1. BURDEN OF KINGS Proverbs 25-29

2. God’s Expectations  God has made it abundantly clear that he has expectations for those who would rule.  Deuteronomy 17:14-20 He shall be chosen from the people He shall not multiply his horses Shall not multiply his wives Shall not seek after money He shall make a copy of the Law, and read it regularly

3. Why These?  God wants the Kings that rule to represent His character, and not stray from the expectations He has for the people  Chosen From the People: God wants His kings to have been raised in the Law – growing up with the Law means they understand it and the values and morals it imparts better than anyone who hadn’t  Shall not Multiply his Horses: God does not want His kings to be concerned with building their empires – God will protect them, God will strengthen them

4.  Shall not Multiply his Wives: God wants His kings to guard their hearts from lust, or feeling like they can own people, women especially.  Shall not Seek after Money: God wants His kings to not be concerned with wealth and how to get more of it. God provides for your needs, every time. Trust Him!  Make a Copy of the Law: God wants His kings to remember His words, bind them on their hearts and minds, and make sure their actions are filtered through it.

5. King Saul?  How did King Saul shape up to God’s expectations?  From the people?  Came from Gibeah, family of the Mitrites, Tribe of Benjamin  Multiply Horses?  Not really, he fought when God told him to

6.  Multiply his Wives?  Actually, not really. He had one wife, Ahinoam. Unfortunately, he also had a concubine (a slave girl he slept with) named Rizpah  Seek after Money?  Not really. God had blessed Israel, and Saul came from a wealthy family – he wasn’t trying to go after wealth  Made a copy of the law?  Nope.

7. So Why is Saul Bad?  Saul had followed most of God’s commands, but he failed in one aspect  He had built an altar, and made sacrifices to God without a priest present – something God was not happy with (no copy of the law – Saul acted as if he was above the law)  Saul’s response? Not good. Rather than repenting, he grew defensive.  Once God found his replacement, Saul grew jealous because he knew he had been wrong and didn’t want to admit it.

8. King David?  Chosen from the People:  From Bethlehem, tribe of Judah  Multiply his Horses?  Nope. God built Israel under David  Multiply his Wives?  Fail. Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bathsheba were all wives of David’s, plus any concubines he may have had. This comes back to bite him – and hard…

9.  Seek after Money?  Nope. God rewarded David’s faith, but David did not make wealth a goal of his Kingdom  Make a copy of the Law?  David had a copy of the Law, and was so dedicated to following it, the people who lived under him were dedicated to following it as well.

10. What happened to David?  His failure was with women: he let his lusts get in the way of what he knew God wanted for him.  David’s multiple wives led him to: Murder a loyal subject to get his wife A baby son getting sick and dying as punishment for that sin One son raping one of his daughters Another son killed the rapist son, led a revolt and got killed himself Yet another son tried to swipe the throne

11. Solomon?  Did Solomon follow the laws?  Well, we already know he didn’t, in the end. But let’s take a look at what he had to say about them when he was a young king… See Proverbs Assignment

12. Proverbs 25  “The glory of kings is to seek things out” 25:2  A king should be a seeker of truth – the person whom people come to when they need help.  A king should be building his kingdom in righteousness (v.5)  “What your eyes have seen, do not bring into court.” 25:8  It refers to not telling the stories that are not yours to tell – a king should not use everyone’s secrets against them

13. Proverbs 25  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold” 25:11  A king uses his words to build up, and only criticizes others when he needs to, in order to build them up  “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat…” 25:21  A king treats people always with honor and respect – repaying unkindness with kindness  A king needs to have self control, and not cave in to unrighteousness

14. Proverbs 26  “answer not a fool in his folly, lest you be like him yourself…” 26:4  A king does not allow himself to sink to the same level as the immature, unwise, and unruly.  A king does not curse anything unjustly, or use his words carelessly

15. Proverbs 26  “As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.” 26:14  A king cannot afford to be lazy  “Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.” 26:23  Like shiny paint on a dirt cup, pretty words on an ugly heart or a bad attitude are totally meaningless. A king never allows his attitude to get so ugly he has to cover it up with a fake front.

16. So What?  How well did Solomon live up to his own expectations?  Not well, turns out…  Remember, he began well, but allowed his own sins to get in the way, and bring everything crashing down.  What about you?  These expectations of Solomon’s were not just written for kings –all of God’s people were intended to follow it: do you?