Well , I think a big takeaway from Solomon being that he was the wisest man that had lived is that we need to , as scripture says , we need to take heed . He who thinks he stand , take heed lest he fall . Maybe Solomon trusted in his wisdom . I mean , how do you even have counselors when you're the wisest man on earth , right ? So he depended on himself . He trusted in his wisdom . I would say he who thinks he stands , take heed lest he fall . And I love the fact that scripture says don't be wise in your own eyes . Recognize your capacity to fall . That is why I believe , mark , you and I talk about this all the time Many of the men who fall are those who truly thought they could never fall . I never think that about myself . I know that I can fall today , as much as my heart wants to tell me . Of course , you wouldn't do that . You wouldn't betray your wife and commit adultery . I am capable because I'm a man made of flesh . I'll be anyone's price or your mattresses free .
Speaker 2Wow , is that one more ? Is that like SoCal specific , or is that a nationwide commercial ?
Speaker 1It's SoCal specific yeah .
Speaker 4I'll fight for you . Oh yeah , I'll get you a good mattress Larry H Parker .
Speaker 1That commercial drives me Absolutely insane .
Speaker 4Why do you watch it ? I don't know .
Speaker 3I have no choice . Remember that one Was it Go see Hyde , go see Hyde , go see Hyde . What ?
Speaker 1was that Go see Cal , go see Cal . Yeah , but that was a mystery right when we were kids . We never knew what it was and everyone had a different idea . If you need a car truck , go see Cal . If you need a car truck , go see Cal . If you need a car truck because yours keeps getting stuck , go see .
Speaker 2Cal . Wow , that's a great memory . I just thought of something You're easy and he's Ray Comfort . Something out , You're easy and he's Ray Comfort . You guys should start a mattress company .
Speaker 1What would they call it Easy Comfort ? Oh , that's my new joke . Everybody loves it when I speak at churches .
Speaker 2I know somebody that does it Easy Comfort .
Speaker 1It's so cute . Speaking of mattresses , something popped up today on my I don't know what it was ?
Speaker 3Was it the hole in Ray's bed Was ?
Speaker 2it , the holy mattress , no , no no Facebook feed .
Speaker 1We'll get to the hole in Ray's bed , the holy mattress , but something I have not thought about in decades . Oscar probably wouldn't even know about this thing Working out . No , yeah , for sure that too , water beds .
Speaker 3Oh yeah , Do they still have those you remember , water beds .
Speaker 4Soon I got one , but we drifted apart .
Speaker 1Ray , did you ever have a water bed ? Seriously , no , silly , you never had a water bed . No , you get seasick . Have you ever thought of filling the hole in your bed with water ? No A jacuzzi Raising like some koi fish in there or something , re-baptizing yourself every night ?
Speaker 2Are you sitting in a jacuzzi while you're sleeping every night ?
Speaker 1Ray , seriously you should put stuff in that hole .
Speaker 4I do . I do you have a bunch of things in there , I get in there .
Speaker 1He puts himself Ray , please tell me , you've stopped . No .
Speaker 4My back is still good . I'm not in a wheelchair , like my chiropractor said I should be .
Speaker 1Every night you actually go into that hole .
Speaker 2I dive into the hole Just for the sake , because we're close to 300 episodes now and there may be somebody who's listening and like what are they talking about ? Yes , it's true , ray Comfort cut a hole into his mattress and he sleeps in a hole . That is a fact .
Speaker 4Well , no , no .
Speaker 3That just doesn't make it sound like sane . I'm not sure you can make that more sane .
Speaker 4I've got what's called spondylolisthesis . I've had it since I was about 20 years old and 3 million Americans have got it last time they counted . And it's just a weakness in your back where you can't do gardening .
Speaker 1Oh , how sad . What a blessing .
Speaker 4And you can't . You've got to be very careful and as I got older I found if I lay on my bed I could hardly get out in the morning . So I'd just get up and almost collapse . My legs would collapse . So one day I thought the problem is pressure on my spine . So I went downstairs . Rachel got me these knives . I got a very , very sharp knife they're super sharp and just cut a hole in the bed that's about 15 inches in diameter and pulled the hole out of the bed . It's one of those rubber mattresses . What are they ? Called Purple .
Speaker 4Purple , purple mattresses and it came out and the hole is under the bed and the hole is left where the hole got . So you , actually you kept the part you yeah , in case uh in case it didn't work when you return it I want to keep my marriage together . But sue's a wonderful wife . She didn't complain once I've done it . But , ray , did you ? Did you like ?
Speaker 1pause to think no , like , no , no , no , I get an eye cut home baby , remember , that's what my dad said was wrong with me as a kid .
Speaker 4I was 10 years old .
Speaker 1He says you just don't think Okay , but wait a minute . Where did you get the idea ? Did you look it up somewhere ?
Speaker 4I was inspired .
Speaker 1by the Lord Don't blame the Lord for this Ray .
Speaker 4No , I just have weird ideas all the time . I just see if they work . Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't . And this worked .
Speaker 1I've had the holy mattress for the do and sometimes and this work I've been I've had the holy mattress for holy see the holy men and for about four years now . Yeah , and it's wonderful , right ? Is that what you did ? Did you experiment with me as an arab son-in-law ?
Speaker 4you just kind of let's see how that works out . Roll the dice on that one . You blew that , so I'm not selling mattresses , I'm just selling the holes yeah , but back to water beds .
Speaker 1Do you guys ever have a waterbed ?
Speaker 3No , never Now . Laura had one growing up which is unbelievable as a child , but they were like .
Speaker 1I mean , when I was a kid I was like whoa he has a waterbed .
Speaker 2Isn't that like a 70s thing ? What a stupid thing to do .
Speaker 1My parents had one of leaking in your room . If something happens and you get all flooded , does Noah have a waterbed ? Ray , one giant waterbed . Yeah right , wouldn't that be cool , though , to have a whole room . The whole thing is a bed . No , your whole house .
Speaker 3I think Ray and I desire the same superpower , which is to never sleep . Wouldn't that be amazing if ?
Speaker 1you could just never sleep . It would be phenomenal . But sleep is good , you guys . It resets .
Speaker 4It gives us beloved sleep . It's a stupid waste of time . It resets . It doesn't reset , you feel worse when you wake up . No Easy . I really seriously wanted to do a whole room out in thick sheepskin rugs . Oh so I was close to the whole room bed idea . Sue didn't like that one . I was going to do it so you didn't do it no but I thought it'd be wonderful . Step into a big living room .
Speaker 1It's just the rugs all joined together . You mean like layer after layer .
Speaker 4Yeah , just like they're about . Sheepskin rugs in New Zealand are very thick . They're very high quality wool and I just joined them all together because I used to sew leather and make one huge rug , probably about 100 square feet .
Speaker 1Do it . I would have loved to have like snuck into your house and released colonies of lice into that .
Speaker 4You'd just come in , if you just came in , it would happen .
Speaker 1Because I'm a louse .
Speaker 2Going to Ray's house is like going to Willy Wonka's chocolate .
Speaker 3Yeah , that is really cool . You know , for years I would sleep in a hammock , or a couple of years I would sleep on the floor , just because you get so comfortable on a bed you'd sleep in . But you just can't get comfortable in a hammock for a long period of time .
Speaker 4Why don't you get a bit of nails ?
Speaker 1Yeah , our bed is . Man , it's like a drug . Rachel and I we get up in the morning . You just get sucked back into it Because we have one of those foam toppers ?
Speaker 4Oh , you mean , they're like eggshell ? No , this is even nicer .
Speaker 1It's really thick , but it's like squishy .
Speaker 2You know , you ever seen those ?
Speaker 4They're like memory foam . Yeah , I think that's what they call them .
Speaker 1You forgot ? Yeah , it's . It struck us one day , but no , I will not have any humor anymore . If you do that , just don't want to start , then I'll do it all the time . You never have humor . Um , no , but it struck us one day to get it . And then we're like why didn't we do this ? You guys ever do something like that . You're like why didn't we do this , like years ago ? No , like like my mute button , I like it very much .
Speaker 4All right , friends here's a comment button would be better here's a comment from bill h gates , official .
Speaker 1Finally , yeah , can't get enough . This podcast has been such an amazing blessing in my life . I'm so grateful for the godly wisdom you guys bring to the table . You all have inspired me and a couple of buddies to start our own podcast aimed at building up others and ourselves in the faith . Blessings , guys . Ps EZ has a beautiful singing voice . Prove it right now . Yeah , right now prove it . I decided long ago and never to ever . Whatever . I can't remember the words , I was just looking for the adjunct .
Speaker 4Why do I always ?
Speaker 1go to Whitney Houston .
Speaker 2It's a great question . Were you serious ? I was trying to mute .
Speaker 1You're seriously turning me down .
Speaker 3I was like where is it ? What was that song that you used to sing all the time about me , About the wind ?
Speaker 1Oh , my wings , the one that . Did you ever know that you're a zero ?
Speaker 3Wow , mark . What are the words ? You're bringing back beautiful memories .
Speaker 1Don't sing it , because we don't want to lose our audience , but how do the words go ? Did I ever tell you you're a zero . I have to sing it to remember
.
Speaker 3Okay , well , sing it . Then we brought him this far .
Speaker 1Did I ? Did you ever know that you're a zero ? You're unlike anything I ever want to be . I can't even fly higher than a seagull .
Speaker 3Next line .
Speaker 1Because you are the ticks beneath my wings .
Speaker 4That is so terrible . You are the ticks beneath my wings .
Speaker 3I picture Rachel just saying that's terrible . It's like the opposite of what the song is .
Speaker 1You know you are the wind beneath my wings . No , we get it . Yeah , that's how I inspired Mark back in the day . Yeah , very encouraging , all right , france . Oh , get it . Yeah , that's how I inspired mark back in the day . Yeah , very encouraging , all right , france . Oh , by the way , thank you , bill h gates . Uh , you're a blessing . And how cool ray I mean ray of anyone on the planet you're . You're probably the person who most inspires people to do what am I even saying I have no idea at least likely to turn off .
Speaker 1Yeah , no , but your big thing is like getting people to do stuff . I don't know how many people you've inspired to write books .
Speaker 4A lot Write a book and holes in the bed . There's probably people out there now with holes in the bed .
Speaker 1Oh , no , please don't try it . Oh boy , all right , friends , this podcast is brought to you by Apologetics . Made Simple , the five-session DVD study . What's cool about this is people get answers to questions . Mark , why is your forehead on your microphone ?
Speaker 3It's your voice when it cracks , it's like it does something piercing to my soul and I want to yell Calgon , take me away , You're wheezing Wheezy's got a scratchy wheeze today , yeah , but the cool thing about this study , this apologetics course Tough Questions , friends is it answers questions .
Speaker 1You'll discover answers to questions like who made God ? Why is there suffering and evil ? How can the loving God send people to hell ? Isn't the Bible filled with contradictions ? Why are Christians anti-science ? And much , much more . You get a DVD version that includes five sessions . They're about 25 minutes each and they're practical , right , ray , they give you good yeah , right do you even remember that one ?
Speaker 4yes .
Speaker 1I do . You get audio sessions , two mp3 , a 72 page study guide , 400 gospel tracts , promotional videos and printable bulletin inserts and posters . That's so that you can do a class at your church . It's also available on MP4 digital format . Again , tough questions , man . Listen to my voice .
Speaker 4I knew you were right . You're thinking about your voice .
Speaker 1That's the only upside of getting a cold . Once you're over is you still have a little bit of hey , A little Marvin .
Speaker 2Gaye , how you ?
Speaker 3doing Right Easy . Is there anybody in the world that you love more than yourself ? No , whatsoever .
Speaker 1Which means what ? Which means I love everyone in the world a lot , because I love my neighbor as myself and I love no one more than myself . Well , you like that mark ? That's pretty bad . Yeah , register a grenade at easy all right , france . Don't forget that living waters mugged , evidence study bible . Living waters at living watersco not quite as deep as mine , oscar , but nice try pretty good , yeah , all right , friends , today we are talking about the life of King Solomon . King Solomon .
Speaker 3King Solomon . Oh , oh , I thought we were going to ask what did you ? Prepare for Fishing salmon .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's what I got Fishing salmon .
Speaker 1Yeah , king Solomon , I got roasting salamander yeah salamander . I wonder if you can eat salamanders . Just get on with it , you can eat anything you want .
Speaker 4We almost started .
Speaker 1I know almost King Solomon . This is from Christianitycom , Just to give us a little summary of his life . Solomon was the third and final king of the unified nation of Israel , succeeding King Saul and King David . He was the son of David and Bathsheba .
Speaker 1So his full name was Solomon Davidson Davidson Bathsheba , so his full name is Solomon Davidson Davidson Bathshebason the former wife of Uriah , the Hittite , whom David had killed to cover his identity with Bathsheba , while her husband was on the battlefront , solomon wrote the Song of Solomon , the Book of Ecclesiastes and much of the Book of Proverbs . Solomon is the only son of David to be king over Israel . In Jerusalem , he ruled for 40 years .
Speaker 1So , when you guys think Solomon , what are the things that pop up in your mind in terms of what made him famous ? Just wisdom .
Speaker 4Wisdom Absolutely synonymous Solomon wisdom . Yeah , you do think that , don't ?
Speaker 1you .
Speaker 4Yeah , I save myself a lot of pain through the words of Solomon . Soft answer turns away wrath , especially opening up preaching . People come up to me mad as a hatter and I just say to them I like your sweater and they go . What I like your sweater and it just changes everything . I say thank you Solomon .
Speaker 1Ray , do you remember preaching in New York Washington Square Park ? Remember the guy that interrupted you in the video ? What ?
Speaker 4did you give him ? Oh , we gave him a Ten Commandment coin with it . No , I think you gave him a piece of gum .
Speaker 3No , it was a Ten Commandment coin , are you sure ? I'm pretty sure it was used gum .
Speaker 1It was used gum .
I was almost positive it was a stick of gum right , we should make a Ten Commandment coin gum .
Speaker 4I can't remember what it was . I mean , a guy came up to me and I he started interrupting .
Speaker 1He started to interrupt and yell at the hecklers and you're like , I thought it was a piece of gum . I was almost positive .
Speaker 4Is he stopping him from ?
Speaker 1talking . I can imagine him doing that .
Speaker 4He had bad breath . It was super glue and I said chew on that .
Speaker 1That wouldn't surprise me , right ? But yeah , solomon famous for wisdom . Anything , right ?
Speaker 4But yeah , solomon famous for wisdom , Anything else boys , yeah , falling for beautiful woman idolatry .
Speaker 2The two words that come to mind for me is wisdom and tragedy .
Speaker 4Oh , that's good .
Speaker 2I read recently a book by Dr Graham Ryken called King Solomon the Temptations of Money , sex and Power , and he does a really good job of going through Solomon's story . One of the things that's really interesting about Solomon is he had an opportunity to pray for anything that he wanted . He could have prayed for money , he could have prayed for power , lamborghini , lamborghini praise , whatever it may be and he asked for wisdom , amen . And yet that wisdom still led him to be tempted by money .
Speaker 4That's because he had wisdom , but he didn't have the legs of Joseph .
Speaker 3I'd like to comment on that , if I may . Do you want to come back to ?
Speaker 1that . Well , I do want to come back to that . We're going to deal with that in depth , but I want to kind of move chronologically through it . Yeah , so you guys named a number of things His wisdom , his wealth , oscar's laughing at Mark Mark . The one time Mark wants to talk , shut up Mark as well , building the first temple . He's known for that . And of course , as many wives and concubines 700 wives .
Speaker 4Wow 300 concubines . What's wrong with that , Ray ? Well , you only meet them every three years , I think .
Speaker 2Hey .
Speaker 4I remember you from three years ago . No one can serve two . Oh yeah , no man can serve two masters , that's right .
Speaker 2Thank you , Mark . So he picked 700 .
Speaker 1Yes , yeah , all right , so let's start off . What's ?
Speaker 4the difference between a wife and a concubine .
Speaker 1Cong with bubine , bubine , kill you . All right . So we'll start here kind of at the beginning , when Solomon's reign started , and this is 1 Kings , 3 , 5 to 15 . It says it give you .
Speaker 1And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said ask , what shall I give you ? And Solomon said you have shown great mercy to your servant , david , my father , because he walked before you in truth and righteousness and an uprightness of heart with you . You have continued this great kindness for him and you have given him a son to sit on his throne , as it is this day Now . O Lord , my God , you have made your servant king instead of my father , david . But I am a little child , I do not know how to go out or come in , and your servant is in the midst of your people whom you've chosen , a great people , too numerous to be numbered or counted . Therefore , give to your servant an understanding heart to judge your people , that I may discern between good and evil . For who is able to judge this great people of yours ?
Speaker 1The speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing . Then God said to him because you have asked this thing and have not asked long life for yourself , nor have asked riches for yourself , nor have asked the life of your enemies , but have asked for yourself . Nor have asked riches for yourself , nor have asked the life of your enemies , but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice . Behold , I've done according to your word , see , I've given you a wise and understanding heart , so that there has not been anyone like you before you , nor shall any like you arise after you . And I've also given you what you have not asked , both riches and honor , so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days . So if you walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments , as your father David walked , then I will lengthen your days , wow .
Speaker 4You know what this shows me ? What Solomon was in total control of his dreams because he was able to talk to God in his dream .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah . And it says that in the next verse . And Solomon awoke , and indeed it was a dream . So , guys , let's look at this . At the outset , right , god appears to Solomon in this dream and gives him carte blanche . Basically says to him Solomon , ask me . And in other translations it kind of explains this a little more , but he's basically telling him whatever you want , ask of me and I'll give to you . He could have asked for more wives , trillions of wives , but of all the things that he could have asked for , as you said , oscar , I love how he put it . I'm just like a child . He wasn't literally child , but he's expressing to God in humility look , I don't know how to do this . Your people are a great people and I'm called to lead them and , following the footsteps of King David , right , the beloved of Israel , give me wisdom . And I love how it said it pleased the Lord , so .
Speaker 4Mark , how do you- ? I'll just say wisdom is made up of two words whiz and dumb .
Speaker 2You know , what actually ? Whiz without dumb dumbness .
Speaker 1Well , actually that's one of the subheadings in my book . In one of my chapters I said without wisdom , whiz dumb . What book was that Fight Like a man . A Bold B battle plan for personal purity . Coming soon . It is about to go to print Anyway . So , mark , how admirable is that that Solomon did this , and how much should we learn from this ? I mean , scripture tells us if any man lacks wisdom , let him ask of God . He gives generously and without reproach .
Speaker 3On a surface level , obviously , it seems like a very wise thing to ask for a very wise prayer . So he's already got the wisdom . Yeah , I think that he could have made even a wiser request . Hmm , ooh , and think about it for a moment , right ? I mean , how many times do we ask for the stars and God wants to give the sun right ? Metaphorically speaking , it's like we go to God and we think we know what we need to ask . But imagine if Solomon would have said you know , what I want is wisdom . I think that's what I really really need . But what I'm going to ask for is for you to choose for me what I really need , because you see a bigger picture . Wow , right , I don't want to ask for the stars when you want to give the sun Right , wisdom , obviously that's a great request . But if Solomon would have said wait , I can ask for anything I want , I want you to choose . Wow , that's a good point . I want you to choose for me .
Speaker 3And I think there's an example here that we see in Mark , chapter 10 , starting in verse 46 , with blind Bartimaeus , the son of Timaeus , because here we have it's Passover . You have 10 times the amount of people . People are everywhere . And then here's blind Bartimaeus sitting by the roadside . Jesus starts coming by , and what does Bartimaeus do ? Jesus , son of David , have mercy on me . And the disciples said hey , be quiet . And he said , oh yeah , let me take your advice . And he cries out all the more right , jesus , son of David , have mercy on me . And it says that Jesus stood still .
Speaker 3Now , when Jesus stood still , what was happening ? He says well , have him come over here . Think about that situation . 10 times the amount of people , people everywhere . Here's this blind beggar by the side of the road , and you want him to come to Jesus . It really doesn't make a lot of sense , because why didn't Jesus go to that man ? How is a blind man supposed to find you ? That's the question at hand here . So it says that this man threw off his outer tunic , which was his sleeping bag . Oscar's bored . He's yawning I'm not Matt . And all of a sudden he starts going towards Jesus .
Speaker 3Now , jesus is not . We know he's not playing games with this guy's mind . He's not playing a hot-cold game , right ? You're getting cold . You're getting cold . No , warmer Warmer , I'm over here . I'm over here .
Speaker 3Right , he was seeing , in the midst life , an act of faith . And when he finally comes to Jesus , he says what do you want ? What a question for Jesus to ask . What do you mean ? Do you see the pus coming from my eyes ? Do you see how difficult it was for me to try to find you in the midst of all these people around ? What do you want ? And then he says , oh , that I might see physically . And Jesus says , hey , your faith has made you well right . When was it ? More than likely , that was when he threw off his outer tunic because he's not coming back to his sleeping bag , right ? I mean , how is he going to find it ? He's blind , throwing off , really , the outer man coming to Jesus saying man , if you don't touch me right now , well then I might as well be dead .
Speaker 3But now I think that there's a greater test taking place here . What if , when he said what do you want , he would have said I think what I want is to see physically , I think , but I want you to choose . Wow , that I might see spiritually , or whatever it may be . So I think that obviously Solomon did . He chose wisely . That was a great request . But , man , I just think that there's a little something more where , if Solomon , if myself , if others just said Lord , whatever you wanna do , it is well with my soul . And that's why my favorite song is it is well with my soul , the story behind it and everything dealing with it . God , you can do whatever you wanna do with this vessel . Do whatever you wanna do to bring glory to yourself . It would be for my good .
Speaker 1Mark , where were you to counsel and advise Solomon ?
Speaker 3He needed my wisdom . He did .
Speaker 1No , that's really . That's very profound . Mark Ray , you're breathing .
Speaker 4Yeah , I think that's a good sign Breathing , you went .
Speaker 1Oh , you were going to say something .
Speaker 4I'm so pleased I was breathing .
Yeah , was Bartimaeus' Jesus , have mercy on me . Our son of David have mercy on me , was he saying .
Speaker 1Look at me , I'm blind have mercy on me or was it deeper ? You know I've sinned against heaven . Yeah , that's a really good question and yeah , I've always loved that account . They cried out all the more in the other account too that it talks about , you know , and that heart of like being warned not to speak and they were threatened . The language there is . They were threatened Don't say anything and they're blind , they're helpless , right , and they cried out . They went from have mercy on us , son of David , have mercy , you know I love it . They went from have mercy on us , son of David to have mercy .
Speaker 4I love it , but doesn't that show the wickedness of their own heart ? Here's a blind man calling out to the one who can heal them and they say shut up . What's wrong with them ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I know I want to explore a little bit what wisdom is , or the source of wisdom , like the anatomy of wisdom , because I think it's interesting . Here in Solomon's life , god is his Lord and so he , you know , at the end of his life we see something very different . We see tragedy , but right now , right here , god , his creator , is his Lord , which is his source of wisdom , which gets to the anatomy of wisdom . Where does wisdom come from ? Our wisdom comes from the thing we desire most .
Speaker 2Whoever the king of our , whatever the kings of our hearts are , that is where your wisdom will come from . So , if the king of your heart is money , then when it comes to choosing what career or what job you're going to have , your wisdom is going to come from the pursuit of money . If you're a young man and the thing that rules your mind is your hormones , the kind of person that you're going to pursue for marriage is going to be one that has beauty in a lure that is fleeting . You see , whatever your king is , that is where your wisdom comes from , and the scripture tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom . You can almost say the beginning of true wisdom , which is to say that only with Jesus at the center of your heart , only with Jesus as king , can you have true , godly , biblical wisdom to make decisions over your life , to choose careers , to choose who to marry , to choose how to raise children , only if Christ is king of your heart .
Speaker 4And there is a worldly wisdom , and there's a wisdom that's from above so it speaks off Absolutely .
Speaker 3There's a good example EZ and I we went to a memorial service this past weekend with Tom Garrett and inside the Celebration of Life flyer that was handed out . He had in the midst of that flyer one of his favorite quotes that was in there and it said something to the effect of a smart man learns from his mistakes . A wise man learns from other people's mistakes . So that smart would be kind of almost like a worldly wisdom if you would . But a godly wisdom is learning in the sanctuary , not in the storm .
Speaker 1Yeah , Amen and look . The thing I think that's important to remember is that , by default , if we don't pursue the wisdom of the Lord that , for us , comes obviously through His Word , we are going to resort to the wisdom of the world , which is folly . I mean , you think about going through life without an instruction manual , and that's what the world's doing . They're trying to just figure it out on the fly . Oh , I guess this is how you raise undisciplined kids . I guess this is how you encounter or interact in your marriage . I guess this is how you conduct business when we've been given the wisdom of God's word and Scripture also says these things were written for our instruction . Speaking of Old Testament characters , we've seen their mistakes and we can learn from them too .
Speaker 4Yeah , I learned from David to run from Bathsheba or run from lust , from Joseph to run from Potiphar's wife she's always around the corner From Peter being impetuous , not thinking very deeply . And I learned from Solomon the futility of this world . And I learned that as a brand new Christian . I don't know if I've mentioned I probably have when I had my business . A gentleman came in a retired businessman and he said stay small , he wasn't speaking to me , you're speaking to me .
Speaker 1I have no choice . You took him literal . You took that to heart , Ray .
Speaker 4I thought , here is a mountain I've got to get over . But that was his word stay small . Because he could see I had potential for having a very successful business , because I was making these leather jackets for people , hour and a half hour and three quarters , from start to finish . I could open a factory with like a hundred ladies , all with sewing machines and all that big taxes and big outlay , and he'd just say stay small . And I took it to heart and that's what I learned from Solomon . He got everything but he said vanity , vanity , all this vanity , yeah , ecclesiastes , all those wives , all that money , all the fame all of it's just fleeting .
Speaker 4What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul ?
Speaker 1Right , absolutely One of my favorite books in the Bible . All right . So 1 Kings 9 now we see God appears to Solomon a second time . So Solomon builds a temple , if you guys remember David , wanted to build the temple .
Speaker 4got to the point that was so discreet Mark .
Speaker 1I tried to hold that in . I'm glad it wasn't , ray . The microphones would have blown up .
Speaker 3My eyes are watering now , yeah .
Speaker 1Sorry about that .
Speaker 1So anyway , god says to David know , you're a man of bloodshed , I'm not going to let you build the temple , but your son will right . So Solomon follows through , he builds a temple . It says in 1 Kings 9 , beginning of verse 1 , and then God goes on from there and he tells Solomon about the blessings that will abound if he walks uprightly , and he talks to him about the punishment that will arise if he forsakes the Lord , as well as you know , the people of Israel . And so we see that . And man , was he blessed ? You guys remember , in chapter 10 , verses 1 through 9 , the queen of Sheba , when she came and she saw all that he had been blessed , it said there was no spirit left in her because of all the . I mean . Let me just read this . It's important , I think , to give us context .
Speaker 3Read it for us .
Speaker 1Now , when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord , she came to test him with hard questions .
Speaker 1She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue , with camels that bore spices , very much gold , precious stones , and when she came to Solomon she spoke with him about all that was in her heart . So Solomon answered her questions . There was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her . And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon , the house that he had built , the food at his table , the seating of his servants , the service of his waiters and waitresses and their apparel , his cupbearers and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord , there was no more spirit in her . Then she said to the king it was a true report , which I heard in my own land , about your words and your wisdom . However , I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes and indeed the half was not told me and she went on from there to praise him
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Speaker 4Even Jesus spoke of the glory of Solomon . Speaking of the flowers , he says Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these , and when you look at a flower under a microscope , you think it's blown away .
Speaker 1Yeah , so here he was , this man who God appeared , whatever . Whatever to whom God appeared twice blessed him with more wisdom than anyone ever had , an abundance of wealth , an abundance of power and peace on top of that right and all of this . But when we back up and this is what I want to explore with you guys when we back up to where we started 1 Kings 3 , and we go to verse 3 , before it started to talk about him , it said this and Solomon loved the Lord , walking in the statutes of his father , david , except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places Except . And then in Deuteronomy , 12 , 13 to 14 , right , it says take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see , but in the place which the Lord chooses . And so here we are right . And it's so easy to pass over because it's so small . But Solomon had a small exception in his life and I think that's what ended up leading a little asterisk as downfall , ray , you were going to say those high places .
Speaker 4They had sexual overtones , did they not ?
Speaker 1Yeah , there was sexual immorality on them , there was pagan idolatry and sacrifice that would take place on them , and God did not want his people to associate with those . And it wasn't just Solomon , right ? You see , this exception after Solomon , though that it kept being made by one king after the other , and so you see that Now I want to look at the other thing in Solomon's life .
Speaker 4So we see , except Can we just pause there for a minute ? What was his problem , solomon ? He loves the Lord , but had that little leak in the ocean liner .
Speaker 1Yeah , I think it was the fear of man because it was an acceptable practice , it was so common . And I think that this the fear of man because it was an acceptable practice , it was so common , and I think that this would have unsettled things . It's hard for us to grasp that , but you almost have to compare it to something in our day and age that is very common , very accepted , and if you remove it it would really cause problems . I think that's probably what it was .
Speaker 2And that's the thing about idolatry is that if we let just a little bit into our hearts , it grows and grows and grows . And Solomon's life is a life testimony to what it's like to have just a little bit of idolatry into our own lives . And on that note , I also think it's important because if we stop there , we turn the life of Solomon into just like another one of Aesop's fables , which is like the moral importance of not allowing idolatry into your lives , and that's important . We cannot allow idolatry into our hearts . And so the question is how does Solomon's life point the way to Christ ? And I love that .
Speaker 2Jesus says behold , someone greater than Solomon is here . There's something important for us to understand . That is because while Solomon allowed just a little bit of idolatry into his heart and that grew into having multiple wives and he ultimately succumbs to false idolatry , jesus is their better husband and that he is the one who is truly faithful to his bride , the church , and that not only does he not allow idolatry in his life , but he comes to destroy all false idols . He is the king who never fails us , even when we let idols in our lives . We can turn to Christ knowing that he is the husband that would destroy all idols and set us free from those things .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's got to go back to the gospel , it's got to go back to Christ , yeah . And so the other big compromise Solomon made of course we've already alluded to it was his pagan wives . In 1 Kings 11 , 1 to 8 , it says but King Solomon and again , remember before we said , except he loved many foreign women . And now , but King Solomon loved many foreign women , as well as the daughter of Pharaoh , women of the Moabites , ammonites , edomites , sidonians and Hittites , from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel you shall not intermarry with them , nor they . Solomon clung to these in love , and he had 700 wives , princesses and 300 concubines , and his wives turned away his heart .
Speaker 1For it was so , when Solomon was old , that his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not loyal to the Lord , his God , as was the heart of his father David . For Solomon went after Asherah , the goddess of the Sidonians , and after Melchom , the abomination of the Ammonites . Solomon did evil on the side of the Lord and did not fully follow the Lord , as did his father David . Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh , the abomination of Moab , on the hill that is east of Jerusalem , and for Molech , the abomination of the people of Ammon , and he did likewise for all his foreign wives who burned incense
and sacrificed to their gods , mark . What a tragedy to think of all that we read about him and all that God had blessed him with , and even the prayer that he prayed after the dedication of the temple . We don't have time to get to it , but it was so powerful and beautiful and he seemed fixed and focused . But he loved many foreign women and he clung to them in love , compromise .
Speaker 3Compromise . Listen , you know , it reminds me of a well-known apologist who passed away you ago , where everybody just thought he was amazing and then afterwards things came out . Some people think that it was true , some people think that it wasn't . I think that the family's even divided as to this man's legacy . I know I won't read any of his books , read any of his material , I won't refer to him and I kind of think of him a lot like Solomon here . Right that maybe in the world's eyes he's very wise and think this . I think it was Oscar who , when we first said , when you asked the question , when you think of this person , what is the first thing that comes across your mind or maybe it was you right Wisdom . We think of wisdom when it comes to Solomon , but you think of tragedy , tragedy on this man , how he had so many wives , the excess that happened . You're talking about the Queen of Sheba bringing a camel of spices . Who wants a camel of spices ? What are you gonna do if somebody brings you a camel Ray ? I'd ride it .
Speaker 4Put my dog on the front , go to the local college .
Speaker 3Get some witnessing encounters . But tragedy , listen , I don't want any exceptions . I don't want any asterisks attached to my name when I die , by the grace of God . I just don't want those things . We don't want those things . We surround ourselves with people who can speak into our lives and say anything they want to say . So I think of tragedy when it comes to this .
Speaker 3Now , solomon obviously is somebody who we can learn from . We're talking about a dream . Earlier , I think it was Ecclesiastes . It says that a dream comes through much activity . Whatever you fill your life with , whatever activity is engulfed with , that's kind of tends to be , unless there's some sort of warfare attached to it what you're going to dream about , what you're going to think about , what you're going to meditate upon . Well , when you have so many wives , how can you not think about all of the issues and the problems that are going to be attached to that ? But if you surround yourself and you engulf yourself inside the Word of God , you're going to engulf yourself with wise takeaways . Vance Hefner said if you want knowledge , go to school , but if you want wisdom , get on your knees . We should be praying in the knowledge and the wisdom of the Word of God continually . You want to know the perfect will of God . It's the Word of God Now pray it in .
Speaker 1Yeah and Ray , the fact too that our sin doesn't just affect us . But in 1 Kings 11 , we see that civil war broke out and that the Lord told Solomon because of what you've done , now I'm stripping the kingdom from you , with the exception of one tribe , the tribe of Judah , because of God's faithfulness to his promise to David . But our sin affects more than just us .
Speaker 4Yeah , the sin of Solomon is a very subtle sin . Solomon's sin was subtle . Oxymoron is what I think of when I think of Solomon , because how could you mess up when God gave you wisdom ? And it shows us the subtlety of idolatry . Idolatry comes in different forms . It can be setting your heart on things that you love more than you love God . And even more subtle , I believe , it's having your own image of God , where you can do things that you want to do and still have your belief in God . You create a God in your own image , a cuddly , snuggly God you can snuggle up to . The path to sin is through the door of idolatry .
Speaker 1Wow , that's so true . And ultimately , oscar , don't you think that idolatry finds its true manifestation in basically making ourselves our own God , because we're following our own will and dictates above God's , and then that makes ourselves the prime object of worship , and beneath that grand idol come a whole host of other smaller idols .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's absolutely right . And here's the thing about false idols whether we make ourselves our own gods or whether we're burning incense to money , sex or power is that all of these idols will ultimately deliver tragedy . They will unwind you , and Romans tells us that God will . Ultimately a part of his wrath is that he will one day hand you over to these desires . I mean , think about that .
Speaker 2I think about the young men who are maybe struggling with pornography or whatever you might be struggling with in this season of life .
Speaker 2You know , struggling with pornography or whatever you might be struggling with in this season of life , uh , god is is a part of his grace is that he's currently in some way holding you back , pleading with you . He is the father who goes out to meet the younger brother . He is the father that goes out to plead with the older brother . He is the savior that goes to destroy idols and eventually , if we don't repent , he will hand us over to those desires and they will be the end of us . The only king , the only God , the only Lord that can deliver grace , to deliver fulfillment , deliver meaning in this life , is your creator and EZ . I would love for you to talk about what are ways that we can guard our hearts ? What are ways we can realize that idols are starting to seep into our lives ? How can we just be attuned ? Because the reality is , being a Christian doesn't mean you're automatically immune to burning incense on other people , totally .
Speaker 1Well , I think a big takeaway from Solomon being that he was the wisest man that had lived is that we need to , as scripture says , we need to take heed . He who thinks he stand , take heed lest he fall . Maybe Solomon trusted in his wisdom I mean , how do you even have counselors when you're the wisest man on earth , right ? So he depended on himself . He trusted in his wisdom . I would say he who thinks he stands , take heed lest he fall . And I love the fact that scripture says don't be wise in your own eyes . Recognize your capacity to fall .
Speaker 1That is why I believe , mark , you and I talk about this all the time Many of the men who fall are those who truly thought they could never fall . I never think that about myself . I know that I can fall today , as much as my heart wants to tell me . Of course , you wouldn't do that . You wouldn't betray your wife and commit adultery . I am capable because I'm a man made of flesh . Therefore , I put around myself safeguards and I continue to pursue the Lord and walk in the fear of the Lord . And so you have to remember that and you have to understand that on the other side of not listening to the voice of wisdom is devastation , and Proverbs 1 talks about that right and it personifies wisdom . Wisdom calls out , it lifts up its voice right , and those who don't take heed , it says they will eat the fruit of their own ways . Then they'll call out to wisdom , but it'll mock , it'll laugh at them , and we don't want that .
Speaker 3Can I highlight something that Oscar said , because he said it kind of quickly , even though he reiterated it , but it is so powerful . I think people need to hone in on what Oscar had said here . Part of the wrath of God is God giving you what you want . Think about that . You don't know what you're asking for here . Part of God's wrath is giving you what you are asking for right . So if you find yourself kind of like in this tumultuous circle , not able to get anything accomplished , not moving forward , nothing is happening . Is it possible that God has given you over to what you want instead of giving you what you really need ? Because love has given somebody what they need , not what they want . William Culbertson said keep praying , but be thankful that God's answers are wiser than your prayers .
Speaker 1That's really good . Yeah , it reminds me when the children of Israel were just wanting meat and God sent them quail until it came out of their nostrils . Careful what you ask for . But yeah , and again I want to kind of wrap up on this point we need to be careful of the little sins . Quote unquote little sins oh , it's just a little this , a little that Solomon had that small exception he sacrificed on the high places . He was a great guy but he loved many foreign women . And it builds and builds and gets worse and worse .
Speaker 1I want you to listen to this devotion from Spurgeon . This was from a recent devotion and it's titled Sin , exceedingly Sinful , romans 7.13 . Recent . Didn't he die like that ?
Speaker 1Beware of light thoughts of sin . At the time of conversion , the conscience is so tender that we are afraid of the slightest sin . Young converts have a holy timidity , a godly fear lest they should offend against God . But alas , very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world . The sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in afterlife , too pliant , too easily yielding .
Speaker 1It is sadly true that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least . By degrees men get familiar with sin . The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight sounds . At first a little sin startles us , but soon we say is it not a little one ? Then there comes another , larger , and then another , until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill . And then follows an unholy presumption we have not fallen into open sin . True , we tripped a little , but we stood upright . In the main we may have uttered one unholy word , but as for the most of our conversation , it has been consistent . So we palliate sin , we throw a cloak over it . We call it by dainty names .
Speaker 1Christian , beware how you think lightly of sin . Take heed lest you fall by little and little . Sin a little thing . Is it not a poison who knows its deadliness ? Sin a little thing . Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes ? Does not the vine coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy ? Do not little strokes fell lofty oaks ? Will not continual droppings wear away stone ? Sin a little thing ? It girded the Redeemer's head with thorns and pierced his heart . It made him suffer anguish , bitterness and woe . Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity , you would fly from a serpent and abhor the least appearance of evil . Look upon all sin as that which crucified the Savior and you will so . Good Ray , seriously .
Speaker 4Yeah , I was going to butt in before you quoted Spurgeon . I thought I dare not . Sin and death are bedfellows . It's a great revelation . To get Wages of sin is death . The soul that sins shall die . And I was thinking of Solomon , and I don't know where the chronology was when he wrote it , but the end of ecclesiastes , he sums it up by saying , let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear god and keep his commandments , for this is man's all amen amen .
Speaker 1Well , there you have it , friends . A life to learn from . Uh yeah , triumph , and both combined . May we learn and walk in wisdom and hate sin even the slightest . May our consciences stay tender to the Lord . All right , friends . That's the end . Don't forget tough questions . Apologetics made simple Five sessions , dvd study or MP4 digital format . Living Waters , mug evidence study , bible all at livingwaterscom . We want to hear from you . Podcast at livingwaterscom . You're keeping us at five stars Still one of the top podcasts in the world , by God's grace , keep us there , friends , not for our sakes , but so others can continue to be blessed . Ray , you're making noise . What are you doing ?
Speaker 4I accidentally turned on my phone and there was a couple of kangaroos fighting and that was the noise . Is that the sound ? Yeah , that was the noise . What happened to Alexander ? Yeah , it was for Ken .
Speaker 1Thank you for joining us , friends . We'll see you here next time on the Living Waters Podcast . The ultimate cure for insomnia . Why did you ? Oh , did you think I was gonna snore ? No , no , I wasn't gonna snore , oh dear , oh dear .