For some people, politics becomes their god. But Daniel, promoted to the highest office in the land, continued to serve the Living God and trusted in Him for deliverance from jealous enemies.

Solomon: Builder
⁃ Temple construction - 1 Kings 6 (took 7 years to build)
⁃ Temple dedication - 1 Kings 8
⁃ God appears to Solomon - 1 Kings 9
⁃ Solomon's palace - 1 Kings 7 (took 13 years to build)

Pastor shares archeological discoveries around Solomon in recent years including a massive stone wall and gate and more.

Solomon: Reputation
⁃ Fleet at Ezion Geber - 1 Kings (for the first time Israel had its own navy - 1 Kings 9:26-28 - we read that they brought gold from Ophir. Pastor shares ideas of where Ophir may have been.)
⁃ Solomon's wealth - 1 King 10 (1 Kings 10:14-15 we read he received 25 tons of gold yearly. Solomon brought financial wealth to the nation.)
⁃ Queen of Sheba - 1 Kings 10 (Pastor shared the ideas of where this queen came from to visit Solomon. She's overwhelmed by Solomon's wisdom and by the wealth that she sees in her visit. Yet we know there is a wisdom and wealth greater than gold and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 12:42 tells us … Jesus says, "for the Queen at the South ….came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here." That something is a Someone and that Someone is Jesus, Himself. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting stuff and being financially secure. And we can have everything the world has to offer and still be bankrupt if we don't have a relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus.)
⁃ Solomon's Wisdom - 1 Kings 10 (1 Kings 10:23-24 we read he was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. He wrote Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon and also some Psalms as well.)
⁃ Labor Policies - 1 King 5 (Soloon had labor practices that caused difficulties with his people - 1 Kings 5:13-14 we read that 30,000 men were under forced labor.)

Solomon: Decline & Fall
⁃ Solomon's Wives - 1 Kings 11 (One man and one wife for life, that has always been God's plan. But in 1 Kings 11:3-4 we read that Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God as the heart of David his father had been. This incredibly gifted king who started so well descended into idolatry in his last days. Solomon even built a high place for Chemosh and Molek for his foreign wives who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. He was led away from God.)
⁃ Solomon's enemies - 1 Kings 11 (As Solomon wandered further from God, God raised up enemies against Solomon.)
Three main adversaries:
⁃ Haded the Edomite
⁃ Rezon in Damascus
⁃ Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Israelite (a prophetic word come to Jeroboam - God would give him 10 tribes. And Solomon's successor, his son Reheboam, would have 2 of the tribes. God told Jeroboam that he was to obey Him and follow Him.)

Conclusion
Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "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. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

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Scripture: 1 Kings 3:1, 1 Kings 3:4ff, 1 Kings 3:16ff, 1 Kings 6, 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5-7, 2 Chronicles 3:1, Genesis 22, 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 1 Kings 9:4-5

This study helps us dig deeper into Solomon: Wise Leader
⁃ Pharaoh's Daughter - 1 Kings 3:1 - Solomon secures a peace treaty with Egypt and a strategic marriage to one of the Pharaoh's daughter's.
⁃ Sacrifices at Gibeon - 1 Kings 3:4ff - shortly after taking the throne we see Him following his father David's advice. We see Solomon going to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to God and commits his life to God. The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream saying "ask for whatever you want." Solomon replies in humility, and asks to be given a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong so that he can govern the nation justly and well. He sought God's wisdom and guidance so that he could bless and nurture the children of Israel. The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and gave him what he asked for, plus God told him He would give him even more than what he had asked for: wealth and honor.
⁃ 2 Prostitutes - 1 Kings 3:16ff - Two prostitutes come to Solomon. Both have birthed boys but one had rolled over on her son and the child died. But they each claimed the living son as their own. Solomon says, "bring me a sword and cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other." But at that point the real mother says, "oh please don't do that." And the other woman says, "yes, do it." Solomon then gives the living child to the one who had asked for the child to be spared because she was the real mother. King Solomon was admired greatly by his people for his wisdom from God in administering justice. He is recognized as very wise.

Solomon: Builder
⁃ Temple Construction - 1 Kings 6 - in the 4th year of his reign Solomon begins building the Temple of the Lord. ca. 966 BC. It will take 7 years to build this incredible temple. Temple was only for priests, but people would gather in the courtyards around the temple. The temple has 3 sections: The Porch, The Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The interior was covered in gold. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies where the High Priest went once per year on the Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur. A place of shed blood pointing to the One who is the Lamb of God/The Mercy Seat/The Messiah/Jesus our Savior. In 2 Chronicles 3:1 we read that the Temple was build on Mount Moriah. The place of the story where Abraham had taken his only son Isaac. Pastor shares prophetic likeness to Jesus in this story of Genesis 22. (This will also be the location of the Second Temple).
⁃ Temple Dedication - 1 Kings 8 & 2 Chronicles 5-7. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Holy of Holies, the glory of the Lord filled the temple! Solomon shares a sermonette and a powerful prayer. Solomon's heart is to win people to the Living God - that they walk in faith and obedience to God. And when he finished praying a fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnet offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people began shouting praises and thanks to God. And a multiple sacrifices were given to God.
⁃ God appears to Solomon a second time - 1 Kings 9 & 2 Chronicles 7:14 - God speaks to Solomon and tells him that He wants to bring blessing saying, "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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
This too is our prayer - it is a prayer for us still today - a prayer for our nations, that we would seek God, turn from our wickedness, because He will hear from heaven and heal our land.

God closes His time with Solomon with these words: (1 Kings 9:4-5) "As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness….and do all I command …. I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David…".

God calls Solomon to Himself and God calls each one of us to Himself!

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Scripture: 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles 28-29, 2 Chronicles 1-9, 2 Samuel12:24-25, 1 kings 1, 1 Kings 2:2-3, 1 Kings 2:13ff.

This study will take us on an adventure through a period of approximately 400 years, a highly significant time when God was moving in a mighty way among His people, Israel. It will cover from around 970 BC when Solomon took the throne until 586 BC when Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. It is a time filled with incredible stories, amazing truths, especially applicable truths and lessons for us in our lives today. There is an amazing cast of characters, people like you and me, sinners, all, but individuals whom God used in a wide variety of ways. And it all ultimately points to the Hope of the world, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and King of Kings.

Background:
Moses & Exodus - ca. 1446 BC
Joshua's Conquest - ca. 1406 BC
Judges rule - ca. 1390-1050 BC
King Saul - ca. 1050-1010 BC
King David - ca. 1010-970 BC

We begin our study with Pastor encouraging us to read about the reign of Solomon from around 970 - 931 BC in the following books of the Bible:
1 Kings 1-11
1 Chronicles 28-29
2 Chronicles 1-9

Solomon is believed to be the author of:
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs

David and Solomon each reigned for 40 years and their combined 80 year reign ushered in Israel's Golden Age.

David known for being a warrior, a worshiper of God, musician and writer, he was also devout - while not perfect, he did follow the Lord. A man who followed God's heart.

Solomon was known as a man of peace, a man wisdom - authoring hundreds of proverbs, a man with literary gifts, but Solomon was divided - starting well but not finishing well.

Solomon: Early Years
⁃ Birth - 2 Samuel 12:24-25 - the son of David and Bathsheba.
⁃ Adonijah's Conspiracy - 1 Kings 1 - Adonijah's the oldest living son of David and attempts to take the throne so that Solomon could not.
⁃ Solomon's Coronation - 1 Kings 1 - Solomon is anointed while Adonijah's party is going on. Solomon was crowned king while David is still alive.
⁃ David's Words - 1 Kings 2:2-3 - David encourages his son, Solomon, to be strong, observe the commands and decrees of the Lord, and the laws and regulations as written in the Law of Moses.
⁃ Adonijah's Appeal - 1 Kings 2:13ff - works to undermine Solomon's throne.but Solomon ordered Adonijah's execution thereby preserving his throne and reign.

Israel grew in size under David so Solomon receives a very powerful, large kingdom.

Next week we will take a look Solomon as a Wise Leader.

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Pastor digs deeper into the question "where was the temple gate that was called the 'Beautiful Gate' located?"

In Acts 3:1-2 we see that there was a lame man begging for alms at the Beautiful Gate. Pastor opens with stating that we are not sure exactly where it was located, but that there are several theories on its location.

Several locations have been proposed:

1. One of the earliest proposed locations is that it may have been the Eastern Gate or the Sushan Gate. However, surviving literature says this gate was not used by the people to go in and out of the Temple Complex, but was used for the religious practices like taking sacrifices out. Without the coming and going of people the lame man would not have been begging there.
2. Another proposal is the Nicanor Gate made of bronze. It was one of the gates in a secondary wall that surrounded the Sanctuary area within the Temple Complex, but there is a good deal of evidence that it was not a practice to allow the lame into the inner court area.
3. The third proposal has been suggested by many as the gate the lame man would have used. It is a gate located at the southern end of the Complex and known as the Double Gate, the main gate through which the people would have entered the Temple Complex. Pastor Dodge references a book by archeologist and architect, Leen Ritmeyer, entitled "The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem." Ritmeyer suggests that the Double Gate is where the lame man would have been. Pastor shares recent archeological work exposing the massive pilgrim route from the Pool of Saloam up to the Double Gate entrance of the Temple Complex. Some of the "Southern Steps" leading up to the Double Gate from Jesus' day and before, can still be seen today.

While we do not know exactly where the lame man was that day, what we do know is that he was changed. In the hours after the lame man's miraculous healing remarkable things followed and that's what we will look at in our exploration of Acts chapter 4 of our study "God ACTS! Then and Now." ( https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now )

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For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now

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This teaching is from Matthew 24:36-25:30.

We pick up today's class with Jesus and His teaching on His Second Coming. In these opening passages of today's text we hear Jesus' encouragement to not let the day of his final appearing catch us unaware. We can't know the day or the hour of His return but, we CAN know Him! We can't know the time of his return but we CAN know the importance of living by faith in Him. So multiple times Jesus encourages us to KEEP WATCH and to BE AWAKE to His return.

Next Jesus shares three parables all having to do with His return and us being ready - awake - when He comes.

1 - Owner and Thief - Jesus' coming is unexpected
2 - Wise and Wicked - Jesus' coming is sooner than expected
3 - Ten Virgins - Jesus' coming is later than expected.

These three parables again speak to the fact that we just do not know when He will return so we need to be always be ready for His return!

After these three parables about being ready for His return, Jesus tells a parable: "Bags of Gold (often called Talents of Gold) from Matthew 25:14-30.

The story is of a Master entrusting His wealth to 3 of His servants. Each is given a different amount and then the Master goes on a journey. The servant that received 5 bags of gold puts his money to work and gains 5 more bags and the same thing for the servant given 2 bags of gold, he doubles his as well. But the man who received 1 bag dug a hole in the ground and hid the money. Then after a long time the Master returned and settled the accounts with the 3 servants.

Servants 1 and 2 each received these words from the Master, "Well done, good and faithful servant." This is what we each want to hear from God - that we used what He gave us wisely. The parable continues with the Master inviting them saying, "Come! Share in your Master's happiness! (Eternal Life forever with Him).

We are to live by faith - serving and honoring God. We are not saved because we serve and honor Him - rather we serve and honor Him because we are saved through Jesus.

With the third servant who hid the gold - this servant said, "I know you are a hard Master so I was afraid and hid your gold, but here's what you originally gave me." (This is not a true statement by this 3rd servant. God's character is one of goodness, He is pure, holy, just, faithful, true and loving.) This servant did not live by faith but was instead hard-hearted. The Master replies to him, "You wicked, lazy servant," and this servant's gold was given to the servant with 10 bags of gold and that 3rd servant was thrown into the darkness.

Jesus is returning and there is judgement - either to eternity with Him or to eternity without Him.

With Him forever is what we want - so be encouraged to serve Him with your eyes on Jesus, and eagerly anticipating His return!

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This teaching is from Matthew 24:29-39

We continue our study of Jesus' Mount Olivet Discourse with the verses in Matthew 24: 29-30 with the return of Jesus "coming on the clouds"* in power and glory. Coming on the clouds is referenced in Revelation 1:7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see him…" (There will be no doubt when Jesus returns!!)

Coming on the clouds is also referenced in Daniel 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven."*

As people begin to understand what Jesus is saying they will realize that what is written in the Old Testament refers to Jesus!

Pastor circles back to some words from last week's teaching and shares further about the "abomination that causes desolation." Matthew 24:15 ""So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand."

We take a look at some events that could be considered the abomination that causes desolation.
• Antiochus Epiphanes (167BC) This event would probably have come into the disciples minds when Jesus said abomination that causes desolation. This Syrian king conquered Jerusalem and desecrated the temple by building an altar to zeus and sacrificing pigs on it. This lead to a great revolt by the Maccabees who threw out the Syrians and cleaned the temple.
• Gaius Caligula (40AD) ordered a statue of himself to be set up in the temple at Jerusalem but before it could be done Gaius died.
• Zealots in Winter (67/68 AD) during this revolt against Rome, zealots took over the temple and used it as their headquarters.
• The Romans siege (70AD) when the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed (discussed last week).
These all either were or could be the abomination that causes desolation.

As we see in the Bible there are repeated themes and events:
-God's people turn away from Him
-judgement comes
-God intervenes to save His people
-His people rejoice
-then they turn away from Him
-God steps in to save His people
-His people rejoice
-then they turn away from Him
-it brings judgement on them
-then He rescues them

With this repeating theme we see that there could also be a
• Future Event (? AD) and the reader will also still need to "understand" what Jesus is talking about.

Matthew 24:31-33 We are tasked to learn the lesson that as we see all these signs of the times that Christ's return is ever nearer.

He is coming soon!

As we continue with our reading of today's verses we read that no one knows the day and hour of Jesus' return. As in Noah's day when people were eating and drinking and knew nothing until the flood came, so it will be when Christ returns - many will be found unprepared.

SO THEREFORE BE AWAKE AND READY FOR CHRIST'S RETURN!

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