Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000066
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00:08 >> COMING UP NEXT ON AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS...
00:11 >> THE BIBLE TOLD ADAM AND EVE TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. 00:16 GOD WANTED ADAM TO MULTIPLY WITH EVE, NOT TO MULTIPLY EVES. 00:22 [MUSIC] >> FOR OVER 40 YEARS, 00:27 AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO SHARING GOD'S WORD 00:30 THROUGH MEDIA. 00:32 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR 00:34 BEST TELEVISION BROADCASTS. 00:38 WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS EDITION OF 00:41 "AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS." 00:44 TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS AN EXCERPT FROM 00:46 "THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL" VIDEO SERIES. 00:53 >> NOW AS WE PREPARE TO TALK ABOUT THE FALL AND THE SIN OF 00:57 SOLOMON, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT HE IS STILL IN HISTORY 01:02 CONSIDERED A GOOD KING. 01:05 HE HAD 25, 30 YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS BEFORE THIS BIG 01:13 BACKSLIDING EXPERIENCE, AND HE DID BACKSLIDE BIG TIME. 01:17 NOW WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING TO SOLOMON IS PERFECTLY 01:21 PREDICTED BY MOSES. 01:24 TURN IN YOUR BIBLES PLEASE TO DEUTERONOMY 17, THERE'S 01:28 A PROPHETIC WARNING GIVEN FOR THE VERY THINGS THAT HE FELL 01:31 INTO, GOOD COUNSEL FOR US. 01:35 TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO AVOID BACKSLIDING. 01:40 AND IF YOU HAVE BACKSLIDDEN, THEN HOW TO REPENT. 01:43 DEUTERONOMY 17:14, "WHEN YOU COME TO THE LAND WHICH THE LORD 01:49 YOUR GOD HAS GIVEN YOU AND YOU POSSESS IT AND YOU DWELL IN IT 01:52 AND YOU SAY, 'I WILL SET A KING OVER ME LIKE THE OTHER NATIONS 01:55 AROUND ME.'" HE SAID, "IF YOU DO IT, MAKE 01:58 SURE HE'S ONE OF YOUR BRETHREN. 01:59 YOU SHALL NOT HAVE AN ALIEN KING OVER YOU." 02:03 THEN HE GOES ON AND SAYS, "HE SHALL NOT MULTIPLY HORSES 02:07 TO HIMSELF." 02:08 NOTICE THAT, UNDERLINE "MULTIPLY HORSES." 02:11 "NOR CAUSE THE PEOPLE TO RETURN TO EGYPT TO MULTIPLY HORSES. 02:15 SPECIFICALLY HE SAYS, "DON'T EVEN GO TO EGYPT 02:18 TO MULTIPLY HORSES." 02:19 BECAUSE THEY HAD THESE FIELDS THERE BY THE RIVER, 02:21 A LOT OF HORSES WERE BRED AND TRAINED IN EGYPT. 02:23 THE BEST HORSES, YOU'VE HEARD OF ARABIAN HORSES? 02:26 THEY REALLY CAME FROM EGYPT TO START WITH. 02:28 "FOR AS MUCH AS THE LORD HAS SAID UNTO YOU, HENCEFORTH 02:30 YOU'RE NOT TO RETURN TO GO TO EGYPT ANYMORE. 02:33 NEITHER SHALL HE MULTIPLY WIVES TO HIMSELF." 02:37 UNDERLINE THERE "MULTIPLY WIVES." 02:41 "THAT HIS HEART TURN NOT AWAY." 02:44 YOU MULTIPLY WIVES, THEY WILL TURN YOUR HEART AWAY. 02:47 THIS IS WRITTEN BY MOSES HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE 02:50 SOLOMON, BUT IT IS REALLY A HISTORY OF EXACTLY WHAT 02:53 HAPPENED TO SOLOMON, EXACTLY. 02:56 "NEITHER SHALL HE GREATLY MULTIPLY TO HIMSELF SILVER 02:59 AND GOLD FOR HIMSELF." 03:04 THAT'S WHAT SOLOMON DID. 03:05 KEEP INMIND, DAVID HAD LOTS OF SILVER AND GOLD, BUT HE PUT IT 03:08 IN THE TREASURY OF THE LORD FOR THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD, 03:10 HE DIDN'T PUT IT FOR HIMSELF. 03:12 SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT HOW THE HISTORY WAS FULFILLED. 03:15 YOU GO TO 1 KINGS 10:28, WE SEE HE STARTED TO TRUST 03:20 IN EARTHLY ARMOR. 03:24 "AND SOLOMON HAD HORSES IMPORTED FROM EGYPT AND KAVA. 03:29 THE KING'S MERCHANTS BROUGHT THEM IN KAVA." 03:32 HE BEGAN TO DO THE VERY THING MOSES SAID DON'T DO, TRUSTING 03:36 IN THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. 03:39 NOW WE DO NEED WEAPONS, AS CHRISTIANS, BUT WHAT KIND 03:42 OF WEAPONS? 03:44 THE ARMOR OF GOD? 03:46 AND SOLOMON BEGAN TO TRUST IN THE ARMOR OF MAN. 03:49 AND GOD WAS TRYING TO REMIND HIS KINGS, "I AM YOUR--" 03:53 HE WASN'T AGAINST HAVING HORSES, HE WASN'T AGAINST HAVING 03:55 CHARIOTS. 03:56 HE SAID, DON'T PUT YOUR TRUST IN THOSE THINGS. 03:59 THIS WAS OUR SCRIPTURE READING. 04:01 "THUS SAYS THE LORD, 'LET NOT THE WISE MAN GLORY 04:03 IN HIS WISDOM. 04:04 LET NOT THE MIGHTY MAN GLORY IN HIS MIGHT, NOR LET THE 04:07 RICH MAN GLORY IN HIS RICHES. 04:10 BUT LET HIM WHO GLORY THAT GLORIES IN THIS THAT HE 04:12 UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME THAT I AM THE LORD EXERCISING 04:15 LOVINGKINDNESS, JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE EARTH. 04:19 FOR IN THESE THINGS I DELIGHT,' SAYS THE LORD." 04:23 WELL, THEN IT ALSO SAID THERE SOLOMON HAD BEEN WARNED 04:26 BY MOSES NOT TO MULTIPLY SILVER AND GOLD. 04:30 YOU READ IN 2 CHRONICLES 1:15, "HE BEGAN TO TRUST 04:34 IN EARTHLY RICHES. 04:36 ALSO THE KING MADE GOLD AND SILVER AS COMMON IN JERUSALEM 04:41 AS STONES. 04:43 AND HE MADE THE CEDARS AS ABUNDANT AS THE SYCAMORES THAT 04:46 ARE IN THE LOWLANDS." 04:47 THIS REPRESENTED WEALTH. 04:49 THE CEDAR AND THE LOGS WERE USED FOR THE EXOTIC HOMES. 04:53 IT ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT DAVID SAID, "I DWELL IN 04:56 THE HOUSE OF CEDAR." 04:57 SOLOMON BUILT A CEDAR HOUSE IN LEBANON. 05:00 CEDAR WAS CONSIDERED IT WAS THE TIMBER FOR THE FINE WOOD 05:04 FOR THE PALACES. 05:06 SO IT WAS SILVER AND GOLD AND EARTHLY HOMES. 05:09 IS YOUR--IS YOUR TRUST IN THE BANK ACCOUNT IN THE HOUSE? 05:14 IS THAT WHERE YOU SECURITY IS? 05:16 WE'RE FINDING OUT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT PEOPLE CAN LOSE 05:19 THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND THEIR HOUSE OVERNIGHT. 05:22 I WON'T GO DOWN THAT ROAD RIGHT NOW. 05:26 SO DID SOLOMON FALL FROM MOSES' COUNSEL IN THAT AREA? 05:32 EXACTLY. 05:33 IT SAYS, "YOUR KING SHALL NOT MULTIPLY SILVER AND GOLD," 05:36 AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID. 05:38 PAUL SAYS 1 TIMOTHY 6:17, "COMMAND THOSE WHO ARE RICH 05:42 IN THIS PRESENT AGE NOT TO BE HAUGHTY OR TO TRUST IN 05:46 UNCERTAIN RICHES." 05:48 WE'VE LEARNED HOW UNCERTAIN THEY ARE. 05:51 "BUT IN THE LIVING GOD WHO GIVES US RICHLY ALL THINGS 05:56 TO ENJOY." 05:57 YOU KNOW GOD IS GOOD, AND HE'S NOT AGAINST OUR HAVING SOME 06:00 RICHES, HE JUST SAYS, "DON'T TRUST IN THOSE THINGS." 06:04 "THEN GOD ALSO WARNED HIM, HE SHALL NOT MULTIPLY WIVES 06:08 TO HIMSELF." 06:11 NOW SOLOMON, HE HAD AN ACHILLES' HEEL IN THIS AREA. 06:15 BUT THAT WEAKNESS THAT HE HAD FOR PRETTY GIRLS BECAME HIS 06:20 DOWNFALL BECAUSE HE BEGAN TO MULTIPLY WIVES. 06:25 AND HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, IF I'M SUPPOSED TO BE FRUITFUL 06:28 AND MULTIPLY, THE MORE WIVES I HAVE, I MEAN AFTER ALL, 06:31 YOU KNOW ONE BUCK MANY DOES, ONE BULL MANY COWS, 06:34 THAT MUST BE GOD'S PLAN." 06:35 TH WERE ALL SHEPHERDS BACK THEN, THEY STARTED THINKING 06:37 THAT WAY. 06:38 AND ESPECIALLY A KING, IF YOU CAN AFFORD 'EM, WHY NOT? 06:41 HELPS YOU MULTIPLY, WE'RE DOING WHAT GOD SAID. 06:44 YOU CAN RATIONALIZE ALMOST ANYTHING, RIGHT? 06:48 1 KINGS 11:3, "HE HAD 700 WIVES, PRINCESSES, AND 300 CONCUBINES." 06:57 THAT'S A GRAND TOTAL OF HOW MUCH? 06:59 QUICK. 07:00 A THOUSAND? 07:04 HOW MANY MEN WILL ADMIT YOU'RE MARRIED AND YOU'VE GOT YOUR 07:07 HANDS FULL MAKING ONE HAPPY? 07:13 CAN YOU IMAGINE A THOUSAND? 07:16 THAT'S HARD FOR US TO COMPREHEND, FRIENDS, I KNOW. 07:18 BUT THAT BECAME HIS DOWNFALL. 07:21 I MEAN THESE OTHER THINGS HE DID BEFORE WERE ALL A PROBLEM, 07:24 BUT THIS IS WHERE IT TELLS US IT TOOK A TURN DOWN. 07:28 1 KINGS 11:1, "BUT KING SOLOMON LOVED MANY FOREIGN WOMEN, 07:36 AS WELL AS THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH." 07:38 FIRST WIFE, QUEEN NUMBER ONE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH. 07:42 HE NEEDED TO GIVE HER THAT PRIORITY JUST LIKE AHASUERUS 07:46 HAD MANY WIVES, ESTHER ENDED UP BECOMING THE NUMBER ONE WIFE, 07:50 THE QUEEN. 07:51 YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE QUEEN. 07:54 "WOMEN OF THE MOABITES WHO WORSHIPED A DIFFERENT GOD AND 07:57 THE AMMONITES WHO WORSHIPED A DIFFERENT GOD AND THE EDOMITES 08:00 WHO WORSHIPED A DIFFERENT GOD AND THE ZIDONIANS WHO WORSHIPED 08:03 A DIFFERENT GOD AND THE HITTITES--" 08:05 THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DESTROY THAT NATION WHEN THEY CAME IN. 08:08 "AND FROM THE NATIONS WHOM THE LORD HAD SAID TO THE CHILDREN 08:10 OF ISRAEL, 'YOU SHALL NOT INTERMARRY WITH TH NOR SHALL 08:14 THEY WITH YOU. 08:16 SURELY THEY WILL TURN YOUR HEART AWAY AFTER THEIR GODS.'" 08:22 SOLOMON CLUNG TO THESE IN LOVE. 08:28 YOU KNOW, YOU BECOME LIKE WHO YOU LOVE. 08:31 THAT'S A LAW OF LIFE. 08:33 THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOVE THE LORD. 08:35 YOU BECOME LIKE THE ONE YOU LOVE. 08:37 NEHEMIAH 13:26, LISTEN TO WHAT THIS PROPHET SAYS 08:41 ON THE SUBJECT. 08:42 "SPEAKING TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY BEGAN TO 08:44 INTERMARRY WITH THE SURROUNDING NATIONS. 08:48 "DID NOT SOLOMON, KING OF ISRAEL, SIN BY THESE THINGS? 08:51 YET AMONG THE NATIONS THERE WAS NO KING LIKE HIM WHO WAS 08:54 BELOVED OF HIS GOD AND GOD MADE HIM KING OVER ALL ISRAEL. 08:58 NEVERTHELESS EVEN HIM DID OUTLANDISH WOMEN CAUSE TO SIN." 09:05 I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANS BY OUTLANDISH WOMEN, 09:07 BUT WE KNOW THEY WERE PAGANS. 09:09 MAYBE OUTLANDISH ALSO MEANT THAT THEY WERE HAUGHTY 09:13 AND PUSHY AND THEY BEGAN TO MANIPULATE THE KING. 09:17 YOU NOTICE IT ALSO HAPPENED, IT SAYS, "BUT KING SOLOMON, 09:20 WHEN HE WAS OLD--" DID YOU CATCH THAT? 09:25 SO IT WAS SO WHEN SOLOMON WAS OLD? 09:28 I'M BACK IN 1 KINGS 11. 09:30 "WHEN HE WAS OLD, HIS WIVES TURNED AWAY HIS HEART." 09:35 YOU KNOW, HE'S RESOLVED. 09:36 HE STARTED GETTING TIRED OF ARGUING WITH THEM 09:38 AND STANDING UP. 09:39 AND THEY SAID, "YOU KNOW, SOLOMON--" MAYBE THEY CALLED 09:42 HIM SOME ENDEARING TERM. 09:44 "YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT YOUR TEMPLE, AND I MISS MY HOMELAND 09:47 AND WE GREW UP WORSHIPING THIS GOD. 09:49 AND CAN'T I WORSHIP YOUR GOD AND MY HOME GOD BECAUSE IT 09:52 REALLY BOTHERS MY FAMILY THAT I DON'T GET TO WORSHIP ASHTAROTH 09:55 AND DAGON AND THESE OTHER GODS OF RA AND EGYPT. 10:00 AND CAN'T I HAVE ONE LITTLE IDOL? 10:01 IT'S JUST NOT FAIR." 10:02 "ALL RIGHT, JUST MAKE A LITTLE ONE, YOU KNOW." 10:05 AND SO THEY MAKE A LITTLE ONE. 10:06 "OH, SHE'S GOT ONE. 10:07 CAN'T I HAVE ONE?" 10:08 "ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN HAVE ONE." 10:11 "AND I WANT ONE." 10:11 AND PRETTY SOON THEY ALL STARTED MAKING THEIR IDOLS, AND 10:13 HE BEGAN TO ACCOMMODATE THEM. 10:15 HE LOST HIS BACKBONE. 10:18 HE STARTED SHIFTING HIS LOVE. 10:19 YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT WHEN SOLOMON 10:23 BEGAN HIS KINGDOM, IT ONLY TWO TIMES SAID SOLOMON 10:27 LOVED ANYTHING. 10:28 YOU READ IN 1 KINGS 3, "AND SOLOMON LOVED THE LORD WALKING 10:32 IN THE STATUTES OF HIS FATHER, DAVID. 10:36 WHEN HE LOVED THE LORD SUPREMELY, THE NATION 10:38 WENT TOWARDS GOD." 10:40 BUT THEN YOU GET TO CHAPTER 11 IT SAYS, "KING SOLOMON LOVED 10:43 MANY FOREIGN WOMEN. 10:46 HE BEGAN TO SHIFT HIS LOVE AWAY FROM GOD AS THE PRIORITY AND 10:50 LITTLE BY LITTLE HE STARTED THINKING ABOUT MAKING HIS HAREM 10:53 HAPPY INSTEAD OF MAKING HIS HEAVENLY FATHER HAPPY 10:57 AND THINGS BEGAN TO TURN." 10:59 YOU KNOW MEN ARE TO BE THE PRIEST LEADERS IN THE FAMILIES, 11:04 AND YOU'RE TO ALSO SAY WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE LORD. 11:08 AND SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA STAND UP IN YOUR FAMILY 11:12 AND HAVE SOME BACKBONE. 11:13 SAY, WE'RE GONNA SEEK FIRST GOD'S KINGDOM. 11:15 NOW DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT DURING THIS TIME, SOLOMON 11:18 EVER SAID, "I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN JEHOVAH." 11:23 WHAT GOT HIM IN TROUBLE WAS HE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH. 11:27 HE SAID, "I'M GONNA KEEP WORSHIPING JEHOVAH BUT, 11:30 YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE LOVING AND RESPECTFUL OF OTHER 11:32 PEOPLE'S VIEWS. 11:34 WE NEED TO MAKE COMPROMISES. 11:36 WE NEED TO BE TOLERANT." 11:37 EVER HEARD THAT WORD BEFORE? 11:39 WE NEED TO BE LOVING AND TOLERANT. 11:41 AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE WANT TO SET UP AN IDOL 11:44 TO THE KING OF THE GOD OF EGYPT OR THE GOD OF THE DAGON 11:50 OF THE PHILISTINES OF ASHTAROTH OR ONE OF THESE OTHER NATIONS, 11:54 YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO BE FREE TO DO THAT. 11:58 SO LITTLE BY LITTLE HE BEGAN TO COMPROMISE AND IT STARTED 12:02 TO TAKE HIM DOWN. 12:05 NOW GOD HAD GIVEN THE ANTIDOTE FOR THIS APOSTASY. 12:08 HE NEVER NEEDED TO FALL IN THIS AREA. 12:10 WOULD YOU LIKE TO AVOID BACKSLIDING? 12:13 NOT JUST IN THIS AREA BUT ANY AREA? 12:15 WHETHER IT'S THE MULTIPLYING HORSES TRUSTING IN EARTHLY 12:18 PROTECTION, HERE'S THE ANTIDOTE. 12:22 DEUTERONOMY 17, MOSES SAID VERSE 19, SPEAKING OF WHEN 12:28 A KING SAT ON THE THRONE, "HE WAS TO READ FROM THE WORD 12:32 OF GOD DAILY. 12:34 AND IT SHALL BE WITH HIM AND HE SHALL READ IT ALL THE DAYS OF 12:37 HIS LIFE THAT HE MIGHT LEARN TO FEAR THE LORD HIS GOD AND BE 12:41 CAREFUL TO OBSERVE ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW AND THESE 12:44 STATUTES THAT HIS HEART MAY NOT BE LIFTED UP ABOVE HIS 12:48 BRETHREN, THAT HE MAY NOT TURN ASIDE FROM THE COMMANDMENT 12:51 TO DO--TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT. 12:54 THAT HE MIGHT PROLONG HIS DAYS IN HIS KINGDOM AND HIS CHILDREN 12:58 IN THE MIDST OF ISRAEL." 12:59 MOSES HAD SAID IF THE KING WANTS TO BE BLESSED, 13:02 IF THE KING WANTS TO PROPER, HERE'S WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO, 13:06 READ THE WORD, NOT WEEKLY, EVERY DAY. 13:10 HE WAS TO HAVE A SCRIBE. 13:13 GOD HAD TOLD SOLOMON WHEN HE FIRST INSTALLED HIM, 13:18 2 CHRONICLES 7:17, "AS FOR YOU, IF YOU WALK BEFORE ME AS YOUR 13:23 FATHER DAVID WALKED AND DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT I'VE 13:27 COMMANDED YOU, AND IF YOU KEEP MY STATUTES AND MY JUDGMENTS, 13:31 THEN I," GOD SAYS YOU DO THIS, "THEN I WILL ESTABLISH 13:34 THE THRONE OF YOUR KINGDOM AS I COVENANTED WITH DAVID YOUR 13:37 FATHER SAYING IT SHALL NOT FAIL--YOU SHALL NOT FAIL TO HAVE 13:41 A MAN AS A RULER IN ISRAEL. 13:43 BUT IF YOU TURN AWAY AND FORSAKE MY STATUTES AND MY 13:46 COMMANDMENTS THAT I'VE SET BEFORE YOU AND YOU GO AND SERVE 13:49 OTHER GODS AND WORSHIP THEM, THEN I WILL UPROOT THEM FROM 13:52 MY LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN THEM. 13:54 AND THIS HOUSE THAT I'VE SANCTIFIED FOR MY NAME, I WILL 13:56 CAST OUT OF MY SIGHT AND MAKE IT A PROVERB AND A BYWORD 14:01 AMONG ALL THE NATIONS." 14:03 DID THAT HAPPEN? 14:05 SOLOMON SLIPPED AWAY, DID HE LOSE THE KINGDOM? 14:08 AFTER THE DEATH OF SOLOMON, TEN OF THE TRIBES SLIPPED OFF 14:11 AND THERE WAS ANOTHER KINGDOM AND THE KINGDOM OF THE NORTH 14:14 AND ISRAEL FOUGHT FOR YEARS AMONG A KALEIDOSCOPE 14:18 OF OTHER MINOR KINGS. 14:21 YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT. 14:23 IT WASN'T JUST THE WIVES. 14:26 ECCLESIASTES 2:1, "I SAID IN MY HEART, 'COME NOW, I WILL TEST 14:33 YOU WITH MIRTH.'" WITH PLEASURE, JOY, PARTY. 14:36 "'THEREFORE ENJOY PLEASURE, BUT SURELY THIS ALSO WAS A VANITY. 14:41 I SAID OF LAUGHTER, IT IS MADNESS. 14:43 AND OF MIRTH, WHAT DOES IT ACCOMPLISH? 14:46 I SEARCHED IN MY HEART TO KNOW HOW TO GRATIFY MY FLESH.'" 14:51 DON'T LIVE FOR THE FLESH, IF YOU LIVE FOR THE FLESH, YOU 14:53 CANNOT BE ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT. 14:55 SOLOMON ADMITS IT. 14:57 "'TO GRATIFY MY FLESH WITH WINE WHILE GUIDING MY HEART WITH 15:00 WISDOM, CAN I DO BOTH? 15:02 AND HOW TO LAY HOLD ON FOLLY TILL I MIGHT SEE WHAT WAS GOOD 15:05 FOR THE SONS OF MEN TO DO UNTO THE HEAVEN ALL THE DAYS 15:08 OF THEIR LIFE.'" I'M GONNA EXPERIMENT WITH 15:10 THE WORLD AND WITH THE PLEASURES OF SIN BECAUSE I'M DOING A TEST. 15:13 MY LIFE I'M GONNA SPEND A LITTLE TIME, DO A SURVEY 15:16 FOR A FEW YEARS. 15:18 I'M GONNA TRY A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. 15:20 YOU CAN'T EMBRACE FIRE AND NOT BE BURNED, AND THAT'S 15:24 WHAT HE TRIED TO DO. 15:27 "I MADE GREAT WORKS FOR MYSELF. 15:29 I BUILT MYSELF HOUSES." 15:30 I'M IN VERSE 4 ECCLESIASTES 2. 15:32 "I PLANTED MYSELF VINEYARDS. 15:34 I MADE MYSELF GARDENS AND ORCHARDS, AND I PLANTED ALL 15:38 KINDS OF FRUIT TREES IN THEM. 15:39 I MADE MYSELF WATER POOLS FROM WHICH TO WATER THE GROWING 15:42 TREES OF THE GROVE. 15:43 I ACQUIRED MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS, AND I HAD SERVANTS 15:47 BORN IN MY HOUSE. 15:48 YES, I HAD GREATER POSSESSIONS AND HERDS AND FLOCKS THEN ALL 15:51 WHO WERE WITH ME IN JERUSALEM BEFORE ME. 15:56 I ALSO GATHERED FOR MYSELF SILVER AND GOLD AND THE SPECIAL 15:58 TREASURES OF THE KINGS OF THE PROVINCES." 16:01 GOT ALL THE GOLD AND SILVER AND THE TARIFFS THAT CAME. 16:04 "I ACQUIRED MALE AND FEMALE SINGERS." 16:06 HE HAD HIS OWN PRIVATE SINGERS AND ORCHESTRA. 16:09 TODAY IT'S A GOOD STEREO SYSTEM. 16:12 "AND DELIGHTS IN THE SONS OF MEN AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 16:14 OF ALL KINDS. 16:17 SO I BECAME GREAT AND EXCELLED MORE THAN ALL WHO WERE 16:20 BEFORE ME IN JERUSALEM. 16:22 ALSO MY WISDOM REMAINED WITH ME." 16:25 HE SAID, "I STILL SEEM TO HAVE MY WISDOM, BUT NOW IT HAS 16:27 BECOME AN EARTHLY CENTRAL TYPE OF WISDOM." 16:31 HE TRIED AND SATISFY HIMSELF WITH THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH 16:34 AND THE LUSTS OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE. 16:36 AND I WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING I JUST READ. 16:39 HE GOT MIXED UP IN THE MUSIC OF THE WORLD, AND HE MENTIONS THAT 16:44 IN TWO OR THREE VERSES. 16:45 THAT BECAME A POWER STARTED PULLING HIM DOWN. 16:51 IT GOES ON TO SAY, "WHATEVER MY EYES DESIRED I DID NOT KEEP 16:55 FROM THEM." 16:56 LUST OF THE EYES. 16:57 "I DID NOT WITHHOLD MY HEART FROM ANY PLEASURE, FOR MY HEART 17:00 REJOICED IN ALL MY LABOR AND THIS WAS MY REWARD 17:03 IN ALL MY LABOR. 17:05 THEN I LOOKED AT ALL THE WORKS THAT MY HANDS HAD DONE AND ALL 17:08 THE LABOR THAT I TOILED AND INDEED IT WAS VANITY 17:12 AND GRASPING FOR WIND." 17:13 THERE WAS NO PROFIT UNDER THE SUN. 17:17 "THEN I TURNED MYSELF TO CONSIDER WISDOM AND MADNESS 17:19 AND FOLLY. 17:20 FOR WHAT CAN ONE DO THAT EXCEEDS THE KING?" 17:23 SOLOMON SAID, "I TRIED EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, 17:25 ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD." 17:28 "ONLY WHAT HE'S ALREADY DONE THAT I SAW THAT WISDOM EXCEEDS 17:31 FOLLY AS LIGHT EXCEEDS DARKNESS." 17:33 THE WISE MEN'S EYES ARE IN HIS HEAD, BUT THE FOOL WALKS IN 17:36 DARKNESS. 17:37 "YET, I MYSELF PERCEIVE THAT THE SAME EVENT HAPPENS 17:40 TO THEM ALL." 17:41 THE WISE, THE FOOL, WE'RE ALL DYING. 17:44 NOW I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF ECCLESIASTES, BUT THE 17:48 CONCLUSION OF THE BOOK I WILL READ 'CAUSE THIS IS THE 17:50 CONCLUSION. 17:51 THIS IS THE FINAL MORAL OF WHAT SOLOMON HAS TO SAY. 17:54 GO TO ECCLESIASTES 12. 17:58 YOU CAN READ VERSE 12, "AND FURTHER MY SON BE 18:01 ADMONISHED BY THESE OF MAKING MANY BOOKS THERE IS NO END." 18:07 AND SOLOMON DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE INTERNET. 18:10 "AND MUCH STUDIES ARE WEARINESS TO THE FLESH." 18:12 HE SAYS, YOU CAN GATHER WISDOM, BUT THERE'S ONLY A LIMIT TO HOW 18:15 MUCH WISDOM A MAN CAN TAKE IN. 18:17 SO HE WRAPS IT ALL UP. 18:19 HE SAYS, "I WILL SUMMARIZE FOR YOU EVERYTHING THAT I'VE 18:23 LEARNED IN TWO VERSES NOW AS THE WISEST MAN WHOEVER LIVED 18:27 THAT TRIED EVERYTHING YOU CAN TRY." 18:29 WHAT'S HIS CONCLUSION? 18:32 "FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS FOR THIS 18:36 IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. 18:39 FOR GOD WILL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT WITH EVERY SECRET 18:42 THING." 18:44 SOLOMON BEGAN TO SHUTTER ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS HE DID, 18:47 ALL THOSE SECRET THINGS, ALL THE WASTED YEARS 18:49 AND THE FOLLY, THE COMPROMISE WITH THE PAGAN DEITIES. 18:54 AND HE CAME TO HIS SENSES. 18:55 MATTER OF FACT ECCLESIASTES IS SOMETHING OF A BOOK WHERE HE 18:58 REPORTS HIS REPENTANCE. 19:00 YOU KNOW I'D LIKE TO READ FOR YOU AN INSPIRED PASSAGE FROM 19:03 THE BOOK "PROPHETS AND KINGS." 19:05 THIS IS PAGE 78. 19:06 I'D INVITE YOU TO READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER. 19:08 IT'S ABOUT THE REPENTANCE OF SOLOMON. 19:11 IT SAYS, "YET THE LORD FORSOOK HIM NOT." 19:15 DON'T FORGET IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PRAYERS 19:17 OF HIS FATHER. 19:18 DON'T STOP PRAYING FOR YOUR KIDS. 19:21 "BY MESSAGES OF REPROOF AND BY SEVERE JUDGMENTS, THE LORD 19:25 SOUGHT TO AROUSE THE KING TO A REALIZATION OF THE SINFULNESS 19:28 OF HIS COURSE. 19:30 HE REMOVED HIS PROTECTING CARE AND PERMITTED ADVERSARIES 19:32 TO HARASS HIM AND TO WEAKEN THE KINGDOM. 19:35 THE LORD STIRRED UP AN ADVERSARY TO SOLOMON, HADAD THE 19:38 EDOMITE, AND GOD STIRRED UP AGAINST HIM ANOTHER ADVERSARY, 19:41 RESON, CAPTAIN OVER A BAND WHO ARBORED OR HE HATED ISRAEL. 19:45 HE REIGNED OVER SYRIA. 19:47 AND JEROBOAM, SOLOMON'S SERVANT, A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR, 19:50 BETRAYED THE KING AND HE LEFT. 19:51 EVEN HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THE KING." 19:54 SO WHEN BEGAN TO TURN AWAY FROM GOD TO SAVE HIM, GOD ALLOWED 19:58 TRIALS AND ADVERSARIES TO TRY TO GET HIM TO PRAY AGAIN, 20:02 TO SEE HIS NEED. 20:04 "AT LAST THE LORD, THROUGH A PROPHET, DELIVERED A MESSAGE 20:07 TO SOLOMON WITH A STARTLING MESSAGE. 20:10 FOR AS MUCH AS THIS IS DONE OF THEE THAT YOU HAVE NOT KEPT MY 20:14 COVENANT AND MY STATUTES THAT I'VE COMMANDED THEE, 20:17 I WILL SURELY REND THE KINGDOM FROM THEE AND GIVE IT TO YOUR 20:20 SERVANT. 20:22 NOTWITHSTANDING IN THE THY DAYS, I WILL NOT DO IT FOR DAVID 20:26 THY FATHER'S SAKE, BUT I'M GONNA REND IT OUT 20:29 OF THE HAND OF THY SON." 20:30 HE SAID DID THAT. 20:31 REHOBOAM, HIS SON, LOST 10 OUT OF 12 TRIBES. 20:37 "AWAKENED AS FROM A DREAM BY THIS SENTENCE OF JUDGMENT." 20:41 SOLOMON, BECAUSE OF HIS BAD BEHAVIOR, HAD LOST THE KINGDOM 20:44 THAT HIS FATHER DAVID HAD WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD UP 20:47 AND GIVE HIM. 20:49 "AWAKENED AS FROM A DREAM BY THE SENTENCE OF JUDGMENT. 20:52 PRONOUNCED AGAINST HIM AND HIS HOUSE. 20:54 SOLOMON WITH QUICKENED CONSCIENCE BEGAN TO SEE HIS 20:56 FOLLY IN ITS TRUE LIGHT. 20:58 CHASTENED IN SPIRIT WITH MIND AND BODY AND FEEBLED, HE TURNED 21:03 WEARY AND THIRSTING FROM EARTH'S BROKEN CISTERNS." 21:07 HE TRIED DRINKING FROM THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD 21:09 THAT WERE BROKEN AND DRY. 21:11 "TO DRINK ONCE MORE FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 21:14 FOR HIM AT LAST THE DISCIPLINE OF SUFFERING HAD ACCOMPLISHED 21:17 ITS WORK. 21:19 LONG HE HAD BEEN HARASSED BY THE FEAR OF UTTER RUIN BECAUSE 21:22 OF THE INABILITY TO TURN FROM FOLLY." 21:25 HE HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND HIM INCLUDING HIS WIVES PUSHING 21:29 HIM OFF COURSE AND HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TURN BACK. 21:32 "GOD HAD NOT UTTERLY CAST HIM OFF, BUT HE STOOD READY TO 21:35 DELIVER HIM FROM A BONDAGE MORE CRUEL THAN THE GRAVE FROM 21:39 WHICH HE HAD TO POWER TO FREE HIMSELF. 21:42 IN GRATITUDE, SOLOMON ACKNOWLEDGED THE POWER AND THE 21:45 LOVINGKINDNESS OF ONE WHO IS HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST." 21:49 THAT'S A QUOTE FROM ECCLESIASTES 5:8. 21:51 "IN PENANCE, HE BEGAN TO RETRACE HIS STEPS TOWARDS 21:54 THE EXALTED PLAIN OF PURITY AND HOLINESS FROM WHICH HE HAD 21:58 FALLEN SO FAR. 21:59 HE COULD NEVER HOPE TO ESCAPE THE BLASTING RESULTS OF SIN." 22:02 EVEN THOUGH YOU REPENT OF YOUR SINS, THERE'S THE THIEF ON THE 22:05 CROSS REPENTED IN THE LAST HOUR LIKE SOLOMON, BUT HE DIDN'T 22:09 COME OFF THE CROSS, DID HE? 22:12 SOLOMON COULDN'T REVERSE ALL OF THE JUDGMENTS AND CONSEQUENCES. 22:17 "HE COULD NEVER FREE HIS MIND FROM ALL THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE 22:19 SELF-INDULGENT COURSE HE HAD BEEN PURSUING, BUT HE WOULD 22:23 ENDEAVOR EARNESTLY TO DISSUADE OTHERS FROM FOLLOWING AFTER 22:26 FOLLY." 22:27 THAT'S WHY HE WROTE THE BOOK ECCLESIASTES. 22:29 "HE WOULD HUMBLY CONFESS THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS AND LIFT 22:32 HIS VOICE IN WARNING." 22:35 BOTH IN WORD AND IN WRITING. 22:36 "LEST OTHERS BE IRRETRIEVABLY LOST BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE 22:39 FOR EVIL THAT HE HAD SET IN OPERATION." 22:43 AND THIS IN EFFECT TALKS ABOUT THE REPENTANCE OF SOLOMON. 22:46 THE BIBLE HAS VERY LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT IT UNLESS YOU READ 22:48 THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES. 22:51 BUT I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE MERCY OF GOD THAT EVEN THOUGH 22:54 HE FELL IN JUST ABOUT EVERY WAY A PERSON CAN FALL, GOD HAD PITY 22:58 ON HIM. 23:00 WELL, WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS STORY OF SOLOMON THAT EVEN 23:04 THOUGH HE HAD EVERY BLESSING, RAISED IN THE CHURCH, EDUCATED 23:09 IN THE CHURCH BY NATHAN THE PROPHET, BLESSED FINANCIALLY, 23:12 BLESSED WITH WISDOM, BLESSED WITH HEALTH. 23:15 HE HAD ALL THESE THINGS. 23:16 HE THEN THOUGHT THAT HE COULD USE HIS WISDOM TO STILL TAKE 23:19 THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP 23:23 THINGS UNDER CONTROL. 23:24 BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT. 23:25 YOU WRESTLE WITH A BOA CONSTRICTOR, IT'S GONNA WRAP 23:27 ITSELF AROUND YOUR NECK. 23:29 AND HE FINALLY REALIZED THE DANGER OF THE COURSE HE WAS ON, 23:34 TURNED BACK TO THE LORD. 23:35 IT WAS THE WORD OF GOD, BY THE WAY, THAT GOT HIS ATTENTION. 23:38 DID YOU CATCH THAT? 23:39 A MESSAGE FROM GOD'S PROPHET THAT GOT HIS ATTENTION. 23:42 THERE MIGHT BE SOME LISTENING TODAY THAT HAVE NEGLECTED THE 23:45 MESSAGES FROM GOD'S PROPHET AND ARE DRIFTING AWAY FROM 23:48 THE LORD OR BEING IN TOO MANY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORLD THAT 23:52 ARE BECOMING PRIMARY INSTEAD OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT 23:55 NEEDS TO BE THE FIRST THING THAT WE SEEK. 23:59 IF WE THINK WE'RE SAFE BECAUSE "HEY, I CAN TAMPER WITH A WORLD 24:02 BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SMART AND I'LL KNOW HOW TO STOP," 24:05 SOLOMON COULDN'T STOP IT. 24:07 SAMSON FELL. 24:09 YOU CAN'T--YOU CAN'T PLAY WITH SIN LIKE THAT WITHOUT BEING 24:13 INJURED BY IT AND SERIOUSLY DAMAGED. 24:15 AND THE CONSEQUENCES NEVER CHANGED. 24:17 WHEN SOLOMON DIED, THE KINGDOM WAS LOST. 24:21 EIGHTY PERCENT, NO, NINETY PERCENT OF THE KINGDOM 24:24 WAS LOST. 24:25 THE TEMPLE WILL SOME DAY, AND THE FUTURE WAS DESTROYED 24:28 AND YOU CAN TRACE ALL OF THIS BACK TO THE COMPROMISES 24:31 THAT HE MADE. 24:33 YOU KNOW IF ANYTHING WE CAN LEARN FROM THE STORY OF 24:35 SOLOMON, GOD'S WORD NEVER FAILS. 24:40 YOU LOOK AT WHAT MOSES SAID, MOSES PROMISED THE CHILDREN OF 24:44 ISRAEL ALL OF THESE BLESSINGS IF THEY OBEYED HIM. 24:48 EVERYTHING THAT MOSES SAID THEY'D RECEIVE, THEY RECEIVED 24:51 DURING THIS TIME OF SOLOMON. 24:53 IT WAS ALL FULFILLED THEN. 24:54 THEY WERE ON TOP OF THE WORLD, AND MOSES ALSO WARNED AND IF 24:57 THE KING MULTIPLIES SILVER AND GOLD AND MULTIPLIES CHARIOTS 25:02 AND MULTIPLIES WIVES AND BEGINS TRUSTING IN THE THINGS OF THE 25:05 WORLD, HE'S GONNA LOSE IT ALL. 25:08 IT'S A VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE FOR YOU AND ME. 25:10 THEY WERE BLESSED WHEN THEY OBEYED GOD. 25:13 THEY WERE CURSED WHEN THEY TURNED AWAY. 25:15 GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU, AND IT COMES FROM SEEKING FIRST HIS 25:18 KINGDOM, FROM TRUSTING IN HIS WORD. 25:21 NOT ONLY BEING A HEARER, BUT A DOER OF HIS WORD. 25:23 IS THAT YOUR DESIRE TO SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM? 25:27 >> STAY TUNED, PASTOR DOUG WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THIS WEEK'S 25:29 SPECIAL OFFER. 25:33 >> WHY IS IT THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN ACCELERATION OF 25:36 NATURAL DISASTERS? 25:37 IS GOD TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING? 25:43 >> IS THERE A PROPHETIC CLOCK THAT'S TICKING? 25:49 >> HOW CAN WE KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS? 25:52 WHERE DO WE FIND THE ANSWERS? 25:56 >> ARE WE RUNNING OUT OF TIME? 26:04 >> IN THE SAME WAY ALL OF THE PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM 26:07 REVOLVE ARND THE SUN, EVERYTHING WE DO HERE AT 26:10 AMAZING FACTS REVOLVES AROUN THE NUCLEUS OF GOD'S WORD, 26:14 THE SCRIPTURES. 26:15 TH'S WHY WE' vEREXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE RELEASE 26:18 OF A NEW RESOURCE THAT WILL BLESS YOU IN YOUR PERSAL 26:21 STY. 26:22 IT'S THE AMAZING FACTS PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE, AND THIS BIBLE IS 26:25 LIKE NO OTHER. 26:27 IT IS FILLED WITH WONDERFUL RESOURCES. 26:29 OF COURSE, IT HAS A CONCORDANCE. 26:31 IT HAS THE MAPS, RED-LETTER EDITION, NEW KING JAMES 26:33 VERSION, HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE. 26:36 AND BEST OF ALL, ALL 27 OF THE POPULAR AMAZING FACTS STUDY 26:40 GUIDES ARE IN THIS BIBLE ANSWERING QUESTIONS LIKE, 26:45 HOW WILL JESUS COME? 26:46 WHO IS THE BEAST? 26:47 WHAT IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST? 26:49 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DEATH AND HELL AND HEAVEN 26:52 AND MUCH MORE. 26:53 IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS 26:55 INCREDIBLE BIBLE STUDY RESOURCE, THEN SIMPLY CALL THE 26:58 TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN OR GO TO AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 27:04 [MUSIC] >> FRIENDS, ONE OF THE GREATEST 27:10 TASKS FOR A CHRISTIAN IS TO SHARE HIS OR HER FAITH. 27:14 UNFORTUNATELY TODAY WITH ALL THE DISTRACTIONS IN THE WORLD, 27:17 IT'S BECOMING LESS COMMON FOR CHRISTIANS TO DO ANY 27:20 REAL WITNESSING. 27:22 MAYBE YOU FALL IN THIS CATEGORY OR MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN EXCITED 27:25 BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH. 27:27 WE KNOW THERE ARE CHRISTIANS TODAY THAT LIVE IN A HOSTILE 27:30 ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT'S BECOMING LESS ACCEPTABLE TO BE 27:32 A WITNESS, THAT'S WHY WE'RE OFFERING YOU RIGHT NOW A 27:36 SPECIAL BOOK ENTITLED "CHRIST'S WAY OF MAKING DISCIPLES." 27:40 THIS BOOK EXPLORES THE PROGRESSIVE STEPS TAKEN BY 27:42 JESUS SO MANY YEARS AGO THAT REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD. 27:46 PLEASE CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER AND ASK, RIGHT NOW, FOR 27:49 OFFER NUMBER 286 OR IF YOU PREFER, VISIT THE WEB SITE AT 27:53 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 27:56 YOU CAN ALSO STILL WRITE US AT AMAZING FACTS. 27:59 ASK FOR OFFER NUMBER 286, P.O. BOX 1058, 28:04 ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA 95678. 28:08 WELL, TIME HAS ESCAPED US FOR THIS EDITION OF 28:11 "AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS." 28:13 >> THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO 28:15 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL OFFER. 28:19 JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE TO 28:22 NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN |
Revised 2015-02-05