I Kings 11:9-11: “The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command. So the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.’”
If we were able to end the story of the life of Solomon with I Kings 10, we could conclude that Solomon was one of the greatest examples of unwavering obedience to the Lord. Early in Solomon’s reign, we find that the LORD was pleased with the king because he had asked God for a discerning heart . . . one inclined to the will of the LORD (I Kings 3:10). Although God had offered Solomon any desire of his heart, the king in response did not ask for personal wealth or power; instead he asked that God would help him be wise and obedient to the commands of the Lord. God was so pleased with the king’s response that God promised that He would add to Solomon’s request all of the blessings of which he did not ask.
The height of blessing for Solomon came in chapter 10, when it is recorded that the king received 25 tons of gold annually, not including the revenues from merchants and tradesmen (vs. 15). Solomon used many of these precious metals to construct a beautiful temple to the Lord; he also built for himself palaces constructed of ivory, fine gold, and ornate wood. Dignitaries from distant lands came to see the grandeur of the king and to hear the wisdom of this son of David who had been so blessed of the Lord. When the Queen of Sheba had traveled a great distance to see this ruler whose fame had spread throughout the ancient world, she was overwhelmed at the man that God had blessed. She praised the Lord, saying, “God has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel” (10:9).
Yet, as we begin to read chapter 11, we find ourselves looking to see if we have not turned too many pages. There seems to be a disconnect from everything that we have read to this point. Previously, Solomon had been found kneeling before the altar of the LORD, with his “hands spread out toward heaven” (8:54). The picture is of a monarch who is not too big for his “royal britches” to surrender himself to the will of God. He is a humble figure who cries out to the Lord, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below.”
Before chapter 11, there is focus, certainty, and exclusivity in Solomon's commitment to the One True God. But now we find in chapter 11 an older king who violates the will of God . . . that the Israelites should not marry pagan wives. Solomon had many female wives and companions (1000 total), many of whom were from royal families of pagan nations. These wives turned his heart away from worshipping God alone; the king began to worship the detestable gods of the Canaanites . . . gods like Molech to whom the pagans would sacrifice children. Solomon set up altars on high places for these gods; he had become so brazen in his disobedience to the Lord that he was willing to set up these shrines on mountaintops.
The Lord became angry at Solomon, for Solomon knew God’s command not to follow other gods; still, the king rebelled against the Lord. In response, God declared that the kingdom would be torn from his descendants and given to other rulers. God raised up adversaries who rebelled against the rule of Solomon, not unlike what Solomon himself had done to the Sovereign Lord. And for the remainder of Solomon’s life, he would be found attempting to crush the factions of resistance that were growing both outside and within his own nation.
As tragic as this story of Solomon’s later life is, I believe that we can learn an invaluable lesson from it. We must remember that God is to be worshipped solely and exclusively. There are not to be any persons or things that would displace the true worship of the One True God. Solomon knew this early in his reign; however, over time, the king permitted people into his life that would sway his commitment to the Lord. Solomon knew better, for he had been given wisdom from God; still, the king grew away from his intimate relationship with God. What is noticeably absent in the latter part of Solomon’s life is any reference to the daily communion of the king with His Lord. We don’t find Solomon seeking God each day, renewing his intimate walk with God and striving to the obedient to his Lord.
Thus, we must be committed to renewing ourselves daily by communing with the Sovereign Lord. This daily fellowship is the antidote to spiritual lethargy leading to self-centeredness and rebellion against the Lord. The Apostle Paul mentions this in Romans 12:2; namely that we will prevent any conformity to the world by renewing our minds and hearts toward the Lord. If you learn this lesson, you won’t have to worry about a “chapter 11” in your own life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment