Leadership always has its consequences.
Solomon, whose name means peace, found peace slipping away during the final years of his reign. His son Rehoboam was to take his place as ruler over the 12 tribes of Israel. A large party of disgruntled leaders led by Jeroboam showed up at Rehoboam’s coronation ceremony requesting that he grant relief from the heavy burden of taxation and forced labor that Solomon had placed on them. Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the experienced elders and took the advice of his immature peers who theorized that bullying and intimidation were better leadership tactics than servanthood. Rehoboam promised even heavier taxation and more forced labor. With one decision, the nation divided and its fate was sealed.
Only Rehoboam’s tribe of Judah remained loyal to him. The other 10 tribes to the north seceded, took the name of Israel and made Jeroboam their king. Instead of appreciating the gracious gift of God, Jeroboam, like Aaron centuries before, set up idols of counterfeit worship, leading Israel into idolatry. God sent a prophet who warned of judgment for their idolatry and predicted that someday a king named Josiah, a descendant of David, would destroy their pagan worship sites (this was fulfilled 290 years later.) As a sign to authenticate his message, the pagan altar split in two and Jeroboam’s outstretched hand turned leprous.
This did little to curb Jeroboam’s pagan practices. When his son became ill he sent his wife in disguise to the prophet Ahijah to inquire about their son’s fate. Though blind, Ahijah’s spiritual sight was 20-20. He not only saw through the charade, but gave Jeroboam’s wife a message of doom predicting that her husband’s dynasty would soon end and Israel would one day be carried away into captivity. The message of doom was to be authenticated with the death of their son as soon as her footsteps crossed the entrance to the palace. And so it came to pass.
God’s chosen people were now committing the same idolatrous and immoral practices that compelled God to purge the land of its Canaanite inhabitants in the first place. God’s righteousness and covenant loyalty moved Him to jealous anger. Rehoboam allowed Judah to fall into the same idolatry as the North. The golden years of peace faded further when God judged Judah by using Shishak king of Egypt. He attacked Judah and carried off the all of the gold and silver treasures. Rehoboam replaced them with bronze, but the decline in moral and spiritual values was even sharper than the drop in value from gold to bronze.
The Lower Story is primarily a list of idolatrous kings who lead both Judah and Israel further and further way from God. Abijah son of Rehoboam became the next king of Judah. His tenure was short and sinful like his father’s. No good kings reigned in Israel after the split of the kingdom. Things went from bad to worse with the house of Omri. His evil son King Ahab and her royal wickedness Queen Jezebel drove Israel to new lows in idolatry.
But in the Upper Story, we see two things: First, those who reject the LORD will reap His grim judgment. But second, this judgment is always designed to redirect His people and produce repentance back toward the God who still relentlessly pursues His people, through prophets like Ahijah and kings like Asa who forged a path for people to find their way back to Him. The era of the kings, despite their terrible freedom, inaugurates a path to the King of Kings, who would redeem not just this era of division and strife, but every age from everlasting to everlasting.
Icebreaker Question: What’s the best advice you have received? What was the worst? Did you follow the advice?
1. Rehoboam sought counsel to make an important decision (p. 160) and so did Jeroboam (p. 161). What criteria did each seem to use in evaluating the counsel of others? What makes for wise counsel? What kind of counsel does or should your small group provide for each other?
2. Jeroboam "counterfeited worship" by redirect Israel’s attention away from the temple in Judah to local idols. What did he gain from this?
3. The split of Israel and Judah led to continual warfare for hundreds of years. What issues divide God’s people today? Share with your group practical ways to promote unity at our church and unity with believers from other churches.
4. Does the prophecy from the man of God, the sign of the altar, and the leprous hand represent acts of grace or acts of judgment toward Jeroboam (p. 162)? What should Jeroboam’s response have been?
5. Jeroboam recognized that Ahijah spoke the truth, even when he did not like it. How do you respond when you hear a truth you do not like? How can you be different from Jeroboam, and use these as opportunities to change?
6. Have you had an occasion when someone asked you for advice and counsel because he or she respected your integrity and truthfulness? What happened?
7. Under King Rehoboam, the people of Judah "engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites." The idolatry in the culture had become the idolatry of God’s people. In what ways are God’s people today similar to the non-Christian culture all around us? How are we different?
8. Why did the sons of Hiel die during the rebuilding of Jericho? Consult p. 77 of The Story or Josh. 6:26. What does this incident teach you about the character of God?
9. Why would God allow such evil kings to rule over His people? How do the tragedies in this chapter fit into God’s Upper Story?
10. What is the standard used in this chapter for a good king? What kind of standards are you setting for the generations that will follow you?
“The Story “is an understandable presentation of the greatest story ever told. You will be encouraged to purchase a copy of the book The Story, and read it on your own time. Then on Sunday or Thursday, you will come and hear a teaching sermon on the chapter assigned for that week. Then if you have more questions you will have the opportunity to be in a small group discussion on the chapter.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Chapter 13 - The King Who Had It All
Timeless Truth: Complete your walk – finish faithful.
The "man after God’s own heart" had known seasons of triumph and tragedy, yet his legacy is marked by overall faithfulness and trust that God would keep His word. David’s story closes with instruction and warning for his son, Solomon, who was already poised to carry on the heritage. David charged the new king with the divinely appointed task of leading God’s chosen nation and urged him to "walk in His ways," so their family would "never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel," as God had promised.
Solomon’s reign began with a series of defining events. He married the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh, and ironically, the nation that had once enslaved Israel now sought the good graces of God’s people. Then God appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered to grant his heart’s desire. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead, and God was pleased to grant this request and gave him wealth and honor as well. His wisdom was quickly tested when two prostitute mothers fought over a son. Solomon correctly judged in favor of the true mother, and his people held him in awe. Solomon’s keen wisdom became the hallmark of his reign and gave him insight into human nature. He penned thousands of proverbs that gained him an international reputation. People from around the world sought him out, and Abraham’s descendants became a blessing to the whole world as Solomon demonstrated that the cornerstone of all wisdom is a holy fear of God.
During Solomon’s reign, peace prevailed in the Promised Land. The time had come to build a temple for God. The construction project was massive and followed the pattern of the tabernacle that had been used since the days of Moses. The end result was as majestic as one could imagine. With great reverence, Solomon had the ark placed in the Most Holy Place. The temple was filled with a cloud of God’s glory, and Solomon humbly realized that even a magnificent temple could not sufficiently contain Him. Still, the temple would become the enduring focal point of worship and life for God’s people.
Following the dedication of the temple, God appeared to Solomon and warned him of the consequences Israel would face if they turned away from Him. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land. (p. 154) He also promised Solomon a royal dynasty in Israel if the king remained faithful. But if Israel followed other gods, God’s people would be cut off from the land.
King Solomon experienced phenomenal success. His wealth and wisdom were legendary. His reign was marked by peace and prosperity. But all of Solomon’s insight and riches could not make up for his choice to collect wives like gold. He married hundreds of women, many of them foreigners. Just like God had said, his foreign wives "turned his heart after other gods." This single decision shaped the future of his descendants and of the nation of Israel.
Solomon’s story began with great promise, incomparable wisdom and magnificent achievement. His father and grandfather had also started out well, but the way each of them ended was disappointing. There are no final words of wisdom recorded for the wisest king of all time. Instead, his closing chapter reveals that the kingdom would be torn in two. Solomon spent his last days fighting off enemies and rebels. His splendor and his legacy were tarnished by disobedience and idolatry. What a sad ending for the king who had it all, but ultimately failed in the only thing that really mattered: finishing well.
Icebreaker Question: What’s one of the smartest things you have done?
1. How did Solomon (and other Israelites) show love for the LORD in the Old Testament? How does this differ from New Testament believers? (See John 14:15, 15:12, 1 John 5:2-3)
2. Look at Solomon’s prayer of dedication. What does this teach you about how you should approach God?
3. Solomon authored many proverbs that teach general principles of wise and practical living. Some examples are found on pages 146-150. Choose one that you particularly like or one that resonates with you. What is the main point that it communicates? How might your life be different if you applied the proverb?
4. Using what you have learned about Israel’s history in previous chapters of The Story, why did Solomon make the dedication of the temple such a big event? What would it have been like to experience it firsthand?
5. Compare God’s promises to Solomon with His promises to David (p. 129). Which promise(s) had God faithfully fulfilled? What would Solomon and his descendants need to do to keep a successor on the throne (p. 144, 154)? How could Israel avoid captivity (p. 154-155)?
6. Solomon accumulated unprecedented riches. Look up Deut. 17:15-17 and Deut. 28:1-14. Did Solomon go too far? Is extreme wealth a good thing or a bad thing?
7. As Solomon grew older, he was a rich and established ruler, but he did not apply the wisdom that defined his early career. How can you continue to seek wisdom, even after you have experienced success?
8. Solomon’s failures began when he married women who served other gods. Why is it important for a husband and wife to both be committed Christians? What advice would you give someone who is considering dating a non-Christian?
The "man after God’s own heart" had known seasons of triumph and tragedy, yet his legacy is marked by overall faithfulness and trust that God would keep His word. David’s story closes with instruction and warning for his son, Solomon, who was already poised to carry on the heritage. David charged the new king with the divinely appointed task of leading God’s chosen nation and urged him to "walk in His ways," so their family would "never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel," as God had promised.
Solomon’s reign began with a series of defining events. He married the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh, and ironically, the nation that had once enslaved Israel now sought the good graces of God’s people. Then God appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered to grant his heart’s desire. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead, and God was pleased to grant this request and gave him wealth and honor as well. His wisdom was quickly tested when two prostitute mothers fought over a son. Solomon correctly judged in favor of the true mother, and his people held him in awe. Solomon’s keen wisdom became the hallmark of his reign and gave him insight into human nature. He penned thousands of proverbs that gained him an international reputation. People from around the world sought him out, and Abraham’s descendants became a blessing to the whole world as Solomon demonstrated that the cornerstone of all wisdom is a holy fear of God.
During Solomon’s reign, peace prevailed in the Promised Land. The time had come to build a temple for God. The construction project was massive and followed the pattern of the tabernacle that had been used since the days of Moses. The end result was as majestic as one could imagine. With great reverence, Solomon had the ark placed in the Most Holy Place. The temple was filled with a cloud of God’s glory, and Solomon humbly realized that even a magnificent temple could not sufficiently contain Him. Still, the temple would become the enduring focal point of worship and life for God’s people.
Following the dedication of the temple, God appeared to Solomon and warned him of the consequences Israel would face if they turned away from Him. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land. (p. 154) He also promised Solomon a royal dynasty in Israel if the king remained faithful. But if Israel followed other gods, God’s people would be cut off from the land.
King Solomon experienced phenomenal success. His wealth and wisdom were legendary. His reign was marked by peace and prosperity. But all of Solomon’s insight and riches could not make up for his choice to collect wives like gold. He married hundreds of women, many of them foreigners. Just like God had said, his foreign wives "turned his heart after other gods." This single decision shaped the future of his descendants and of the nation of Israel.
Solomon’s story began with great promise, incomparable wisdom and magnificent achievement. His father and grandfather had also started out well, but the way each of them ended was disappointing. There are no final words of wisdom recorded for the wisest king of all time. Instead, his closing chapter reveals that the kingdom would be torn in two. Solomon spent his last days fighting off enemies and rebels. His splendor and his legacy were tarnished by disobedience and idolatry. What a sad ending for the king who had it all, but ultimately failed in the only thing that really mattered: finishing well.
Icebreaker Question: What’s one of the smartest things you have done?
1. How did Solomon (and other Israelites) show love for the LORD in the Old Testament? How does this differ from New Testament believers? (See John 14:15, 15:12, 1 John 5:2-3)
2. Look at Solomon’s prayer of dedication. What does this teach you about how you should approach God?
3. Solomon authored many proverbs that teach general principles of wise and practical living. Some examples are found on pages 146-150. Choose one that you particularly like or one that resonates with you. What is the main point that it communicates? How might your life be different if you applied the proverb?
4. Using what you have learned about Israel’s history in previous chapters of The Story, why did Solomon make the dedication of the temple such a big event? What would it have been like to experience it firsthand?
5. Compare God’s promises to Solomon with His promises to David (p. 129). Which promise(s) had God faithfully fulfilled? What would Solomon and his descendants need to do to keep a successor on the throne (p. 144, 154)? How could Israel avoid captivity (p. 154-155)?
6. Solomon accumulated unprecedented riches. Look up Deut. 17:15-17 and Deut. 28:1-14. Did Solomon go too far? Is extreme wealth a good thing or a bad thing?
7. As Solomon grew older, he was a rich and established ruler, but he did not apply the wisdom that defined his early career. How can you continue to seek wisdom, even after you have experienced success?
8. Solomon’s failures began when he married women who served other gods. Why is it important for a husband and wife to both be committed Christians? What advice would you give someone who is considering dating a non-Christian?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Session 12 - The Trials of a King
Timeless Truth: Sin has its consequences, but redemption is always near.
David was voted least likely among his brothers to be anointed king. He was the last person on the battlefront you’d pick to play the hero’s part, but David was the underdog who overcame. He confronted lions, giants and kings with bare hands and bold faith. At last, the man after God’s own heart became the man on Israel’s throne.
But kings who stay home from battle are seldom at rest. David’s eyes wandered and so did his heart. He summoned the very lovely and very married Bathsheba to his palace and then into his bed. When Bathsheba sent word she was pregnant, David turned his strategy tactics toward her husband, Uriah.
He called Uriah home from the battlefield to visit his wife, expecting a night together would position Uriah as the father-to-be. The plan failed, so David concocted a surefire Plan B. He sent Uriah back to the frontlines carrying his own death warrant: an order for General Joab to engineer a battlefield "accident" and guarantee Uriah’s death. The plan worked. David married Bathsheba and went back to the business of the kingdom.
Then Nathan, the prophet, came to the palace. Guilty kings never fare well when prophets arrive for a visit. Nathan told a parable and pointed the finger of blame squarely in David’s face. He asserted, "You are the man!" and David knew he’d met his match. The man after God’s own heart had become the man with blood on his hands. David and Bathsheba’s marriage feasting turned quickly into mourning the death of their son. David repented of his sin, and God forgave him. They had a second son named Solomon, which means peace.
Sadly, David was a better king than father. David’s sin was forgiven, but its aftermath was calamitous. His son, Absalom, attempted to usurp the throne, and his rise to power resulted in a rebellion. David instructed his troops to be gentle with his proud son, perhaps because he connected the dots between Absalom’s behavior and his own failures as a father. But the clash between David’s army and Absalom’s rebels was brutal. When Absalom was found hanging from a tree limb, Joab seized the moment and killed the conspirator. King David mourned in anguish when he heard the news.
David’s closing chapter turns the page from battles to building. He knew that his son, Solomon, would build a house for God, so he did all he could to prepare the way. From the overflow of David’s heart came the emptying of his bank account. Others followed the king’s example and gave willingly to build God’s temple. King David’s story draws to a close with poetic psalms of praise, reminders of faithfulness to Solomon and his sights set on living "in the house of the LORD forever."
David’s Lower Story places the spotlight on one man’s sin and its tragic consequences. Yet it also beams with the offer of forgiveness and redemption. God’s grand Upper Story reminds us that no one is righteous on their own. God’s promise to David (p.129) pointed across a millennium to a sinless King of Kings; no end of righteousness, no end of peace, and the redemption of all things.
Share a time when you made a wrong turn on a road trip and the results created a real hardship.
1. What were the steps in David’s sin and cover-up? Compare David’s steps leading to sin with Eve’s (p. 4). How can your group help hold each other accountable to guard against the same pathway?
2. Which Ten Commandments did David break in his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah?
3. Why did God take the life of the child when it was his father who sinned? How do you feel about God’s decision?
4. Does God’s punishment of David (and all his family) fit the crime if God truly forgave him?
5. Psalm 32 describes what David felt before and after his confession. (p. 135) If all our sins were forgiven by Christ dying on the cross, then what value does confession have today? Why is it so important?
6. Who did David sin against—Bathsheba, Uriah or God? Find examples in the text that prove your point. What does this teach us about sin?
7. Compare David’s reaction when hearing the news that his baby had died to his reaction when his son Absalom had died. Discuss with your group some explanations that could account for the differences.
8. Following his sin, David’s family unraveled. He was betrayed by his son Absalom and deeply mourned his death. How have you responded to betrayal?
9. How did the people feel about giving to the work of the temple that Solomon would build? Why were they so willing?
10. Look back at Psalm 23. Why do you think this passage continues to be so meaningful to people?Share a time when you made a wrong turn on a road trip and the results created a real hardship.
David was voted least likely among his brothers to be anointed king. He was the last person on the battlefront you’d pick to play the hero’s part, but David was the underdog who overcame. He confronted lions, giants and kings with bare hands and bold faith. At last, the man after God’s own heart became the man on Israel’s throne.
But kings who stay home from battle are seldom at rest. David’s eyes wandered and so did his heart. He summoned the very lovely and very married Bathsheba to his palace and then into his bed. When Bathsheba sent word she was pregnant, David turned his strategy tactics toward her husband, Uriah.
He called Uriah home from the battlefield to visit his wife, expecting a night together would position Uriah as the father-to-be. The plan failed, so David concocted a surefire Plan B. He sent Uriah back to the frontlines carrying his own death warrant: an order for General Joab to engineer a battlefield "accident" and guarantee Uriah’s death. The plan worked. David married Bathsheba and went back to the business of the kingdom.
Then Nathan, the prophet, came to the palace. Guilty kings never fare well when prophets arrive for a visit. Nathan told a parable and pointed the finger of blame squarely in David’s face. He asserted, "You are the man!" and David knew he’d met his match. The man after God’s own heart had become the man with blood on his hands. David and Bathsheba’s marriage feasting turned quickly into mourning the death of their son. David repented of his sin, and God forgave him. They had a second son named Solomon, which means peace.
Sadly, David was a better king than father. David’s sin was forgiven, but its aftermath was calamitous. His son, Absalom, attempted to usurp the throne, and his rise to power resulted in a rebellion. David instructed his troops to be gentle with his proud son, perhaps because he connected the dots between Absalom’s behavior and his own failures as a father. But the clash between David’s army and Absalom’s rebels was brutal. When Absalom was found hanging from a tree limb, Joab seized the moment and killed the conspirator. King David mourned in anguish when he heard the news.
David’s closing chapter turns the page from battles to building. He knew that his son, Solomon, would build a house for God, so he did all he could to prepare the way. From the overflow of David’s heart came the emptying of his bank account. Others followed the king’s example and gave willingly to build God’s temple. King David’s story draws to a close with poetic psalms of praise, reminders of faithfulness to Solomon and his sights set on living "in the house of the LORD forever."
David’s Lower Story places the spotlight on one man’s sin and its tragic consequences. Yet it also beams with the offer of forgiveness and redemption. God’s grand Upper Story reminds us that no one is righteous on their own. God’s promise to David (p.129) pointed across a millennium to a sinless King of Kings; no end of righteousness, no end of peace, and the redemption of all things.
Share a time when you made a wrong turn on a road trip and the results created a real hardship.
1. What were the steps in David’s sin and cover-up? Compare David’s steps leading to sin with Eve’s (p. 4). How can your group help hold each other accountable to guard against the same pathway?
2. Which Ten Commandments did David break in his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah?
3. Why did God take the life of the child when it was his father who sinned? How do you feel about God’s decision?
4. Does God’s punishment of David (and all his family) fit the crime if God truly forgave him?
5. Psalm 32 describes what David felt before and after his confession. (p. 135) If all our sins were forgiven by Christ dying on the cross, then what value does confession have today? Why is it so important?
6. Who did David sin against—Bathsheba, Uriah or God? Find examples in the text that prove your point. What does this teach us about sin?
7. Compare David’s reaction when hearing the news that his baby had died to his reaction when his son Absalom had died. Discuss with your group some explanations that could account for the differences.
8. Following his sin, David’s family unraveled. He was betrayed by his son Absalom and deeply mourned his death. How have you responded to betrayal?
9. How did the people feel about giving to the work of the temple that Solomon would build? Why were they so willing?
10. Look back at Psalm 23. Why do you think this passage continues to be so meaningful to people?Share a time when you made a wrong turn on a road trip and the results created a real hardship.
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