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Solomon's Glory Fades
Solomon's Glory Fades
Solomon made such a great start as king. He asked for wisdom to rule God's people instead of asking for power or wealth. God gave him wisdom greater than any other. Even such wisdom however doesn't guarantee that one will always make good choices in life.
Here in 1 Kings 11 we see the tragic downfall of this once wise king. He loved many foreign women - 700 wives and 300 concubines. "And his wives turned away his heart" (vs. 3). Verse 4 continues: "For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." He went after the idols of the pagans. He built altars unto them. He sacrificed to their gods.
God's response is recorded in vs. 9-10: And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded." Perhaps the best comment on this is: "Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice" (Eccl. 4:13).
God is faithful to His word. God had promised David that his kingdom would continue (Psalm 89:28-29, 36-37). He also warned (a negative promise) that if David's offspring would sin against God, that they would indeed be punished (cp. Psalm 89:30-32). YET, such punishment would not be the end of the Davidic dynasty (Psalm 89:33). God kept His word. Solomon was unfaithful. Solomon was punished. David's dynasty did not end with Solomon.
Faithfulness unto God is not just about great beginnings. Faithfulness is a daily thing. Many times we begin letting things into our lives (like Solomon did with women) that pull our heart away from God. Whether it be 'things' or 'people', God must come first. Jesus warned about things when he said: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matt. 6:24). He warned about people when he stated: "And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household" (Matt. 6:36). If we love people (mother, father, wife, husband, etc.) more than we love God we will drift away from God just as surely as did Solomon.
Be thou faithful until death and you shall receive a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
