7.23.11 "The Seed that Always Grows"

"The Seed that Always Grows"

2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19
Romans 8:9-23
Psalm 18:16-34
Proverbs 19:26

In the One Year Bible reading today, we read through a couple chapters in 2 Chronicles. Through the course of this portion of scripture, we go through quite a contrast in Israel. Compare these two excerpts:

The Queen of Sheba is saying to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 9:5, "everything I heard about you in my own country is true! I didn't believe it until I got here and saw it with my own eyes. Your wisdom is far greater than I could ever have imagined. What a privilege for these men of yours to stand here and listen to you talk! Blessed be the Lord your God! How he must love Israel to give them a just king like you! He wants them to be a great, strong nation forever."

After Rehoboam succeeds Solomon, 2 Chronicles 10:19 "And Israel has refused to be ruled by a descendant of David to this day."

What happened?!

2 things: Pride & Compromise

We have to look into I Kings to get more of the story. Here's the scenario:

Solomon is successful. In 2 Chronicles 8:15, "Solomon did not deviate in any way from David's instructions." This was concerning the building of the temple. Great! but what about what we read in I Kings 11:1,4 "King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women... 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."

As a result of this, later in I Kings 11 we meet Jeroboam who Solomon puts in charge of much of the labor force. The prophet Ahijah prophecies that because of Solomon's compromise the Kingdom of Israel will be torn apart. the Lord promises Jeroboam will be a blessed leader, and have a dynasty as that of David if he follows after the Lord. Solomon tries to kill him, but he hides in Egypt until Solomon's death.

Then there's Rehoboam, Solomon's son. He has the chance to win the hearts of the people. In 2 Chronicles 10, because of his pride, he rejects the wisdom of Solomon's advisors, and the tribes of Israel turn their backs on him & refuse to follow the house of David anymore.

What a disaster! What a disgrace to the name of the Lord God of Israel. Where did all this start??

It started in Solomon's compromise.

How can we apply this to our lives??

Solomon was MOSTLY obedient. Sometimes we fall into the same trap. For example, we can really make things look good on the outside by doing work for the kingdom. Doing everything our leader asks us to do, Just as Solomon did what David commanded in regards to the temple. This may give us "enough" of a sense of accomplishment that we think the things that are hidden will go unnoticed.

But it's the seed that always grows. There will be a consequence to partial obedience. Maybe it's like the case of Rehoboam. The motivation is pride that causes us to go without heeding the spiritual advisors around us. We'll do it OUR way. There will always be a consequence to that as well.

It's important that we understand how urgent it is to make sure we are totally pure before God. We live in danger each moment we linger with hidden high places of pride and compromise.

Jeroboam blew it too. He caused the people to worship idols as well.

God has a great plan for us. It's full of promise like it was for each of these leaders. The terms of this promise are dependent on "if you obey all I command."

Our sinful nature drives us to compromise. "So, dear brothers, you have no obligations whatever to your old sinful nature to do what it begs you to do. For if you keep on following it you are lost and will perish, but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and its evil deeds, you shall live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (Romans 8:12-14)


Do that today. Be led by the Spirit. Live in full obedience of all God commands. If you find the seeds of pride and compromise, allow God to weed them out of your life, or they will grow!



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ