King Solomon was an ancient rock star.
This morning we begin a series of messages called "Rockstar: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of King Solomon." You may find it strange to refer to Solomon as a rock star, yet he was every bit a rock star, an iconic legend.
When you think of a king, you typically think of someone who is consolidating political power or leading military campaigns in order to expandhis dominion overhis enemies. This is the kind of king thatKing Solomon’s father, King David, once was. As a shepherd boy David learned to kill bears and lions with a wooden club. When his fellow countrymen fled in fear, David grabbed his slingshot and knocked out the formidable giant Goliath. He then advanced on Goliath, drew his sword, and beheaded Goliath in full view of his enemies. King David was a courageous warrior who was capable of killing hundreds of men, even thousands, in battle. Entire chapters of the Bible are devoted to his conquests.
Rock stars are the antithesis of kings. Whereas kings wage war against external enemies, rock stars wage war within, against their inner selves, against the demons of their past, against the impulses of the flesh,and against the whims of the ego. We have more in common with rock stars than with kings.
King David became a rock star in his time.
Toward the end of his life, King David traded in his crown for a sparkling white glove. He became a rock star. Instead of leading his men in battle, one night King David stayed home in his palace. 2 Samuel 11 tells us that from the roof of his palace, King David spotted a woman bathing. It was Bathsheba, the wife of another man named Uriah. In a moment of passion, David sends messengers for her, commits adultery with her, and gets her pregnant.To cover his sin, David conspired to have Bathsheba’s husband killed in the heat of battle. With Uriah dead, David would take Bathsheba as his wife.
When we think of rock stars, we typically think of people who are losing the war within. King David could kill lions and bears, but raised the white flag of defeat when it came to his sexual desires. Such is the life of a rock star. As a judgment against David, DavidandBathsheba’s first son died. But they would later have asecond son, Solomon. It’s been said that Solomon was the first king of Israel born in purple. To my knowledge, he never had to pick up a sword. By the young age ofsixteen, Solomon had succeeded his father David to the throne. His first duties were to defend his claim to the throne, build the temple in Jerusalem that his father had made preparations for, and organize the vast empire that his father had fought for. Solomon was gifted with wisdom by God.
Solomon built a life of luxury and grandeur for himself.
Solomon wasted little time building a life of luxury and grandeur for himself. He undertook extraordinary projects, building palaces, fortifications, outposts, pleasure houses, and other architectural wonders. During his reign there was unprecedented commercial trade, material prosperity, and intellectual excellence.
1 Kings 4:32-34 (NIV) says of Solomon, "He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."
But pampered by a life of excess, Solomon became idle. He became corrupted by the people he surrounded himself with— his attendants and foreign wives. 1 Kings 11:1-7 (NIV) says, "King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter— Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.' Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 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. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molecha the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done."
Think what King David and Solomon’s legacy could have been. Think what extraordinary things they might have accomplished with their lives had they been kings instead of indulgent rock stars. Solomon presided over the golden years of Israel’s history, but in the end, the kingdom was torn away.
Thedesire forfame, success, and passions claims many victims.
This past Thursday we heard about the death of Michael Jackson— the "King of Pop". After tearing him apart for decades, the media has spent the past few days celebrating his life. There have been many interesting descriptions of his life, but only one that I found particularly insightful. It was written by Rabbi Borteach, who spent time working with Michael Jackson over the years.
READTHEARTICLEHERE: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245924935526&pagename=JPArticle/ShowFull
Every day the lure of fame, the lure of success, and the lure ofpassions claims another victim. Our toughest battle is always the battle within ourselves. It's always the battle to love and serve God.
One of the most important decisions we must make in life is to start with the man in the mirror. It's to look at ourselves and make the change. It'sto trade in our rock star image and embrace the crown that endures to eternal life. It’s to realize that apart from loving God, there is very little else that will add meaning, purpose, and significance to our lives.
James 1:12 (NIV) tells us, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."