#64 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth
Valley –
King Solomon is a great example of an Old Testament believer
who entered into direct conflict with the world system. In the dispensation of law men only had one
nature, the sin nature. Only in the
dispensation of grace does a believer receive a new nature as a result of his
or her spiritual birth. The Mosaic Law
was designed to curb, control and manipulate the sin nature. The world system was designed to curb,
control and manipulate the sin nature.
Both had the potential to work toward their own subjects. An Israelite was a subject of the Mosaic
Law. A person living among the other
nations was naturally subject to the world system and its various mechanisms to
handle the sin nature. Jehovah never
intended for
Solomon was placed under the Mosaic Law by his physical
birth. He was an Israelite. He had no choice. Every Israelite was automatically placed
under the Law by birth whether they wanted to or not. David was willing to submit to the law even
though he violated it on some occasions.
He was not permitted to build the temple and wanted to see it started
before his death. He had promised
Bathsheba that her son would become king in his stead (1 Chron.
22:9). 1 Chronicles 22 describes the
events surrounding Solomon's becoming king and the plan for his building the
temple as a believer in Jehovah.
Essential to this was Solomon's relationship to Jehovah. Through the building of the temple and afterwards,
Solomon functioned as a Law believer in a right relationship with Jehovah. 1 Kings 3:2-4 says that he loved Jehovah and
walked in the statutes of his father David.
The sad part of it all is that verse three is surrounded with verses
that tell us that he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. This led him to compromise with the gods of
the world system. There were great risks
taken concerning the temple,
Solomon voluntarily placed himself and his nation under the
influence of the world system compromising the prohibitions of the Law. His wisdom created renown. The visit of the Queen of Sheba illustrates
the extent of his reputation. Nations of
the world send embassies to him for advice and solutions to their problems. His wisdom was very appealing to the nations
of the world system especially in the realm of government. The Mosaic Law gave principles by which the
nation would have health, wealth and happiness from Jehovah. The world system provided a different set of
standards for success. Even though the
government under Law and the governments of the world system had the same
purposes, the methods, processes and results were completely different. The law insisted that
An understanding of this compromise is essential to
understanding Solomon's statements in Ecclesiastes. He writes the book with a fondness for his
youth in the beginning. The book is a
response to what happened in his compromise with the world system and the
results in his life. He tried everything
the world system offered without relating to Jehovah. He is a miserable old man in his old
age. The world system had given him
nothing but temporary gratification.
This involves its influence on his governance as well. What is his conclusion? "Vanity of vanities, saith
the Preacher, vanities of vanities; all is vanity." Let me translate the verse. "Emptiness of emptinesses,
says Koheleth, emptiness of emptinesses,
the whole thing is emptiness (1:2 cf. 12:8)." He adds to this evaluation in
Looking forward and upward,
DKS
1 John 2:15
Proposition: To show the result of compromise with the world system under the Mosaic Law as illustrated by King Solomon and his responses in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon attempted to live under the influence of the world system and the Mosaic Law at the same time permitting both to control his sin nature (the only nature he had). The futility of this is evident in the statement, "The whole thing is emptiness!"
Introduction
A. The Appetite of the Sin Nature for Things of the World System
1. All Men Had Only One Nature
2. That Nature Was a Sin Nature
B. The Arrangements of the Mosaic Law for the Sin Nature
C. The Arrangements of the World System for the Sin Nature
D. The Attitude of King Solomon and the World System
E. The Antagonism Between the World System and the Mosaic Law
TRANS: There is no question that Solomon's sin nature was placed under the control of the Mosaic Law. This happened as a result of his physical birth. He was born an Israelite.
I. SOLOMON'S PLACEMENT UNDER THE MOSAIC LAW BY
PHYSICAL BIRTH – THE ABSENCE OF OPTIONS FOR SOLOMON – SOLOMON'S SUBJECTION TO
THE MOSAIC LAW: A SOVEREIGNLY DESIGNED
SYSTEM POTENTIALLY PLEASING JEHOVAH
A. The Requirement Because of His Physical Birth
1. He Was an Israelite
2. No Israelite Had a Choice
3. All
a. Whether the Individual Wanted to Be Under the Law
b. Whether the Individual Did Not Want to Be Under Law
B. His Relationship to His Father
1. David's Willing Subjection to the Law
2. David's Anticipated Construction of the
3. David's Personal Selection of Solomon – 1 Chron. 22:9 (Promise to Bathsheba)
a. To Be King – 1 Chron.
22; 1 Ki.
b. To Build the
c. To Believe Jehovah – 1 Chron. 22-29
C. The Respect for Jehovah and His Law
D. The Righteousness of Solomon Early in His Life
1. Lived by the Law During
the Construction of the
2. Learned During the Days of His Youth
E. The Recognition of a Righteousness by the Law – 1 Ki. 3:2-4
a. Loved Jehovah Walking in the Statutes of David His Father
b. Sacrificed and Burnt Incense in High Places (Chink in the Armor)
F. The Risks of Violation and the Building of
the
1. The
2. The City of
3. The Nation
G. The Reality That a King Could Live Above the Law
1. The Administrator of the Penalty
2. The Accountability to Jehovah
H. The Regression with Age and Compromise with the World System
1. His Major Violations of the Law Calling for Capital Punishment
2. His Personal Visions of Worldwide Influence and Honor
TRANS:
Every failure of the nation of
II. SOLOMON'S VOLUNTARY PLACEMENT UNDER THE WORLD SYSTEM BY AN ACT OF THE WILL – SOLOMON'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE WORLD SYSTEM AS A LAW BELIEVER – SOLOMON'S SUBJECTION TO THE WORLD SYSTEM: A SATANICALLY DESIGNED SYSTEM PLEASING SATAN
A. The Expansion of His Reputation
1. His Wisdom Created the Impression – 1 Ki. 3:5on 2 Chron. 1:7-12
The Queen of
2. The World Concentrated on His Solutions to Problems – 1 Ki. 9; 2 Chron. 8-10
3. The Wonders of the Results of Righteous Wisdom Outside of the World System
B. The Elements of the World System Were Outside of the Law
1. Divine Mandates Established the Basis for Health, Wealth and Happiness in Time
2. The World System Established Different Methods, Motives and Results
C. The Expectation of Some Similarities
1. No Eternal Moral Law or Code
2. The System Is Consistent with the Traditions Established in Other Dispensations
3. Satan Designed the System to Curb the Same Thing: The Sin Nature
D. The Exposure to the Characteristics of the World System with Commerce
1. The Law Expected a Separation of
14,
16; 28:18, 24; Lev.
2. The Law Permitted a Measure of Commerce Between
Double Standard = Usury, Slaves (Lev. 25:44, 45), etc.
3. Solomon Drew Commerce with the Growth of His Reputation
E. The Evidence of Solomon's Violation of Legal Restraints Toward the World System –
The
Law Said "No!" – Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3 (cf. Josh.
1. Foreign Relations Produced Foreign Relationships – Wives – 1 Ki. 11:1-10
2. Foreign Relationships Promoted Foreign Religions
a. To Please the Wife (1 Ki.
3:1;
b. To Pollute
2 Kings 24:13
3. Foreign Reformation compromised
F. The Extent of Solomon's Involvement in the World System
TRANS: After living a full life, Solomon analyzes the results of his compromises and admits the futility of his attempts by saying "the whole thing is emptiness."
III. SOLOMON'S
PREDICAMENT OF LIVING UNDER TWO CONTROLLING SYSTEMS OVER HIS SIN NATURE – THE
ABSENCE OF ANY SUBSTANCE IN HIS COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD SYSTEM – SOLOMON'S
FRUSTRATION WITH HIS COMPROMISING OF THE LAW WITH THE WORLD SYSTEM: TWO STANDARDS PRODUCE EMPTINESS "THE
WHOLE THING IS EMPTINESS" -- Ecclesiastes
A. Solomon's Memories of a Righteous Youth
1. Preparation for the Throne
2. Initiation of His Reign
B. Solomon's Mediation Between the Law and the World System
1. His Wisdom Subtly Led Him Into the World System
2. His Relationship with Other Nations Led to Marriages
3. His Walk Down the Line of Compromise
C. Solomon's Marveling at the Disaster of His Life: Ecclesiastes
D. Solomon's Malevolence to His Life of Compromise in His Old Age
E. Solomon's Medicine for the Problem for the Old Testament Believer – Eccl. 12:1, 13, 14
TRANS: Emptiness of emptinesses the whole thing is emptiness. Solomon encourages his son to focus upon the law in his youth and to retain that allegiance for the rest of his life in order to have true health, wealth and happiness.
This
material was shared at the Dispensational Conference in
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