WEBVTT - Jack Graham - Oct 28 - 9:30 pm

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<v Speaker 1>Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is

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<v Speaker 1>done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant

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<v Speaker 1>and my statutes which I have commanded thee, I will

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<v Speaker 1>surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it

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<v Speaker 1>to thy servant. 1 Kings 11.11 Heavenly Father, with every

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<v Speaker 1>new breath that I take, and as I watch you

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<v Speaker 1>bring goodness and increase into my life, Help me not

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<v Speaker 1>to forget that apart from you and your presence, there

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<v Speaker 1>is no true life. I will not forget that it

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<v Speaker 1>is in you that I live, I breathe, and I

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<v Speaker 1>have my being. So when temptations and the pleasures of

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<v Speaker 1>this world try to lure me from your path of godliness,

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<v Speaker 1>I will hold fast and combat the lie that life

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<v Speaker 1>is better without you. I will reject the many idols

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<v Speaker 1>that will try to divide me from your divinity like

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<v Speaker 1>Solomon in his latter years. I will speak to my

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<v Speaker 1>mind and heart and command it to remember the God

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<v Speaker 1>of your youth, the God who has always been there guiding, loving,

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<v Speaker 1>protecting me on the way to my designed destiny. I

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<v Speaker 1>confess that my future is secure as long as I

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<v Speaker 1>secure myself in your ways, God. Thank you for preserving

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<v Speaker 1>me and protecting me and drifting away from my spiritual foundation. You, Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>In Jesus' name. Amen. Listening to these daily prayers strengthens

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<v Speaker 1>your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the Lord by

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<v Speaker 1>listening to today's Bible in a Year. Brought to you

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<v Speaker 1>by BibleInAYear.com.

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon's Fall from God In our last story, the temple

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<v Speaker 2>of God was finally built. David's dream to see God's

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<v Speaker 2>home amongst the people of Israel had finally been fulfilled

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<v Speaker 2>through his son Solomon. King Solomon dedicated the temple to God,

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<v Speaker 2>and a new age of peace fell upon the Hebrews

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<v Speaker 2>for the first time in their history. In this story,

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon meets the Queen of Sheba and slowly begins to

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<v Speaker 2>fall from God. Solomon will seek to fill a hole

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<v Speaker 2>in his heart with women as his final years bring

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<v Speaker 2>war to the land of Israel, inspired by the books

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<v Speaker 2>of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in

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<v Speaker 3>a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,

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<v Speaker 3>I want you to know that I would absolutely love

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<v Speaker 3>to send you my daily devotional that will give you

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<v Speaker 3>fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment

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<v Speaker 3>we wake up to the moment our head finally hits

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<v Speaker 3>the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.

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<v Speaker 3>But it's in the midst of all this crush and

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<v Speaker 3>hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and

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<v Speaker 3>truth in God's word. That's why I want to help

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<v Speaker 3>you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing

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<v Speaker 3>word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.

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<v Speaker 3>So visit jackgram.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.

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<v Speaker 3>That's jackgram.org, jackgram.org. In our last episode, we heard how

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<v Speaker 3>Solomon built the temple for the Lord, a glorious temple.

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<v Speaker 3>Israel was in a time of unprecedented prosperity and peace,

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<v Speaker 3>and the people gathered to worship God in this magnificent

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<v Speaker 3>temple that Solomon had built, the place where God's presence

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<v Speaker 3>would dwell among them. But as we will hear today,

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<v Speaker 3>as Solomon's fame grew, bringing wise men and royals from

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<v Speaker 3>far and wide to seek his counsel, he became distracted

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<v Speaker 3>by things other than God. It would spell the end

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<v Speaker 3>of peace for Israel. and mar his legacy forever. So

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<v Speaker 3>let's listen now to today's reading from God's Word.

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<v Speaker 2>Under the rule of Solomon, Israel became the crown jewel

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<v Speaker 2>of the Eastern world. Kings and queens of all nations

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<v Speaker 2>would visit Israel to marvel at Solomon's temple, libraries, architecture, gardens,

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<v Speaker 2>and fields. Solomon's fame spread across the deserts, forests, and

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<v Speaker 2>mountain ranges. Wise men and women would travel far and

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<v Speaker 2>wide to seek his counsel. He was the heralded philosopher king,

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<v Speaker 2>and all adored his kind and wise nature. One day,

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<v Speaker 2>a caravan emerged from the south. A sea of camels, jewels, spices,

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<v Speaker 2>and gold paraded into the city streets. At the top

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<v Speaker 2>of her carriage, pulled by prized camels, the Queen of

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<v Speaker 2>Sheba sat lounging in the mild Israeli sun. She had

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<v Speaker 2>heard of Solomon's great wisdom and sought to ask him

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<v Speaker 2>questions of ethics, politics, philosophy, and theology. Solomon watched as

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<v Speaker 2>the queen's caravan filled Jerusalem like a golden river. He

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<v Speaker 2>beckoned her into his palace, and the two spoke of

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<v Speaker 2>deep things among his gardens. The queen had profound questions

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<v Speaker 2>and challenging problems that needed solving. However, nothing was too

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<v Speaker 2>hard for the king. Gently and kindly, Solomon walked the

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<v Speaker 2>queen through every issue. She was amazed at his wisdom.

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<v Speaker 2>She had not realized just how knowledgeable the king truly was.

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<v Speaker 2>Nor did she expect the riches of Israel to be

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<v Speaker 2>so vast and immaculate. She watched the way Solomon's servants

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<v Speaker 2>worked diligently and with joy. She awed at the worship

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<v Speaker 2>in the temple, and she could not understand the depth

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<v Speaker 2>of Solomon's kindness, despite his riches. I had heard much

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<v Speaker 2>about your country and its achievements, the queen said. However,

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<v Speaker 2>it has exceeded my wildest dreams. A smile came across

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<v Speaker 2>her face. How happy your people must be to live here,

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<v Speaker 2>and how happy your officials must be to learn under you.

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<v Speaker 2>Praise your God for what has happened here. Then she

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<v Speaker 2>gave Solomon a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, along

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<v Speaker 2>with spices and precious jewels. After saying goodbyes, the queen departed,

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<v Speaker 2>determined to bring similar wisdom and joy to her land.

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon was gifted with great wisdom and riches, yet even

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<v Speaker 2>his intellect and wealth could not protect him from the

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<v Speaker 2>darkness within his own heart. Solomon slowly began to search

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<v Speaker 2>for meaning in things other than God. His heart often

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<v Speaker 2>wandered aimlessly, seeking satisfaction in carnal activities. Solomon had a

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<v Speaker 2>love for foreign women. What started as marriages to form

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<v Speaker 2>alliances quickly turned into a sick addition to new women

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<v Speaker 2>and new pleasures. Besides his first wife from Egypt, Solomon

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<v Speaker 2>married women from Moab, Amman, Edom, Sidon, and Hittite. He

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<v Speaker 2>immersed himself in the strange sexual practices of other cultures.

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<v Speaker 2>Soon his mind began to wander into the dark recesses

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<v Speaker 2>of other religions— This is why the Lord had strictly

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<v Speaker 2>warned the people of Israel to not marry those with

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<v Speaker 2>other gods. Solomon was reaping the terrible consequences of his actions.

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon amassed a harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines,

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<v Speaker 2>continually wanting to satisfy himself with new women. He began

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<v Speaker 2>to forget what it meant to love faithfully. Solomon's heart

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<v Speaker 2>began to fall from God. Solomon had built the temple

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<v Speaker 2>of God, For this, he would be remembered forever for

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<v Speaker 2>his faithfulness. However, his union with many different cultures and

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<v Speaker 2>nations also led him to build shrines and altars to

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<v Speaker 2>false gods. With each passing year, Solomon would give a

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<v Speaker 2>piece of his soul over to a new god. This

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<v Speaker 2>caused a deep anger in God. He had gently warned

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon many times. However, his heart was corrupted just as

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<v Speaker 2>his ancestors in the wilderness. God's wrath burned against Solomon,

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<v Speaker 2>and he decided to divide his kingdom among his descendants.

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<v Speaker 2>As Solomon engaged in his sexual idol worship, rebels and

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<v Speaker 2>adversaries began to emerge from the depths of Israel, giving

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<v Speaker 2>Solomon his first taste of war. Rebellion from the east

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<v Speaker 2>and south began to emerge, and Solomon was finally called

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<v Speaker 2>to war. His era of peace had been interrupted by doubt, bloodshed,

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<v Speaker 2>and conflict. This was a representation of Solomon's heart. For

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<v Speaker 2>the last years of Solomon's life, he warred against rebellion

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<v Speaker 2>and felt no peace. For 40 years, Solomon ruled over Israel.

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<v Speaker 2>He brought the nation into an unprecedented era of peace.

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<v Speaker 2>His heart to worship God reflected his father's, and his

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<v Speaker 2>wisdom gave him more riches than he could ever have imagined. However,

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<v Speaker 2>the last few years of his rule was marked with woe.

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<v Speaker 2>Towards the end of his life, Solomon's writings became contemplative

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<v Speaker 2>and sorrowful. He reflected on the meaningless pursuit of knowledge, riches,

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<v Speaker 2>and success. As his eyes began to dim and his

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<v Speaker 2>bones grew brittle, Solomon finally came to the understanding that

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<v Speaker 2>there is no meaning in life apart from God's presence.

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<v Speaker 2>With his dying breath, he praised God, and his son, Rehoboam,

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<v Speaker 2>took his place as king.

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<v Speaker 3>As we begin today's passage, Solomon has become a man

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<v Speaker 3>of great renown, not only in Israel, but all around

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<v Speaker 3>the world. Word of his wisdom and kindness spread far

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<v Speaker 3>and wide to kings and queens and sages from distant lands.

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<v Speaker 3>Just as God had promised him, Solomon's wisdom was matched

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<v Speaker 3>by no one. But his wealth and prosperity was also

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<v Speaker 3>without equal. It was an opportunity for Israel to be

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<v Speaker 3>a shining witness to the rest of the world, as

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<v Speaker 3>when the Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon. She

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<v Speaker 3>was impressed by his great mind and by the wealth

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<v Speaker 3>that she saw in his country. She even seemed to

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<v Speaker 3>praise God for what he had done for Israel. But

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<v Speaker 3>in reality, she wasn't interested as much in the giver

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<v Speaker 3>of blessings as she was in the blessings and all

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<v Speaker 3>the benefits themselves. Though she had a chance to turn

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<v Speaker 3>to God, the one true God, and honor him, what

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<v Speaker 3>she really wanted, in the end, were the riches. Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 3>it wasn't just the Queen of Sheba who missed the

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<v Speaker 3>point of things. As his fame and influence grew, Solomon's

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<v Speaker 3>attentions turned away from God and then came the gratifying

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<v Speaker 3>of the flesh. Like so many before him, Solomon's appetite

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<v Speaker 3>for sexual pleasure clouded his visions. And being a man

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<v Speaker 3>of such power and influence, he was able to take

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<v Speaker 3>many wives for himself. As he would later write in Ecclesiastes,

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<v Speaker 3>Solomon denied himself nothing he desired. That is a recipe

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<v Speaker 3>for disaster. He married women from many different countries, women

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<v Speaker 3>who worshipped other gods. Taking wives from other nations was

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<v Speaker 3>against God's will. And in 1 Kings 11 verse 2,

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<v Speaker 3>we hear why. You shall not enter into marriage with them,

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<v Speaker 3>neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn

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<v Speaker 3>away your heart after their gods. But Solomon, for all

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<v Speaker 3>of his wisdom, ignored God's command, and sure enough, his

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<v Speaker 3>heart became divided. He took more than 700 wives and

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<v Speaker 3>300 concubines, and each of these unions chipped away at

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<v Speaker 3>his relationship with the Lord and his ability to lead.

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<v Speaker 3>Despite multiple warnings from God, Solomon allowed himself to be

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<v Speaker 3>corrupted by lust and eventually God's anger could be held

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<v Speaker 3>back no more. The peace that Israel had experienced was

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<v Speaker 3>shattered as wars broke out once more. Not only that,

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<v Speaker 3>but Solomon's own peace was destroyed and sorrow filled his

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<v Speaker 3>heart for much of his latter years. Because of his

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<v Speaker 3>persistent sin, God would split the kingdom in two. But

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<v Speaker 3>this would not happen until his son Rehoboam became king.

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<v Speaker 3>It is the tragic result of sin and unfaithfulness, and

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<v Speaker 3>it is a powerful reminder that what Israel needed, what

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<v Speaker 3>we all need, is a king that was not just wise,

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<v Speaker 3>but one who is perfectly good and pure. And there

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<v Speaker 3>is only one king who is above all kings. He

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<v Speaker 3>would one day rise from the house of David as

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<v Speaker 3>Savior and Lord and give us the power to defeat sin.

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<v Speaker 3>Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

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<v Speaker 3>Solomon came to understand at the end of his life

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<v Speaker 3>what his father knew, that there is nothing that compares

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<v Speaker 3>to being in God's presence. Solomon repented and praised God

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<v Speaker 3>once more before he went to his final rest, and

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<v Speaker 3>the kingdom passed into the hands of his son, Rehoboam.

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<v Speaker 3>Would the new king model the wisdom of his father,

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<v Speaker 3>or was Israel headed for more pain? We'll find out

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<v Speaker 3>the next time. Dear God, we remember the words of

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<v Speaker 3>the hymn which says, Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.

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<v Speaker 3>Prone to leave the God I love. We are all

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<v Speaker 3>prone to leave the God that we love. Just like Solomon,

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<v Speaker 3>we want to wander. But God, we ask you to

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<v Speaker 3>move in our hearts, to sanctify and purify us, and

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<v Speaker 3>by your grace and because of your forgiveness, that we

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<v Speaker 3>would live holy and godly lives. Help us to keep

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<v Speaker 3>our eyes on you and to worship you and you only.

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<v Speaker 3>May you be our King and our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. And before we go,

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<v Speaker 3>I want you to know that I would love to

0:14:32.150 --> 0:14:35.980
<v Speaker 3>send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement

0:14:36.220 --> 0:14:40.280
<v Speaker 3>every single day. So visit jackgraham.org to sign up for

0:14:40.320 --> 0:14:43.790
<v Speaker 3>your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's jackgram.org.