The Book of Kings

God is faithful are you!
An overview

As I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Old Testament writings were written for our learning…..upon whom the ends of the world are come.

So in simple terms we can say to ourselves when reading the book of Kings …what can I learn from this.
What is the message behind some of these actions, what can we learn?
So as we study these books I will draw upon certain situations and events that will speak to us.
The bible speaks; it has a voice that cries out "listen to me" proverbs ch 8:1 "does not wisdom cry? And understanding put forth her voice"
So we cannot read the Old Testament without learning, and receiving its directives, Gods voice speaks throughout; if you do this your consequence will be that, throughout the lives of the Patriarchs and the prophets.
Someone said I wish God would speak to me, but let me tell you as you read his word, I don't even like to use the Greek word logos because of transliteration it gives us I kind of cosmic feel to it, Gods voice echoes to us throughout the scriptures, read the bible and I will guarantee the holy spirit will quicken (to make alive) it to your hearts.
So when reading the book of 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, and Chronicles we can learn something.
Solomon cries out "one wife is enough"
We will see how certain Kings prospered, whilst others failed miserably there are certain keys in these books that we can learn.
The first was Saul the peoples choice is the embodiment of Self Will, Gods greatest struggle in the world is not against Lucifer directly, his struggle is against us and our self will. In Genesis 6 the Lord says my spirit shall not strive with man……..
Some of us when we are praying we are binding the heaven lies, binding the spirits of the north, and the spirits of the south, chaining this and that but, and God is thinking you're the problem, your self will. Before we start binding the spirits of England lets deal with ourselves.
When Nathan told David about the story of a merchant having many ewes and killing the man with one yew lamb, he said hand him over to me I show him Ill bind him….Nathan said you're the man.
Then David the King after Gods own heart, we mentioned some of his qualities
Then Solomon….the wise man.
After that Reheboam
Abijah
And just to note that it is in the time of Solomon's son reheboam that the Kingdoms were divided. A man called Jeroboam took ten of the tribes with him to the north.
While Reheboam remained with Judah and Benjamin.
Jeroboam as a substitute instituted Baal worship and appointed priest of the lowest people, everyone was a pastor. Just like today
The Lord now concentrated on Judah, that's where the sacrifices were made, that's where his name was.

In John 4: Jesus says to the Samaritan women a descendant of the northern tribe
Salvation is of the Jews
All because the lord Yahweh made a promise to David
I want to share this with you…. That if your ways please the Lord he will cause even your enemies to be at peace with you, God never forgets God will take care of you.
In I Kings 2:1-4
David is now very old, he has been there done it, and won the tea shirt as some say in the UK. He has had highs and lows, but he wants to leave some wonderful keys for true success in life, remember these are his last words, that he may utter so they better be good. He is giving his son the keys to life.
Remember diligently the Lord, and walk in his ways, (how do you do that) keep his statutes and laws, judgements and testimonies.
If you were to put it in New Testament terms it would be to seek the Lord and his righteousness and all these things shall be added.
David is saying to Solomon …if you be faithful, God said that the dynasty or his lineage would never leave the throne in Jerusalem.
If you be faithful Solomon, I want to say that God (Yahweh) has a good track record when it comes to keeping his part of the Bargain, or contract!
God is faithful this is my theme …God is faithful are you!

If you were to take out a loan in the bank, there would first see what your income is and whether you are able to pay the money back. If you past that test. Then the check out your address, passport or driving licence to see if you are who you say you are.
They are still not finished yet, you are now going to be credit scored, there is a list with your name on it that is available to every financial institute, you will have a core that will measure on whether you have paid back your previous loans on time, it will have information on whether you have had a county court judgement against you.
They are checking really to see if you are faithful, and that the money you borrowed will be returned.
When it comes to faithfulness God has the highest core, when you credit score God It will be 100% God will keep his promise.
He has thousand s of reference in the scripture because his nature is faithfulness.

After Abijah we have, Asa, jehoshaphat, Jehoram, ahaziah, Athalia(wicked women), Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, Ahaz,Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah ( his reforms even reached the northern kingdom) prophesied by the prophet, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jeholachin, Zedekikah…..babylonian exile
It is amazing that the dynasty of David lasted all these years because of Gods faithfulness, God faithfulness does not fade away with time.
God is faithful
Jeroboams only lasted one generation, the Baasha and so on. They only lasted 135 years until their demise whilst Judah remained because of the promise, when you really are faithful you will last, others will fall away but you will last.
When God is on your side you last longer than Duracell.

God keeps his side of the contract
He told David his throne would last forever
God keeps his promise he said through the prophetic words of Jacob "the sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver between his feet until Shiloh come.
There is a period where we as gentiles are ruling but the son of David is getting ready to get back upon his throne, and it will be in Jerusalem
Jesus the Messiah will finally establish the throne of David.
How can we bring this message up to date to apply for us, If you are faithful to God he will take care of you, he will go before you in all your battles in life, and you will get the victory.
Challenges will come, until it will seem there is not going to be a way out of it…..when the enemy comes in like a flood the Lord raise a defence against the problem, one of the leaders was a woman called Attalla who tried to wipe out the seed of David, but thank god for a priest called Jehoida.
God kept David and he can keep you.
God was faithful to Abraham, after twenty five years yet kept his promise
If you ever get time read the book of Hebrews 11, God was faithful to Joseph concerning his bones
The list is endless
The question is are you faithful
Do not listen to ignorant unlearned preachers that say salvation is unconditional; there are conditions even in the new covenant.
Are You Faithful? Psalms 31:23, Proverbs 20:6 who can find a faithful man?
Mathew 24:45 "who then is that faithful and wise servant"
We have proved without a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful, are you
How can we measure faithfulness? Luke 16: 10 he that is faithful in little is faithful in much.
Are you really faithful to God, are you faithful in prayer, do you give enough time to him in prayer, are you faithful in giving financially, only God knows, are you faithful in your appropriation of time, are you as Paul said redeeming the time, recapturing some of that time in your busy schedule for God and the work of his kingdom.
Are you really faithful in church attendance, are you only seen when it suits you.
Are you faithful in service, what do you actually do for the lord.
Are you one of those people who starts of well full of fire, then you fade away?
In Ephesians 1:1 Paul could plainly address himself as the faithful servant of the Lord.
II Thessalonians 3:3
"But the lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one"
If you will only be faithful, God will be faithful to you; he will look after you and guard you.
I remember not too long ago a sister, as she was going forward, trying to get a house and move on in the lord. Satan had put a block.
She asked for special prayers this I did, but what I told her being aware of her faithfulness in giving in attendance, when it really matters.
I said these special prayers will not do it, apart from speed up the process, I said your account with God is full, because of your faithfulness God will.
And in just over a week everything came through.

God is faithful…….Why don't you become faithful!