1 Kings #01: an exposition of 1 Kings 1:1-53. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, January 11, 2015.
Intro:
Have you noticed things never seem to go according to plan? It is difficult if not impossible to draw straight lines and connect things up. Things seem to be heading this way but then something unplanned, unexpected changes everything. Now things are heading over there. Yet at the end of the day it ends exactly were it was supposed to. It’s as if there is a master plan that orders all things. There is a meta-narrative that drives the individual stories. Of course that is what we mean when we say we believe in the sovereignty of God. In the words of the 1646 London Confession of Faith (early Baptist confession):
God hath decreed in HImself, before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory: Yet without being the author of sin, or having fellowship with any therein…
The 1689 London Baptist Confession states:
God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby God is neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty of contingency of second causes taken away but rather established…
All of this to say that when we speak of the sovereignty of God we mean that we make choices and thus are responsible for our actions and yet God guides all things and His will is accomplished. This matters because the world often seems out of control. The well being and future of the kingdom often seems in jeopardy yet the kingdom marches on and history is moving to God’s determined end. Our text this evening is a wonderful example of God’s providential guidance.
Text: 1 Kings 1:1-53
The book of kings (as 1st and 2nd Kings appear in the Hebrew Scriptures) is part of what is called the “former prophets.” The section that includes Joshua – 2 Kings. Kings covers the years 970 down to 586 and the fall of Jerusalem. 400 years of history packed into 50,000 words. The author or authors were very selective.
It is written within a theological framework.
And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands.
45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:44-45)
Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. (1 Kings 8:56)
Throughout there is an emphasis on God’s covenant faithfulness and Israel’s and Judah’s unfaithfulness. Along with this is God’s faithfulness is preserving a people. Fulfilling his promise to David, assuring an everlasting kingdom.
This is particularly important for our text this evening.
As we work through the first chapter of 1 Kings I want us to note…
Thesis: No matter how uncertain the day may seem or how precarious the kingdom agenda appears – God sovereignly, wisely and effectively controls all things.
There may be chaos but it is ordered chaos.
The hand of God is guiding all things.
Let’s note 4 things.
- Adonijah’s grab for power reminds us that God’s kingdom, in this fallen world, often passes through precarious times. (1:1-10)
- In times of great trouble God sovereignly raises up leaders who stand in the gap. (1:11-27)
- Deliverance from crisis demands bold and decisive action. (1:28-40)
- Godly leadership demands a firm hand and a gracious heart. (1:41-53)
Conclusion:
In this sin-cursed, chaotic world is is comforting to note that No matter how uncertain the day may seem or how precarious the kingdom agenda appears – God sovereignly, wisely and effectively controls all things.