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:05.560 That's absolutely true. 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:13.640 All of time, from 100 billion years in the past to 100 billion years in the future, all of time is in his hands. 00:27:14.080 --> 00:27:16.180 And he is guiding all of it. 00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:19.040 I don't know if you noticed in our passage, 1 Kings 11. 00:27:19.580 --> 00:27:21.360 Solomon's heart turned away from the Lord. 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:26.659 So the Lord raised up an adversary to King 17. 00:27:26.879 --> 00:27:30.719 The ninth year of King Asher, Salmaneser, king of Assyria, captured Israel. 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:33.259 He carried them away to Assyria. 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:36.539 This happened because the people of Israel sinned against the Lord. 00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:40.740 Therefore, the Lord was angry and he removed them out of his sight. 00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:43.099 This isn't just political history. 00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:45.279 This is God acting in history. 00:27:46.199 --> 00:27:47.319 Or chronicles. 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:52.279 The Lord brought up against him the king of the Babylonians and removed them to Babylon. 00:27:53.139 --> 00:27:56.240 The point is, human history isn't simply human history. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:01.259 It's God working in human history to accomplish his plans and his purposes. 00:28:02.399 --> 00:28:09.139 God is not just a watchmaker God who kind of winds up the dial, puts it to go, and then stands back and says, let's see how things work out. 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:11.899 He is intricately involved. 00:28:13.259 --> 00:28:15.579 And the Bible word for this is sovereign. 00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:15.779 Sovereign. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:19.000 Sovereign means Lord over everything. 00:28:19.139 --> 00:28:20.279 The one in total control. 00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:23.279 God is sovereign over everything. 00:28:24.159 --> 00:28:25.980 Over all of history and everything that happens. 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:30.639 And sometimes we in the middle of history can't see what God is doing. 00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.859 You think, God, what are you doing? 00:28:32.199 --> 00:28:33.319 How can you let this happen? 00:28:34.659 --> 00:28:35.599 That's why we need the Bible. 00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:37.399 To remind us that God is in control. 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:40.919 He's working all things according to the purpose of his will. 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.460 And what is the purpose of his will? 00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:45.940 To bring all things together under Christ. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:50.600 To bring exiled, expelled sinners under Christ's blessing and rule. 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:55.319 And those who refuse to come into Christ's rule will one day be expelled forever. 00:28:55.660 --> 00:28:56.819 For all eternity. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:03.620 But God is working all things to bring as many people as possible under the rule of Christ to experience his blessing. 00:29:03.619 --> 00:29:07.739 God is the Lord of history. 00:29:08.699 --> 00:29:10.500 He brought these things to bear. 00:29:11.459 --> 00:29:12.279 Second thing. 00:29:12.959 --> 00:29:14.099 The deceitfulness of idols. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:19.219 Look at the height of Solomon's rule. 00:29:19.459 --> 00:29:21.019 Things could not have been better. 00:29:21.679 --> 00:29:24.279 Abundant prosperity like they've never known before. 00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:28.039 Peace and justice in the land. 00:29:28.239 --> 00:29:29.419 Freedom from all their enemies. 00:29:30.139 --> 00:29:30.619 Things are... 00:29:30.619 --> 00:29:32.339 It's amazing. 00:29:32.919 --> 00:29:37.239 At the height of Solomon's rule, Israel is the closest that they've ever got to heaven. 00:29:38.299 --> 00:29:43.079 And yet just a few years later, in terms of human history, they are as close as you get to hell. 00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:44.659 What happened? 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:46.179 What happened? 00:29:47.199 --> 00:29:52.439 You'd think that after all God had said to them and told them and given them and sent to them, 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.959 you'd think that they'd learn. 00:29:54.600 --> 00:29:58.740 And you'd think that you could say to them, guys, learn from the kings that went before you. 00:29:58.819 --> 00:30:00.579 This is not going to end well. 00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:02.720 But they don't. 00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:07.480 And it's easy to look at Solomon and Israel and think, you idiots, come on. 00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:09.779 Like, how many times do we need to go through this? 00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:14.440 And yet there's something that just keeps them falling again and again and again. 00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:15.139 What is it? 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:23.440 The Bible says that true spiritual health and the true spiritual condition of our hearts 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:28.259 is never measured by what we know in our heads, but by the condition of our hearts. 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:36.019 What I'm saying is true spiritual health is not by what you know, it's by what you worship. 00:30:36.899 --> 00:30:37.759 By what you worship. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.359 What's most important to you? 00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:41.839 What are you hoping and trusting in? 00:30:42.819 --> 00:30:49.220 It's why the scriptures warn us again and again about the dangers of and the deceitfulness of idols. 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:51.000 Now, what is an idol? 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:56.859 An idol is not just something in the, you know, shrine in the kind of back of your house or a shrine in the street. 00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:59.720 An idol is not just something that you burn incense to. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:09.759 An idol is the thing that you love supremely above anything else or that you trust to give you peace and security. 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:11.680 David Paulson says, 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:22.080 An idol is something other than Christ that has taken the title of your heart's trust, preoccupation, loyalty, fear, or delight. 00:31:22.840 --> 00:31:24.460 It's the thing that's most precious to you. 00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:27.400 It's the thing that you feel like you could not live without. 00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:32.039 Either because the thought of living without it makes you fearful and anxious and worried, 00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:35.319 or because you feel like there's no purpose to life without it. 00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:40.159 So, for instance, work can easily become an idol. 00:31:40.379 --> 00:31:41.119 Or, let me put it this way. 00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:43.779 An idol is also something that you make sacrifices for. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:49.059 You sacrifice good things, things that are precious to you, to keep that thing safe and secure. 00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:52.399 So, for instance, how do you know work has become an idol? 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:58.779 Well, when you're sacrificing relationships, your family, maybe your integrity, your ethics, 00:31:58.899 --> 00:32:01.599 in order to prop up your work and make sure that it stays intact, 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.859 it's more than just important to become an idol. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.619 Well, how do you know money has become an idol to you? 00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:11.919 You're willing to sacrifice relationships, integrity, truthfulness, in order to keep that thing safe. 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:15.139 Quick story, I had this temptation a little while ago. 00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:20.560 So, I was applying for a scholarship, a bursary, for some educational things, right? 00:32:21.180 --> 00:32:25.220 And one of the questions was, okay, what's your bank account like? 00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:30.740 Well, I had just received some money from my grandmother that had passed away, 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:34.759 and my dad had also just given me a great gift. 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.480 So, my bank account was looking pretty healthy. 00:32:37.220 --> 00:32:39.380 And I was wrestling so much. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:42.840 Should I reveal and tell them what's exactly going? 00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:45.500 You know, there's other investment here, should I just leave it out? 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.859 I'll just tell them about this. 00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:48.480 No one needs to know about that. 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.959 What's going on there? 00:32:50.699 --> 00:32:55.439 Am I willing to sacrifice integrity, truthfulness for my bank account? 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:56.599 That's an idol. 00:32:57.199 --> 00:32:58.799 That is a real wrestle in my heart, right? 00:32:59.899 --> 00:33:07.519 Now, throughout this passage, we see that idols, idols are occupying not just the landscape, 00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:09.799 but the hearts of the people of Israel. 00:33:10.279 --> 00:33:11.099 It's got into them. 00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:13.299 Now, what's so dangerous about an idol? 00:33:13.919 --> 00:33:17.159 The Bible says idols are dangerous for two reasons. 00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:19.879 One, because they'll enslave you. 00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:28.659 You think you're controlling it, but it controls you, and you become a slave to it, and it manages your life. 00:33:29.199 --> 00:33:30.399 But the second reason is this. 00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:31.899 It changes you. 00:33:32.659 --> 00:33:40.299 Loving or trusting anything more than God actually changes you and makes you become like the idol that you're trusting in. 00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:42.259 I don't know if you noticed that sentence in 2 Kings. 00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:42.639 It says, 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:48.359 They went after false gods and became false themselves, following the nations around them. 00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:51.379 Friends, don't miss what God wants us to see here. 00:33:51.879 --> 00:33:55.059 Those who worship false gods become false themselves. 00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:57.039 They become duplicitous. 00:33:57.039 --> 00:34:01.579 They become dishonest. 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:06.899 Those who worship empty gods become empty themselves, superficial. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:16.460 Those who love and trust and put their hope in meaningless gods, like money or career or title or social status, find that life becomes meaningless. 00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:24.900 Friends, those who trust in fragile gods, insecure gods, find that their hearts become insecure and they become fragile themselves. 00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:27.960 We become like what we worship. 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:30.099 Greg Beal says it like this. 00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:32.599 What you revere is what you become like. 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:35.740 You'll resemble either for ruin or for restoration. 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:43.279 What you're loving. 00:34:43.279 --> 00:34:43.379 What are you loving? 00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:46.039 What are you trusting? 00:34:46.299 --> 00:34:48.500 What makes you feel safe? 00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:50.819 What makes you feel secure? 00:34:52.319 --> 00:34:53.919 What can you not live without? 00:34:55.139 --> 00:35:00.000 Friends, what are you tempted to sacrifice your honesty for? 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:06.739 What is the thought that to live without it makes you feel anxious or afraid? 00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:12.599 What is more precious and delightful to you than knowing the one true God? 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:18.360 Because what Solomon wants to teach us here, what God wants to teach us here is that thing will kill you. 00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:20.019 It'll kill you. 00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:20.840 It'll kill your joy. 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:22.679 It'll steal your joy. 00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:23.940 It'll steal your security. 00:35:24.900 --> 00:35:26.599 You, like Solomon, may think it's nothing. 00:35:26.760 --> 00:35:28.179 You may think, I've got a handle on it. 00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:29.280 I'll keep it in the back waters. 00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:30.560 This thing's not going to control me. 00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.700 It will eat you alive. 00:35:33.200 --> 00:35:38.080 And one day, many, many years from now, you'll wonder how you became the person that you are today. 00:35:38.720 --> 00:35:39.840 And where it all went wrong. 00:35:40.680 --> 00:35:41.940 Friends, hold on to Christ. 00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:43.320 Love Christ. 00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:44.760 Trust Christ. 00:35:45.260 --> 00:35:46.400 Worship the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:49.640 He's the one true God that will never let you down. 00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:52.519 Who won't change you and control you and enslave you. 00:35:52.600 --> 00:35:53.500 He'll set you free. 00:35:55.420 --> 00:35:56.680 The deceitfulness of idols. 00:35:57.100 --> 00:35:59.040 Okay, third thing, and we're almost done. 00:36:00.240 --> 00:36:03.600 The inevitable destiny of human kingdoms. 00:36:04.380 --> 00:36:05.640 So, first thing is this. 00:36:06.100 --> 00:36:06.860 The Lord of history. 00:36:07.060 --> 00:36:08.120 The deceitfulness of idols. 00:36:08.540 --> 00:36:09.760 The destiny of human kingdoms. 00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:17.460 At the end of 1 Kings, the writer, the end of 1 Kings chapter 10, the writer really wants us to be blown away by the magnificence of Solomon's kingdom. 00:36:18.180 --> 00:36:19.920 Solomon's kingdom is awesome. 00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:21.060 There's peace. 00:36:21.300 --> 00:36:21.900 There's prosperity. 00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:22.860 There's wisdom. 00:36:23.180 --> 00:36:24.240 God's presence is there. 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:25.220 There's hope. 00:36:25.460 --> 00:36:26.079 There's joy. 00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.840 Do you remember what the Queen of Sheba says? 00:36:28.140 --> 00:36:29.140 Happy are your men. 00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:30.480 Happy are your servants. 00:36:30.980 --> 00:36:33.039 It's like, this is heaven on earth. 00:36:33.200 --> 00:36:34.400 Things couldn't get better. 00:36:35.059 --> 00:36:37.740 And yet, just a few short years, it's all gone. 00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:40.820 Now, we've just spoken about a personal level. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:44.039 But this is also true on a national level. 00:36:44.120 --> 00:36:44.940 On a social level. 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:56.760 I think what God wants us to see here is that institutions, organizations, empires, and kingdoms, unless they're built on God, the destiny is they will fail. 00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:00.119 See, it wasn't just Solomon's life who fell apart. 00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:02.260 The whole nation falls apart. 00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:04.440 The whole kingdom falls apart. 00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:12.240 And friends, it doesn't matter how strong or powerful or majestic or imposing an empire or a kingdom is. 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:18.619 Unless God himself is at the very center, that thing will not stand. 00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:20.280 It will not last. 00:37:21.019 --> 00:37:23.659 Its decline, its eventual collapse is inevitable. 00:37:25.159 --> 00:37:30.280 In Revelation chapter 11, there's this amazing little verse that is, I've often thought about it over the years. 00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:37.840 It says this, the kingdoms of our world will become the kingdom of Christ, of our Lord and his Christ. 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:39.420 And he shall reign forever and ever. 00:37:40.160 --> 00:37:43.900 I don't really know what that exactly means in its entirety, but I think it means this. 00:37:44.560 --> 00:37:53.840 Every single kingdom, whether political, institutional, corporate, financial, even churches. 00:37:53.840 --> 00:38:01.059 If those are not built on the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel and his glory, they have an expiry date. 00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:09.460 And there is a day coming when either they will submit to Christ and acknowledge Christ as king, or they will be engulfed by his kingdom. 00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:11.100 They will be swallowed up by him. 00:38:12.140 --> 00:38:14.380 And friends, this is true even of churches. 00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:18.460 Even every church on its website is going to say, we follow Jesus. 00:38:18.600 --> 00:38:19.740 We love God and the Bible. 00:38:19.900 --> 00:38:21.059 Yes, all glory of God. 00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:21.420 Great. 00:38:21.420 --> 00:38:28.139 But friends, any church that is not rooted and anchored in who Christ is and the gospel and his glory, 00:38:28.599 --> 00:38:34.500 any church that's built on a human personality or on a vibe or on a community or on a great building, 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:37.619 it is going to fall apart. 00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:41.200 Solomon's kingdom paid lip service to God. 00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:43.119 But where was their heart? 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:45.579 Their heart was running after the idols. 00:38:46.260 --> 00:38:47.480 And it fell apart. 00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:51.300 Friends, God doesn't owe anybody anything. 00:38:51.420 --> 00:38:53.539 He didn't owe Israel blessing and prosperity. 00:38:53.820 --> 00:38:56.240 He doesn't owe watermark blessing and prosperity. 00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:01.420 And if we drift away from Christ, our own demise is inevitable. 00:39:02.680 --> 00:39:09.720 All human kingdoms, even churches, will fall apart if they're not built on the rock that is Christ. 00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:13.039 Here's the last thing I think God wants us to take from us. 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:15.079 The God who is faithful to his promise. 00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:22.139 The Lord of history, the deceit of idols, the destiny of human kingdoms, but the God who is faithful to his promises. 00:39:22.139 --> 00:39:25.799 We see this in two ways here, and then we'll wrap this up. 00:39:26.299 --> 00:39:27.559 The first one is this. 00:39:28.279 --> 00:39:31.199 Throughout Israel's history, God has been speaking to them. 00:39:31.699 --> 00:39:36.199 He's saying, if you love me, if you trust me, if you build your lives on me, if you follow me, 00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:39.420 if you stay under my rule, you'll experience my blessing. 00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:45.880 But if you don't, if you go your own way, demise and destruction is headed your way. 00:39:46.559 --> 00:39:51.260 God has been speaking to them for hundreds of years, sending prophet after prophet, warning after warning, 00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:56.300 saying, turn from your ways, follow me, trust me, I have got your best interests at heart. 00:39:57.659 --> 00:40:03.920 And when Israel doesn't, and things go pear-shaped, that's not because God is having a temper tantrum. 00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:08.019 God is not flying off the handle, saying, fine, let's do things your way. 00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:15.480 This is the outcome of God's word to them, year in and year out. 00:40:16.220 --> 00:40:18.820 God is not flying off the handle or losing his temper. 00:40:19.760 --> 00:40:22.900 God is being true to his word. 00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:27.200 But of course, that's not the only promise that God made. 00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:32.340 The Lord, the God of their fathers, spoke to them and called them to himself and said, 00:40:32.340 --> 00:40:34.760 I will be faithful to my covenant promises. 00:40:35.480 --> 00:40:39.280 God has made promises that despite the rebellion on the sin of his people, 00:40:39.720 --> 00:40:44.820 he will be faithful to his promise to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses and to David. 00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:50.420 And that through this wrangled, tangled, messy, family, nation, history of Israel, 00:40:50.900 --> 00:40:54.700 God will send a true king, heaven and earth true king. 00:40:55.039 --> 00:41:01.039 And he will be a king that really will rule forever and ever and ever in righteousness and justice. 00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:06.800 His kingdom will be marked by truth, but also marked by immense mercy and grace. 00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:11.440 And his kingdom will expand and his kingdom truly will never end. 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:16.159 And God makes this promise that despite his discipline of Israel, 00:41:16.300 --> 00:41:20.739 despite the Assyrians and the Babylonians, his kingdom promises will not fail. 00:41:21.159 --> 00:41:23.119 His true king will come. 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:25.239 And his kingdom will come. 00:41:25.239 --> 00:41:29.239 And deal with the sin of the world and the consequences, the suffering. 00:41:29.619 --> 00:41:33.619 And his kingdom will welcome in all who don't deserve to be part of it. 00:41:35.059 --> 00:41:39.900 This king will come who will welcome sinners and sufferers alike. 00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:42.359 This king will come. 00:41:43.859 --> 00:41:45.279 He will have such authority. 00:41:45.460 --> 00:41:47.480 He will drive out demons with a word. 00:41:47.480 --> 00:41:51.159 He will control the weather with what he says. 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:56.320 With a touch, he will heal the demon-possessed and the sick. 00:41:57.079 --> 00:41:58.639 He will overturn death. 00:41:59.579 --> 00:42:00.840 He will have such authority. 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:04.059 And yet at the same time, he'll be so gracious, he'll be able to say, 00:42:04.840 --> 00:42:08.059 Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden. 00:42:08.840 --> 00:42:11.240 And I will give you rest. 00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:18.159 But God made his promises to his people that if you turn your back on me, it will end disastrously. 00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:22.339 But still, despite your sin, my king will come. 00:42:23.059 --> 00:42:24.639 And his kingdom will come. 00:42:25.459 --> 00:42:29.439 And all who come to him will find rest. 00:42:31.239 --> 00:42:36.579 And so friends, the decline and the exile of Israel is a clear reminder, as Alan said to us earlier, 00:42:36.579 --> 00:42:43.519 God is no grandfatherly old man, a benevolent old senile, as C.S. Lewis used to put it, 00:42:44.259 --> 00:42:47.779 who just says, live however you please and all will be fine. 00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:56.079 But God is also not a ruthless, demanding, distant God who is only appeased by back-breaking moral effort. 00:42:57.099 --> 00:42:57.719 Who is he? 00:42:58.519 --> 00:42:59.960 He's the God of the promise. 00:43:00.920 --> 00:43:02.860 He is God who is faithful to his word. 00:43:03.460 --> 00:43:06.440 He is the God who is making all things new. 00:43:07.539 --> 00:43:11.000 He is the God who is come to us in our sin and our suffering 00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:17.400 and promises that if we will simply trust him, he will make our lives new as well. 00:43:18.699 --> 00:43:21.639 He is the God who is faithful to his word and true to his promise. 00:43:22.659 --> 00:43:24.679 He is the God that we can trust. 00:43:26.179 --> 00:43:28.860 And so friends, this week, as we go into our week in Hong Kong, 00:43:28.860 --> 00:43:30.860 there are going to be times when it's hard to trust God. 00:43:31.719 --> 00:43:32.819 Why should we do that? 00:43:33.400 --> 00:43:34.579 He's the Lord of all history. 00:43:34.579 --> 00:43:39.519 He is working all things according to the purpose of his will, to bring things under Christ. 00:43:40.500 --> 00:43:46.380 Friends, this week, let us look at our hearts and recognize the deceitfulness of the idols and the things that we trust in. 00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:52.480 This week, let's look and think about what are we building our lives upon? 00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:55.039 And what is the destiny of those kingdoms? 00:43:55.259 --> 00:43:56.980 Where will they end up? 00:43:56.980 --> 00:43:57.980 Let us pray. 00:43:57.980 --> 00:44:00.719 But ultimately, this week, let's trust him. 00:44:01.340 --> 00:44:02.980 The one who is faithful to his word. 00:44:03.699 --> 00:44:06.159 The one who is faithful to his promises. 00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:08.000 Let's do that now. 00:44:08.500 --> 00:44:08.960 Let's pray. 00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:11.039 Why don't you join me as we pray? 00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:21.920 Father God, as we read your word and the history of your people, it is, in some senses, so heartbreaking. 00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:28.440 God, when we see the pain of what happened with Israel, the agony, God, 00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:34.139 God, it challenges us as well. 00:44:34.139 --> 00:44:39.659 When we see the sin and the fact that your people so often turn from you and trusted in false gods. 00:44:42.920 --> 00:44:45.039 God, won't you help us to search our own hearts? 00:44:47.059 --> 00:44:50.639 Holy Spirit, won't you help us to see what are the things that we are trusting in? 00:44:51.900 --> 00:44:54.599 What occupies the seed of our hearts? 00:44:55.719 --> 00:45:00.119 God, I pray, won't you shine the spotlight of your spirit on our hearts and help us to see that. 00:45:01.179 --> 00:45:02.420 Help us to trust in you. 00:45:02.420 --> 00:45:06.200 And God, you've given us so many reasons to trust you. 00:45:06.280 --> 00:45:08.039 Jesus, but you went to the cross for us. 00:45:09.619 --> 00:45:12.800 But God, what this passage shows us is that you are faithful. 00:45:13.000 --> 00:45:14.480 You are true to your word. 00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:17.820 And so God, I pray this week, won't you help us? 00:45:18.900 --> 00:45:23.480 Whether we are parenting, whether we're in the office, whether it's in a relationship, 00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:28.340 whether it's in our studies, whether it's making a business deal. 00:45:29.500 --> 00:45:31.280 God, won't you be true to our hearts? 00:45:31.280 --> 00:45:32.840 Won't you be supreme to our hearts? 00:45:33.920 --> 00:45:36.680 Won't you be the one that we love and trust above all things? 00:45:39.740 --> 00:45:43.160 God, won't you draw near to us and help us to trust you? 00:45:43.860 --> 00:45:45.480 Won't you pour faith into our hearts? 00:45:45.480 --> 00:45:54.559 And ultimately, God, as you came to us, won't you help us to draw near to you? 00:45:56.159 --> 00:45:58.599 Lord, we pray these things in your good and gracious name. 00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:00.099 Amen. 00:46:00.099 --> 00:46:00.260 Amen. 00:46:00.260 --> 00:46:01.199 Amen. 00:46:01.199 --> 00:46:01.300 Amen. 00:46:01.300 --> 00:46:01.360 Amen. 00:46:01.360 --> 00:46:03.360 Amen. 00:46:03.360 --> 00:46:03.420 Amen. 00:46:03.420 --> 00:46:05.420 Amen. 00:46:05.420 --> 00:46:07.420 Amen. 00:46:07.420 --> 00:46:09.420 Amen. 00:46:09.420 --> 00:46:11.420 Amen. 00:46:11.420 --> 00:46:11.500 Amen. 00:46:11.500 --> 00:46:12.420 Amen. 00:46:12.420 --> 00:46:13.420 Amen. 00:46:13.420 --> 00:46:13.460 Amen. 00:46:13.460 --> 00:46:15.460 Amen.