Category: Saturday Study

Saturday Study

Ezra (9-4-16)

Hopefully you have been amazed at what God has done from the beginning of chapter one. ‘In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia’. A little background will be helpful to set the stage of what is going on in Ezra.

The people of Israel where carted off into captivity. If you remember back in Deuteronomy,

(Deut. 31:16-18 ESV) And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 17 Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods.

This text was written when Moses was still alive. Judah was carried off into captivity in about 580 B.C. The northern kingdom was carried off much earlier: 790 B.C. (In the time before Christ the numbers run backwards – they are counting down to Christ – which is the central point of all history.) In Ezra 5:10 and following we see that the leaders of Israel acknowledge that their forefathers have angered God and that Israel worshipped false gods was not a surprise to the God of heaven as He knew when He made his Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai that this would be the case. God ordained this to be a part of His perfect plan to bring about redemption, which was promised in the Garden.

Two takeaways from this brief history: First, nothing surprises God. There is nothing that has cropped up in history that has God  surprised, or wasn’t ordained by first or secondary causes. Man’s wickedness, Israel’s disobedience, Israel being conquered by another country; none of this was outside of the preordained  plan of God. The Scriptures tell us that God raises up kingdoms and tears them down according to His good, wise and perfect counsel. This should be a comfort in this time of turmoil as we come to elections. The Lord holds the heart of the king in his hand. He orchestrates and what He has ordained will be the outcome. Israel chose to follow after the false idols and they are held accountable for these actions. God is not responsible for Israel’s sin of disobedience, idolatry and all the other commands they broke. God cannot be tempted by evil.

Second, God’s faithfulness or steadfast love. Ezra 1:1 “…that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:” This is a huge statement leading off the book of Ezra. Hopefully you see God’s active hand in the life of Ezra. God promised through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11,12; 29:10, 14) to bring His people back, and His promise was written in His Word, written to the people to comfort them. God gives comfort in trial via his unchangeable Word/Promise.  If God says it in His Word it will happen. We need to trust that God does what he says He will do. This is a comfort and a warning. Israel was God’s chosen people and God still punished them for their disobedience, many thought that since they were the physical descendants of Abraham that this would not happen. God disciplines those whom he loves so that we will repent and honor him again. Take comfort that God did not leave them in their exiled place. God actively worked in Cyrus’s heart and to bring about His holy will. Cyrus did not know God (Isaiah 45:5) but that doesn’t matter because God holds the heart of the king. God is sovereign over all things, and people and will act in accordance with this.

Now, this does not give us free reign to throw our hands up and not do anything! God has given us responsibilities. We are to act in accordance with what He has commanded us. We are to do politics based on God’s character and attributes. We are to obey our civil government as if following the command of God. We are to help the fatherless and the widows in their afflictions.  We are to raise our families in ways that glorify God because this is the expectation of what God has given us. We don’t just let our children do anything they want, but we train them and nurture them in the the fear and admonition of the Lord. When we do this we know that we have been faithful and obedient and that God will do what is good and right according to His counsel. We do not always understand what is good and right, but we can trust that does and is good and right.

In this time God has ordained Ezra to play an important role.  Ezra is a priest and a scribe of God. He was a Levite, which means he is of the Priest tribe. He is sent by Cyrus to help the people of Israel to follow after God. Ezra 7:10 ‘For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel’  First, notice that Ezra is ruling his heart (inner most being – emotions and mind). He is not allowing fleshly things to control him but is choosing to act in accordance with God’s desire. He actively went after God’s law. Second, Ezra was a man of God. The Law of God was living to Ezra. This was a challenge as Ezra had to respond and deal with an Israeli culture that had absorbed many practices of the cultures around them and where breaking the commands of God without even realizing it.

In chapter eight we see Ezra lead by an example. In Ezra 8:21-23 it says,  “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.”

This is a great passage. When Ezra was preparing to lead the people back to Israel, he didn’t ask for protection from the king but fasted and prayed. This is a great example for us. Many times we can reach out and get the problem solved, but we do it without trusting in God. What would it look like if instead of looking to just fix it yourself, you fasted and prayed more often? When we slow down and seek God in faith, He shows us the way. This does not mean that we forsake the means he has given us. It is simply slowing down to acknowledge that he is God and is at work. It is a way to protect us from getting out of step with his will and ways. Many times we solve the problem ourselves without involving Him. This is not what Ezra does, he went to God and trusted Him and God listened!  God hears our prayers. Let’s go to Him more than we do.

As things progress, Ezra had to make some radical changes in the latter part of the book, to bring Israel back into submission to God’s word. If Ezra had not studied the word He would have not known that this was necessary. In Chapter 9 we see again, that Ezra prays about it first. This is the pattern of Ezra.  Problem, Pray, Trust God, Obedience. This is the cycle that we as believers should follow. What problems do you need to use this pattern for?  How can you make this a regular practice?

Ezra as a scribe and a priest was a type that points to Christ. As a priest he fulfilled a mediatorial role for the people of Israel. He interceded between the people and God, doing the sacrifices, showing them that sin needs to be atoned for. All the while, Ezra was a man who did not fulfill this role perfectly.  In this he shows us our need for the truer and better priest, Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant secured in his blood, Christ pleads are case before the Father against the accuser because we are his. Praise the Lord.

Ezra was a shadow of Christ in teaching the Law. Jeremiah 31:31 tells us we have the law written on our hearts. This is in a greater way than just knowing it, but following it willfully. Because of Christ’s work on the Cross the Law is written on the believer’s heart in a way that we now can obey it and glorify God.  Do you know God? Have you trusted in Jesus mediatiorial work for you, that He has robed you in His (Jesus) righteousness and that you can come before the Father with boldness? If you have not cried out to God, ask him to give you saving faith. If you have, then walk and talk with him every day as you obey his commands and navigate this broken world for his namesake and others’ good.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

* Thank you to Jason Taylor who helped write this study while he is serving with us.

Saturday Study

Elisha (8-27-16)

Grab your Bibles, and let’s go deeper into the life and testimony of the prophet Elisha.

Elisha was a prophet whose faith and miracles were a great sign of an awesome God at work in and through him.

In 2 Kings 2:1-14, we see Elijah’s hand off to Elisha.  In this, Elisha is being given the ministry of Elijah. This is confirmed in the fact that Elijah’s clock fell on him. Also, God parted the waters for him, just as this was a sign of God’s favor on the leadership of Moses and of Joshua before him.  Leading up to this we know that Elisha served with Elijah for some time before succeeding him as prophet.  When asked what Elijah could bless him with in his parting, Elisha requested a “double portion” of the spirit that was upon Elijah (2 Kings 2:9b).

In this Elisha shows incredible wisdom, as he understood it is not enough to just seek success, but it is far better to have the Person who works in and through His people, namely the Holy Spirit of God.  If we were offered one wish, we would likely burn it on something temporary but not Elisha. He sees the lasting benefit of the Holy Spirit upon him.  For those of us who are saved, we don’t realize how good we have it.   Are you making the most of the fact that in Christ, the Holy Spirit is present and able to convict you of sin and guide you in all things?  Let Elisha’s longing for the Holy Spirit be a great reminder to us today.

Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”  Praise God for this!

In this exchange, Elisha faced a moment of decision. He could take up Elijah’s mantle of prophethood, the anointing of the Spirit, and the rejection by the world that went with it, or he could go his own way. Elisha went on to be one of the greatest prophets in the history of God’s people. Although none of us is a prophet like Elisha, we likewise face a moment of decision when the Lord calls us. The question is:  Will we take up His mantle and follow Him?

In 2 Kings 4:1-9, we read one of the most memorable testimonies of Elisha’s ministry. A widow is being threatened to have her sons taken, and Elisha tells her to take her little remaining oil and to pour it into large vats to be sold off.  Once again, we see the sovereign hand of God working His supernatural ways to bring provision and blessing in a way only He could.  The vats are filled, and the sons are spared.   This stands as another marker that God can and will provide for His people. Our lives are His and He will continue us for as long as He has determined.  We need to remain in faith and rest in Him even when our situation seems bleak. Philippians 4:19-20 says, “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

I love the testimony of the wealthy woman we read in 2 Kings 4:8-10, who provided a regular space in her home for the man of God who would often pass through.  Many who are of wealth are often the ones who are pickier with their means and slower to share.  But here we have one entrusted with much using it for God-honoring purposes.  What are you doing with what God has entrusted you?  Now some of you are thinking, “But I am not rich like the woman in the story.”  I want to encourage you to reconsider that view on your life. In 1 Timothy 6:17, Timothy is instructed to command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth.

Here is our problem: Most of us hear this verse and we think that it is for someone else… Someone rich.

But most of us have a car!  Some of us own more than one.

Do you realize that only 8% of the people in the world own a car?  That means 92% of the world looks at us and sees wealth.

I went to Vietnam in 2013 on a missions trip where in Ho Chi Minh City there are 6.5 million people (the same as the entire state of Arizona), and only a tiny group of people own cars.  The Vietnamese travel their family of 4 and sometimes more mainly by Moped, because there is no way they can afford in a lifetime to buy a car.

780 million people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. That is 3.5 times the population of the United States. This is the reason 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases.

You and I are so wealthy that we can literally go to any hose bib in our city and open it up and safely drink from it. But most of us won’t even do that– because it taste bad– not because it’s contaminated; because chlorine tastes gross.

Do you realize millions of people in this highly advanced world don’t even know what it’s like to turn on a water source– any water source– and have something come out for them to drink?  They don’t know what this is like.

How many freshly prepared meals and yummy snacks will you consume today?

Over 800 million people will not eat anything today.  Even the homeless in America can beg and get food in their bellies.

Our homeless are more wealthy then 800 million people around the world.

So we must read a text like this with new eyes and realize, we have been entrusted with so much by God. Our response should not be guilt but to use it for His purposes. So let me ask you, do you hoard what you have and consume it all, or are you looking for ways to invest into the kingdom and others whom have need?  God wants us to be good stewards of the resources and talents with which He entrusts us.  The question is, are we leaving a legacy like this woman and investing those means into others?

In 2 Kings 6:8-23, we see another great example of God at work in and through Elisha. God gave Elisha the “gift of knowledge” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11; 1 Corinthians 14:6), by which he knew King Aram’s secret plans.  With that gift, he was able to advise the King of Israel in foiling Aram’s every move.   When the siege started, God gave Elisha “spiritual vision” to see the armies of heaven protecting him.  This no doubt helped Elisha remain calm and confident in the face of the enemy siege.  When Elisha prayed, God answered him by opening his servant’s eyes and blinding the enemy’s army.

Do you often feel like you are surrounded by the enemy?  While we may not be facing a crisis as large as what Elisha was facing, it can certainly seem that way to us.  We have the opportunity to look at such situations as opportunities to exercise our faith and obey God, rather than responding with fear.   When we are surrounded and taunted by the enemy, we are tempted to look at our adversaries and cower in fear.  When that happens, I find it helpful to follow Elisha’s example and remember that God is with me and has a plan for me.  We too can pray, “O LORD, open my eyes so I may see,” so that His will and Word is in full view as we look to honor Him with our lives.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Elijah (8-20-16)

Grab your Bibles, and let’s go deeper into the life and testimony of the prophet Elijah.

1. Faith

1 Kings 17:1-16

This account in 1 Kings 17 reminds me of one of my favorite parables I have told for years. It goes like this:

Many years ago, a weary traveler hiked for miles across the desert with the hot sun beating down on his back. His water supply was gone, and he knew that if he didn’t find water soon to quench his thirst, he would surely die. In the distance, he spotted a deserted cabin which brought hope that maybe water was to be found there. He made his way to the cabin and discovered an old well. He frantically pumped the handle of the well to draw water, but all that came from the pump was dust.

Then he noticed a tin can tied to the pump with a note inside. The note said:

“Dear stranger: This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer in it, and it should last for quite a few years. But the washer dries out and the pump needs to be primed. Under the white rock, I buried a jar of water, out of the sun and corked up. There’s enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about 1/4 of the water into the pump and let her soak for a minute to wet the leather washer. Then pour the rest medium fast and pump hard. You’ll get water. Have faith. This well has never run dry. When you get watered up, fill the bottle and put it back as you found it for the next stranger who comes this way.   – Pete”

If your life hung in the balance, would you just consume the water you have as a guarantee, or would you have faith to pour the jar of water into the well as Old Pete’s note instructed?  This is what faith is.  In Webster’s Dictionary, there are 17 definitions for faith. There are so many definitions and so many ideas of what faith is that it becomes difficult to have this conversation about what faith really is.  Thank God for Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is a confidence that what you hope for will happen.  It is a conviction that what you can’t see is real.

Now, I don’t know about faith in Desert Pete, but faith in the Living God is an absolute necessity.

The parable about Desert Pete’s well helps us feel some of what the woman was feeling when Elijah told her to take her last flour and oil to make him a cake.  She and her son are at the edge of starvation and death, and she is asked to trust that God will supernaturally keep her flour and oil supply full if she will just have faith in him and give her last to Elijah.

If is one thing for us to trust in God when we have options or ways out. But when you are the brink of death or great loss or even experience great loss, do you trust in God?  Do you trust that He is good and perfect in His ways and will?  Do you trust His faithfulness to fulfill his promises?   Faith in God is not an add-on to our life; it is what we put our entire life on.  It is an all-in decision much like the widow was faced with.

The woman put her faith in Elijah’s word from the Lord, and God was faithful and kept His promise.

“And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.” –1 Kings 17:15-16

2. The Life Giver

1 Kings 17:17-24

Elijah was a faithful man of God who brought the boy before him in prayer, knowing if God willed him to live, he would.

Did you notice he also acknowledged that it is God who ordained his death?   Job makes this clear that it is God who gives life and who takes it away (Job 1:21) and who determines the number of our days (Job 14:5). Elijah gets this, and so he goes to the One who ultimately controls all these things.  God listened to Elijah and puts life back into the boy so he would live longer.    Now we are often guilty of giving praise to God only when He gives us what we want.  We are guilty of saying God is good when He ordains a loved one lives longer instead of dies.  But God is still good when He ordains a loved one’s time on earth is done, too.  Our circumstances do not determine God’s goodness. HE IS GOOD ALL THE TIME. HIS WAYS ARE ALWAYS PERFECT. HE IS GOD.  If you remember our study of David, he prayed for his son to live; when God ordained he would not, David got up, took a bath, and went to the House of the Lord to worship God (2 Samuel 12:14-31).  Why?  Because God is worthy of our worship despite our circumstances.  Do you believe this to be true?   Do you still praise God for who he is and trust his will even when what you are experiencing or facing in the moment makes absolutely no sense to you?

In this event, Elijah proved to be a true Prophet of God as the woman declares of him, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth” 1 Kings 17:24.

3. Will the true prophets please stand up

1 Kings 18:20-40

No look at Elijah’s life would be complete without a consideration of the most memorable event of his ministry—his confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. In this interaction, we see the true courage and faith that the office of God’s prophet required as well as the power of God Himself to do amazing things.

To set this event in context, know that King Ahab ruled about 150 years after David, and by that time, the northern kingdom of Israel was practicing the very evil that the Israelites were supposed to have driven out of the land, namely idolatry. Under the patronage of Queen Jezebel, prophets of the Canaanite god Baal had full reign to do what they wanted in Israel (1 Kings 19:1–2).  These prophets brought paganism to the ancient Israelites.  For his opposition to this pagan worship and the kings who endorsed it, Elijah was labeled the “troubler of Israel” by Ahab (18:17).   This sparked a confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets on Mount Carmel. There, before the people of Israel, Elijah called the nation to choose whom it would serve: the Lord Yahweh or Baal. It was not possible for them to serve both or to be double-minded (1 Kings 18:20–21). Of course, this is a theme that appears throughout the prophets and, indeed, the rest of the Bible. God is not interested in halfhearted commitment (Joshua 24:15; Psalm 119:113; Matthew 6:24; John 14:6).

From a human perspective, Elijah was outnumbered by the false prophets of Baal 450 to 1; however, that did not stop him from confronting them, for he knew who the true God was and who the imposters were.

Elijah was so confident that he did everything possible to prove beyond any doubt that Yahweh is the true God. He even soaked the sacrifices and built a moat so that only a powerful fire from heaven could consume the offering. And that is exactly what happened (1 Kings 18:22–40). Grounded in the Word of the Lord and trusting fully in God’s mighty power, Elijah stood down a powerful enemy and testified to divine truth.

Make this personal for you.  Are you divided in your allegiance and devotion? Do you have things or people or a status that is equal to God in your life?  It is many times easy to say NO, but what does your life say about this?

Think about the way you spend money and your time.  Who gets your radical devotion and first priority in your day and decisions?  I believe many are willing to trust their hearts to God, but are you willing to trust your reputation, your family, and your money and your life to God?  Is it truly and fully His?

Another way of truly testing this in your life is to really ask how utterly submitted you are to God’s Word.  Do you submit yourself to what He says about Himself, you, and the life you should live or do you constantly ignore it and or make excuses for why you don’t submit fully to it in all areas of faith and life?

4. The still small voice of God

1 Kings 19:1-18

Elijah is faithful to God even when he stands alone.  Elijah says to the Lord, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Are we so jealous for the glory and name of our Lord that we will daily put our lives on the line for Him?

Are we willing to stand in the face of death and persecution to call out those who forsake the Lord and make a mockery of His name?   These are hard questions to answer in the modern world we live in where the persecution of Christians has not reached most of us our households. But the temperature is turning up.  The question is, are we grounded in God and His Word and in strong Bible teaching, believing churches where we can unite and fight and testify of our Lord?

When there is so much noise all around us, are we slowing down enough to get with God and His Word so that we can hear His still small voice?   Are you letting the noise and the wicked culture that is all around us get you down, or are you standing strong in God and His Word to carry on like Elijah?  God saw that Elijah was faithful and devoted and called on him to go do great things.  Praise God for this example.  Praise God we have His living Word to speak to us every day and direct our paths.  May we turn off the noise and dive into His Word and obey His commands on our lives!

5. Make Disciples

2 Kings 2:1-14

Here we read the amazing end to Elijah’s life. He and Enoch (Gen 5:24) are the only ones to be taken to Heaven without dying.  What a scene as the fire of God is a holy escort to the presence of God in heaven.  Elisha’s request is for Elijah’s ministry to be handed to him to carry on.  What a huge honor this is.  In the New Testament, God’s commission on our lives as the church is to make disciples (Matt 28:18).  Elijah’s hand off to Elisha is a great OT example of this kind of God-focused legacy being passed on.  Who are you being discipled by?  I mean who has full access to your life, who is teaching you the Word of God, and who is helping you mature to the place of readiness that you can disciple others?

If you have been discipled, then who are you discipling?  One of the biggest markers that we stewarded our lives well for the Lord is that we were serious, not only about our faith in God but about being trained and then training others.  This could be your kids, church family, neighbors or friends.

Elisha being given the ministry of Elijah is confirmed in the fact that Elijah’s clock fell on him. Also, God parted the waters for him, just as this was a sign of God’s favor on the leadership of Moses and of Joshua before him.

6. The finished work of the Cross

Read: Matthew 17:1-13

Puritan commentator Matthew Henry remarks that “there is a proneness in good men to expect the crown without the cross.” This is a comment on Matthew 17:1–8 and Peter’s desire to build “tents,” or “tabernacles” for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Peter is rebuked for his wish indirectly.  Once more, Peter has missed the whole picture about the Savior. He thinks it is time to celebrate the fullness of the messianic age according to Zechariah 14:16–19, a vision of the Feast of Booths (or the Feast of Tabernacles; see Lev. 23:33–44) on the Day of the Lord. But as Jesus has said, the full revelation of His glory can come only after the cross (Matt. 16:21–23).

Our Lord’s disciples were confused after Jesus mentions His death, especially since they have just seen Elijah (Matt 17:10). Based on Malachi 4:5–6, first-century Jews looked for Elijah’s return to restore righteousness in Israel and bring reconciliation between God’s people prior to the messianic age. As Malachi predicted, the new Elijah (John the Baptist) was rejected, even executed by the authorities (Matt. 14:1–12). This set the stage for the Messiah to be likewise killed (Matt 17:12–13).

John the Baptist did a great work in setting the table for Jesus. Still John did not complete any restoration in the people of God but handed them over to Christ, who would complete the work which he had begun. In His ministry, atonement, and resurrection, Jesus finished the task necessary to bring repentance to Israel and His people of the nations. Today He uses us to proclaim this work to the world.

What a sight.  What a revelation.  May we not only be in awe of the work of God in and through Elijah and ultimately in and through Christ, but may we respond with a bold testimony of what Jesus has done on behalf of his people.  May we be as bold as Elijah in our daily faith walk and testimony.  May we run the race until our God-decided end when we will reign with Him in holy Heaven with the giants of our faith who have gone before us.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Solomon (8-13-16)

Wisest man that ever lived. Had more wives and concubines than any other man in history. Was the most prosperous King in Israel’s history. Was part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Author of several books of Scripture. Heart turned away from God by women. Built the most glorious temple Israel ever saw. Sacrificed the most animals recorded in Scripture. Second son of Bathsheba to King David. Wrote a love poem/story. Said, “there is nothing new under the sun”. Penned the words to a great American song 2000 years ago ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Which one of these would you like written on your tombstone? Each one of these statements is true of Solomon. Many of them are great, but one of them is the worst statement that you could put on somebody’s tombstone.

As we look at the life of Solomon we see a man that started out well and ended badly. You have read about the beginning of Solomon this week. This beginning was challenging but it is important for us to understand the significance of a few of these events. Today we will look at Solomon’s beginnings, God’s blessing of Solomon, the judgment of God on Solomon, the consequences of Solomon’s action. We will then close with some reflection for us.

First off, David honors a promise made to put Solomon on the throne (I Chronicles 22:9, II Samuel 7:12). David acknowledges his promise to put Solomon on the throne. Not only does David say this, but he puts his plan in motion to bring about the kingship of Solomon.  He swore saying, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” (I Kings 1:28-30). A couple things we should take note of here. First, notice David’s declaration about who God is and what he has done. Is there any doubt that David is trusting in God? David acknowledges God as his redeemer. David trusted God so much that he would not harm the person that was God’s anointed as king. David waited until God removed all obstacles. This is what real faith looks like.

In 1 Kings chapter 3 we see these words about Solomon “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father…” It should be noted that two verses before this it is stated that Solomon made a marriage alliance with the Pharoah. This is an important note that you should remember. If you remember in the Old Testament, Israel was not to make any alliances but to trust in the Lord. Whenever we break God’s commands bad things happen. I do not think Solomon realized that this was a slippery slope. Still, God blessed Solomon because he obeyed his statutes like David his father.

Solomon is significant in that God asked him what He (God) might grant him (Solomon). How would you answer that question from God?  Solomon asked for wisdom to guide the people of Israel. God was pleased with this decision, and granted even more abundantly than what Solomon asked for.

If only we could end the story of Solomon there, but we cannot. Solomon built the temple of God David wanted to build but God said no. (II Samuel 7:11FF, I Chronicles 22). We see that Solomon amassed slaves, land, gold and women.

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh… He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 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. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth…So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord… And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away fro the Lord, the God of Israel who had appeared to him twice.” (I Kings 11:1-10).

I hope you feel the weight of these verses. There is a reason God told the Israelites not to collect foreign wives. They lead your heart astray. We see this multiple times in Scripture. This is one of the reasons why God tells us in Corinthians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers for what fellowship hath light with darkness, or God with idols. If we link ourselves to those who have a different world view and are not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, they will lead us astray. There are few things as potent and powerful to pull someone way from the Lord then a love relationship with another who does not press you into Christ.

The Lord then promises to take the kingdom away from and raise up adversaries against Solomon. God tore the kingdom in half under Rehoboam, and from there the downward spiral of the Israel progressed. Solomon laid down with his fathers and slept.

During his life Solomon wrote Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and most of Proverbs. It is amazing that someone who knew so much could still slide down the slope of sin so late in life. Solomon was old when the text says when he was corrupted by his wives.

Now that we have looked briefly at the life of Solomon, there are some lessons we can glean from it. I hope these are a blessing to you as you meditate on this text.

1. God is merciful and gracious, His steadfast love endures. All through this story we see God’s promises being fulfilled. We also see God’s mercy and grace. By letting David live and giving him a second son with Bathsheba. God blessing in spite of sin of (polygamy). This was culturally accepted but was not God’s design for marriage which is one women and one man. God had every right to destroy David and Solomon but he didn’t he mercifully walked with them, and blessed them. Even in the end he is merciful to Solomon. God had every right to take the kingdom immediately from Solomon but he did not. He left it because of his servant David walked in His statues. God is gracious to us in sending his son in our place to pay for our sins.

2. Slippery slope of sin. The small foxes spoil the vineyard. Solomon started making small concession. Then His pleasure ran away with him and he compromised his believes. “Sin will take us further than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay and cost us more than we want to pay.” I don’t think if Solomon knew the consequences of his sin would he be willing to take the same course of action. What ways are you allowing small sin to take you down a path you do not want to go? Sin’s pleasures are fleeting.

3. Guard your life until the end. I Kings 11:4 tells us that when Solomon was old his wives turned his heart away from God. We need to finish the race strong. The law of inertia states that an object will stay in motion unless acted upon. This acting upon will create friction. Friction in an engine will wear down parts so they need to be replaced or the engine stops moving. When we continually surround ourselves with the world thoughts and actions, they will wear us down. This is the case with Solomon, his pagan wives and their constant influences on him, slowly wore him down over time. Please head the warning in this text to guard your heart. We are to go into the world and glorify God, but we are not of the world.   We need to make sure that we are spending time with God and fellow believers who will not let us hold to or be molded by the world and that will help catch us when we slip. Ways to guard our heart is to prayer, study of the word, be in biblical friendships/accountability, and not spending all our time in the world. We need go out into the world and actively seek to proclaim Christ.

4. We must keep Solomon’s point of view in mind. In Ecclesiastes 1:14 he says: “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Without God, human wisdom is meaningless (2:14–16); labor (2:18–23); amassing things (2:26); life itself (3:18–22); competition (4:4); selfish overwork (4:7–8); power and authority (4:16); greed (5:10); wealth and accolades (6:1–2); and perfunctory religion (8:10–14). When Solomon says, “Everything is meaningless,” he did not mean that everything in the world has no value. Rather, his point is that all human efforts apart from God’s will are meaningless. Solomon had it all, and he had tried everything, but when he left God out of the equation, nothing satisfied him. That’s why Solomon ends his book this way: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

I hope you have grown by this brief look at Solomon. The Lord used him greatly, and it is sad to read those lines in chapter 11 that Solomon’s heart was turned away from God. But, we can see that little missteps along the way lead to bigger missteps. Spend some time with the Lord and ask Him to show you how you are misstepping. Confess them and repent (change your practices).  Seek his commands in Scripture and diligently obey them so you can remain steadfast in your fighting this battle for your King.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

*Special thanks to Jason Taylor for his help writing this devotional.

Saturday Study

Jonathan (8-6-16)

Grab your Bibles and let’s dig into 1 Samuel and the life of Jonathan.

Many of us will say, “I would die for Jesus” or “If someone put a gun to my head, I would not deny Jesus”. These are bold statements in big situations with huge ramifications yet at times they are easy. My associate pastor at our church spent time in Russia on a mission trip. While there, he worked with a pastor whose brother was bulldozed with his church when he would not give up the names of the congregants to the Communist regime.  This was a great sacrifice! It was not a one moment of faith thing, but a pattern of trusting and obeying God in all things. Because that small local assembly was being led faithfully, the Communists wanted to shut it down. If the pastor was not teaching and modeling faith, then the Communists would not have wanted to shut it down. It is living our faith in the everyday situations that prepares us to take the bigger steps of faith in extreme situations.

Jonathan is an inspiring biblical character. As we have read of his life and his death over the past week hopefully you were impacted by his testimony. Jonathan made a lot of little choices that laid the pattern for bigger steps of faith. There are many lessons we can learn from Jonathan as we meditate upon the scriptures. First, Jonathan’s faith in God is so big it routes an army. Second, Jonathan’s submission to the plan of God is dethroning. Third, Jonathan’s support of a friend is a bullseye. Fourth, Jonathan’s legacy is powerful.

First. Jonathan’s faith in God is so big it routes an army. We start out this week with the garrison of the Philistines and the army of Israel under Saul hiding in caves (I Samuel 14:11). A garrison that is literally protected on three sides by sharp (literally toothy) rocks. Saul had 600 men with him. We see again where the lack of Saul’s faith in God leads him to ungodly behavior. This is a great contrast to his son Jonathan. Praise God for his work in Jonathan that he did not follow in Saul’s footsteps. Even if we are godly, there are things that we do not want our children to follow us in doing. Jonathan was godly. He did everything for God’s glory and trusted in His name. Saul did everything to protect his own power and authority.

Jonathan then proceeds to sneak away from camp with his armor barer (squire) with him while not telling anyone else. Jonathan knew his father would prevent him from doing this. In 1 Samuel 14:6, Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” First, by calling them ‘uncircumcised’ Jonathan is saying these are not people that are part of the covenant. They are not God’s covenant people.

Second, seeing the final sentence from the verse ‘nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few’. This is Jonathan’s faith coming out. This is like David’s statement against Goliath, “I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…”. The continued trust in YHWH is shown in verse 10, “But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”

As we continue, we see that the Philistines mock Jonathan and his armor barer (I Samuel 14:11-12). They allow them to come up. Then Jonathan and his armor barer set to work. They kill 20 men one right after another in their first surge. Half a furrow is half a row that oxen could do in a field. The idea is that it is a very short distance.  Jonathan and his esquire routed that garrison. We read that they started shaking like a leaf and flee. The Philistines fleeing is noticed by Israel and they do a head count and realize Jonathan is missing. They then proceed to chase the Philistines. This is an amazing story. The obedience of one man saves many.

Jonathan was obedient to God and conquered the Philistines garrison. This points us to Jesus who was also obedient. Romans tells us through one man’s disobedience sin entered the world and through one man’s [Jesus] obedience the many will be made righteous. Jonathan’s faith foreshadows Jesus’ perfect faith. We are to trust in Christ as the payment for our sin.

Second, Jonathan’s submission to the plan of God is dethroning. This is one of the great narratives (historic story) in scripture. Jonathan and David were best friends. Their hearts (souls – innermost being) were knit together in love. Understand that this is a brotherly love at its best. This is not a sinful homosexual or off color relationship. It is a description of two men who have something very deep in common and have bonded in a very God-honoring way.

Let’s look at the text,

1 Samuel 18:1-4  As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.  2  And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house.  3  Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.  4  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

Jonathan was the son of Saul, the king of Israel. He was next in line to be the king of Israel. What makes this exchange so amazing is the fact that we essentially see Jonathan giving up his birth right to David. They covenanted together. Covenants are made based on trustworthy relationships and they are made before God. A covenant should not ever be broken for any reason. For example, the covenant of marriage is only completed by death.

Jonathan shows sacrificial love and great humble submission as he takes off his earthly vestments, his robe (signifies importance) and takes off his armor. This is saying you are more important than I am. I will lay down my life for your protection. His sword is a representation of his duty to administer justice and the bow is a representation of provision of food. Jonathan gave up the throne willingly! Jonathan gave David the means to defend, rule and provide. These were not some extra items. This was HIS armor, HIS sword and HIS bow. Now, realize that the text doesn’t tell us that Jonathan knew David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king. Jonathan bowed and submitted himself to the plan of God which literally was giving up his throne. How many of us would be humble enough to see this through and not fight and argue if God called us to this?  What a testimony in that Jonathan did not prize these things or this lifetime position above God’s plan.

In response to this, Saul gets mad at Jonathan and tells him that he is giving up the kingdom. Jonathan didn’t let things, positions, or power get in the way of his relationship with his God. If you reread the passages and look for the ways Jonathan trusted and humbly submitted himself to God, you will be blessed. Even in the attack on the garrison, Jonathan had no guarantee he would live, but willingly pressed on to fulfill God’s plan to extend the kingdom according to the promises of Old Testament Israel.

If we were next in line to be king, would we willingly give up that plan for God’s plan- stepping aside to let someone else be king and have authority, wealth, and power? To spend our life in obscurity often times is more challenging than to go out in a blaze for God’s glory.  Would we forsake our lives to extend the kingdom of God? Are we willing to serve Him in any capacity: scrubbing toilets, picking up trash, giving up the American dream, packing up and going to a foreign country, giving up hobbies to spend time discipling our kids? Are we willing to dethrone ourselves and our plans for the plan of God?

Third, Jonathan’s support of a friend is a bullseye.  The text says that Jonathan and David’s souls were knit together. This should not be some weird thing. These two had similar faith, similar desires, they bonded on a much deeper level than just sports, war or physical items. Jonathan and David bonded at a level much deeper and that is their desire for the glory of God’s name. It is because of this bond and the desire for God’s glory that Jonathan warns David and sets up a strategy using archery. Though Jonathan missed the bullseye or the mark, he placed the arrow where it needed to be to protect his friend.

Hopefully you see the trust that David had in Jonathan. David obeyed the plan and was patient. Jonathan could have had David killed to secure the throne for himself, but he doesn’t. He takes the ungodly anger of his father and sets out to do what is right. If you look at the way Jonathan disobeys his father for the plan of God you will see that this was not in your face rebellion, but honoring and obedient in a sense. Saul was belligerent yet Jonathan does not respond in any negative ways.

Jonathan and David’s relationship is an example of what a godly friendship looks like. Each person trusts the other. Each knows the other has his best interest in mind. Humbly submitting to one another. Trusting each other for advice. Supporting each other to do the plan of God even to the point of denying oneself benefits and pleasures.

How many of us have someone we trust like this that we would be willing to submit to, listen to, forsake pleasures for their greatness, like-minded in our faith, pushing one another in a closer walk with God?

Finally, Jonathan’s legacy is powerful. In the text this week, we read that Jonathan was killed in battle along with his three brothers. This is important for us to understand. God took Jonathan’s life opening the way for David to fulfill his role. In 2 Samuel 9:1-9, we see the legacy of Jonathan. David brought the only living heir who was crippled to live in the house of the king and to provide for him. Jonathan’s legacy was powerful. He was a mighty warrior, he was son to the king, and he was a trustworthy friend. The most powerful part of Jonathan’s legacy is the fact that he was a man that followed after God. Jonathan submitted willingly to the plan of God trusting in God’s sovereign plan, not the results he desired and not in what he could gain nor for fame. In life and in death Jonathan was obedient to God.

What kind of legacy are you leaving? Are you a parent like Saul? Are you an obedient servant like Jonathan? Are you seeking the kingdom of God first? Are you trusting by faith in the promises of God? Are you following in the little things- the minor stuff? These are the building blocks of great faith. Are you willing to dethrone yourself?

What little patterns of faith are you establishing in your own life? Faith is shown by obedience. We see how Jonathan was obedient. How are you being obedient? God tells us if you love me, you will keep my commandants. Are you doing this by loving the Lord your God above everything, loving your neighbor as yourself, loving your wife, training up your children in the word, and reading and studying the word? These are the little things.  Spend some time this week evaluating the little things in your life and asking if you are being faithful to God in them?

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church