Category: 1 Kings

1 Kings 13:1-2 By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel….By the word of the LORD he cried out against the alter….
This unnamed prophet was on a mission from God. He delivered his message and declined the king’s invitation to eat because God had given him very specific instructions. Later, an old prophet lied to him saying an angel had appeared to him saying the prophet should come to his house and eat bread and drink water. The unnamed prophet’s instructions hadn’t changed, so why did his answer? His choice to accept led to his death.
1 Kings 13:8-9 But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you…For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’”
When the old prophet came upon the unnamed prophet, the unnamed prophet was sitting under a tree, probably tired, probably hungry. His human fallibility was definitely closer to the surface because of these human needs. His mission hadn’t changed. His instructions hadn’t changed. But his resolve was slipping because of his humanity, so when he heard a plausible excuse, “an angel appeared to me and said…,” he took it. Jesus, help me!
1 Kings 13:18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet…And an angel said to me by word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water’.” (But he was lying to him.)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for those times when You clearly tell me what You would have me to do. Be with me, even in my humanity, and help me to stay strong in Your will always. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 13:19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 12:6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.
When I need advice, I go to those I trust and earnestly seek their counsel. On the surface, this seems to be what Rehoboam did, but the speed with which he rejects the counsel of the elders makes me wonder if he was really just going through the motions. 
1 Kings 12:8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.
The biggest thing I notice in this section is who Rehoboam DOESN’T seek counsel from—God. I see no time set aside for prayer, no seeking of God’s will and God’s way. And I know that I have been just as willful, just as brash, just as guilty of being headstrong. I have barreled full speed ahead in life without taking time to seek wisdom and discernment from my Savior.
1 Kings 12:9 He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for such clear pictures in this chapter of what happens when I plow ahead without seeking Your counsel. Help me, always, to spend time in Your presence and Your word. Help me, always, to seek Your wisdom and Your will. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.
1 Kings 12:13-15 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men….
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 11:4 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.
King David was a man after God’s own heart. Prior to reading about his reign, that expression “a man after God’s own heart” brought to mind images of perfection. But I am so incredibly far from perfect. However, upon reading about David’s life and reign, I see that he was incredibly far from perfect, too, that perfection isn’t at all what being a person after God’s own heart is about. 
1 Kings 11:6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.
God Himself gives a good definition of being a person after His own heart in 1 Kings 9:4 “…if you walk before Me with integrity of heart and uprightness…and do all that I command and observe My decrees and laws….” Having a heart focused on Him, striving to be honorable and honest, walking in His ways, obeying His word, this is how to be a person after His own heart. It begins with mindfulness and intention, keeping our eyes and minds and hearts on Him.
1 Kings 11:9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You that You don’t demand perfection in our walk with You. Thank You that we can be people after Your own heart by staying focused on You, by striving to praise You and shine Your light. I am so far from perfect, Lord, but I strive to be a person after Your own heart. Take my fallible human efforts, and use them for my good and Your glory. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 11:11 So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.”
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 10:18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold.
I have made a concerted effort in the last 5-10 years to praise God always—when life is going well AND when it isn’t. I’m not going to lie, when clinging to God is the only way to get through the day, I have no trouble remembering how desperately I need Him in my life. But when life is going well, it’s much easier to take Him for granted, to neglect to praise Him for all that is good in my life.
1 Kings 10:20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.
I feel like this is what we are seeing with Solomon in this chapter. Things are good, REALLY good, for Solomon. He has riches. He has respect. He has power. He is God’s chosen king, but does he remember that God put him on that throne? Does he remember what God said to him in 1 Kings 9:4-5? Does he remember that he is to walk before God faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness? I do not get a sense of that here.
1 Kings 10:23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your presence in my life always. Help me to praise You every moment of every day, not just on those days that I know I can’t make it without You. You make my life worth living. Help me always be mindful of that truth. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 10:24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God put in his heart.
Have a blessed day

1 Kings 9:1 When Solomon has finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and he had achieved all he had desired to do….
I’ve always said that I would not want to win the lottery as unlimited money would give me nothing to dream about and work for. (For the record, I don’t play the lottery, so there was no danger of it.) I was reminded of that thought reading today’s scripture. Solomon “has achieved all he had desired to do.” Can you imagine? I bet that is at once exhilarating and terrifying. My biggest dreams have been accomplished. How amazing. Wait!! What do I do now?!?
1 Kings 9:2 …the LORD appeared to him a second time, as He appeared to him at Gideon.
And suddenly I am reminded of yesterday’s scripture, of the fact that God wants us to dream big, and He can help us dream big. If we allow Him, if we seek His will, He will show us His dreams for us, which are so much bigger than we could ever imagine. And knowing my precious Savior, I feel like His dreams for us as individuals are interwoven with His dreams for all His people. By seeking the big dreams He has for us, we are seeking to better love one another as He loves us.
1 Kings 9:4 “As for you, if you walk before Me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe My decrees and laws….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the caution that when we achieve our dreams for ourselves, we need to seek Your dreams for us or we risk floundering in life and turning from You. Help us to seek You always. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Kings 9:5 “…I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever….”
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 8:24 “You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with Your mouth You have promised and with Your hand You have fulfilled it….”
God keeps His promises—not always in the time frame we want, not always in the way that we hope or imagine, but He is steadfast and true, and He ALWAYS keeps His promises. When life feels overwhelming and exhausting and I’m having trouble finding solid footing, it is helpful to look at all the promises He has faithfully fulfilled. I know He’s got me, no matter how tenuous life feels.
1 Kings 8:25a “Now LORD, the God of Israel, keep for Your servant David my father the promises You made to him when You said….”
I’ve heard before that God wants us to come to Him with big prayers, to trust that He has big things in store for us. After all, that’s where faith comes in, right? If I limit my hopes and dreams to what I can accomplish in my own strength, I do not grow any closer to God in the process, I do not get to watch Him do amazing things, I do not come to depend on Him even more because I know He is able.
1 Kings 8:25b …”‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before Me faithfully as you have done.’”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Teach me to dream big and to come to You with hopes and dreams that are bigger than I can accomplish on my own. Help me be ever mindful of Your faithfulness. Help me to draw closer to You with every breath. Know my heart and help me continue to seek to know Your heart better every day.  Amen.
1 Kings 8:39 …for You alone know every human heart….
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 6:38 …[Solomon] had spent seven years building [the temple of the LORD].
At the end of chapter 6, seven years building the temple of the Lord sounds pretty impressive. But the first verse of chapter 7 puts that time in its proper perspective. Solomon spent seven years building God’s house but thirteen years building him own. That seems a bit problematic. Shouldn’t the greater time have been spent building God’s house?
1 Kings 7:1 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
There has been enough mention of Solomon’s reign to know that he does not have the same heart for God that his father did. And the expense and time put into his palace certainly seems to indicate that he values his house over God’s. This seems to be a slippery slope away from God he is embarking on. I wonder if he saw the danger.
1 Kings 7:9 All these structures, from outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to waves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to understand what Solomon’s actions say about his priorities. Help me to have the same clarity when it comes to my own actions and priorities. Draw me closer. Help me to keep my eyes and heart focused on You. Amen.
1 Kings 7:10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality….
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 5:3 “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.”
Today’s chapter gives me much to think about. David’s battles paved the way for Solomon’s work building the temple for the Name of the LORD his God. David’s battles laid the foundation of peace needed for such a task. The building could not have happened had the battles not been fought and won.
1 Kings 5:4 “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.”
I’ve often felt like God uses the difficult times in life to draw me closer, but I’ve never thought of it as a parallel like this before. The hardships happen to draw me closer to God, but is there a larger purpose? Is there metaphorical building He intends for me to do in His name as a result of the battles He has won? After all, this life is not about me. It’s about my precious Savior.
1 Kings 5:5a “I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for this interesting parallel that I see this morning, that perhaps You draw me closer in hardship not simply for my good but for Your glory. Put in those terms, it makes perfect sense that You draw me closer to strengthen me for what You are calling me to do for You and in Your name. Give me strength, wisdom, and discernment to do Your will. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.
1 Kings 5:5b “…when He said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for My Name.’”
Have a blessed day.

1 Kings 4:29a God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight….
Solomon asked God for wisdom and discernment, and it looks like God granted these to him abundantly, but commentary on this chapter keeps alluding to things to come and the fact that, though Solomon certainly appears wiser than his father, his relationship with God is not even close. All this wisdom, and Solomon isn’t wise enough to see that he must stay connected to and totally centered on God.
1 Kings 4:29b …and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
Again I find myself wanting to judge. How can he be so wise and not see the source of his strength? How can he not understand that worldly wisdom is nothing if we aren’t grounded in God? But I know, even as I point my accusing finger, that I am just as guilty of allowing myself to be distracted by the world, of taking my eyes off of Jesus. Even though I have carved out daily time with my Savior for years, I know once I leave my recliner that if I don’t make a concerted effort to be mindful of Him, I will get distracted.
1 Kings 4:30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I have to be consistent and diligent in my relationship with You because the world is waiting to distract me. Help me to see the world through Your eyes, with Your wisdom and discernment. Draw me closer. Help me center myself on You. Always. Amen.
1 Kings 4:31 He was wiser than anyone else….
Have a blessed day.