Did Solomon Listen? Will We?

Did Solomon Listen? Will We?

Solomon was: the son of Israel’s greatest king and heir to the throne; by God’s gift, the wisest man who ever lived; by God’s choice, the builder of His temple; the richest, most powerful leader of a kingdom at its peak as a world power; the world’s most influential diplomat; a trader, collector and patron of the arts beyond compare; a song writer (Song of Songs), poet (Psalms 127, 72), practical philosopher (Proverbs), and preacher (Ecclesiastes) whose works still impress us today; a man whose relationship with God was so good that God spoke to him personally.

So what did God say? The first time they talked, God’s grace overflowed: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon’s response displayed a genuine desire to honor God: “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern ... and to distinguish between right and wrong” (1 Ki. 3:5,9). God kept His promise and Solomon’s building years were dazzling.

After the palace and the temple were built, and Solomon’s kingdom and reputation established, God said: “If you walk before Me in integrity of heart and uprightness ... and do all I command ... I will establish your royal throne forever ... But if you ... go off to serve other gods and worship them, I will cut off Israel” (1 Ki. 9:4-9). What did Solomon do? He “loved many foreign women” that God said would “turn your heart after their gods” – and they really did (1 Ki. 11:1-6). The wisest man in the world blew it!

And it was all downhill from there – king turned bitter, kingdom divided, people taken captive, temple and city destroyed. What did God’s people learn? Ezra and Nehemiah, two books which record the recovery, close with this solemn question, which we might ask ourselves: “Solomon ... was loved by his God ... but even he was led into sin ... Must we hear now that you are too? (Neh. 13:26-27). This month’s Features can help us learn from Solomon’s mistakes. The question is, will we?

By Larry Ondrejack