Today's Bible Reading: 1 KINGS 11:1-43, 2 CHRONICLES 9:29-31, ECCLESIASTES 1:1-11
1 Kings 11:11
Therefore, the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.
There are times in our lives when although we know better, we do bad things. It is very clear what we should do, but we just decide not to do it. Our head knows what should be done, but our heart draws us to do the opposite. This was the case with Solomon. This guy was the wisest man alive. His wisdom and wealth were unmatched by anyone (1 Kgs 10:23).
Solomon might have been wise, but he was worldly. His wisdom didn’t prevent His wives from leading him to wonder from exclusively worshiping the Lord. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kgs 11:3). Each of them worshiped their own deity. Solomon allowed them to continue in their idolatrous practice. Their idolatry intersected His faith and lead to his fall as the Lord clearly warned him, “you shall not enter into marriage with them, for surely they will turn your heart away after other their gods” (1 Kgs 11:2).
Years previously before the installation of a king in Israel, God had set forth a directive ascribing the role and responsibilities of the future King. He gave them cautions for the king to consider when he was crowned. He instructed the future king to avoid acquiring an excess number of horses especially from Egypt (Deut 17:16). He also admonished the forthcoming king to refrain from procuring “many wives for himself” because they would turn his heart away from following the Lord (Deut 17:17). Finally, the Lord warned the prospective king to avoid gathering large quantities of gold and silver. The Lord also encouraged the king to have a personal copy of the law made for himself to keep with him at all times so he could read it and learn how to fear and follow the Lord. (Deut 17:18-19). If the king did all these things, he would “continue long in his kingdom, he and his children in Israel” (Deut 17:20).
Unfortunately, Solomon defied God’s directive. Oh, for a long period of time he faithfully and fervently served God. He oversaw the construction of the Lord’s temple (1 Kgs 7:51). He participated in the prescribed feasts and festivals. He honored the Lord with multiple animal sacrifices and magnificent prayers (1 Kgs 8:12ff). His devotions and dedication to the Lord was even recognized by others (1 Kgs 10:1). The Lord had even personally appeared to him two times (1 Kgs 11:9). His heart was wholly true to the Lord (1 Kgs 11:4), yet the accommodation to allow false gods to flourish in his household ‘turned away his heart” (1 Kgs 11:3). He endorsed and encouraged participation in idolatrous worship by building high places of worship for his foreign wives to practice their idolatry (1 Kgs 11:7).
He had declined into disobedience by not keeping the Lord’s covenant and statutes. Consider that although he was told not to acquire many horses especially from Egypt, we are told, “Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses” (1 Kgs:4:26) that he imported from Egypt (1 Kgs 10:28). Or consider also that he was counseled no to have many wives and he had 700 wives and the majority of them were not Israelites. Finally, look at the fact that he acquired a great quantity of gold and silver (1 Kgs 10:14). His defiance led to God’s discipline.
God brought his just judgement upon Solomon for his blatant disregard for His directives. Solomon was punished for his perverted practices. His kingdom was torn apart and was never reunited. Two Jewish nations emerged and a civil war raged between them for many years. Solomon knew what to do and didn’t do it and that caused him to sin against his sovereign. Solomon’s accommodation led to his apostasy. His defiance of God’s directive led to his demise. His sin had severe consequences. Don’t live like Solomon.
Today consider the trajectory of your live. Consider where your heart is in your relationship with the Lord. Examine your adherence to God’s directives. Look at areas of your Christian walk where you might be accommodating compromise. Ask the Lord to make your heart wholly His and not let it be swayed to sin. Ask the Lord to help you be consistently committed to Christ. Ask him to help you be wholly devoted to Him.
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