1. 1 Kings 14:21-28
2 Chronicles 12:1-16
Solomon was third & last king in the united kingdom
During his reign – kingdom prospered
Made 500 shields of gold (1 Kings 10:16-17)
Under Rehoboam things turned south
9 ½ tribes revolted – kingdom split
Rehoboam and Judah forsook the law of God (2 Chron 12:1)
He and the nation turned to idolatry ( 1 Kings 14:22-24)
Shishak (king of Egypt) invaded the land
Irony: When delivered Israel from Egypt – they left taking the treasures of Egypt – Now Egypt takes from them.
Shishak took the golden shields (1 Kings 14:26; 2 Chron. 12:9)
These verses about the downfall of king Rehoboam

2. 1 Kings 14:21-28
2 Chronicles 12:1-16
Rehoboam replaced the shields with bronze shields
1 Kings 14:27; 2 Chron. 12:10
Did so to save face – cover his embarrassment
He traded the genuine for lesser quality
The gold was stolen – so he replaces it with second rate bronze!
The gold shields were worth millions – the bronze worth thousands

3. Perhaps We Have Made Our Own Bronze Shields
Through Rehoboam’s weakness Shishak stole the golden shields
Though our weakness “Shishak” steals our golden faith and service
Gold was representative of a time when God’s glory was upon the nation of Israel – Now the glory is gone!
Rehoboam traded the gold for inferior bronze!
God’s service deserves the best – but often we substitute second rate bronze!

4. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
1 Kings 14:21-28
2 Chronicles 12:1-16

5. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men

6. Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Gold: wisdom of God found in His word
Wisdom that descends from above (Jas. 3:13-18)
Mind of God has been revealed (1 Cor. 2:9-13)
God’s wisdom far exceeds man’s (1 Cor. 1:25)

7. Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Gold: wisdom of God found in His word
2nd Rate Bronze: wisdom of man
Follow our own opinion over the law of God
Depend on the advice of modern advisors over the word of God
When we turn to counsel of man before consulting the word
Turn to man’s wisdom for how to make a marriage work (cf. Eph. 5)
Turn to man’s wisdom on how to discipline kids (Prov. 22:6)
Turn to man’s judgment on how to reach the erring (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1-13)

8. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy

9. Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Gold: Sincere service from the heart
Only sincere service –ready for day of Christ (Phil. 1:10)
Do will of God from the heart (Eph. 6:6)
Love is to be genuine and true (Rom. 12:9)

10. Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Gold: Sincere service from the heart
2nd Rate Bronze: Hypocrisy
Put on a front of being righteous (Matt. 23:28)
When we are more concerned about look to man than before God…
To save face – we pretend to be what we are not
When see the faults of others – yet we do the same ourselves (Matt. 7:1-5)
When having trouble with giving our word (cf. Jas. 5:12)
Jas. 5:12 – “judgment” same word as hypocrisy

11. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading

12. Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Gold: Grow in knowledge
Should be filled with knowledge of his will (Col. 1:9)
Grow in knowledge (2 Pet. 3:18)
Constantly adding to our knowledge (1 Pet. 1:5-10)
Involves:
Reading and rereading and rereading
Comparing to other texts
Checking other translations
Learning the meaning of words
Striving to learn how a text fits into the context
Trying to harmonize with other text

13. Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Gold: Grow in knowledge
2nd Rate Bronze: Mere reading
Merely read a text with little analysis
Don’t try to learn the meaning of difficult verses
Just “study” (read) what have to – to get ready for class
Little thought given to application

14. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service

15. Trade Action for Lip Service
Gold: Action – Doing
Doers of the word – not hearers only (Jas. 1:22; Rom. 2:13)
Why call Jesus Lord if don’t do what says (Luke 6:46)
Faith must be active (Jas. 2:26)

16. Trade Action for Lip Service
Gold: Action – Doing
2nd Rate Bronze: Lip service
Talk a good game – but without action (Jas. 2:14-17; Matt. 23:29-31)
When say we love and care about others – do little to show
When we talk about love for God – show little devotion
When we talk about obedience – but are not faithful
When claim doesn’t match our actions (Matt. 15:8)
“These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. “

17. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church

18. Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Gold: Faithful service to Lord
God is the priority (1 Pet. 3:15)
Give self to the Lord (Rom.12:1)
Faithful to the point of death (Rev. 2:10)
Give it our all (Heb. 10:23)

19. Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Gold: Faithful service to Lord
2nd Rate Bronze: Merely going to church
Think that if we go to services most (or some) of time – substitute for real dedication
“Going to church” is my service – my big sacrifice
Our “excuses” for not doing more – are our 2nd rate bronze!

20. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In

21. Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Gold: Godly living
Grace of God teaches us to live godly (Titus 2:11-12)
Involves: denying ungodliness and worldly lust (Titus 2:12)
Separate / different from the world (2 Cor. 6:14 – 7:1)
Means:
Don’t talk like the world talks
Don’t dress like the world dresses
Don’t watch what the world watches
Don’t go where the world goes
Don’t drink what the world drinks
Don’t do what the world does

22. Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Gold: Godly living
2nd Rate Bronze: compromise to fit in
World pressures us to fit in – be like it (Prov. 1:10-ff; Rom. 12:1)
They think it is strange how Christian lives (1 Pet. 4:4)
When we don’t want to seem odd – different – so we go along
When we try to be like those around us
When the pressure of the world is greater than our godly living

23. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together

24. Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Gold: Great marriage
Genuine love and care for each other (Eph. 5:28, 33)
Both have a fear of God (Psa. 34)
Seek to meet each others needs (Mark 8:34)
Spend time with each other (1 Pet. 3:7)
Bond & blend their lives together (Matt. 19:6)

25. Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Gold: Great marriage
2nd Rate Bronze: Merely staying together
Settle for merely staying together – not separating
Conclude that as long as we live together – done good!
May not communicate well
May not respect the conjugal rites
May not be close at all

26. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Trade Mom at Home for Day Care

27. Trade Mom at Home for Day Care
Gold: Mom at home with kids
Wife / mom has responsibilities in home (1 Tim. 5:13; Titus 2:5)
Teaching / training of children (Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4)
Time mom spends at home with children – she will never regret!
Doesn’t mean can do work outside home – but that must not interfere with her role

28. Trade Mom at Home for Day Care
Gold: Mom at home with kids
2nd Rate Bronze: Day care as a substitute
Turn that work over to someone else
When others are doing mom’s work – settling for the inferior
When she is absent, “there is a silent evil reigning, which can be removed only by her return” (Barnes)
Not saying all day care is wrong – or never use day care.

29. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Trade Mom at Home for Day Care
Trade Time with Children for Money and Gifts

30. Trade Time with Children for Money and Gifts
Gold: Spending time with children
Can’t fulfill some responsibilities without time
Takes time to be an example
Take time to teach (Eph. 6:4)
Takes time to help with problems
Takes time to build a relationship
Part of redeeming the time (Eph. 5:15-16)
You will never regret the time spend with children
Have some true “family time”
Play with
Them
Read to Them
Take them with you
Do things They ask
Build memories
Do things together
Have time for them

31. Trade Time with Children for Money and Gifts
Gold: Spending time with children
2nd Rate Bronze: Substitute money and gifts
Too busy to
To eat together
To talk about each other’s day
To go somewhere as a family
To help a teenager through some problem
Think “quality time” (though very little) is better
Feeling guilty, we shower them with money and gifts to replace the time

32. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Trade Mom at Home for Day Care
Trade Time with Children for Money and Gifts
Trade Discipline with Love for Yelling & Threats

33. Trade Discipline with Love for Yelling & Threats
Gold: Discipline with love
Children must be disciplined – corrected (Prov. 22:15)
Must be balanced with love (Prov. 13:24)
Sternness must be balanced with tenderness

34. Trade Discipline with Love for Yelling & Threats
Gold: Discipline with love
2nd Rate Bronze: Yell, holler or threaten
In the absence of correction driven by love – resort to yelling or hollering at the child
Think they have properly disciplined the child
Threaten to spank or enforce some rule – but don’t follow through

35. Stolen Gold & Second Rate Bronze
Trade the Wisdom of God for the Wisdom of Men
Trade Sincere Service for Hypocrisy
Trade Growing in Knowledge for Mere Reading
Trade Action for Lip Service
Trade Faithfulness for Going to Church
Trade Godly Living for Fitting In
Trade a Great Marriage for Staying Together
Trade Mom at Home for Day Care
Trade Time with Children for Money and Gifts
Trade Discipline with Love for Yelling & Threats