Pastor Tommy Bailey
1 & 2 Kings: The King of Redemption History
1 Kings 4
Solomon’s High Officials
1 Kings 4:1-6
- Religious
- Azariah the son of Zadok – High Priest
- Zadok and Abiathar – Priests
- Zabud the son of Nathan – Priest and Friend/Advisor
- Military
- Benaiah the son of Jehoiada – Army Commander
- Economic
- Azariah the son of Nathan – Chief of the Officers
- Adoniram the son of Abda – Chief of Labor
- Administrative
- Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha – Secretaries
- Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud – Recorder
- Ahishar – Palace Manager
“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
– Genesis 22:17-18
“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates…’”
– Genesis 15:18
“But I trust in You, O Lord, I say, ‘you are my God.’ My times are in your hand…”
– Psalm 31:14-15a
Regulations for Israel’s Kings
Deuteronomy 17
- “…he must not acquire many horses for himself…” (v. 16)
- “…he shall not acquire many wives for himself…” (v. 17)
- “…nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold…” (v. 17)
- “…when he sits on the throne of the kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law… and it shall be with him… he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God…” (v. 18-19)
Discussion Questions
- What is the purpose of a chapter like this, full of lists, names and details? Why is it important that we read/study it carefully? What can we learn from it?
- Are we stewarding our resources and gifts wisely? Do we acknowledge that all provisions and abilities come from God? How do we keep ourselves from drifting into dependance on self?
- When we experience a season of abundance and comfort, do we forget that God provided it to us? When things are going well in our lives, how can we safeguard against a divided heart and a shifting trust?
- Throughout history, God has been faithful over and over. His promises are always fulfilled, and his record is perfect. Are we trusting him to fulfill his promises? Why is it important to remind ourselves of his faithfulness again and again?
- Solomon ruled wisely, yet dismissed or simply neglected to follow some of God’s commands along the way. Are we fully following the instructions laid out for us in the scriptures, or do we tend to pick and choose what we want to hear? Are there things that we are conveniently ignoring, dismissing or neglecting?
“The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.”
– Charles Spurgeon
“Before we can pray, ‘Lord, Thy kingdom come,’ we must be willing to pray, ‘My kingdom go.’”
– Alan Redpath