Reading
- 1 Kings 11:1-40
Devotional
In one of the saddest tragedies in all of GOD's word, Solomon rebelled against GOD and went after idols. Solomon loved foreign women, in addition to Pharaoh's daughter whom he had already married. GOD had told the Israelites not to marry women of the pagan nations, but Solomon did so anyway. As he grew old, he married 700 women and had 300 concubines. These women loved idols and convinced Solomon to build temples to their gods, including Ashtoreth, Molech and Chemosh, burning incense and sacrificing to them.
Understandably, GOD was quite angry with Solomon, and He appeared to him again and said:
Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.
(1 Kings 11:11b-13 NKJV)
And the LORD raised up Hadad and Rezon to be adversaries to Solomon, causing him trouble. Then the LORD sent Ahijah the priest to Jeroboam, one of Solomon's officials, to tell him that GOD was making him king over all but 2 tribes—Judah and Benjamin, because of David. GOD said to Jeroboam:
37 So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the descendants of David because of this, but not forever.’”
(1 Kings 11:37-39 NKJV)
Solomon then tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died.
This sad turn of events should remind us that none of us, regardless of how spiritually strong we may be, is beyond falling and turning away from GOD. In face, we are given the warning in 1 Cor. 10:12, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Solomon, as wise as he was, failed to guard his heart. He allowed his physical attraction to beautiful women cause him to forget the GOD who created him, blessed him with wisdom and success. We must keep our heart with all diligence—watch carefully what you allow yourself to see, hear, touch and participate in. Nothing is worse than allowing the things of the world to turn our heart away from GOD.
