Why we choose to ignore a warning or a promise……..

After Solomon has dedicated the temple he has built to God, God appears to him and reassures him that He will always be around –

I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.  1 Kings 9:3

That promise is as good for us today as it was for Solomon back then. God is in us and with us and for and before us and behind us……and He is not going anywhere.

And then God reminds Solomon of a familiar warning – well a promise and a warning really….

If you follow my ways and  if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever…

But if not….

If not, then….

If you turn away from me and do your own thing and worship other gods…

…then I will reject this temple until it becomes a pile of rubble

….then I will cut Israel off from the land I have given them.

It’s pretty clear. And it has been repeated time and time and time again throughout this journey of the Israelite people out of slavery into a promised land and now as they settle and prosper,

So what does Solomon do?

He certainly does not take this warning as seriously as he ought to.

We have already seen how Solomon has created a kingdom of indifference.

A kingdom where the poor are expected to give to the rich.

A kingdom where the oppressed have become the oppressors.

The ancestors of those who cried out to God in Egypt are now causing others to cry out.

Solomon could be using his wealth and wisdom and brilliance for good to help the poor and repressed and unrepresented, but there is very little sign of that, is there? He’s building a kingdom of plenty; he’s stockpiling weapons in a time of peace.

Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[f] the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. I Kings 9:15

Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer are military bases. Megiddo is where we get the English word Armageddon. Solomon is using forced labour to build military bases.

‘Solomon is using his massive resources and wealth to build military bases to protect his….massive resources and wealth.’ Rob Bell – ‘Jesus wants to save Christians’

[As an aside, ‘Jesus wants to save Christians’ is one of Rob Bell’s less well-known books and is a wonderful exposition of the New Exodus theology, which is a great way of joining up the dots of the Old and New Testaments and is a fantastic challenge to the church of today].

Solomon did not use Israelites for his slave labour but foreigners still living in the land the Israelites had possessed (just like the Hebrews had been in Egypt).

He builds ships and amasses horses and chariots – horses and chariots imported from Egypt – horses and chariots like the Egyptians rode in to chase after the Hebrews as they escaped from Egypt.

 ‘Solomon’s empire-building leads him to place a high priority on preservation. Protecting and maintaining all that has been accumulated is taking more and more resources as attention is given to homeland security.’  Rob Bell

This is beginning to sound a lot like our modern world, isn’t it?

 

On a personal level, I can’t help thinking about promises and consequences and warnings…..

How much notice do we take of warnings?

How often do we really think about the consequences?

How often do we believe the promise and act accordingly?

Why do we think it’s OK to break the speed limit, even when we have been on a speed awareness course and know the potentially fatal consequences of doing more than 30 in a built up area?

Why do we treat ourselves to cakes and chocolate when we’ve been told by our doctor that our weight is seriously affecting our health?

Why do we ignore all the evidence that smoking can seriously damage your health?

Why do people ignore all the security warnings when browsing the web and end up with all sorts of unwanted viruses?

Why do we never make our kids wear enough sun cream when we know sunburn can cause skin cancer?

Why do kids always resist cleaning their teeth even though they hate the idea of discoloured, decaying teeth?

Why do teenagers think it’s OK to ignore safety signs in dangerous areas or safety labels on dangerous substances?

Why do we keep spending and spending whilst ignoring the emails form the bank piling up in our inbox?

Why is overindulging in alcohol seen as socially acceptable when it carries so many health and social risks?

We know why, don’t we?

Because in that moment, we’re so caught up in the moment, that that is all that matters.

We’ll think about the future tomorrow.

We’re weak-willed and lazy and great at coming up with all sorts of excuses and justifications.

 

And then there’s the flip-side.

We know what’s good for us.

None of us are stupid.

We know what works for us.

We know how to be healthy and happy.

Exercise, healthy eating, water, rest and relaxation, enough sleep, talking openly with friends….treating others as you would want to be treated…..dealing with issues rather than burying them…..

So why do we find it so hard?

Because in that moment, we’re so caught up in the moment, that that is all that matters (and the unhealthy option always appears more attractive in that moment for some reason….).

We’ll think about the future tomorrow.

We’re weak-willed and lazy and great at coming up with all sorts of excuses and justifications.

 

I’m talking to myself here. It’s a really fascinating area. The whole idea that as humans, we’re attracted to the things that are not good for us, rather than all those things that can improve quality of life considerably.

So if you’re up for a challenge, then reflect on this….

What warning do you struggle most to take seriously?

What promise do you struggle to believe?

Is there anything you would like to do about those answers today?