Tuesday, July 13, 2010

845 – The Man who would be King

July 18, 2010

Sermon: #845

The Man Who Would Be King

1 Kings 1:41 - 43 (NKJV) 41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, "Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?" 42While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news."
43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 


 

Introduction: The Old Testament book of Kings is more than a book of history. It is a study of mankind, the psychology of men, the nature of sin, and the ultimate victory of God.

  1. Adonijah was the man who would be king.

1 Kings 1:5 - 6 (NKJV) 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)


 

ILL: Haggith was one of David's wives, she had two sons, Absalom and Adonijah, both of whom rebelled and tried to take the throne.

  • The basic sin

    Genesis 3:4 - 5 (NKJV) 4Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."


     

    Isaiah 14:12 - 14 (NKJV) 12"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
    How you are cut down to the ground,
    You who weakened the nations!
    13For you have said in your heart:
    'I will ascend into heaven,
    I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
    I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
    On the farthest sides of the north;
    14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
    I will be like the Most High.'

  • "Exalt" describes it

    • Sin is Pride
    • Sin is Arrogance
    • Sin is Self-Conceit
    • Sin always leads to rebellion

  • The Psychology of sin

    • Adonijah felt that he was the best man to hold the office
    • He felt he had the ability and therefore the right
    • He felt he could govern the country better than anyone else
    • He felt that the others could not do it right
    • He wanted the thing so it was right
    • It would be wonderful to be king

  • Self Advertisement

    1 Kings 1:5 (NKJV) 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 

    • He builds himself a false résumé
    • Gets a false title
    • Buys a false degree

  1. He never lacks encouragement (others will be right behind)

1 Kings 1:7 (NKJV) 7Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.

  1. Joab

    Joab was one of the greatest soldier of the time and one of David's "mighty men" (Force!)

  2. Abiathar

    Abiathar was one of the two chief priests (Religion)

    ILL: Both of these men were heroes of the people. They did not care who was on the throne as long as they could be the power behind the throne.

  • Satan does not care what controls your life - Pride – Lust – Greed – Drugs – Religion - as long as he is the power behind them!

  1. The sin and rebellion always looks successful

1 Kings 1:9 - 10 (NKJV) 9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, true religious authority) Benaiah, the mighty men,(true men of power) or Solomon his brother.(true heir to the throne)

  1. At first he was fearful – but nothing happened!

  • The first rebellion = nothing
  • The first illicit sex = nothing
  • The first drug = nothing
  • The first attempt at taking office = nothing
  • (At first one can get by with a little sin – but a little sin is never enough)

  1. Success – man!

    1 Kings 1:41 - 42 (NKJV) 41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, "Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?" 42While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news."

  • Feasting
  • Drinking
  • Celebration (he thought the noise was for himself)

  • The pleasures of sin – for a season


 

ILL: While Adonijah and his friends were feasting, Solomon and David were preparing – sin always believes it can have success without work and preparation!

  • Sex without marriage
  • Financial success without investment
  • Pleasure without cost

  1. There is always a day of reckoning

ILL: Remember the Robin Hood stories – the day always come when King Richard comes back!

1 Kings 1:43 - 53 (NKJV) 43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king's mule. 45So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. 46Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king's servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, 'May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48Also the king said thus, 'Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!'"


 

49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.
50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'"
52Then Solomon said, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die." 53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."


 

ILL: God raises up and does it openly!

Conclusion: Every knee will bow – so why not do it now?

Philippians 2:5 - 11 (NKJV) 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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