Sermons about 1 Kings 316 (2024)

FAQs

What does 1 Kings 3 16 mean? ›

This story in the Bible is supposed to highlight the love of the real mother for her child. She would rather have her child live, but be given to the fake mother, than watch it die.

“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us — and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (1 John 3:16). Here we glimpse the depth of the gift and the gravity of the demand. Christ gives unconditional love for us, even to the point of death.

Her love for her son overflowed to where she could not help but act in a way that would save her son. She was willing to give up her claim to have her son if it meant to spare his life. This is a mark of true motherhood: sacrificing to save her children.

God acts by providing “real life” opportunities for His wisdom to shine. God reveals Himself to Solomon through a dream, and He reveals Himself to the nation through the wise king. He reveals that justice comes from God. Only the Judge of all the earth does what is right.

16 ¶ Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

Some consider John 3:16 as the "theme verse" for the entire Bible. John 3:16 tells us of the love God has for us and the extent of that love — so great that He sacrificed His only Son on our behalf. John 3:16 teaches us that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, God's Son, will be saved.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). How do you measure a love like that? We can't measure it. We don't need to, but we do need to experience it.

God, our Father in Heaven, loves us immensely. His greatest gift to humankind, His Son, Jesus Christ, reflects that love. John 3:16 in the Bible describes God's love and His plan for the happiness of His children.

NLT We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. KJV Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Why is First Kings so important? Those kings who reigned under God's authority—who remained faithful to the Law—experienced God's blessings. But those kings who deviated from the Law experienced curses. First Kings reveals Solomon's relationship with Yahweh, emphasizing Solomon's divinely given wisdom and wealth.

What important lesson we can learn from the kings of Israel? ›

As they were the chief leaders of the people, we can learn much about spiritual leadership. It is a fact in life that poor leadership leads to poor outcomes in those for whom leaders are responsible. This has echoes of injustice: why should good people suffer because of bad leaders?

The divine right was an ancient idea that began with Europe's medieval kings. They claimed that they had been chosen by God and were his representatives on Earth. These kings had absolute power and could do as they liked. They expected total obedience from the people they ruled.

The 1 Kings 3 narrative introduces “two women who were prostitutes” (3:16), both new mothers, residing together in the same house. The women are clearly on their own, fending for themselves economically, each with a new human being to care for. In Joshua 2, the prostitute Rahab provided shelter for the Israelite spies.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 3:17

An instance of Solomon's wisdom is given. Notice the difficulty of the case. To find out the true mother, he could not try which the child loved best, and therefore tried which loved the child best: the mother's sincerity will be tried, when the child is in danger.

Solomon speaks of the great and “steadfast love” (Hebrew chesed) or “lovingkindness” God showed his father David for walking in faithfulness (literally “in truth”), in righteousness (Hebrew tzedaqah, also “honesty”), and in the uprightness of heart towards God (3:6).

2 Kings 3:16-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

And he said, “Thus says the LORD: 'Make this valley full of ditches. ' For thus says the LORD: 'You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink. '

1 Kings 3:16–28 recounts that two mothers living in the same house, each the mother of an infant son, came to Solomon. One of the babies had been smothered, and each claimed the remaining boy as her own. Calling for a sword, Solomon declared his judgment: the baby would be cut in two, each woman to receive half.

He acknowledges God's great goodness to his father David, 1 Kings 3:6; 1 Kings 3:6. He speaks honourably of his father's piety, that he had walked before God in uprightness of heart, drawing a veil over his faults.

16Now the people who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired and also has killed the king.” So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon, and they besieged Tirzah.