ALL
THE KINGS OF THE BIBLELessons
from the good, wise, evil, and ho-hum kings of the agesA
Study by Steve Van Nattan Kings
in the Bible are important to edify us in applying Bible truth as it relates to
rulers over us. All
the kings of the Bible are a great way to see the glorious ideal in our Lord Jesus
Christ, King of Kings. In
this study you will have to fill in sometimes where I have put up titles or illustrations.
These are taken from my experience or from historic writings. You
need to understand that historic writings are interesting, but the Bible is the
final authority. Try
to think of some illustration from your life or the Bible that helps you. I
will try to add the stories at a later date. |
SERMON
TITLE:
KINGS OF THE BIBLE: WHAT THEY TEACH US
OUTLINE:
1.
THE FIRST HINT
OF A KING.
2. THE
KINGS BEFORE ISRAEL AS A STATE.
3. MELCHIZEDEK,
THE MODEL KING.
4. OTHER
HEATHEN KINGS
5. THE
KINGS OF ISRAEL.
6. THE
KINGS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA.
7. THE
MESSIAH: KING OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD.
8. HOW
SHOULD WE THEN LIVE WITH OUR "KING"?
1.
THE FIRST HINT OF A KING. Kings are a result of sin.
Kingdom- Speaks of sovereignty. Fallen man wants to reign over God's creation.
Genesis
10:8 And Cush begat (1) Nimrod: he began to
be a mighty one in the earth. [Cf Micah 7:2]
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod
the mighty hunter before the LORD. [Cf II
Chron. 1:10]
10 And the beginning
of his (2) kingdom
was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. [Cf
Micah 5:2-6 Peace is Messiah vs. Babylon]
1. Nimrod the hunter
hunted men's souls according to archaeological discoveries in Mesopotamia. He
was the first one to invent cities, and he also invented the god and goddess arrangement
of divinity. This has come all the way down to us today in hundreds of god and
goddess epics and legends, including the Roman Catholic god and his consort, Mary.
The heathen of 300 AD would not accept monotheism, so the priests of Constantine
rearranged the biblical godhead to fit their lusts. The first king in the Bible
was very influential indeed. 2.
Kings claim divine right Satan
defines sovereignty: Genesis 3:5 For God doth know
that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil.
BACK
TO TOP 2.
THE FIRST KINGS BEFORE ISRAEL AS A STATE.
a. The first kings show
us the pattern for all time. Genesis
14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of
(1) Shinar,
Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal (2)
king of nations;
2 That (3)
these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinar
king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
3 (4)
All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
(1.)
Shinar is with us from its founding to the last hour of the Great tribulation.
CF Rev. 18:19 -
What does this tell us about kingdoms? Ans. They persist, good or evil. Satan
greatly needs kingdoms. Note his title!CF Eph. 2:2
Satan loves to rule. CF
II Cor. 4:4
Satan rules in kings. CF Eph. 6:11-12
His rule in kings
of end times. CF Rev. 17:10- 12
Ellasar is thought to be early Assyria &
Semitic. (2.)
Kings need to conquer nations. Discuss
Assyria and Israel CF II Kings 18:17-19 and 29-36
Based on the passages,
do you see why Hezekiah tried to pay them off and didn't believe the "corn and
wine" story?
Assyria used to punish Israel, CF II Kings 17:6; 23-24
Assyria turned to favor Jews, CF Ezra 6"21-22
(3.) Kings make war.
Discuss all the reasons kings
give to make war.
Assyria was honest- to rule men.
CF I Chron. 20:1 War is planned by the
calendar!
CF Rev. 16:14 Kings war against God and Christ
CF Rev.
20:7-9 Last act of man will be war! ! ! !
(4.) Kings get together. Note history, Discuss. World War I and II. Stalin.
Note the unlikely characters who hug for war!
Desert
storm- one ally was Syria! Absurd.
So, war breaks downs man's standards.
CF Psalm 83:1-8 Note Lot's heritage.
Isa, 7:1-2 Confederacy by Israel
to attack Judah.
APPLICATION: What can we learn about kings then and now?
Should we help kings
who rage or exalt war? What are our options? Jesus example-
Luke
13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee
out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
32 And he said unto them,
Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and
to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
FOX- Jesus used a word of derision here. 1
John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother.
Are kings exempt from our message? CF Matt. 14:3-4
Can we be at peace with
Caesar and God? Discuss. CF Matt. 22:20-21 BACK
TO TOP
a. Melchizedek and Abram- Genesis 14:14-23 Genesis
14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive,
(1.)
he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen,
and pursued them unto Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and
his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is
on the left hand of Damascus. Genesis
16 And he brought back all the goods,
and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and
the people.
17 And
(2)
the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of
Chedorla- omer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh,
which is the king's dale.
18 (3.)
And
Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and (4)
he was
the priest of the most high God.
19 (5)
And
he blessed him, and said,
(6)
Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
WORD STUDY IN BLESSING GOD
VS. BLASPHEMING HIM
Psalm 41:13; 66:20; 68:19; 68:35; 72:18; I Cor 12:3;
I Tim. 1:13 and 20; James 3:10; Mt. 28:9; Lk 1:28; II Sam. 7:26; Psalm 70:4.
CONTRAST-
Druids and Rothschild
pyramid cult. James 2:6-7; Rev 13:1 and 5-6; Mt. 26:49; 27:29; 26:74; Acts 26:11;
Heb. 10:29. Genesis
14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into
thy hand.
(7)
And
he gave him tithes of all.
Genesis 14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons,
(8)
and take the goods to thyself.
Genesis 14:22 And Abram said to the king of
Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor
of heaven and earth, Genesis 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to
a shoelatchet, and that
(9)
I
will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say,
(10)
I have made Abram rich: (1)
He armed his trained servants for warfare- (vs. 14)
Confrontations with kings
is after spiritual warfare.
Why? Answer:
-Ehp. 6:12; Col. 2:15 Christ started it.
If
you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
-I Thess 2:18; II Thess.
2:9 All power!
-I Tim 3:6-7 or "trained" by the head warrior.
-James
4:7 their mind must be conditioned before the battle begins. ILL. bayonet drill.
-I Peter 5:8-9 on guard expecting attack. ILL. Dad in the islands on guard
duty.
The commander would much rather
have a frightened wide awake guard than a drowsy
unfearful one. -I John 2:13-14 Warfare won't wait for spiritual maturity.
Youth is
desirable. Old men are very
susceptible to mellowing out and falling back on past
victories.
-Jude 1:3 and 9 Contentious, that's what we
MUST be.
-Rev. 2:13 Christ name and our faith are chief weapons.
-Rev.
12:11-12 The shorter the time, the greater the level of warfare.
-II Sam
12:1-7 Example of war with a king.
-Matt. 14:1-11 The price is high for the
faithful. Accuse a king only of sin clearly condemned by
God's Word. "It is not lawful"
(2) The king of Sodom went out to meet him. (Gen. 14:17)
Spiritual battle is the
most deadly. Why? Answer: DISCUSS 2
Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5. Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; SPIRITUAL
WARFARE IS DEADLY, BUT IT IS A HIGHER ORDER THAN PHYSICAL WAR. IT INCLUDES
WAR ON THE MIND. Romans
6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:
but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Romans
13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the
works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
1
Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate
of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1
Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies
which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
Jeremiah
1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to
root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to
plant. Hebrews
11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about
seven days. THE
KING OF SODOM REPRESENTED SATAN IN THE OFFER IN VERSE 21. THE BATTLE WAS IN THE
MIND AND WILL OF ABRAHAM. NOTE
IN VS. 21 THE BACKWARDS VALUES: ABRAHAM WENT TO SAVE PERSONS OR SOULS. HE REJECTED
EARTHLY SPOILS. THE KING OF SODOM WANTED SOULS. HE WOULD GIVE UP "GOODS" TO GET
THE SOULS! ILL. MT. 18:12-14; MK. 8:35-37 Revelation
12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
8. And prevailed not; neither was their
place found any more in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that
old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he
was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
(3) Melchizedek,
king of Salem, brought bread and wine. (14:18) (a).
Spiritual victory is rewarded both spiritually and physically.
Matthew
6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you. Jeremiah
22:3 Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the
spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the
stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
4. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates
of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on
horses, he, and his servants, and his people. Romans
2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew
first, and also to the Gentile: The reward is not always physical "goods". What
do we want? (b)
THE GREATEST REWARD IS FROM THE PRINCE OF PEACE. MELCHIZEDEK WAS THE PRINCE OF
PEACE TO ABRAHAM. LISTEN TO JESUS: Mark
10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest:
go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Revelation
22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be. (c)
WE MUST CHOSE WHERE WE WANT TO INHERIT, HERE OR IN THE KINGDOM. ABRAHAM GAVE UP
OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME VERY RICH AND POWERFUL IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
Hebrews
12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,
whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Listen to Joe
Morecraft in "With Liberty and Justice for all, Christian Politics Made Simple"
page 167: He is quoting Larry MacDonald who is promoted as a Christian congressman
speaking the night before his death: "The
kingdom of Christ is one, and cannot be divided in life or in death. If the Church
languishes, the State cannot be in health; and if the State rebels against its
Lord and King, the Church cannot enjoy His favor. If the Holy Spirit is withdrawn
from the Church, He is not present in the State; and if He, the only "Lord of
life", be absent, then all is impossible, and the elements of society lapse backward
to primeval night and chaos."
The chaos is in the mind of this man who thinks the Holy Spirit can leave the
Church. He missed one very important text-- the words of Jesus:
John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but
now is my kingdom not from hence.
ABRAHAM REJECTED ALL ADVANTAGE WITH THE STATE.
HE ALSO PASSED UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OVER SODOM. HE HAD THE ADVANTAGE IN
EVERY WAY. THIS IS A VERY POTENT LESSON. 1
Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
DID ABRAHAM
RECEIVE A BLESSING? ANSWER: VS. 18- 19 !
BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. DO WE WANT WEALTH FROM THE WORLD OR A PIECE OF BREAD
FROM CHRIST? THE BLESSING IS MUCH MORE VALUABLE.
BACK
TO TOP 4.
OTHER HEATHEN KINGS
a.
Pharaoh There
were about 14 Pharaohs mentioned in the Old Testament. Only three are covered
in enough detail to learn from them.
(1) Genesis 12:10-20 Abram and Pharaoh Genesis
12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn
there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
11 And it came to pass, when
he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold
now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 Therefore it shall
come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is
his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Say, I
pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my
soul shall live because of thee.
14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram
was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the
woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
16 And he entreated Abram well for her
sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants,
and she asses, and camels.
17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with
great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. Genesis
18 And Pharaoh called
Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell
me that she was thy wife?
19Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might
have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go
thy way.
20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him
away, and his wife, and all that he had.
What do we learn about kings from Abram's behavior? Answer: They are fearful or
dangerous. What
did God think of Abram's method of dealing with the king? Answer: Abram lost his
testimony. The unsaved rejected him.
Apply to today? Luke 12:11-12 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and
unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer,
or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what
ye ought to say.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN ACTION.
Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them
before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we
straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have
filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon
us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew
and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a
Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost,
whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were
cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called
the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them
of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able
to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
WHAT IS THE KEY TO THIS
WITNESS? ANSWER: THE HOLY SPIRIT. CF.
James 1:5; 3:7 Planning ahead often results in mean words.
Col. 4:6; Titus
1:10-11 Some Christians abhor controversy in speaking to the lost, especially
kings. Is this right?
Ez. 21:26-27 Are we to overturn today?
Ans. II
Cor. 10:4-5.
Example: Matt. 14:3-4 John would have lived longer if he had
kept quiet. What do you think? (2)
Joseph and Pharaoh- Genesis 37-50 (selected
texts used)
Egypt was under the rule of Hyksos-
Discuss Cf. 37:23-27- Semitic rule in
Egypt by Shepherd Kings of Nabatea (Arabs).
Circa 1700 BC 15the Dynasty.
Joseph
ends up in a good situation.
Cf. 39:1-6 Potifar was an officer of Pharaoh.
Cf. 39:21-23 (Review story of Potifar's wife) Arabs never any good at management
of national matters.
ILL. today in Emirates etc. They prefer to just get
along.
Pharaohs and kings are fickle:
Cf. 40:20-22 (Review story) How to get along
well with kings: Gen. 41
FIRST, vs. 14, be presentable. Story- Ethiopia. BBF cowboys. SIM rule re: shaving-
by 10:00 even on vacation.
Personality- Daniel 6:1
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which
should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom
Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents
and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set
him over the whole realm.
SECOND, vs. 25, Give God the glory.
Story- Daniel 2:26
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able
to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which
the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the
soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth
secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter
days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
THIRD, vs. 25-36,
When you bring up a problem, give a solution.
Story- John Cumbers in Addis.
Numbers 13:25-30. God rewards those who have zeal to be part of the solution.
FOURTH,
41:53-57 and 47:13-26 What about Reconstructionist zeal to destroy the tax system
and the government? Did he make people hate him? Vs. 25.
Story- Missionaries
in Ethiopia. Famine relief.
Also, work under Emperor's blessing.
1
Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are
in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth.
Kansas 7- Vineyard prophets- Prophesied of Clinton's winning election. 80% CORRECT,
SO OF SATAN. Say we must support Clinton's policies because Clinton to be saved
half way through term. SHOULD WE SUPPORT EVIL POLICIES? WHAT SHALL WE DO?
1
Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
(3) Moses and Pharaoh- [ This study not yet done. ]
BACK
TO TOP 5. THE
KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH.
[ start at page 14 in MSPUB
]
BACK
TO TOP 6.
THE KINGS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA
BACK
TO TOP 7.
THE MESSIAH: KING OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD
BACK
TO TOP 8.
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE WITH OUR "KING"?
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