Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 10:1–11:8, Mark 6:45–7:13, Prov 3:1–5

Today’s Theme: God vs Lust and Pride

Today’s themes are varied but there is a running theme of God vs the lust of the flesh and the pride and deceitfulness of man. We will either worship man or God. The worship of man can be manifest as sexual sin, pride in our own ideas and trusting in ourselves and not God.

1 Kings 10:1–11:8

Supernatural wisdom

And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. (1 Kings 10:3, ESV)

The wisdom God gave to Solomon was supernatural. When we ask God for wisdom, know that He will give you supernatural wisdom, available no where else.

Bountiful riches

the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. (1 Kings 10:5, ESV)

Solomon’s wealth was breath taking, this spoke of God’s bountiful resources for our lives and His glory.

To the praise and glory of his name

Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” (1 Kings 10:9, ESV)

The wisdom and prosperity God gave Solomon caused the queen to give praise to God. May it be the same in our lives

The wealth of Solomon

All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. (1 Kings 10:21, ESV)

This is an indication of just how rich Solomon was.

The presence of Christ

And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. (1 Kings 10:24, ESV)

This prefigured Christ, one day the earth will seek the presence of the king who will reign from Jerusalem.

Compromise, lust and idolatry

from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. (1 Kings 11:2, ESV)

Solomon clung to all of these women in lust and replaced God with his idolatry towards them and himself. It all started with a pragmatic compromise.

Sex as a god

For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Kings 11:4, ESV)

Sex and intimate relationship has always been connected to worship and devotion. This is why the enemy has invested so much in drawing people into the false promise and trap of sexual lust. It is all about worship and idolatry, sexual sin becomes a substitute for God.

Jesus over family

And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. (1 Kings 11:8, ESV)

When we compromise for “loved ones” we are turning our back on God. Jesus said we should love Him more than family.

Mark 6:45–7:13

Jesus worked hardest

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. (Mark 6:45, ESV)

This is no small point, Jesus took on the lion’s share of the work as a real servant.

Pull on the word of God

And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Mark 6:56, ESV)

The fringe represents the promises and covenant thus the Word of God.

Where is your heart

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; (Mark 7:6, ESV)

Other religions and the new age movement teach that regardless of a man’s life, sin or relationship to God, that they can tap into principles and command the forces of the universe, this is not true. God is very much a conscious person who makes actual responses.

We can not pull the wool over God’s eyes. He knows where our hearts are despite our words and prayers. We need to ensure our hearts are close to God.

The traditions of men

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:8, ESV)

Lord keep us for this error. The Roman Catholic church went down this road hundreds of years ago when they exalted church tradition over the word of God.

The priority of God’s word

thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Mark 7:13, ESV)

God’s word should always trump our traditions and ideas.

Proverbs 3:1–5

Long life

for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. (Proverbs 3:2, ESV)

Obeying God’s word will help us live a long life, which is a typical shadow of eternal life in the New Testament.

Faithful and steadfast

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. (Proverbs 3:3, ESV)

As people we must learn to be faithful and steadfast in our love and devotion. Solomon learnt this the hard way.

Trust the Lord

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5, ESV)

A major theme in scripture, we must trust in the Lord.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Mark 6