View Resource Online
Guarding A Fallacy
Sin Will Remove the Genuine
FOCUS
“Man was formed by God, deformed by the devil, he must be informed by the ministry, then transformed by the Holy Spirit.
INTRODUCTION
I recently read a story about how the Romans sometimes compelled a captive to be joined face-to-face with a dead body, and to bear it about until the horrible effluvia (odor, discharge) destroyed the life of the living victim. Virgil describes this cruel punishment: ‘The living and the dead at his command Were coupled face to face, and hand to hand; Till choked with stench, in loathed embraces tied, The lingering wretches pined away and died. Without Christ, we are shackled to a dead corpse — our sinfulness. Only repentance frees us from certain death, for life and death cannot coexist indefinitely.” Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations
As horrible as this story seems it reveals to us the hideousness of sin in our lives. The life that is bound to sin will eventually be consumed by the demoralization and spiritual death of the one who is carrying it. Sin never just disappears without us making a firm choice to remove it from being attached to us. You may attempt to hide it…cover it up…push it to the back of your mind…but it will never be removed until you have experienced your own genuine relationship with God. A relationship that is founded on faith in Him…repentance of your sins…obedience to His Word…cleansing through being buried with Him in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Then finally allowing His Spirit to come into you and fill you to overflowing until you receive the greatest gift this side of glory. That gift is nothing less than the Holy Ghost that is evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives us the ability!
TEXT:
1 Kings 11:38
38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
SCRIPTURE LESSON:
1 Kings 14:25-28
25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.
28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
KJV
I. THE PROMISE OF GOD’S BLESSINGS TO SOLOMON
A. God grants Solomon wisdom and knowledge and riches.
2 Chron 1:8-12
8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9 Now , O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
II. THE CONDITION OF THE LORD’S BLESSINGS ON SOLOMON
1 Kings 9:1-9
1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
III. SOLOMON’S BLESSINGS POURED OUT
A. His material blessings from God through men.
1 Kings 10:14-16
14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold.
15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
B. Solomon’s use of these material blessings.
I Kings 10:17-21
17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
21 And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
B. The Queen of Sheba
Just prior to this time the Queen of Sheba had come to observe Solomon and his kingdom. She had come with many gifts including a great sum of gold, which she gave in honor of the King. Her real purpose was to see Solomon in action because she had heard so many stories concerning his tremendous wisdom and concern for those of whom he ruled. After her time with Him she uttered the infamous words that many of us have read and heard since we were in Sunday School. She said, “The half has not been told…” I Kings 10:7
C. Calculations of the cost of the shields in current market values:
GENUINE GOLD SHIELDS
300 Shields
X 3 Pounds
900 Total Pounds
X16 Ounces per pound
14, 400 Total Ounces
X 371 Today’s gold per ounce
$ 5,342,400.00 Current Value of Shields
$17,808.00 per “GOLDEN” shield
IV. SOLOMON’S SIN TURNED HIM AWAY FROM GOD AND INTO THE PATH OF CERTAIN DESTRUCTION.
1 Kings 11:1-13
1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
V. THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
A. Jeroboam – Ten Tribes
1 Kings 11:29-34
29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
32(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
B. Rehoboam – The Tribe of Judah
1 Kings 14:21-28
21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.
28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
Lam 4:1-2
1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
BRAZEN SHIELDS (An alloy made up of copper and brass)
300 Shields
X 3 Pounds
900 Total Pounds
X .89 per pound
$ 801.00 Current Value of Brazen Shields = $ 2.67 per shield
Difference of cost between each golden shield and each brazen shield $17,805.33
TOTAL DIFFERENCE IN VALUE
Golden (Genuine) $5,342,400.00
Brazen (False) $ 801.00
$5,341,599.00
Which would you rather have?
VI. Guarding a Fallacy
A. I sometimes wonder why people think they can hide from the Lord. The scripture says in Ecclesiastes 10:20, “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.” KJV The Bible also shares in Luke 12:2-3 the following words of Jesus, “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” KJV You may run friend but you ain’t gonna hide!
B. Maybe there is something in your life that you have been guarding. You pride yourself in the “pomp and circumstance.” You put out the brazen shields in hopes that no one will notice that they are not genuine. Why! You have even positioned guards to protect them from too close of scrutiny. Every morning you sound the trumpets and the guards lift the shields high as they marched stately to their positions and hang them in place once again for all to see. If only they knew that they weren’t genuine. If only they would take a closer look they would find that the shields are cheap replicas. Counterfeits! Useless worthless pieces of junk. You know it but no one else does except of course maybe those who have conspired to produce such cheap replicas. They too have chosen to “Guard a Fallacy” possibly in hope of developing some sort of pact for self-promotion or selfish gain.
C. Friend’s! Take note today! If you are guarding a fallacy it is time for you to take down the façade and fall into the merciful arms of the master.
§ You can’t live this lie forever!
§ You can’t keep sweeping these things under the rug and hope to live peaceably before God and your loved ones.
§ You must repent!
§ You must repent now!
§ You must repent here!
§ The trumpeters are preparing to sound.
§ The guards are getting ready to open the massive doors to the “House of the Forest of Lebanon” (this is parallel with the inner emotions of our hearts).
§ The sun is just about to peek over the eastern horizon.
§ But wait!
§ Stop!
§ Don’t let them parade with the fake today.
§ Don’t let them lift up the brazen shields.
§ Restore the real…
§ The genuine…
§ The purest of GOLD before they make their way into your world this morning!
When they sound the trumpet this morning let there be a clarion sound that proclaims a “new thing” has happened in your soul today.
§ Don’t “Guard a Fallacy” any longer.
§ Give Him your genuine worship and praise.
§ Glisten in His goodness!
§ Shout in His Shekinah!
§ Revel in His revelation and renewal!
§ Recognize the only thing that will bring absolute peace and joy into your spirit is the genuine experience of His Spirit in you!
GENUINE GOLD SHIELDS
300 Shields
X 3 Pounds
900 Total Pounds
X16 Ounces per pound
14, 400 Total Ounces
X 371 Today’s gold per ounce
$ 5,342,400.00 Current Value of GOLDEN Shields
$17,808.00 per “GOLDEN” shield
BRAZEN SHIELDS
300 Shields
X 3 Pounds
900 Total Pounds
X .89 per pound
$ 801.00 Current Value of Brazen Shields = $ 2.67 per shield
Difference of cost between each golden shield and each brazen shield $17805.33
TOTAL DIFFERENCE IN VALUE
Golden (Genuine) $5,342,400.00
Brazen (False) $ 801.00
$5,341,599.00
