Welcome

1. Adult II Couples Class Welcome discoverjoy.com

2. If you could have your way, what would you like to be doing five years from now, and where would you like to be doing it? Adult II Couples Class Question of the day discoverjoy.com

3. Prayer Requests -Construction -Tony: Cancer treatments -Cathy Laster: Cancer treatments -The Savages -Brittany’s mission trip to Russia

4. Church Stuff Class Events Church Events • Benevolence Fund • R.E.A.P. (E-Team) • Monthly Fellowships • June (Farrars) • July (Woffords) • August?? • Dinner Out Friday (NA) • 5th Sunday Breakfast (29 July) • Quarterly Service Project • Ends-of-the-earth project update • Judea Projects (see next slide) • Phase Three Construction • Kid’s Kamp (11–14 June) • Qtrly Business Mtg (13 June) • Ladies’ Prayer Breakfast (23 June) • Hawaiian Shirt Sunday (1 July) • Party in the Park (4 July) • Special Prayer Service (18 July) • Vacation Bible School (9-13 July)

5. Country Haven Hispanic Chapel (NWA need) Judea Project Ideas

6. If you could have your way, what would you like to be doing five years from now, and where would you like to be doing it? Adult II Couples Class Question of the day discoverjoy.com

7. Chronological Bible Discipleship Iva May and Dr. Stan May week twenty-three S.o.S/Ecclesiastes/1Kings/2 Chronicles

8. Review Creation: God reveals His goodness through creation and His mercy in response to sin. Patriarchs: God reveals His response to the faithful-ness of men (Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph). Exodus: God liberates Israel, and leads them to the Promised Land and shapes them into a nation holy to Himself. Conquest: Joshua, relying on God’s presence and power, leads Israel to possess and settle the Promised Land. Judges: Every man does what is right in his own eyes, and Israel falls into a cycle of disobedience, judgment, oppression and deliverance (the sin cycle).

9. Kingdom Era • Israel asks for a king to be “like the peoples” around them • God anoints Saul • Saul disobeys God and is rejected • Serves a 40 year reign characterized by war and conflict • The LORD raises up David • Leads Israel to become a world power • Sins, but is quick to confess and seek forgiveness • Reigns 40 years • David is seceded by his son Solomon • Builds the temple for his father • Wisest national leader ever • Later years characterized by a turning away from God • Reigns 40 years then kingdom divides

10. Context • Solomon began well • He worshipped God openly and extravagantly • He earnestly sought God’s wisdom • He built a permanent temple in accordance with his father’s plans • He led Israel to become a nation of peace, prosperity and power • God blessed Solomon and Israel • Solomon ended poorly • He has the advantage of knowing God’s complete com-mands and statutes • Yet he appears to forsake the Law and turn to the false gods and distractions of the world

11. Overview • Jesus asks a sobering question about wasting this life on temporal pleasures • “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “(Mt 16:26) • Solomon pursues almost all the things that God forbids • Great wealth (1 Kings 10:23-25) • Horses and chariots (1 Kg 10:26) • A large army (1 Kg 10:27-29) • Pharaoh’s daughter (2 Chron 8:11) • Multiple wives (1 Kg 11:1) • Worship of idols (1 Kg 11:9-10)

12. Overview • During this period of his life, any mention of the Book of the Law is absent • The wisest man on earth begins by investing in eternal things (the souls of men, the Word of God, righteous works) • At the end of his life, he is found worshiping idols, enslaved to his appetites of the flesh and filled with despair

13. Key Truth • Those who neglect the Word of God and pursue worldly pleasure fall into grievous sin and suffer the consequences that follow.

14. The Kingdom Era 1 Kings 9 & 11 Ecclesiastes 2 & 12 A Good King Goes Bad God Warns Solomon Solomon Ignores God’s Warning Solomon Reveals Where He Deviated

15. God Warns Solomon 1 Kings 9:6-9

16. God Warns Solomon • God promises a stunning turn for Israel if the leadership disobeys God’s commands • The temple and land would go from being exalted to being despised by ALL people(7-8) • The cause of their demise would be understood(9) • Their survival as a nation depends on their loyalty to God • God’s blessing was not unconditional • He would not be associated with a nation that discredited His holy name

17. Solomon Ignores God’s Warning 1 Kings 11:1-3, 9-14 Deuteronomy 7

18. Solomon Ignores God’s Warning • God warns Israel prior to their entry into Canaan • Deuteronomy 7:3-4 • Intermarriage with foreign women was prohibited by God • They would lead Israel to forsake the LORD for the false gods of the Canaanites • Solomon loves MANY foreign women (1-3) • 700 wives (princesses) and 300 concubines • He builds high places for them to worship • They slowly turn his heart after their gods

19. Solomon Ignores God’s Warning • The LORD’s anger and accusation • God’s anger burned against the king for his betrayal and dis-obedience(9-10) • God lays out the charges against Solomon(11a) • Disloyalty – not keeping the covenant • Disobedience – not observing the law • The LORD’s reaction and consequences • God would “tear” the nation of Israel from Solomon • He would raise up enemies from within and without • Hadad the Edomite and Rezon the Aramite • Jeroboam – former servant of Solomon • Jeroboam would be given most of the nation (10 tribes) • David’s throne would be left with only two tribes to rule over

20. Solomon Reveals Where He Deviated Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

21. Solomon Reveals Where He Deviated • Solomon establishes a vast kingdom which he uses as a conduit for self-exploration • Pursues all that life has to offer to excess(10-11) • Living a life pleasing to God no longer held his attention • He begins living an undisciplined life • Adopts hobbies: gardening, winemaking, construction, music, animal husbandry, various pleasures, philosophy • He denies himself nothing • His pursuit of pleasure deadens his interest in God • He begins to live solely for the time “under the sun” (phrase appears 28 times in Ecclesiastes)

22. Solomon Reveals Where He Deviated • Solomon manages to pass on practical lessons learned in his weary experience • Value companionship(4:9-12) • Keep your vows(5:4) • Guard your reputation(7:1) • Don’t give credence to the curses of others(7:21-22) • Gov’ts that fail to punish criminals encourage crime(8:11) • Solomon believes the lie that the world offers more than God • He chooses the path of least resistance • That which appeals to the eye, the flesh and the wisdom of the world • In the end Solomon discovers that “all is vanity”

23. Conclusions • Those who neglect the Word of God in favor of the pursuit of worldly pleasure risk falling into a life of grievous sinful behavior. • The pursuit of pleasure kills spiritual appetites and spiritual danger lurks in obsession with prosperity. • Through experience, Solomon discovered the futility of a life lived for the time ‘under the sun’. • The pursuit of God-given things rather than God cannot satisfy. • Godly people can go astray if they lose focus.

24. Discussion How quickly do you think Solomon’s pursuits switched from the things of God to the things of the world? What are some red flags that indicate Solomon is drifting away from God? Builds a bigger house for himself Marries Pharaoh’s daughter Marries hundreds of women from pagan nations Throws himself into the delights of the world Worships false gods If a man like Solomon can drift from God, what must ordinary believers do to stay focused on a life of godliness?

25. Discussion Based on Ecc 12:13-14, might Solomon have felt some regret for forsaking a life of godliness? Ecc 12:13,14 – “The conclusion, when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every per-son.  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hid-den, whether it is good or evil.” Kenneth Boa captures Solomon’s failure and the tendency of us all when he states, “It has been ob-served that Paul had only two days on his calen-dar; today and that day (the day he would stand before Christ) and lived every day in light of that day.” Sadly, Solomon only discovered this truth at the end of his life.

26. Bible TRIViA QUIZ The Book Proverbs (1pt) • According to Solomon, two can defend against an attacker better than one. What rope analogy did he use to prove this? • “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” (Ecc. 4:12) • What did Jeroboam fear might happen that prompted him to set up the two calves for the people of Israel to worship? • “Jeroboam said in his heart…’If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.’”(Prov. 6:16-19) • When was the name of the Egyptian king that invaded Judah during the reign of Rehoboam? • “And it came about in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.” (Prov. 15:1)

27. BONUS ROUND Bonus Question (2pts) • What did Ahijah the prophet do to demonstrate that Jeroboam would reign over 10 of Israel’s tribes? • “Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 He said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes.” (1 Kgs 11:30-31) • From what city did Jeroboam reign over Israel? • “Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there.” (1 Kgs 12:25)

28. 1 Kings 12 2 Chronicles 11 A Kingdom Divided, Israel Adult II Couples Class Next week….. discoverjoy.com