Obedience Part 2: God's promises to Solomon.

The Bible says that God appeared to Solomon TWICE in dreams. This does not mean that Solomon simply dreamed about God. The Bible clearly states that God appeared to him (1 Kings 11:9). In 1 Kings 3:6-15 we see Solomon talking to God and God responding. Solomon was young when he took over as king after the death of his father King David. He asked God for wisdom to lead and rule over the people. God was very pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom and not riches or long life. So not only did God give Solomon abundant wisdom, he gave him what he did not ask for: riches and long life. But then God spoke and presented Solomon with an IF/THEN statement,

"And IF you walk in my ways, keeping my statues and my commandments, as your father David walked, THEN I will lengthen your days."

Sounds simple doesn't it??? Sounds simple to me. If you desire long life...do these things...What is God asking Solomon to do?

1. Walk in His ways.
2. Keep his statues and commandments.

(He even had King David to use as a model for what TO do (although David is not free from mistakes and sin).
The result of obedience??? Solomon will live a long life. His days will be lengthened.

The result of disobedience??? Solomon's days will not be lengthened. He will not live a long life.

God then appeared to Solomon a second time in a dream (1 Kings 9:1-9). This time we read about God speaking to Solomon. God tells Solomon that He has heard his prayer and that He will answer it. He also gives him another if/then statement.

"As as for you, IF you walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, THEN I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' BUT if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, 'Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house?' Then they will say, "Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought disaster on them.'"

Again, sounds simple doesn't it??? It sure does to me. If you desire a man to sit on the throne of Israel forever then do these things...What is God asking Solomon (and his children) to do here??

1. Walk before God with integrity of heart and uprightness (having David his father as a model)

2. Do all that God had commanded of him

3. Keep God's statutes and rules

4. Don't serve and worship other gods

The result of obedience??? There would always be a man (from David/Solomon's family) on the throne of Israel.

The result of disobedience??? Israel will be cut off from the land that was given to them, the house (temple in Jersualem) that was consecrated to God will be cast out of God's sight, Israel will become proverb among people and the house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone will know of King Solomon and his families disobedience.

King Solomon has a choice to make. In the following post we will look into what He decided to do...